本文讨论了美国环境保护局（USEPA）饮用水铜法规的科学依据如何受到质疑，因为它将给某些水系统带来经济负担。讨论的主题是:铜作为人体营养必需的微量元素；儿童对铜毒性的易感性；美国环保局最大污染物水平目标（MCLG）的依据；此外，一些相互矛盾的研究批评目前的铜MCLG要么太低，要么不够低。包括22篇参考文献。

This article discusses how the scientific basis of the US Environmental Protection Agency's (USEPA's) drinking water regulation for copper has been questioned because of the economic burden it will impose on certain water systems. Topics discussed are: copper as an essential trace element for human nutrition; the susceptibility of children to copper toxicity; the basis of USEPA's maximum contaminant level goal (MCLG); and, the contradictory studies which criticize the current copper MCLG as being either too low or not low enough. Includes 22 references.