根据1986年《安全饮用水法案》（SDWA）修正案，美国环境保护局（USEPA）被要求对硫酸盐进行监管，一项规则已经制定了好几年。该机构决定重新考虑针对第五阶段硫酸盐提出的法规，该法规之前已经过审查。在第五阶段提议的硫酸盐规则延期后，美国环保局的硫酸盐工作组继续评估其监管的替代方案。为一项新的拟议规则起草了监管和序言语言草案。该材料最终在机构外发布，被称为“提案前”本文是对提案前的总结。包括4个参考文献，表1。

The US Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) is required to regulate sulfate under the 1986 Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA) amendments, and a rule has been under development for several years. The agency decided to reconsider a regulation proposed for sulfate under Phase V, which has been previously reviewed. Following deferral of the Sulfate Rule proposed under Phase V, USEPA's sulfate workgroup proceeded to evaluate alternative options for its regulation. Draft regulatory and preamble language was prepared for a new proposed rule. This material was eventually released outside the agency and has been referred to as a "preproposal." This article is a summary of the preproposal. Includes 4 references, table.