[AllegedWisdom]

In many cases (the water standard rule was one of them) the bureaucrats are acting on direct orders from Congress. Congress usually passes those laws demanding regulations to be written as a result of people asking the government to 'do something' about a problem that harmed an identifiable victim. Then the lobbyists get involved. Blaming bureaucrats for those regulations is like blaming coders for what happens after they get told to implement an incoherent design document.