Disinfection by-product (DBP) regulations first began in the US with the passage of the 1979 Total Trihalomethane (TTHM) Rule after TTHMs were found to potentially cause cancer. This rule was then followed by the 1998 Stage 1 Disinfectants and Disinfection Byproducts Rule (DBPR) and then in 2006 with the Stage 2 DBPR. While the Stage 1 DBPR was used to expand the number of regulated compounds to include haloacetic acids, the Stage 2 DBPR rule was used to strengthen the monitoring requirements. Despite a 20-year history of enforcement, many small utilities continue to experience challenges in meeting these regulations. Further, most customers and some operators do not understand the nature and threat of such potential exposures. This is partly due to a lack of technical understanding by many system operators of how TTHMs are formed or how such compounds can be either prevented or minimized in their water systems. This presentation will provide a basic introduction to DBPs (including trihalomethanes and haloacetic acids), how they are formed in the water treatment process and in the water distribution system, and how they can be minimized or managed through modifications in raw water chemistry, water treatment, and water distribution management (including better tank operations and strategic flushing). Examples from actual water systems in Kentucky will be provided.