United States
Environmental Protection Office of Water EPA-815-F-98-003
Agency 4607 March 1998
LEAD AND COPPER RULE MINOR REVISIONS:
NEW DATA, NEW REGULATORY OPTIONS
Notice of Data Availability for Lead and Copper Rule Minor Revisions
The Environmental Protection Agency has published new data and requested comment on
•- several additional regulatory options the Agency is considering in conjunction with its
ralemaking effort to make minor revisions to the drinking water Lead and Copper Rule (LCR).
The Agency proposed the minor revisions in April 1996 (61 FR 16348, April 12, 1996). The
EPA is developing these revisions to improve implementation, streamline and reduce reporting
burden, where possible, and promote consistent national implementation. The ralemaking also
addresses two issues — the continued exclusion ,of transient non-community water systems from
coverage under the rule, and the definition of "control" as it pertains to the rule's lead service line
replacement requirements — that were remanded to the Agency in December 1994. The Agency
proposed several minor revisions in April 1996 (61 FR 16348, April 12, 1996).
' /
What changes is EPA planning to make in the Lead and Copper Rule?
The LCR requires water systems to monitor for lead and copper at the tap, to optimize corrosion
control, and, if appropriate, to treat source water, conduct lead public education programs, and
replace portions of lead service lines in the distribution system that are controlled by the water
system. The minor, revisions will provide limited monitoring relief for some systems that
consistently have little or no lead and copper occurring at consumers' taps, allow greater
flexibility in the delivery of public education for systems serving 3,300 and fewer people,
eliminate a few system reporting requirements, clarify the requirements for maintaining optimal
corrosion control, eliminate the LCR's rebuttable presumption that the water system controls the
entire length of the lead service line, and revise the information States are required to report to
EPA concerning the LCR. The minor revisions final rule also will address the issue of the
continued exclusion of transient non-community water systems from LCR requirements.
i ' ' .. • • •'•••••.
When will these changes take effect? .
EPA expects to publish'the final rule in the Fall of 1998. Most of the revisions will take effect
30 days after publication or on the effective day of any necessary revisions to State LCR
regulations, whichever date is later. ' '
Why is there a Notice of Data Availability?
At the time the minor revisions were proposed, in 1996, EPA was collecting additional
information pertaining to the regulation of lead in drinking water at transient non-community
water systems. The Agency promised to make that data available for public review and comment
prior to publication of a final rule.;The Notice of Data Availability (NoDA) fulfills that promise^,
In addition, EPA has identified several new regulatory options that it is considering as a result of
the public comments receivedin response to the 1996 proposal and other new information. The
new options pertain to the following issues: collection of tap water lead and copper samples for
systems on a reduced monitoring schedule; maintenance of optimal corrosion control,
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notification'of consumers affected by partial lead service line replacement, and State reporting
requirements, the NoDA discusses these options and requests public comment on them. The
NoDA also discusses the issue of simultaneous compliance with the LCR's corrosion control
requirements and the proposed enhanced coagulation regulations and requests public comment
on the Agency's tentative approach for addressing this issue.
How do I find out more about the new data and "regulatory options?
EPA has a limited number of copies of the additional data cited in the NoDA available for
distribution to the public. A single set of materials may be ordered, free-of-charge, while
supplies last, by calling the Safe Drinking Water Hotline at 1 (800) 426-4791, and requesting the
following documents.
• EPA Publication # EPA 815-6-97-003. Information Pertaining to Lead in
Drinking Water at Transient Non-Community Water Systems. December 1997.
• EPA Publication* EPA 815-B-97-004. The Effect of Temperature on
Corrosion Control. December 1997.
Theses documents also are available for reviewing at EPA's Water Docket in Washington, D.C.
and at EPA's ten Regional offices. Please call the appropriate contact listed below to schedule
an Appointment and for precise location information.
Offlce City Contact Telephone
Wafer Pocket Washington, DC Water Docket ' ' (202)260-3027
Region I Boston, MA EllieKwong (617)565-3604
Region II New York, NY Taj Khan (212)637-3826
Region III Philadelphia, PA EdHotham • (215)566-5778
Region IV Atlanta, GA Region 4 Library (404)562-8190
Region V Chicago, IL Miguel Del Toral (312) 886-5253
Region VI Dallas, TX DaveReazin (214)665-7501
Region VII Kansas City, KS Elizabeth Murtagh-Yaw (913)551-7440
Region VIII Denver, CO Marty Swickard (303)312-7021
Region IX San Francisco, CA Roger Yates (415)744-1843
Region X Seattle, WA Region 10 Library (206)553-1289
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If you have questions about the new regulatory options, please contact Judy Lebowich, U.S.
Environmental Protection Agency, Standards and Risk Management Division (MC 4607), 401 M
Street, S^, Washington, DC 20460, telephone: (202) 260-7595, e-mail:
Iebowich.judy@epamail.epa.g6v.
How else can I get involved?
Review the NoDA and send us your written comments. We need your input. Read the notice
online, request a copy from the Safe Drinking Water Hotline at 1-800-426-4791; or see the
Federal Register, Volume 63, Number 77, April 22,1998, pages 20037 - 20047.
We are looking for comments on all aspects of the NoDA, including any additional data and
information. Comments must be received or postmarked by midnight June 22,1998. To, submit
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comments by mail, please send an original and three copies of your comments and any
attachments. To ensure that we can read, understand, and therefore properly respond to your
comments, please cite, where possible, the document (including appropriate paragraph(s) or
sections)) to which each comment refers. Please use a separate paragraph for each issue
discussed. Please submit your comments in hard copy or on a disc prepared following the file
format instructions listed below for submitting comments electronically, to
Lead and Copper Comment Clerk
Water Docket (MC4101)
USSEPA, 401 M St., SW
Washington, DC 20460
To submit comments electronically, (you can do this at Federal Depository Libraries): -
• Use WordPerfect 5.1 or 6. lor ASCII file format, -
• • Avoid using special characters or encryption,
• Specify the docket name, number, or title of the Federal Register, and
• Send to: ow-docket@epamail.epa.gov.
If you want EPA to acknowledge receipt of your comments, enclose a self-addressed, stamped
envelope;
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