'We're Moving as Fast as We Can!'
ICR Update 697
ICR Update
Jim Walasek, Editor
Technical Support Center
April 1997
ICR Update ISSUe Number 2 - This information sheet, the ICR Update, is
the second one to be issued by the Technical Support Center (TSC) of the Office of Ground Water
and Drinking Water (OGWDW). Up-to-date ICR information will be provided to the ICR
community: utilities, laboratories, and other interested parties to help them cope with this complex
rule. Future issues will be distributed as needed to maintain information flow related to the ICR.
Lab Approval Continues - Many thanks to the 334 laboratories that
submitted applications for ICR Chemistry Lab Approval prior to the February 14, 1997 deadline.
TSC is processing those applications and as of March 26, 1997, 192 labs had been approved for
chemical parameters other than TOC. The list for the other chemical parameters contains 32
commercial, 8 state, and 152 utility labs. Remember, there are 20 different parameters for which
approval is granted with a total of 52 different method/analyte combinations (labs may not
necessarily receive approval for all parameters at the same time). Therefore, current approvals
represent 2138 method/analyte group approval decisions. Approved TOC labs have reached 136,
including 30 commercial, 8 state, 97 utility labs, and 1 other (university). The list of approved labs
is available from the Hotline or look at the OGWDW Home Page on the Internet
(http://www.epa.gov/ow/regs/final.html - look for the Information Collection Rule)
If you are a water utility and you have not yet applied for approval for the water quality
parameters, please contact the ICR Laboratory Coordinator at TSC as soon as possible (this is
important)! The alternative is to contract with an ICR approved commercial lab to perform these
analyses on-site.
First Virus Laboratories Approved - Thirteen analysts from eight
laboratories have been approved to perform virus analyses for the ICR. Approval was granted based
on the completion of an application, an on-site evaluation and successful analysis of seven
performance evaluation (PE) samples. The list of laboratories which includes two commercial, three
utility, one state and two university laboratories is available through the Safe Drinking Water
Hotline and appears on the OGWDW Home Page.
Analysts who did not pass the initial approval have been given an opportunity to participate
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in another round of PE samples beginning March 24, 1997. Results from this second round of PE
samples are expected by the middle of June.
More Colifbrm LabS Approved -Approval letters were sent out on March
19th to 30 laboratories that have been approved to perform coliform analyses for the ICR. This
brings the total number of approved labs to 286. The list of approved labs will be available through
the Safe Drinking Water Hotline and will also be accessible on the Internet OGWDW Home Page.
By the way, applications for coliform lab approval are still being accepted.
Example - The values given on the example computer screens shown in the ICR
Water Utility Database System Users' Guide for protozoans and viruses (p. 121 and p. 123) were
not very realistic. Although the screens will not be reproduced here, they will be described if you
wish to replace the existing numbers with more realistic values. First refer to the top screen, Edit
Protozoan Analyses (1 of 2), on page 121. Change the Sample Volume Collected from 500 to 100
L and the Amount of Sample Assayed from 100 to 10 L. Next, on the Edit Protozoan Analyses (2
of 2) screen change the Giardia results from <3, <4, <5, <6 to 2, 1, 1, <2, respectively. The total
cysts value will now be 4, not 18. Similarly, the values for the Cryptosporidium example should be
<2, 1, and 1. Total oocysts should be 2, not 15.
Now refer to the virus analyses example on page 123 of the guide. Change the MPN/100 L result to
167 (from <90) and change the lower 95% and upper 95% confidence limits to 83 and 301,
respectively. Also change the Sample Volume Collected to 300 L, and the Amount of Sample
Assayed to 100L. Sorry for the inconvenience.
If yOll've gOt the time... -Many of the systems affected by the ICR either already
have, or are planning to conduct a "dry run" on some or all of the various aspects of the ICR, such
as sampling, shipping, data entry, etc. We have talked to a few systems that have already conducted
a dry run of the ICR procedures. Generally, they are finding that it is a very worthwhile activity that
could catch those "little things that could foul up tilings." One of the ICR contacts that I talked to
thought that the dry run was "necessary" and "will make the effort go much smoother hi July."
Another thought that the effort was "a bit more time consuming than they originally thought it
would be." Other problems that were mentioned included: broken bottles, cracked caps, sampling
poults that had to be relocated, difficulty in collecting representative samples at some points, errors
in the database software (reported), etc. One benefit that resulted from conducting a dry run at one
utility was that they increased their "comfort level" and now feel "more at ease." Furthermore, as a
result of conducting a dry run some systems are making changes to procedures.
Some systems are now planning a second dry run, hi May, just to reinforce the things they
learned and to be ready for the "real thing" in July. If you are engaged in activities such as these,
and have the time, please drop us a line and let us know how things are going. Let us know what's
working, what's not, things that turned out to be more difficult than you thought, and especially
highlight lessons learned and/or helpful tips. We would really appreciate the feedback. Who knows,
some of the problems that you have discovered and solved may help another system. Thanks. My
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address is:
Jim Walasek, Editor
ICR Update
USEPA (MS-140)
Technical Support Center
26 W.M. L.King Drive
Cincinnati, OH 45268
Email: "walasek.james@epamail.epa.gov"
Atypical PrOtOZOan FluOreSCenCe -There has been a question regarding
objects similar in size and shape to Giardia or Cryptosporidium but with red internal fluorescence.
The ICR Microbial Laboratory Manual (EPA/600/R-95/178) states on page VII-27/28 that objects
may be characterized as Giardia or Cryptosporidium if atypical structures are NOT observed (such
as red fluorescing chloroplasts). Even without chloroplasts, something with internal red
fluorescence would be atypical. Therefore, if objects are found with the correct size and shape and
with apple green brightly highlighted edges (typical), but with red internal fluorescence (atypical),
they should NOT be included in the total IFA count.
Filter HOUSingS -MEMTEC (Fihmte) has advised us that the
catalogue numbers on their filter housings have changed. LMO10U-3/4 is now SCO10U-3/4 and
LMO10UP-3/4 is now SCO10UIM4. Although both filter housings are allowed, the clear filter
housing, SCO10UP-3/4 is preferred because it allows the analyst/sampler to see the liquid level and
check for bubbles, etc.
JOint Study Or "BuyOUt" Reminder - All treatment plants intending to
apply for a joint study or a buyout need to submit a letter of intent no later than May 14, 1997. See
the ICR Manual for Bench- and Pilot-Scale Treatment Studies for additional details.
Reporting ICR Treatment Studies Results - The results from the
ICR treatment studies will not be reported using the ICR Water Utility Database System which is
used to report the results from the eighteen months of ICR monitoring. Instead, the treatment study
results will be reported in a Final Treatment Study Report consisting of two components: (1) ICR
Treatment Study Data Collection Spreadsheets containing the treatment study data, and (2) a hard-
copy Summary Report containing details of the study design and a summary of significant results.
The spreadsheets are consistent with the data collection requirements as detailed in Parts 2
and 3 of the ICR Manual for Bench- and Pilot-Scale Treatment Studies. Specific spreadsheets are
provided for both GAC and membrane studies using either pilot- or bench-scale testing approaches.
These spreadsheets will be distributed on diskettes in Excel 5.0 for Windows to the ICR Technical
Contacts.
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A detailed Users ' Guide will accompany the Data Collection Spreadsheets, and will
describe the fields and cells hi each spreadsheet, provide hard-copy printouts of example data fields
and include appendices that list the nomenclature and equations used. The Users ' Guide will also
provide guidance on the preparation of the hard-copy Summary Report. The spreadsheets and guide
are currently undergoing final revisions, and EPA intends to mail them to all affected systems in
May 1997.
DOWII - 404 TO GO - Remember in the last ICR Update it was mentioned that
a system had already fulfilled its ICR obligation? Turns out this category "G" system (uses ground
water and serves a population greater than 50,000 people but less that 100,000 people) has full scale
nanofiltration capable of effective DBF precursor removal. Therefore, they do not have to collect
any samples or conduct a treatment study for the IGR. In other words, they are "home free!"
United States
Environmental Protection Agency
Office of Ground Water and Drinking Water
Cincinnati, OH 45268
Official Business
Penalty for Private Use
$300
EPA 815-N-97-002
BULK RATE
POSTAGE & FEES PAID
EPA
PERMIT No G-35
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