Fact Sheet: Announcement of Completion of EPA's Review of
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1. What is the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announcing?
The Agency is announcing the completion of its review of 69 National Primary Drinking
Water Regulations (NPDWRs) that were established prior to 1997. These 69 NPDWRs include
68 chemical NPDWRs and the Total Coliform Rule (TCR). EPA published its protocol for the
review of NPDWRs and its preliminary revise/not revise decisions for the 69 NPDWRs in the
April 17, 2002, edition of the Federal Register to request public comment (67 FR 19029-19090).
The Agency received and reviewed comments from 44 comm enters. Summaries of the major
comments and the Agency's responses are included in both the Federal Register notice and the
supporting response to comment document. In addition, the Federal Register also includes other
new information (e.g., health risk assessments completed between April 17, 2002 and December
31, 2002), and EPA's current revise/not revise decisions for the 69 NPDWRs.
2. Why did EPA review these NPDWRs?
Under the Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA), EPA must periodically review existing
NPDWRs and, if appropriate, revise them. This requirement is contained in Section 1412(b)(9)
of SDWA, as amended in 1996, which reads:
The Administrator shall, not less often than every 6 years, review and revise, as
appropriate, each national primary drinking water regulation promulgated under
this title. Any revision of a national primary drinking water regulation shall be
promulgated in accordance with this section, except that each revision shall
maintain, or provide for greater, protection of the health of persons.
3. What NPDWRs are covered by this action?
The Six-Year Review process only applies to existing national primary drinking water
regulations (i.e., currently regulated contaminants). Unregulated contaminants, such as those
being evaluated by the Contaminant Candidate List (CCL) are not covered by the Six-Year
Review. The current 1996-2002 review addresses NPDWRs promulgated prior to 1997 (referred
to as pre-1997 NPDWRs), with the exception of those regulations that are the subject of recent
or ongoing rulemaking activity (e.g., arsenic, radionuclides, disinfection byproducts, and most
microbiological NPDWRs). EPA will review NPDWRs promulgated after 1997 at a later date.
4. How did EPA review the pre-1997 NPDWRs?
The primary goal of the Six-Year Review was to identify, prioritize and target candidates
for regulatory revision that are most likely to result in a meaningful opportunity for health risk
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reduction and/or meaningful cost savings to public water systems and their customers while
maintaining or providing for greater levels of public health protection. To address this goal,
EPA developed a systematic approach, or protocol, for the review of existing NPDWRs. EPA
developed the protocol in consultation with the National Drinking Water Advisory Council
(NDWAC) and other stakeholders. The protocol focused on several key elements that were
intended to identify NPDWRs for which there is a health or technological basis for revising the
NPDWR. The review relied upon an evaluation of relevant new information for the following
key technical elements: health effects, analytical methods improvements, treatment technology
effectiveness, other potential regulatory changes, occurrence and exposure data, and potential
economic impacts. Figure 1 gives a general overview of the protocol used to make the revise/not
revise decisions for the pre-1997 NPDWRs.
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Figure 1: Overview of EPA's Protocol for Review of NPDWRs
NPDWRs under review
Initial Technical Review
Health Effects, Methods and Treatment
Feasibility, and Other Regulatory
Revisions
Is a health risk assessment
in process/planned?
No
Yes
Does the review suggest possible changes
in MCLG/MCL/TT and/or other
regulatory revisions?
Pending health
risk assessment
No
NPDWR remains appropriate
after data/information review
Yes
In-depth Technical Analysis
New risk assessment, methods feasibility,
treatment effectiveness, occurrence and exposure
and economic implications.
No Revision
at this time
I
Is a meaningful opportunity for health risk
reduction or meaningful opportunity for
cost savings likely to occur?
Yes
r
Are the data sufficient to support
regulatory revision?
1
No
No ^
No meaningful opportunity
and/or cost savings
Data gaps - determine
research needs
^ ^
t
k
Yes
1. Publish FR notice with preliminary revise/not decisions.
2. Review Public Comments and consider revising decisions
in context of new information.
3. Publish FR notice with list of NPDWRs to be revised
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5. What are the current revise/not revise decisions?
Based on the Agency's initial review, as well as the public comments received and other
new information, EPA believes that it is appropriate to revise the TCR. The Agency also
believes that it is not appropriate to revise the 68 chemical NPDWRs at this time. However, the
Agency has modified the basis of its not revise findings for 1,1-dichloroethylene (new health risk
assessment available), lead (based on public comments received), and lindane (new health risk
assessment available). The rationale for not revising the other 65 chemical contaminants
remains as described in the April 17, 2002 edition of the Federal Register. Table 1, below,
reflects the Agency's current revise/not revise decisions for the 69 NPDWRs. As indicated in
Table 1, each of EPA's "not revise" decisions were based on one of the following reasons:
(A) Health risk assessment is in process: As of December 31, 2002, the Agency is
currently conducting, or has scheduled, a detailed review of current health effects
information. Because the results of the assessment are not yet available, or were
not available in time for consideration under the 1996-2002 review cycle, the
Agency does not believe it is appropriate to revise the NPDWR at this time.
(B) Remains appropriate after data/information review: The outcome of the review
indicates that the current regulatory requirements remain appropriate and
therefore, no regulatory revisions are warranted. Any new information available
to the Agency either supports the current regulatory requirements or does not
justify a revision.
(C) New information, but no revision appropriate at this time because:
(1) Low priority: In EPA's judgment, any resulting revisions to the NPDWR
would not provide a meaningful opportunity for health risk reduction or
cost-savings to public water systems and their customers. Such revisions
are a low priority activity for the Agency and thus are not appropriate for
revision at this time for one or more of the following reasons: competing
workload priorities; administrative costs associated with rulemaking; and
burden on states and the regulated community to implement any
regulatory change that resulted.
(2) Information gaps: Although results of the review support consideration of
a possible revision, the available data are insufficient to support a
definitive regulatory decision at this time.
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Table 1: Current Revise/Not Revise Decisions for the 68 Chemical NPDWRs and the TCR
Not
Appropriate
for Revision
at this Time
Risk assessment in process ':
chemical currently undergoing
an EPA health risk assessment;
includes the three initiated as a
result of this review
(34 NPDWRs)
NPDWR remains appropriate
after data/information review
(16 NPDWRs)
New
information,
but no revision
appropriate
because:
Low priority
(14 NPDWRs)
Information gaps
(4 NPDWRs)
Acrylamide
Alachlor
Antimony
Asbestos
Atrazine
Benzo[a]pyrene
Cadmium
Carbofuran
Carbon tetrachloride
Copper
Cyanide
2,4-D (2,4-Dichlorophenoxyacetic acid)
1,2-Dichlorobenzene
1,4-Dichlorobenzene
1,2-Dichloroethane
Di(2-ethylhexyl)adipate
Di(2-ethylhexyl)phthalate
Diquat
Endothall
Ethylbenzene
Ethylene dibromide
Glyphosate
Methoxychlor
Pentachlorophenol
Polychlorinated biphenyls
Simazine
Styrene
2,3,7,8-TCDD (Dioxin)
Tetrachloroethylene
Thallium
Toluene
1,1,1 -Trichloroethane
Trichloroethylene
Xylenes
Barium
Dalapon
cis-1,2-Dichloroethy lene
trans-1,2-Dichloroethy lene
Dinoseb
Endrin
Epichlorohy drin
Hexachlorocyclopentadiene
Mercury
Monochlorobenzene
Nitrate
Nitrite
Selenium
2,4,5-TP (Silvex)
1,2,4-Trichlorobenzene
Vinyl chloride
Benzene
Beryllium
Chlordane
1,2-Dibromo-3-chloropropane
1,1 -Dichloroethy lene
1,2-Dichloropropane
Heptachlor
Heptachlor epoxide
Hexachlorobenzene
Lindane
Oxamyl
Picloram
Toxaphene
1,1,2-Trichloroethane
Chromium
Dichloromethane
Fluoride
Lead
Candidate
for Revision
Based on review of "other
regulatory revisions"
(1 NPDWR)
Total Coliform Rule (TCR)
1. As of December 31, 2002, the Agency is currently conducting, or has scheduled, a detailed review of current health effects
information.
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6. Will EPA consider reviewing any NPDWRs before the next review cycle?
For contaminants for which health risk assessments are in process (as of December 31,
2002) and contaminants for which there are information gaps, EPA will consider the results of
the updated health risk assessment and the results of any research/information gathering during
the 2002-2008 review cycle. However, if the results of the health risk assessment or
research/information gathering indicate a compelling reason to revisit the not revise decision,
EPA may decide to accelerate the review schedule for that contaminant's NPDWR.
7. What are the next steps?
EPA plans to consider revisions to the TCR with new requirements for ensuring the
integrity of distribution systems. The Agency remains committed to obtaining input from
stakeholders as a part of the rule development process.
The Agency expects to complete the next Six-Year review in the August 2008 time
frame. That review will include the 68 chemical NPDWRs included in the current review as
well as NPDWRs (e.g., arsenic, radionuclides) for which new/revised regulations have been
promulgated between 1996 and 2002. EPA plans to apply the current protocol to the 2002-2008
review, modifying it where appropriate to incorporate lessons learned from the current review
and to adjust for changing information sources. As discussed above, EPA may decide to
accelerate the review for an individual NPDWR if new information presents a compelling reason
to do so.
8. Where can I find more information about this notice and the Six-Year Review?
For general information on the Six-Year Review, please visit the EPA Safewater Web
site at http://www.epa. gov/safewater or contact the Safe Drinking Water Hotline at 1-800-
426-4791. The Safe Drinking Water Hotline is open Monday through Friday, excluding Federal
holidays, from 9:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Eastern Time. In addition to this fact sheet, the following
documents are electronically available to the public at EPA's Web site on the Six-Year Review:
(A) The Federal Register (EPA 815-Z-03-001) announcing the Agency's completion of its
review of existing drinking water standards;
(B) The Agency's response to the major public comments received regarding its preliminary
revise/not revisions decisions, entitled: Public Comment and Response Summary for the
Six-Year Review of National Primary Drinking Water Regulations (EPA 815-R-03-001);
and
(C) The technical support documents for the Six-Year Review:
• • EPA's Protocol for the Review of Existing National Primary Drinking Water
Regulations (EPA 815-R-03-002)
Six-Year Review - Chemical Contaminants: Health Effects (EPA 822-R-03-008)
• • Analytical Feasibility Support Document for the Six-Year Review of Existing
National Primary Drinking Water Regulations (EPA 815-R-03-003)
Water Treatment Technology Feasibility Support Document (EPA 815-R-03-004)
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• • Consideration of Other Regulatory Revisions for Chemical Contaminants in
Support of the Six-Year Review of National Primary Drinking Water Regulations
(EPA815-R-03-005)
• • Occurrence Estimation Methodology and Occurrence Findings Report for the Six-
Year Review (EPA 815-R-03-006)
• • Occurrence Summary and Use Support Document for the Six-Year Regulatory
Review (EPA 815-D-02-006)
For a hard copy of this fact sheet (EPA 815-F-03-001), the Federal Register notice,
and/or any of the Six-Year supporting documents, please contact EPA's Water Resource Center
at 1-800-832-7828. This information is also available through the official public docket, which
consists of documents specifically referenced in this action, any public comments received, and
other information related to the action. The docket materials are available for public viewing at
the Water Docket, EPA, 1301 Constitution Avenue, NW, EPA West, Room B-102, Washington,
DC 20460; phone number 202-566-2426. This docket facility is open from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30
p.m. Eastern Time, Monday through Friday, excluding Federal holidays. An index listing of the
contents of the public docket, and documents in the docket that are available electronically can
be accessed at http://www.epa.gov/edocket/. Once in the system, select "Quick Search," then
key in the Six-Year Review docket identification number OW-2002-0012.
United States Environmental Protection Agency June 2003
Office of Water (4607M) EPA 815-F-03-001
vwwv.epa.gov/water 7
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