United States
                       Environmental Protection
                       Agency
&EPA
FACT
SHEET
                     Region 5
                     Office of Public Affairs
                     230 South Dearborn Street
                     Chicago. Illinois 60604
                                                                     905N89001
                  Michigan Minnesota
                  Ohio. Wisconsin
Safe Drinking Water
   Program Update
                                    AUGUST, 1989
       The 1986 Amendments to the Safe
       Drinking Water Act directed EPA to
       increase the pace of regulating
       drinking water contaminants.   This
       Fact Sheet provides an abbreviated
       status of the regulations that have
       recently been promulgated.

       PUBLIC WATER SYSTEMS

       Systems are now divided into three
       classifications according to the
       type of population served:
         Community Water Systems serve a
         residential population, such as
         municipal water utilities,  mobile
         home parks, and apartment
         buildings having their own water
         supply system.
         Noncommunity water systems
         generally serve a transient
         population. Examples are
         restaurants, motels, parks and
         churches having their own
         individual water supply system.
         Nontransient-noncommunity systems
         are a special type of noncom-
         munity system in that they
         generally serve the same persons
         over an extended period of time.
         The principal types are schools,
         factories, and office buildings

       PRIMARY STANDARDS
       The Primary Standards set limits on
       contaminants that might be harmful
       to human health at levels that are
       considered achievable by water
       systems.   They also specify the
       frequency at which systems of
       various types and sizes must test
       their water to ensure that it
       conforms with the standards.
       The Primary Standards apply to all
       community public water systems.
       Eventually, within the next few
       years, they win all also apply to
       nontransient-noncommunity systems.
       Only the microbiological and nitrate
       standards apply to noncommunity
       systems at this time.
                         Within  the next few years, there
                         will be at least 83 Primary
                         Standards.

                         SECONDARY STANDARDS

                         The Secondary Standards  represent
                         reasonable goals for drinking water
                         aesthetic quality,  but are not
                         Federally enforceable. The only
                         recent  change is the establishment
                         of a Fluoride secondary  standard.

                         MCLGs AND MCLS
                           Maximum Contaminant Level Goals
                           (MCLGs) are non-enforceable
                           health goals.  They are the
                           numerical limits set for each
                           contaminant at the level at which
                           no adverse health effects on
                           humans can be expected, with an
                           adequate margin of safety.

                           Maximum Confcgpijnant Levels (MCLs)
                           are the enforceable standards for
                           each  contaminant, which is set as
                           close to the MCLGs as  economically
                           and technically feasible.
                         SAFE DRINKING WATER ACT AMENDMENTS
                         OF 1986
                         On June 19, 1986, the President
                         signed the 1986 Amendments, which
                         greatly increased EPA's respon-
                         sibility for protecting the nation's
                         drinking water.  Some of the major
                         new requirements are:
                         - EPA must regulate 9 contaminants
                           within one year of enactment,
                           another 40 within 2 years, and a
                           total of 83 within 3 years,
                         - In addition to the above, at
                           least 25 more regulated con-
                           taminants are required by 1991,
                           and 25 more every 3 years
                           thereafter,

                         - EPA must establish new regula-
                           tions for surface water systems
                           requiring them to provide
                           filtration, or meet specific
                           criteria to avoid filtration,

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 EPA must require public water
 systems to provide disinfection,
 and provide criteria for systems
 to obtain a variance from the
 requirement,
 EPA is required to issue regula-
 tions requiring public water
 systems to test for unregulated
 drinking water contaminants, with
 the list to be re-issued at least
 every 5 years,
 EPA is provided with new enforce-
 ment authority, and directed to
 issue administrative orders or
 begin court action against public
 water systems in violation when
 States do not take appropriate
 action.  Maximum civil penalty
 limits are  increased to $25,000
 per day,
 The "lead ban" requirements of
 the Amendments ban further use of
 lead in the installation and
 repair of potable water systems,

 The Amendments also provided for
 penalties of up to 5 years and
 $50,000 fine  for tampering with a
 public water  system, and 3 years
 and $20,000 for threatening to
 tamper,
 The "Wellhead Protection Program"
 included  in the Act, requires
 States to develop programs for
 protecting  areas around public
 water supply  wells to prevent
 future contamination from  land
 uses practices in the vicinity.
 July 8f 1987 - New MCLS for 8 VQCs

 - MCLs, MCLGs and monitoring
   requirements are established for
   8 volatile organic chemicals
   (VOCs),

 - The regulation establishes the
   first requirements applicable to
   the newly-created class of
   "nontransient-noncommunity" water
   systems,

 - All community and nontransient
   systems  are also required to
   analyze  on a one-time basis, for
   34 to 51  unregulated organic
   chemicals,

 - The sampling point for VOCs and
   unregulated organic chemicals is
   to be the entry point to the
   system of each water source,
   or blended water sources,
 - The basic sampling frequency for
   the VOCs  is quarterly, but it can
   be extended to as long as every 5
   years, depending on system size,
   water source, and determination
   by the State of the "vulnerabil-
   ity of"  the water source.
 - Phase-in  of the required monitor-
   ing is:

   - Over 10,000 population systems
       - begin by January, 198'8

   - 3,300  to 10,000 population
       - begin by January, 1989
   - Under  3,300 population systems
       - begin by January, 1991
RECENT SIGNIFICANT DRINKING WATER
REGULATION CHANGES

April 2. 1986 - Fluoride MCL Changes

- The primary MCL for fluoride is
  changed to 4.0 mg/1 for all water
  systems.

- The secondary MCL for fluoride is
  set at 2.0 mg/1, with a require-
  ment for systems over that level
  to provide annual notice to their
October 28. 1987 - Revised Public
Notification (PN) Requirements

The revised regulations divide
violations into two classes:
- Tier 1 violations are for failure
  to comply with an MCL or treatment
  technique, or to comply with a
  variance or exemption schedule.
  The system owner/operator must:
  - Provide one-time PN in a daily
    or weekly newspaper within 14
    days of the violation, AND,

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 - Provide direct mail  PN with  a
   water bill  or by  hand delivery,
   to all customers  within 45 days
   of the violation, to be repeated
   quarterly as long as the
   violation exists, AND,
 - If the violation  is  for the
   nitrate MCL, or the  State
   determines  an acute  health risk
   may result, notice must be
   furnished within  72  hours to
   local radio and TV stations.
 Tier 2 violations are  for failure
 to perform required monitoring,
 failure to comply with testing
 procedures, or if the  system
 becomes subject to  a variance  or
 exemption.  The system owner/
 operator must:

 - Provide PN  in a newspaper
   serving the area  within 3
   months of the violation or of
   being granted a variance or
   exemption,  AND,

 - Provide direct mail  PN,  with a
   water bill  or hand delivery, to
   all  customers quarterly, as  long
   as the violation  exists,
 - The  State may allow  less
   frequent notice for  small
   systems or  for minor monitoring
   violations.

- Each PN must contain specific
   information on the violation,
  mandatory health effects informa-
  tion and suggested consumer
  action.

- The most recent copy of any
  outstanding  PN must be furnished
  to all new customers.
June 29. 19B9 - Surface Water
Treatment Requirements

The new requirements apply only to
public water systems using surface
water as a source.   The regulation
changes are in response to the 1986
SDWA Amendment requirement that EPA
require all surface water systems to
provide filtration, except under
very special conditions.  Major new
requirements are:
All wells that are determined by
the State to be "under the direct
influence of surface water" must
meet treatment requirements the
same as surface water systems,

All surface water systems must
provide disinfection, and must
maintain a residual concentration
of at least 0.2 mg/1 in the water
entering the distribution system,

Disinfectant residuals must be
measured in the distribution
system, at the same points and
same time as coliforms are
sampled.  Residuals cannot be
undetectable in more than ^% of
the samples each month, for any
two consecutive months that the
system serves water to the
public.
All surface water treatment plants
must be designed to achieve:
-  At least 99.9% (3-log) removal
   and /or inactivation of
   Giardia lamblia cysts, and

-  At least 99.99% (4-log) removal
   and/or inactivation of viruses.

The major requirements for a
surface water system to avoid
filtration are:

- Disinfection must at all times
  meet specified "CT" values
  (the disinfectant concentration,
  multiplied by the time of
  disinfectant contact), so as to
  ensure adequate inactivation of
  Giardia cysts and viruses,

- Systems must maintain a
  watershed control program, and

- The system must not have had
  any waterborne disease out-
  breaks , and must not exceed the
  monthly MCL for total coliforms
  for any two months in any
  consecutive 12 month period.

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- New requirements for systems
  using filtration include:
  - States will be required to make
    a determination for all
    filtering systems as to whether
    the total treatment (filtration
    plus disinfection) acheives the
    required removal and/or
    inactivation of Giardia and
    viruses.

  - Effluent turbidity must be
    measured by continuous monitor-
    ing, or by grab samples every
    four hours,
  - Conventional or direct filtra-
    tion systems must achieve a
    filtered water turbidity of not
    more than 0.5 NTU in morey than
    5% of the measurements taken
    each month, and at all times
    less than 5 NTU,  (the State may
    increase the limit up to less
    than 1 NTU upon special
    determination),

- The new requirements are effective
  18 months after promulgation.
  except that some additional time
  may be allowed to systems that
  must install filtration.

June 29. 1989 - Coliform Regulation
Chances"

All public water systems must meet
the revised final coliform MCL and
monitoring requirements 18 months
after promulgation  (December 29,
1990).  The current rule remains in
force until that date.  Principal
changes in the rule are:
- Compliance will be  based or?
  presence/absence of total
  coliforms in the sample, rather
  than the current estimate of
  coliform density,
- New MCL for systems analyzing at
  least 40 samples/month:  no more
  than 5% of the monthly samples
  may be total coliform-positive.
  New MCL for systems analyzing
  less than 40 samples/month: no
  more than 1 sample/month may be
  total coliform-positive.
  Systems must sample according to
  a written sample siting plan that
  has been approved by the state,
  Monthly monitoring requirements
  are slightly changed (see new
  table in the regulations),
  A set of repeat samples must be
  collected for each total coliform-
  positive routine sample.  And, in
  addition, smaller systems will
  have to collect additional
  routine samples during the next
  month, according to the following
  schedule:
 Routine Samples
 per Month	

1/mo. or fewer
2 to 4/mo.
5/mo, or greater
Number of Routine  Samples
 Repeat Samples    Next Month
                 5/mo.
                 5/mo.
             Standard Sched.
   At least one repeat sample must
   be from the same tap as the
   original sample.  Other samples
   must be from within 5 service
   connections upstream or down-
   stream of the original sample.
   All repeat samples mnqt be
             within 24 hours of
   notice,  unless the State waives
   this requirement on an individual
   case basis.

   If  coliforms are detected in any
   repeat sample, another set of
   repeat samples must be collected,
   unless the MCL has been violated,
   and the  system has notified the
   State.
   The requirement for small systems
   to  collect additional samples the
   next month may be waived by the
   State under special protocol.
                                                                      Rev. 10/17/89

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Primary Drinking Water Standards
• <
CONTAMINANTS
MICROBIOLOGICAL
Total ColifQrms
(coliform
bacteria, focal
conforms,
streptococcal
and other
bacteria)





Turbidity

INORGANIC
CHEMICALS

Arsenic




Barium





Cadmium


Chromium



lead

Mercury


Nitrate


Selenium


Silver

Fluoride



ORGANIC
CHEMICALS
Endrin




Lindane





Methoxychlor



HEALTH EFFECTS

Not necessarily
disease producing
themselves, but
indicators of organ-
isms that cause
assorted gastro-
enteric infections.
dysentery, hepatitis.
typnoid fever,
cholera, and others;
interferes with
disinfection
Interferes with
disinfection




Dermal and nervous
system toxicity
effects


Circulatory system
effects





Kidney effects


Liver/kidney effect*



Central t peripheral
nervous system damage;
kidney affects; highly
toxic to infants and
pregnant women

Central nervous system
disorders; kidney
effects

Methemoglobinemia
(Blue baby syndrome)

Gastrointestinal
effects

Skin discoloration
(Argyria)
Skeletal damage





Nervous system/
kidney effects



Nervous system/
kidney effects




Nervous system/
kidney effects


MCL *

1 per
100 ml








1-5 tu




.OS




1





.01


.OS



.05 «

.002


10


.01


.OS

4





.0002




.004





.1



SOURCES

human It animal
fecal matter;
some free
living in
nature






erosion; runoff
and discharges




geological;
pesticide
residues;
industrial and
smelter opera-
tions
geological;
industrial
processes ;
mining t mfgr.
of barium
chemicals

geological;
•ining and
smelting
geological,
indust. wastes
from metal
products 4-
finishing
industries;
corrosion
control

dissolves from
pipes and lead
based solder
plpo joints

used in
manufacture of
paint, paper,
vinyl chloride;
used in
fungicides;
geological
fertilizer;
sewage;
feed lots;
geological
geological ;
mining

geological;
mining
geological;
additive to
drinking water;




insecticide
used on cotton,
small grains.
orchards
(cancelled)

insecticide
used on seed
and soil treat-
ments; foli-
age applica-
tion; wood
protection
Insecticide
used on fruit
trees and
vegetables
CONTAMINANTS
2,4-0






2,4,S-TP Silvex



Toxaphene
Benzene








Carbon
tetrachloride


p-Dichloro-
benzene



1,2-Dlchloro-
e thane
1,1-Dichioro-
ethylene


1,1,1-Tri-
chloroethane


Trlchloro-
ethylene
(TCE)



Vinyl chloride





Total trihalo-
methanes






RADIONU GLIDES

Gross alpha
particle
activity


Gross beta
particle
activity

Radium 226 and
22* (total).
HEALTH EFFECTS
Liver/kidney effects






Liver/kidney effects



Cancer risk
Cancer risk








Possible cancer


Possible cancer




Possible cancer

Liver/kidney effects


Nervous system
problems


Possible cancer



Cancer risk





Cancer risk








Cancer




Cancer


Bone cancer

MCL *
.1






.01



.005
.005








.005


, .075




.005

.007


.2


.005



.002





.1








IS PC/1




4 mrem/
year

5 PC/1


SOURCES
herbicide used
to control
broad- leal
weeds in
agriculture;
used on
forests, range
pastures and
for aquatic

herbicide
(cancelled in
1984)

insecticide
used on cotton,
corn, grain
fuel (leaking
tanks) ; solvent
commonly used
in manufacture
of industrial
chemicals.
Pharmaceuti-
cals, paints.
pesticides, t
plastics
cleaning agent;
industrial
wastes

used in insec-
ticides, moth
balls, 4- sir
deodorizers

used in
manufacture of
insecticides;
in gasoline
used in
manufacture of
plastics, dyes,
perfumes ,
paints t SOCs
used in
manufacture of
food wrappings,
synthetic
fibers; solvent
-degreaser
Metal degreas-
er waste dry
cleaning
materials;
manufacture of
pesticides.
waxes, paints.
i varnishes;
paint stripper
Breakdown of
other VOCs; PVC
pipe solvents;
plastic t
synth. rubber
mfgr. wastes
Primarily
formed when
water contain-
ing organic
matter is
treated with
chlorine



Radium Z2t;
radioactive
waste; uranium
deposits

Radium 22*;
radioactive
waste; ura/ilua
deposits
Usually
geological

• In milligrams per liter, unless otherwise noted.
•• Substantial lowerina Of tl\« miMhar unAmr fnnmtA»rmtit\n

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        Secondary Drinking Water Standards
CONTAMINANTS
pll
Chloride
Copper
Foaming agents
Sulfats
Total dissolved
solids
(hardness)
Zinc
Fluoride
Color
corrosivity
Iron
Manganese
Odor
SUGGESTED
LEVELS
S.S to 8.5
250 ng/1
I mg/1
0.5 mg/1
250 mg/1
500 mg/1
5 mg/1
2.0 mg/1
15 color
units
non-
corrosive
0.3 mg/1
0.05 mg/1
3 threshold
odor number
CONTAMINANT EFFECTS
Water is too corrosive
Taste l corrosion of
pipes
Tact a and staining of
porcelain
Aesthetic
Taste and laxative
effects
Taste; possible relation
between hardness and
cardiovascular disease;
indicator of
corrosivity; damage to
plusibir.g; limit effac-
tiveness of detergents
Taste
Dental fluorosis (brown
discoloration of teeth)
Aesthetic
Aesthetic; health
(corrosive water can
dissolve pipe materials
such as lead)
Taste; staining of
fixtures and laundry
Taste; staining of
fixtures and laundry
Aesthetic
                                                                  Monitoring Requirements for Noncommunity Supplies
CONTAMINANT
Coliform bacteria
Nitrate level
Turbidity
eight VQCs
Unregulated
organics
SYSTEM TYPE
Ground t surface
Ground f. surface
Suface
Nontransient-
noncommunity
, Nontrapsierit-
noncoumunity
TEST INTERVALS
quarterly •
State option
daily *•
quarterly •*•
one-time
                                                                     •  The state may modify the frequency based  on  a  sanitary
                                                                          survey of tne system, and history of lab.  analyses.

                                                                    ••  The state may modify the frequency if  an  active disinf-
                                                                          tant  residual is maintained in the system.

                                                                   ••*  Repeat  sampling nay be extended to up  to  5 years,
                                                                          depending on system size, detection  of  VQCs, and
                                                                          determination by the State of 'vulnerability*.
                                                                     Monitoring Requirements for Community Supplies
         Monitoring Required for Unregulated
             Synthetic Organic Chemicals

   LIST 1  -  Monitoring Required for all Systems
Bromobenzene
Bromodicnloromethane
Bromoforn
Bronomethane
Chlorobenzene
Chlorodibromomethane
Chloroethane
Chloroform
Chloromethane
o-Chlorotoluene
p-Chlorotoluene
Dibroaomethane
m-Dichlorobenzene
o-Dlchlorobenzene
trans-1,2 Dichloroethylene
cis-1,2 Dichloroethylene
Dichlorosethane
1,1 Dichloroethane
1,1 Dichloropropene
1,3 Dichloropropeno
1,2 Dichloropropane
1,3 Dlchloropropane
2,2 Dichloropropana
Ethylbenzene
Styrene
1,1,2 TriChloroethane
1,1,1,2 Tetr»cnioroeth*no
1,1,2.2 Tatrachloroetnane
TetraciUoroethyisne
1.J.3 Tricnloropropaiie
Tolviene
p-Xylene
o-Xylena
m-Xylene
   List 2  -  Required  (or "vulnerable" Systems

              Ethylene  oibromide  (EDO)
              1,2 Dibromo-3-chloropropane  (DUCP)
   List 3  -  Monitoring Required at State Discretion
Bronoch1o rone thane
n-Butylbenzene
DictUorodif luoromethane
Fluorotrichloromethane
Hexachlorobutadiene
laopropylbenzene
p-Isopropyltoluene
Napthalene
n-PropyIbenzene
sec-Butylbenzene
tert-ButyIbenzene
1,2,3 Trichlorobenzene
1,2,4 Trichlorobenzene
1,2,4 TrimethyIbenzene
1.3,5 Trimetnylbenzene
CONTAMINANT
CoJlfonn bacteria
(Revised re H form
req\« i foment* )
Inorganic chemicals
* •
Organic*- pec ticide*
• •
Eight new VOCfl



51 UAreyulatftd
Alpha radiation
flwta radiation
Trihalomothanos
•
Turbidity
(Revised turbidity
requirement*)
Sodium
•
Corrosivity
Disinfectant residual
- Entering dlst. syst.
- In distribution syst.
SYSTEM TYPE
surface 4 ground
all
surface
ground
surface
ground
surface t ground
ever 10,000 pop.
3.309-10,000 pop.
under 5,300 pop.
surface t ground
surface t ground
surface <10,000
over 75,000 pop.
10,000-75,000 pop.
surface
surface
surface
ground
surface i ground
surface


INITIAL
SAMPLING TO
BE COMPLETED
July, l«77
WFECTIVT
DSC. mo
June, 1971
June, 1979
June, 1978
St&te option

Dec., 191*
Dec., !9S9
Dec., 1991
sane cs vocs
June, 1980
June, 1979
Jan. , 1981
Jan. , 1983
June, 1977
EFFECTIVE
D«C. 1990
Feb. 19(3
PCS). 1913
Feb., lt«3
EFFECTIVE
Dec. 1990


SliDSCQUENT
TEST INTERVTU,
»ont*uy '
—
ysarly
evary 3 yrs.
•very 3 yrs.
State option

continued
quarterly/up
to s year* «
one-tia«
every 4 yrs.
•very 4 yr».
quarterly *
qu^rtorly •
daily
Continuous or
every 4 hour
y«arly
•very 3 yr«.
one-time

continuous
Same as colif.
                                                                          See regulations for exception* and details.

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