United States
Environmental Protection
Agency
Off ice of Water
(4606)
EPA816-F-01-004
January 2001
&EPA
Arsenic and Clarifications to Compliance and New
Source Monitoring Rule: A Quick Reference Guide
Overview of the Rule
Title
Purpose
General
Description
Utilities
Covered
Arsenic and Clarifications to Compliance and New Source Monitoring Rule
66 FR 6976 (January 22, 2001)
To improve public health by reducing exposure to arsenic in drinking water.
Changes the arsenic MCL from 50 ug/L to 10 ug/L; Sets arsenic MCLG at 0; Requires
monitoring for new systems and new drinking water sources; Clarifies the procedures for
determining compliance with the MCLs for lOCs, SOCs, and VOCs.
All community water systems (CWSs) and nontransient, noncommunity water systems
(NTNCWSs) must comply with the arsenic requirements. EPA estimates that 3,024 CWSs
and 1,080 NTNCWSs will have to install treatment to comply with the revised MCL.
Public Health Benefits
Implementation of the Arsenic
Rule will result in ...
• Avoidance of 16 to 26 non-fatal bladder and lung cancers per year.
• Avoidance of 21 to 30 fatal bladder and lung cancers per year.
• Reduction in the frequency of non-carcinogenic diseases.
Critical Deadlines & Requirements
Consumer Confidence Report Requirements *
Report Due
July 1,2001
July 1,2002
and beyond
Julyl, 2002 -
Julyl, 2006
July 1,2007
and beyond
Report Requirements
For the report covering calendar year 2000, systems that detect arsenic between 25 ug/L
and 50 ug/L must include an educational statement in the consumer confidence reports
(CCRs).
For reports covering calendar years 2001 and beyond, systems that detect arsenic
between 5 ug/L and 10 ug/L must include an educational statement in the CCRs.
For reports covering calendar years 2001 to 2005, systems that detect arsenic between
10 ug/L and 50 ug/L must include a health effects statement in their CCRs.
For reports covering calendar year 2006 and beyond, systems that are in violation of the
arsenic MLC (10 ug/L) must include a health effects statement in their CCRs.
For Drinking Water Systems
Jan. 22, 2004
Jan. 1,2005
Jan. 23, 2006
Dec. 31,2006
Dec. 31,2007
All NEW systems/sources must collect initial monitoring samples for all lOCs, SOCs, and
VOCs within a period and frequency determined by the State.
When allowed by the State, systems may grandfather data collected after this date.
The new arsenic MCL of 10 ug/L becomes effective. All systems must begin monitoring or
when allowed by the State, submit data that meets grandfathering requirements.
Surface water systems must complete initial monitoring or have a State approved waiver.
Ground water systems must complete initial monitoring or have a State approved waiver.
For States
Spring 2001
Jan. 22, 2003
Jan. 22, 2005
EPA meets and works with States to explain new rules and requirements and to initiate
adoption and implementation activities.
State primacy revision applications due.
State primacy revision applications due from States that received 2-year extensions.
' For required educational and health effects statements, please see 40 CFR 141.154.
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Compliance Determination (lOCs, VOCs, and SOCs)
1. Calculate compliance based on a running annual average at each sampling point.
2. Systems will not be in violation until 1 year of quarterly samples have been collected (unless
fewer samples would cause the running annual average to be exceeded.)
3. If a system does not collect all required samples, compliance will be based on the running
annual average of the samples collected.
.oniToring Kequiremerus ror lorai Arsenic
Initial Monitoring
One sample after the effective date of the MCL (January 23, 2006). Surface water systems must take
annual samples. Ground water systems must take one sample between 2005 and 2007.
Reduced Monitoring
If the initial monitoring result for
arsenic is less than the MCL . ..
Ground water systems must collect one sample every 3 years.
Surface water systems must collect annual samples.
Increased Monitoring
A system with a sampling point result above the MCL must collect quarterly samples at that sampling
point, until the system is reliably and consistently below the MCL.
ro All samples must be collected at each entry point to the distribution system, unless otherwise specified by the
State.
For additional
information on the
Arsenic Rule
Call the Safe Drinking Water
Hotline at 1-800-426-4791;
visit the EPA Web site at
www.epa.gov/safewater; or
contact your State drinking
water representative. EPA
will provide arsenic training
over the next year.
Applicability of the Standardized Monitoring Framework to Arsenic
Below Trigger Level
GROUND WATER
No Waiver
Waiver*
SURFACE WATER
No Waiver
Waiver*
FIRST COMPLIANCE CYCLE
3rd Compliance Period
1999 2000 2001
Key
• One sampling event.
SECOND COMPLIANCE CYCLE
1st Compliance Period
2002 2003 2004
2nd Compliance Period
2005 2006 2007
3rd Compliance Period
2008 2009 2010
LXI CsH CsH CsH
Effective Date of Revised MCL
Jan. 23, 2006
Surface Water Systems:
Initial Samples Collected by
Dec. 31,2006
Ground Water Systems:
Initial Samples Collected by
Dec. 31,2007
Ed CsH
"Waivers are not permitted under the current arsenic requirements. States may issue 9 year monitoring waivers under the
revised final arsenic rule. To be eligible for a waiver, surface water systems must have monitored annually for at least 3 years.
Ground water systems must conduct a minimum of 3 rounds of monitoring with detection limits below 10 ug/L.
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