United States Environmental
Protection Agency

FACT SHEET
                                                Office of Water
                                                4303T
                         EPA-821-F-06-005
                         June 2006
                       National Secondary Drinking Water Regulations;
                       Analysis and Sampling Procedures
EPA is adding and updating procedures for sampling and analysis in wastewater and drinking water.
These revisions for analytical methods provide additional choices to the set of EPA approved methods
for measuring pollutants. The newly approved methods also reflect improvements in science and
technology and, in some instances, offer more cost-effective ways to monitor for compliance.
Background

EPA approves sampling procedures and
analytical methods used by industrial and
municipal facilities to determine chemical,
microbiological, and radiological
components of wastewater and drinking
water as required by the Clean Water Act
(CWA) and Safe Drinking Water Act
(SOWA). Facilities use these methods to
demonstrate compliance with permits under
the CWA and SDWA.

EPA revises the list of approved methods
periodically based on information from the
AlternateTest Procedures approval process,
from the public, from Voluntary Consensus
Standards Bodies (VCSB), and from
vendors.

In August 2003 and April 2004, EPA
proposed to approve a number of new and
revised analytical methods.  The proposed
changes included:
    •   the addition of vendor-developed
       methods;
    •   new EPA and VCSB methods;
    •   updated versions of currently
       approved methods;
    •   revised method modification and
       analytical requirements;
    •   withdrawal of certain outdated
       methods; and
    •  changes to sample collection,
       preservation, and holding time
       requirements.

Summary of Final Rule

This rule amends EPA's wastewater permit
program-the National Pollutant Discharge
Elimination System (at 40 CFR part 122) to:
   •  clarify the use of analytical methods;
   •  correct inconsistencies in sampling
      requirements, and
   •  add £. co//' and Enterococci to the list of
      parameters.

This rule amends the Guidelines Establishing
Test Procedures for the Analysis of Pollutants
(at 40 CFR part 136) to:
    •  approve new methods submitted by
       stakeholders;
    •  correct errors to tables;
    •  clarify method requirements; and
    •  withdraw outdated methods.

This rule amends the National Primary Drinking
Water Regulations (at 40 CFR part 141) to:
    •  approve new methods submitted by
       stakeholders;
    •  standardize methods; and
    •  clarify method requirements.

This rule amends the National Secondary
Drinking Water Regulations (at 40 CFR part
143) to approve new methods.

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This rule amends the General Pretreatment
Regulations for Existing and New Sources
of Pollution (at 40 CFR part 403) to:
   •   correct inconsistencies in sampling
       requirements; and
   •   approve a new method.

Finally, this rule amends the effluent
guidelines for Pesticide Chemicals (at 40
CFR part 455) to:
   •   correct a table; and
   •   replace a method.

Additional Information and Copies

You can leam more about the methods for
wastewater by contacting Meghan
Hessenauer, Engineering and Analysis
Division (4303T), U.S. Environmental
Protection Agency, Office of Water, Office of
Science and  Technology, 1200
Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W., Washington,
D.C. 20460;  (e-mail:
hessenauer.meqhan@epa.gov). You can
learn more about the methods for drinking
water by contacting Patricia Snyder Fair,
Technical Support Center (MC-140), U.S.
Environmental Protection Agency, Office of
Water, Office of Ground Water and Drinking
Water, 26 West Martin  Luther King Drive,
Cincinnati, Ohio 45268; (e-mail:
fair.pat@epa.gov).

You can view or download the complete text
of the Federal Register notice from the
Internet at
www.epa.gov/waterscience/methods.

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