The public notice must contain:
1) A dear and understandable explanation
of the violation;
2) An explanation of the potential adverse
health effects;
3) Identification of the population at risk;
4) An explanation of any actions being taken
to remedy the problem;
5) An explanation of the need for an alterna-
tive source of water, if any.
6) Preventive measures to be taken until the
violation is corrected.
eatment Technology
Given both the potential for VOC contamina-
tion and the requirement to protect the public
against this threat of contamination, all public
water systems must be prepared to meet the
MCLs for VOCs in water delivered to the
public. In other words, if VOCs are present in
a system's source water at levels which exceed
the MCLs, the system must be able to reduce
the levels or concentrations of the VOCs until
they meet the MCLs.
Accordingly, EPA has identified the best
available technology (BAT) for removal of
VOCs. These treatment technologies are
determined by EPA to be feasible for public
water systems, based on both efficiency and
cost.
BATs for VOCs are packed tower aeration
(PTA) and granular activated carbon (GAC).
PTA can remove all 8 VOCs, and it is the only
available treatment for removal of vinyl
chloride. GAC cannot be used to remove vinyl
chloride, but it can effectively remove the
other 7 VOCs.
Even though these treatment technologies are
indicated as BAT, public water systems are not
required to use them. In fact, a system may
use any appropriate technology for removing
VOCs, provided: (1) it is acceptable to the
State, (2) it treats all the water, and (3) its use
results in compliance with the MCLs.
Private Well Owners
The national primary drinking water regula-
tions apply only to public water supply
systems. They do not apply to private well
owners. As a result, owners of private drink-
ing water wells must assume responsibility for
protection against VOCs. Such owners are
encouraged to have their water tested by a
competent laboratory, particularly in cases
where the well is potentially vulnerable to
contamination. Proper construction, location,
and well-head protection will greatly reduce
the threat of contamination.
WHAT CAN YOU DO?
The Federal government, the States, and the
public water systems are all busy in their
efforts to keep VOCs out of our drinking
water. But is that enough? Is there a role you
can play? Here are a few suggestions:
FIRST, identify your local public water
system. If you pay a water bill, the name,
address, and telephone number of your
supplier should be on the bill. If you do
not pay a water bill, then contact your
landlord, building manager, or the local
health department they should know.
SECOND, contact your local water
supplier and ask about VOCs. Is the
system aware of the regulations for VOCs?
Has the system completed monitoring for
VOCs and unregulated contaminants? If
not, when will the monitoring take place
(remember, the schedule depends on the
size of the system)? Have any of the
regulated VOCs or any of the 51 unregu-
lated contaminants been detected in your
drinking water? Does the water being
delivered to the public meet all the MCLs
for VOCs, as well as all other federal and
state regulations? If not, what is being
done to remove the contaminants (i.e.,
which treatment technology, if any, has
been or will be used) ?
THIRD, if you receive a public notice
from your local public water system
regarding drinking water standards -
READ IT CAREFULLY - and follow any
instructions closely. If you have questions
or concerns, contact either the person from
the water system who is indicated in the
notice, or the state drinking water program.
FOURTH, if your water supplier is unable
to provide the information you need, then
contact your state drinking water program.
Ask if your water supplier is consistently in
compliance with the drinking water regula-
tions, and in particular, with the MCLs for
VOCs. The state will be able assure you
that your water supplier is providing safe
drinking water. Most state programs are
located in the state capital (or another major
city) and are usually part of either the
department of health or environmental
regulation. Consult the blue "government
pages" of your local phone book, or call the
Safe Drinking Water Hotline.
FINALLY, if you have a private well and
you think that the well is potentially
susceptible to contamination - HAVE
YOUR WATER TESTED by a competent
laboratory. A list of certified labs is avail-
able from your state's laboratory certifica-
tion officer. A list of the certification
officers can be obtained from the Safe
Drinking Water Hotline.
FOR MORE INFORMATION
If you need information on VOCs, including the
Federal laws, regulations, policies, and guide-
lines that apply to VOCs, write:
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Office of Drinking Water
401 M Street, SW
Washington, DC 20460
Or call: The Safe Drinking Water Hotline
(800)426-4791 or (202)382-5533
United States
Environmental P
Agency
570/9-89-EEE
August 1989
Office of Water (WH-550A)
oEPA Volatile
Organic
Chemicals:
Are VOCs in
Your Drinking
Water?
Prritd at RecycUd Paptr
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WHAT ARE VOCs?
VOCs are Volatile Organic Chemicals.
Volatile means that the chemicals dissipate or
vaporize readily in the open air. Organic
means that the chemicals are composed of
some form of a carbon-based molecules, much
like the building blocks of all living things.
Among the most common VOCs are those
chemicals used as solvents, degreasers,
fumigants, and dry cleaning chemicals. Most
of these chemicals are "chlorinated hydrocar-
bons" and have names such as trichloroeth-
ylene (TCE), carbon tetrachloride, and dichlo-
roethane. Another common VOC is benzene,
which is found in petroleum and petroleum
by-products. Benzene can also be "chlorin-
ated" to form VOCs such as chlorobenzene,
dichlorobenzene, and trichlorobenzene.
ARE VOCs FOUND IN THE WATER?
YES. Studies and surveys conducted by the
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
indicated the presence of VOCs in our nation's
drinking water. Although VOCs were not
found everywhere, VOCs were found at high
enough levels to warrant concern in a small
percentage of the systems surveyed.
VOCs are usually found in groundwater
sources of drinking water. Because of their
volatility, VOCs do not remain in surface
water very long and they are emitted into the
atmosphere. However, most VOCs are very
mobile, which enables them to percolate
through the ground into wells and aquifers.
Once in the groundwater, most VOCs do not
break down easily and may remain for long
periods of time. As a result, both the persis-
tence and mobility of VOCs pose a potentially
serious threat to the safety of our drinking
water.
How do VOCs get into the water? Acciden-
tal spills and leaks, improper storage and
disposal, and industrial discharges and runoff
all act as contributing sources of these danger-
ous chemicals. Improper disposal of house-
hold wastes, particularly used motor oil and
cleaning fluids, only makes the problem worse.
ARE VOCs DANGEROUS?
YES. If you are exposed to high levels of VOCs
in your drinking water for an extended period
of time, you may experience some kind of
adverse health effect including an increased
risk of cancer.
Studies have linked exposure to VOCs with a
variety of health problems, both in humans
and laboratory animals. Following is a brief
explanation of the health risks due to con-
sumption of the eight most commonly found
VOCs.
Vinyl Chloride and Benzene Considered to
be known human carcinogens ("carcinogens"
cause cancer), because exposure to these
chemicals over long periods of time results
in an increased cancer risk in humans.
Trichloroethylene (TCE), Carbon Tetrachloride,
and 1^2-Dichloroethane Considered to
be probable human carcinogens upon long
term exposure. They cause cancer in
laboratory animals.
1,1-Dichloroethylene and Para-Dichloroben-
zene Liver and kidney damage may result
from exposure to high doses over long
periods of time. There is some evidence that
they may cause cancer in laboratory
animals.
1,1,1,-Trichloroethane Considered to be toxic
to the liver, nervous system, and circulatory
system of humans and laboratory animals
upon exposure to high doses over long
periods of time.
HOW IS OUR WATER PROTECTED
AGAINST VOCs?
Drinking Water Regulations
In order to reduce the health risks associated
with both short-term and chronic exposure to
VOCs, the EPA promulgated National Primary
Drinking Water Regulations (NPDWRs) for
eight VOCs commonly found in public water
systems. These regulations were published
in the Federal Register on July 8,1987 (52 FR
25690).
Each of these VOCs has been assigned a
maximum contaminant level (MCL), which
is the maximum allowable amount of that
VOC in a public water system. Each system
must monitor their water for the presence of
VOCs after treatment, prior to delivery of
the water to the public and make sure the
MCLs are not exceeded. Following is a list
of the eight VOCs and their respective
MCLs:
VOC
Final MCL (mg/1)
Trichloroethylene 0.005
Carbon Tetrachloride 0.005
Vinyl Chloride 0.002
1,2-Dichloroethane 0.005
Benzene 0.005
Para-Dichlorobenzene 0.075
1,1-Dichloroethylene 0.007
1,1,1,-Trichloroethane 020
(1 mg/I-l part per million (ppm); 0.001 ppm »1 p«rt per billion (ppb))
Note: Compliance with MCLs is not a
simple process determined solely by one
sample, one laboratory analysis, and one
number. Rather, public water systems must
follow a complex and comprehensive set of
requirements to determine compliance with
MCLs and other drinking water regulations.
Information about these requirements is
contained in the July 8,1987 Federal Register
(52 FR25690). If you need assistance with
understanding this information, contact
either your public water system, your state
drinking water program, or the Safe Drink-
ing Water Hotline (see "FOR MORE INFOR-
MATION").
Monitoring Program
Public water systems are required to monitor
for these 8 VOCs according to a "phased in"
schedule. The initial monitoring period for a
system is determined by the number of
persons served, as follows:
Size of System
Over 10,000
3,300 to 10,000
Less than 3,300
Monitoring to begin by:
January 1, 1988
January 1, 1989
January 1, 1991
(Note: monitoring wlU be conducted quarterly for oacyeir)
Further, public water systems are also
required to monitor for the presence of an
additional 51 organic chemicals for which
MCLs have not been established. (These
requirements are part of the VOC rule that
was published in the July 8,1987, Federal
Register (52 FR 25715)). Systems are ex-
pected to follow the same "phased in"
monitoring schedule as required for monitor-
ing the eight VOCs discussed above. Upon
completion of monitoring for these "unregu-
lated contaminants," systems are required to
notify the public of the availability of the
monitoring results.
Future Regulations
In addition to the eight VOCs listed above,
EPA has recently proposed National Primary
| Drinking Water Regulations for additional
VOCs. The proposed regulations appeared in
the Federal Register on May 22,1989 (54 FR
22062). Among the VOCs in these proposed
regulations are:
Tetrachloroethylene Chlorobenzene
1,1,2-Trichloroethane Ethylbenzene
Ortho-Dichlorobenzene Styrene
1,2,4-Trichlorobenzene Toluene
Methylene Chloride Xylene
Public Notification
If an MCL (or other NPDWRs) is violated at
' any time, the public water system must
notify:
1) All users of the system;
2) the State; and
3) the local media.
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