Łto\ Ground Water Rule Factsheet:
General Rule Requirements
WHAT is THE GROUND WATER RULE?
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) published the Ground Water Rule (GWR) on November
8, 2006. One goal of the GWR is to provide increased protection against microbial pathogens,
specifically bacterial and viral pathogens, in public water systems (PWSs) that use ground water.
Instead of requiring disinfection for all ground water systems (GWSs), the GWR establishes a risk-
targeted approach to identifying GWSs that are susceptible to fecal contamination. The GWR requires
systems at risk of microbial contamination to take corrective action to protect consumers from harmful
bacteria and viruses.
To WHOM DOES THE GWR APPLY?
The GWR applies to all PWSs that:
# Rely entirely on one or more ground water sources.
# Are consecutive systems receiving ground water.
# Mix surface and ground water, where ground water is added directly to the distribution system
and delivered to consumers without treatment equivalent to the treatment provided for surface
water.
Although all of these systems are subject to the GWR provisions, systems that have been identified as
at-risk for contamination (by inspection or based on monitoring results) will account for most of the
systems that have to take corrective action to comply with this rule.
WHAT ARE THE BASIC REQUIREMENTS OF THE GWR?
The basic requirements of the GWR include:
# Sanitary surveys.
# Source water monitoring.
# Compliance monitoring.
# Corrective actions.
Sanitary surveys are primarily the responsibility of the states, while GWSs are responsible for the other
requirements.
WHAT ARE THE SANITARY SURVEY REQUIREMENTS?
The GWR requires states to conduct sanitary surveys of all GWSs in order to identify significant
deficiencies, including deficiencies that could make a system susceptible to microbial contamination.
Following the initial sanitary survey, states must conduct surveys every 3 years for community water
systems (CWSs) and every 5 years for non-community water systems (NCWSs). States may conduct
sanitary surveys every 5 years for CWSs that either provide at least 4-log treatment of viruses or have
outstanding performance records, as determined by the state.
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Systems must provide the state with any information that will enable the sanitary survey to be
complete and accurate. Each survey must include, but is not limited to, an onsite review and
evaluation of eight elements:
HI Source.
ft Treatment.
ft Distribution system.
t* Finished water storage.
* Pumps, pump facilities, and controls.
S Monitoring, reporting, and data verification.
* System management and operation.
S Operator compliance with state requirements.
If a state identifies a significant deficiency during a sanitary survey or at another time, the system must
take corrective action. A significant deficiency may include defects in design, maintenance, or
operation of the water system. A significant deficiency may also include the failure or malfunction of
the source, treatment, or distribution system that may cause contamination of water delivered to
consumers.
For more information on the sanitary survey requirements of the GWR, please refer to "Ground
Water Rule Factsheet: Sanitary Surveys."
is required for any GWS that is not conducting GWR compliance
monitoring for 4-log treatment of viruses and is notified of a positive total coliform result under the
Total Coliform Rule (TCR) routine sampling. Triggered source water monitoring is used to determine if
fecal contamination is present in the ground water source. If a triggered source water sample is
positive for a fecal indicator, the state will require that the system either take corrective action or
collect five additional samples from the same source within 24 hours of notification of the fecal
indicator-positive result and analyze them for a fecal indicator. If any one of the five additional
samples is fecal indicator-positive, the system must take corrective action.
Systems providing at least 99.99 percent (4-log) treatment of viruses (using inactivation, removal, or a
state-approved combination of inactivation and removal) of all of their ground water can notify the
state of this treatment and are then not required to conduct triggered source water monitoring. Those
systems are, however, required to conduct to show they are providing
consistent and sufficient treatment. Compliance monitoring requirements depend on the system's size
and the type of treatment it is using.
For more information on source water monitoring and compliance monitoring, please refer to
"Ground Water Rule Factsheet: Monitoring Requirements."
is required for any GWS with a significant deficiency. Some systems with fecal
indicator-positive results from their triggered source water monitoring may be required by their states
to take corrective action rather than conduct additional source water monitoring. If a system is
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instructed to carry out additional source water monitoring, corrective action is required if a GWS has
a fecal indicator-positive result during the additional source water monitoring. As the figure below
shows, systems have four corrective action alternatives.
Notice of significant deficiency
OR
Notice from the lab of fecal
indicator-positive sample from
triggered or assessment source water
monitoring
OR
Notice of fecal-indicator positive
sample from at least 1 of 5
additional source water monitoring
samples
System consults with
state to determine
corrective action
OR
State specifies
corrective action
System must complete
corrective action plan
OR
System must be in
compliance with state-
approved corrective action
plan and schedule
*Based on date of the notice.
Correct all significant deficiencies
Provide an alternate source of water
Eliminate the source of contamination
Provide treatment that reliably achieves 99.99 percent (4-
log) inactivation and/or removal of viruses
ARE THE THE
Source water monitoring
Corrective actions
Compliance monitoring2
Notification of 4-log treatment of viruses2
Complete sanitary surveys for most CWSs
Complete sanitary surveys for NCWSs and remaining CWSs3
December 1 , 2009
December 1 , 2009
December 31, 2012
(and every 3 years after)
December 31, 2014
(and every 5 years after)
1. Individual states may have earlier compliance requirement dates.
2. If systems providing at least 4-log treatment of viruses want to avoid triggered source water monitoring, they must submit written
notification to the state by December 1, 2009, and begin compliance monitoring by December 1, 2009.
3. May include CWSs providing at least 4-log treatment of viruses for all their ground water sources and CWSs that have an
outstanding performance record, as determined by the state.
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If a system is in violation of a GWR requirement, the system must report the problem to the state and
notify the public. Note that when a system has a ground water source with a fecal indicator-positive
sample, it is a situation and not a violation. In accordance with the GWR, the system must still meet
the Tier 1 Public Notification (PN) requirements.
Source water monitoring sample fecal indicator-
positive for E. co/7, enterococci, or coliphage
and not invalidated by the state
Failure to complete required corrective action
Failure to comply with a state- approved
corrective action plan and schedule2
For systems conducting compliance monitoring,
failure to maintain 4-log treatment of viruses
and restore 4-log treatment within 4 hours
Failure to conduct required source water
monitoring (triggered, additional, or assessment)
Failure to conduct required compliance
monitoring
Uncorrected significant deficiency
Unaddressed fecal contamination (CWSs only)
Within 24
hours
Within 48
hours
Within 48
hours
Within 48
hours
Consult
your State
Consult
your State
-
-
Within 24
hours
Within 30
days
Within 30
days
Within 30
days
Within 12
months
Within 12
months
Annually
Annually
1
2
2
2
3
3
-
-
TV, hand-delivery, public
postings, or other state-approved
method (consult your state)
Hand-delivery, direct mail, public
postings, newspaper, or radio
announcements
Hand-delivery, direct mail, public
postings, newspaper, or radio
announcements
Hand-delivery, direct mail, public
postings, newspaper, or radio
announcements
CCR2 (consult your state for
other specific PN requirements)
CCR2 (consult your state for
other specific PN requirements)
Special Notice2
Special Notice in CCR (CWSs only)
1 . Systems are required to send a copy of the PN to the state within 10 days of making the notification.
2. Community GWSs may use the Consumer Confidence Report (CCR) to make this notification if it meets the requirement to
notify the public within 12 months. NCWSs must use an alternate form of notice approved by their state.
For more information on GWR notification requirements, please refer to:
• "Ground Water Rule Factsheet: Public Notification, Consumer Confidence Report, and Special
Notice Requirements for Community Water Systems" and
• "Ground Water Rule Factsheet: Public Notification and Special Notice Requirements for Non-
Community Water Systems."
The following guidance materials for states and PWSs have been released or will be released in 2008:
- This guide provides a description of the GWR and
includes critical deadlines and requirements.
- Including factsheets on GWR general requirements, monitoring
requirements, and Public Notice, Consumer Confidence Reports, and Special Notices.
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- This guidance
provides states, tribes, and other primacy agencies with a brief review of the sanitary survey regulatory
provisions, give examples of what may constitute a significant deficiency, and provide a checklist of
elements that should be evaluated during the course of a sanitary survey inspection.
- This guidance
provides states, tribes, and other primacy agencies with a brief review of hydrogeologic sensitivity
assessments, an overview of the characteristics of a sensitive aquifer, information about how source
water assessments may be used, and information about how to determine if a sensitive aquifer has a
hydrogeologic barrier.
- This guidance provides GWSs, states, tribes, and other primacy agencies with a brief review of
the source water monitoring provisions. Primacy agencies may select fecal indicators (e.g., E. coli,
enterococci, coliphage) that systems would be required to test for in the ground water source sample.
The source water monitoring guidance manual provides criteria to assist primacy agencies in their
determination of which fecal indicator(s) may be most appropriate.
- This guidance will provide states, tribes,
other primacy agencies and GWSs with an overview of the treatment technique requirements of the
GWR. The guidance manual will provide assistance with determining the information that should be
included in a system's corrective action plan.
- This guidance
describes the regulatory requirements of the GWR that apply to wholesale GWSs and the consecutive
systems that receive and distribute that ground water supply.
- This document is
intended to be an official compliance guide to the GWR for small PWSs, as required by the Small
Business Regulatory Enforcement Fairness Act of 1996. This guide contains a general introduction and
background for the GWR, describes the specific requirements of the GWR and provides information on
how to comply with those requirements.
For additional information, please contact the Safe Drinking Water Hotline at 1-800-426-4791, or
visit
Office of Water (4606M) EPA 816-F-08-028 June 2008
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