United States
"nvironmental Protet'lon
Agency
Proposed Ground Water Rule
Summary
EPA proposed the Ground Water Rule (GWR) on May 10, 2000 (65 Federal Register 30194).
The purpose of the rule is to establish a multiple-barrier approach to protect against waterborne
pathogens in drinking water from ground water sources.
Background
The 1996 Amendments to the Safe Drinking Water Act require EPA to develop regulations that
require disinfection of ground water systems "as necessary" to protect the public health
(§§1412(b)(8)).
Ground water occurrence studies and recent outbreak data shows pathogenic viruses and bacteria
occur in public water systems that serve ground water and that people become ill, and some may
die,due to exposure to contaminated ground water.
Most cases of waterborne disease are characterized by gastrointestinal symptoms (diarrhea,
vomiting, etc.) that are frequently self-limiting in healthy individuals and rarely require medical
treatment. However, these same symptoms are much more serious and can be fatal for persons
in sensitive subpopulations (such as, young children, elderly and persons with compromised
immune systems).
EPA does not believe all ground water systems are fecally contaminated; data indicate that only
a small percentage of ground water systems at risk of microbial fecal contamination. However,
the severity of health impacts and the number of people potentially exposed to microbial
pathogens in ground water indicate that a regulatory response is warranted.
About this Regulation
The GWR will apply to public water systems that serve ground water. The rule also applies to
any system that mixes surface and ground water if the ground water is added directly to the
distribution system and provided to consumers without treatment.
Proposed Requirements: The proposed targeted, risk-based strategy addresses risks through a
multiple-barrier approach that relies on five major components:
1. Periodic sanitary surveys of systems requiring the evaluation of eight
elements and the identification of significant deficiencies;
2. Hydrogeologic sensitivity assessments to identify wells sensitive to microbial fecal
contamination;
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3. Source water monitoring to test for the presence of E. coli, enterococci, or coliphage
in the sample. There are two monitoring provisions:
-Routine monitoring for systems that do not provide 4-log treatment
(inactivation or removal of viruses) and draw water from sensitive wells
-Triggered monitoring for systems that do not provide 4-log treatment and
have a total-coliform positive sample under Total Coliform Rule.
4. Corrective action is required for any system with a significant deficiency or source
water fecal contamination. The system must implement one or more of the following
correction action options:
-correct the significant deficiency,
-eliminate the source of contamination,
-provide an alternate source of water, or
-provide treatment which achieves at 4-log inactivation or removal of
viruses.
5. Compliance monitoring to ensure treatment technology reliably achieves 4-log
inactivation or removal of viruses.
Environmental and Public Health Benefits
The GWR will reduce public health risk from contaminated ground water drinking water
sources, especially in high risk or high priority systems. The proposed GWR is estimated to
reduce the number of waterborne viral illnesses by just over 96,300 illnesses each year from the
current baseline estimate of approximately 168,000 (a 57 percent reduction in total illnesses). It
is also estimated to reduce the number of deaths that result from waterborne illness by about nine
each year.
Cost of the Regulation
The GWR will result in increased costs to public water systems and States. The mean
annualized present value national compliance costs of the proposed GWR are estimated to range
from approximately $177.0 to $188.4 million (using a three percent discount rate). Public water
systems will bear approximately 89% of this total cost ($156.4 to $167.9 million), with States
incurring the remaining 11% ($20.6 to $20.6 million). The average annual household cost is
estimated to be $2.67 for all public and private CWSs, and $3.86 for all public and private CWSs
taking corrective action or fixing significant defects.
How to Get Additional Information
For general information on the GWR, please contact the Safe Drinking Water Hotline, at (800)
426-4791. The Safe Drinking Water Hotline is open Monday through Friday, excluding Federal
holidays, from 9:00 am to 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time. For copies of the Federal Register notice of
the proposed regulation or technical fact sheets, visit EPA's Safewater website.
Office of Water (4607M) EPA815-F-04-003 March 2004 www.epa.gov/safewater
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