©ERA
United States
Environmental Protection
Agency
Office of Water  EPA- 821-F-10-004
                                                   4303T
                                                  July   2010
                   Proposed Methods  Update Rule
Summary
EPA is proposing a methods update rule to
approve several new or revised analytical
methods (test procedures) in wastewater
regulations.

The full title of this proposed rule is "Guidelines
Establishing Test Procedures for the Analysis of
Pollutants Under the Clean Water Act; Analysis
and Sampling Procedures."

EPA is proposing to add new and revised
methods published by EPA, voluntary consensus
organizations (e.g., ASTM, International and the
Standard Methods Committee) and commercial
entities, for use in water quality monitoring
programs. These changes and additional
methods will provide increased flexibility to the
regulated community and laboratories in their
selection of analytical methods for use in Clean
Water Act programs.

Why is EPA Proposing these Changes?
EPA approves analytical methods for measuring
regulated pollutants in wastewater. The
regulated community and laboratories use these
approved methods for determining compliance
with National Pollutant Discharge Elimination
System (NPDES) permits or other monitoring
requirements. Often, these entities have a choice
in deciding which approved method they will
use to measure a pollutant because more than
one approved method is available.

This rule proposes to add to this list of approved
methods at 40 CFR 136. Some of these proposed
methods introduce new technologies to the
NPDES program, while others are updated
versions of previously approved methods. For
some methods now cited within effluent
guideline regulations, EPA is proposing to
consolidate these citations into the list of
methods at 40 CFR 136.
                               Methods Update Rule Proposes:

                           •   New and Revised Wastewater Methods
                           •   New Alternate Test Procedures
                           •   Clarifications and Corrections to Previously
                               Approved Methods
                           •   Revisions to Preservation and Holding Times
                           •   Revisions to Method Modification Provisions

                          For More Information
                          You can view the Federal Register Notice at
                          http://www.epa.gov/waterscience/methods. In
                          addition, the proposed rule will be available at
                          http://www.regulations.gov under Docket ID:
                          EPA-HQ-OW-2010-0192. The public comment
                          period for this proposed rule is 60 days.

                          You may also contact Lemuel Walker at
                          Walker.Lemuel@epa.gov or Meghan
                          Hessenauer at hessenauer.meghan@epa.gov.

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