&EPA United States Environmental Protection Agency Total Coliform Rule Monitoring Requirements Noncommunity Water Systems Serving 25 -1,000 People ROUTINE MONITORING REPEAT MONITORING POSITIVE REPEAT SAMPLES AND MCL VIOLATIONS You must sample at the sites in your distribution system identified in your primacy agency reviewed sampling plan. Ground water systems serving 1,000 persons or less must take 1 sample every quarter, unless your primacy agency instructs otherwise. Surface water systems must take 1 sample every month. You must take 5 routine samples in the month following a total coliform (TC) positive result. For example, if your routine sample in June was TC- positive, you must take 5 routine samples in July. You must collect repeat samples whenever you are notified of a TC -positive sample. The TC-positive routine sample must also be analyzed for either fecal coliform or £ Coli. Ata minimum, you must take 4 repeat samples. If you have more than 1 service connection, you must collect repeat samples within 24 hours of learning about the positive results (unless your primacy agency gives you more time). If you have only 1 service connection, your primacy agency may give you approval to collect repeat samples within 4 days of learning of the positive result. You must collect at least 1 repeat sample from each of the sites identified below: The tap where the routine TC -positive was taken. A tap within 5 service connections upstream of the tap where the routine TC -positive was taken. A tap within 5 service connections downstream of the tap where the routine TC- positive was taken. If a repeat sample is positive, you must continue to collect repeat samples, per repeat monitoring instructions, until TC is no longer positive or until there is an MCL violation. If a repeat sample is TC -positive, it must also be ana- lyzed for either fecal coliform or £ Coli. If you have 2 or more TC -positive samples in 1 month (including both repeat and routine samples), your system has a monthly MCL violation. If you have any fecal coliform or £ Co//-positive repeat samples or have a fecal coliform or £ Co//-positive sample followed by a TC -positive repeat sample, your system has an acute MCL violation. Besides sampling, what else are we required to do? There are also requirements on whatyou report to the primacy agency every month, and requirements on how and when to notify your customers if you have a violation. Contact your primacy agency to make sure you are providing them with all the information that is required. Where can I find more information on the Total Coliform Rule? You can find more information on the Total Coliform Rule by calling EPA's Safe Drinking Water Hotline at: 1.800.426.4791; or you can visit EPA's Total Coliform Rule Web site: http://www.epa.gov/safewater/disinfection/ tcr/index.html. Primacy Agency. (contact name and phone number) Off ice of Water (4606M) EPA816-F-08-007 www.epa.gov/safewater January, 2008 ------- |