&EPA
United States
Environmental Protection
Agency
The Third Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Rule (UCMR 3)
Fact Sheet for Screening Survey Monitoring of List 2 Contaminants
Overview of the Rule
*»* Title: Revisions to the Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Rule for Public Water Systems; 77 FR 26072, May 2,2012.
*»* Purpose: To collect occurrence data for contaminants suspected to be present in drinking water but that do not have health-based
standards set under the Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA). Screening Survey monitoring addresses contaminants with analytical methods
that rely on sophisticated technology that may not be as widely used in drinking water laboratories. The UCMR program is the primary
source of drinking water contaminant occurrence data used by EPA in regulatory determinations.
*J* Description: UCMR 3 includes Screening Survey monitoring for seven hormones using an EPA-approved analytical method. Public water
systems (PWSs) subject to Screening Survey monitoring will sample within a 12-month period during 2013 - 2015.
*J* Utilities Affected: Applicability is based on retail population served for community water systems (CWSs) and non-transient
non-community water systems (NTNCWSs). Screening Survey monitoring will be conducted by all systems serving more than 100,000
people; 320 randomly selected systems serving 10,001 to 100,000; and 480 randomly selected systems serving 10,000 or fewer.
UCMR 3 List 2 Contaminants
Contaminant /CASRN1
17-p-estradiol
50-28-2
17-a-ethynylestradiol
57-63-6
estriol
50-27-1
equilin
474-86-2
estrone
53-16-7
testosterone
58-22-0
4-androstene-3,17-dione
63-05-8
MRL2
(M8/L)
0.0004
0.0009
0.0008
0.004
0.002
0.0001
0.0003
Use or Environmental Source3
Hormones; EPA Method 539
Estrogenic hormone naturally produced in the human
body; and used in Pharmaceuticals
Synthetic steroid; prepared from estrone
Estrogenic hormone naturally produced in the human
body; and used in veterinary and human
Pharmaceuticals
Estrogenic hormone derived from horses; and used in
Pharmaceuticals
Estrogenic hormone naturally produced in the human
body; and used in veterinary and human
Pharmaceuticals
Androgenic steroid naturally produced in the human
body; and used in Pharmaceuticals
Steroidal hormone naturally produced in the human
body; and used as an anabolic steroid and a dietary
supplement
Health Effects3
Associated with estrogenic hormonal
response in post-menopausal women
Associated with increased blood levels of
enzymes related to liver function
Hormone is similar to 17-p-estradiol
Hormone is similar to 17-p-estradiol
Hormone is similar to 17-p-estradiol
Associated with adverse effects on the
endocrine and reproductive systems
Hormone is similar to testosterone
1. CASRN - Chemical Abstracts Service Registry Number
2. MRL-Minimum Reporting Level
3. "Use or Environmental Source" and "Health Effects" further documented in UCMR 3 Contaminants - Information Compendium. EPA 815-B-11-001. January 2012
Monitoring
Time frame: One consecutive 12-month period during January 2013 - December 2015 (monitoring can span more than one calendar
year, as long as conducted during a consecutive 12-month period).
Frequency: Ground Water. Monitoring will occur twice in a consecutive 12-month period; sample events must occur 5-7 months apart.
Surface Water or GUDI: Monitoring will occur in 4 consecutive quarters, with sampling events occurring 3 months apart.
Location: Entry point to the distribution system (EPTDS) for all contaminants.
Laboratories: Samples must be analyzed by EPA-approved laboratories. EPA-approved laboratories will be listed on the UCMR website at
http://water.epa.gov/lawsregs/rulesregs/sdwa/ucmr/ucmr3/laboratories.cfm.
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Critical Deadlines and Requirements
Due Date
October 1, 2012
August 1, 2012
October 1, 2012
Within 120 days
of sample
collection
Within 60 days of
lab posting data
Requirement
Following Rule Publication
Systems must submit contact information to SDWARS. (Any subsequent
changes must be submitted within 30 days of the change occurring).
Laboratories seeking approval must submit a registration form to
participate in the laboratory approval process. For more information see:
http://water.epa.Rov/lawsreRS/rulesreRS/sdwa/ucmr/ucmr3/laboratories.cfm.
Ground water systems that wish to monitor from representative EPTDSs
must submit either state-approved, UCMR 2-approved or propose a new
representative sampling plan.
Deadline for systems to change their monitoring schedule (after October 1,
systems must provide an explanation for the requested schedule change
and obtain EPA approval of the change).
PWSs review/edit if necessary, inventory information for sampling
locations.
Following Sample Collection
Laboratories post data to SDWARS.
PWSs review and approve the data. If the PWS has not taken action after
60 days, the data are considered approved and ready for state and EPA
review.
Report
through
SDWARS1
X
X
X
X
X
Contact
Sampling
Coordinator2
X
X
X (after October 1)
X (after October 1)
1. Safe Drinking Water Accession and Review System; at http://water.epa.gov/lawsregs/rulesregs/sdwa/ucmr/ucmr3/reporting.cfm.
2. Contact via email at: UCMR Sampling Coordinator@epa.gov.
UCMR List 2 Data Elements
Public Water System
Identification (PWSID)
Code
Public Water System
Facility Identification
Code
Water Source Type
Sampling Point
Identification Code
Sampling Point Type
Code
Sample Collection Date
Sample Identification
Code
Contaminant
Analytical Method Code
Sample Analysis Type
Analytical Results-Sign
Analytical Result-Value
Laboratory
Identification Code
Sample Event Code
Additional Information
The Public Notification Rule (40 CFR §141.207), published
on May 4, 2000 (65 FR 25982) with amendments and
corrections included in the Code of Federal Regulations for
the Public Notification Rule published on July 1, 2006,
requires PWSs to notify the public annually that the results
of monitoring for unregulated contaminants are available.
CWSs may include their public notice within their CCRs.
Details on these reporting requirements can be found in the
document: Revised Public Notification Handbook (EPA
816-R-09-013), available on EPA's website at:
http://water.epa.Rov/lawsreRS/rulesreRS/sdwa/publicnotific
atinn/imli-iarl/DMrowicorlDMI-lanrlhi-ii-ikMarrh^nin nrlf
Under the Consumer Confidence Report (CCR) Rule, as specified in
40 CFR §141.153(d), CWSs must report the monitoring results
whenever unregulated contaminants are detected. CCRs are to be
sent to all billing customers each year by July 1. (The CCR Rule does
not apply to non-community water systems). Details on these
reporting requirements can be found on the CCR Home Page at:
http://water.epa.Rov/drink/info/ccr/reRulations.cfm
For More Information
* Safe Drinking Water Hotline: (800) 426-4791
* CDX/SDWARS Help Desk: (888) 890-1995
*J* http://water.epa.Rov/lawsreRS/rulesreRS/sdwa/ucmr/ucmr3/
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