&EPA
United States
Environmental Protection
Agency
The Third Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Rule (UCMR 3)
Fact Sheet for Pre-Screen Testing of List 3 Contaminants
Overview of the Rule
*J* Title: Revisions to the Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Rule for Public Water Systems; 77 FR 26072, May 2, 2012.
*J* 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). Pre-Screen Testing addresses contaminants that are
analyzed with methods that utilize very new or specialized technology. The UCMR program is the primary source of drinking
water contaminant occurrence data used by EPA in regulatory determinations.
*J* Description: UCMR 3 includes Pre-Screen Testing for two List 3 viruses (enterovirus and norovirus), using an analytical
method with two detection assays. Monitoring will also include five pathogen indicators. EPA will sample for public water
systems (PWSs) subject to Pre-Screen Testing within a 12-month period during 2013 - 2015.
*J* Utilities Affected: A representative sample of 800 non-disinfecting ground water systems serving 1,000 or fewer retail
customers, including community water systems (CWSs), non-transient non-community water systems (NTNCWSs) and
transient systems are required to participate in Pre-Screen Testing. EPA will pay for all associated sampling and analysis
costs.
UCMR 3 List 3 Contaminants
Contaminant
Detection
Assay
Transmission
enterovirus
Cell
culture;
qPCR1
Exposure to fecally-
contaminated water or
consumption of food exposed
to the contaminated water
Health Effects
Clinical Manifestation: Asymptomatic or mild illness;
can cause fever, pharyngitis, respiratory illness, rash,
herpangina, conjunctivitis; hand-foot-mouth disease
from coxsackievirus A16; severe cases may result in
aseptic meningitis, encephalitis, myocarditis, and/or
blood infection in newborns; most cases are
self-limiting
Sensitive Sub-populations: newborns, infants, children
and young adults at highest risk of infection
Duration: respiratory and exanthematous (rash) illness
usually 2-4 days; duration of pharyngitis, vesicular
stomatitis, etc. usually 4-10 days; conjunctivitis
usually less than 10 days (7 -15 days)
Infectious Dose (ID50): 4.79X101 PFU for coxsackievirus
norovirus
qPCR1
Exposure to fecally-
contaminated water or
consumption of food exposed
to the contaminated water
Clinical Manifestation: Vomiting, diarrhea, cramps, mild
fever; self-limiting
Sensitive Sub-populations: Newborns and premature
infants
Duration: Symptoms last 24 - 72 hours
ID50:10 virus particles (highly contagious)
1. qPCR - quantitative polymerase chain reaction
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Indicators
Indicator Monitoring: Systems selected for Pre-Screen Testing will also be subject to monitoring for microbial
indicators. This monitoring will be conducted in conjunction with the virus monitoring to gain a better understanding of
pathogen indicator and viral co-occurrence and to gain more exposure and health risk information on viruses and
indicators in undisinfected ground water systems. The pathogen indicators are:
• Total coliforms
• E . coli
• Enterococci
• Bacteriophage
• Aerobic spores
Monitoring
*J* 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).
*J* Frequency: Monitoring will occur twice in a consecutive 12-month period; sample events must occur 5-7 months apart.
*J* Location: Entry point to the distribution system (EPTDS) for all contaminants.
*J* Laboratories: If any system is notified by EPA or its state that it has been selected for Pre-Screen Testing, the system
must permit EPA to sample and analyze for List 3 contaminants and pathogen indicators. Monitoring and analyses are
organized and paid for by EPA through direct contracts.
UCMR List 3 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.gov/lawsreRS/rulesreRS/sdwa/publi
cnotification/upload/PNrevisedPNHandbookMarch2010.pdf
Public Notification Handbook for Transient Non-Community
Water Systems (EPA 816-R-09-009) available on EPA's website at:
http://water.epa.Rov/lawsreRS/rulesreRS/sdwa/publicnotification
/upload/publicnotificationhandbookfortransientnoncommunitvw
atersvstemsmarch2010.pdf
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
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*J* http://water.epa.Rov/lawsreRS/rulesreRS/sdwa/ucmr/ucmr3/
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http://water.epa.gov/drink/
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