&EPA
United States
Environmental Protection
Agency
The Third Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Rule (UCMR 3)
Fact Sheet for Screening Survey Monitoring (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.
*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). 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.
*»* Description: UCMR 3 includes Screening Survey monitoring for seven List 2 hormones using an EPA-approved analytical method. List 2
contaminants are always associated with a Screening Survey sampling design. Public water systems (PWSs) subject to Screening Survey
monitoring will sample within a 12-month period during 2013 - 2015.
*»* 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.
*»* Occurrence Data: The analytical results from UCMR 3 are stored in the National Contaminant Occurrence Database (NCOD). For a
summary of the NCOD results, tips for querying NCOD, and health effects information (including reference concentrations) please refer to
the UCMR 3 Data Summary document.
Screening Survey (List 2 Contaminants)
Contaminant / CASRN1 MRL2 (ng/L) Use or Environmental Source3
Hormones; EPA Method 539
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
0.0004
0.0009
0.0008
0.004
0.002
0.0001
0.0003
Estrogenic hormone naturally produced in the human
Pharmaceuticals
body; and used in
Synthetic steroid; prepared from estrone
Estrogenic hormone naturally produced in the human
human Pharmaceuticals
Estrogenic hormone derived from horses; and used in
Estrogenic hormone naturally produced in the human
human Pharmaceuticals
body; and used in veterinary and
Pharmaceuticals
body; and used in
veterinary and
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
1. CASRN - Chemical Abstracts Service Registry Number
2. MRL- Minimum Reporting Level
3. "Use or Environmental Source" further documented in UCMR 3 Contaminants - Information Compendium. EPA 815-B-11-001. January 2012
Office of Water (MS-140)
EPA 815-F-16-002
May 2016
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Screening Survey 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).
*»* 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.
*J* Location: Entry point to the distribution system (EPTDS) for all contaminants.
*J* Laboratories: Samples must be analyzed by EPA-approved laboratories.
Critical Deadlines and Requirements
Due Date
Requirement
Report Contact
through Sampling
SDWARS1 Coordinator2
Following Rule Publication
October 1,2012
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.
Ground water systems that wish to monitor from representative
August 1,2012 EPTDSs must submit either state-approved, UCMR 2-approved or
propose a new representative sampling plan.
October 1,2012
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).
X (after October 1)
PWSs review/edit if necessary, inventory information for sampling
locations.
X (after October 1)
Following Sample Collection
With in 120 days of
sample collection
Laboratories post data to SDWARS.
With in 60 days of lab
posting data
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.
1. Safe Drinking Water Accession and Review System
2. Contact via email at: UCMR Sampling Coordinator@epa.gov.
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
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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
(EPA816-R-09-013).
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 delivered 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.
For More Information
* Safe Drinking Water Hotline: (800) 426 - 4791
* CDX/SDWARS Help Desk: (888) 890 -1995
* UCMR Homepage
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