Federal Register Action:  Expedited Approval of
                 Alternative Test Procedures for the Analysis of
Environmental Protection        ^_        M    -•••   * m   **  r  M. •••    * m • *    m.  *
A9ency              Contaminants Under the Safe Drinking Water Act;
                 Analysis and Sampling Procedures
      The EPA is approving 16 alternative test procedures for contaminants listed in
      the drinking water regulations. These procedures have been determined by the
      Agency to be as effective as the methods already established in the regulations
      for the same contaminants. The EPA has used its streamlined approval authority
      to make these 16 alternative methods available for determining contaminant
      concentrations in drinking water samples collected under the Safe Drinking
      Water Act (SDWA).

      Background

      When the EPA establishes a monitoring requirement for a regulated contaminant
      in drinking water, it also specifies at least one "reference" analytical method that
      can be used to determine the contaminant's concentration in drinking water.
      Public water systems must use a testing method approved by the Agency when
      performing analyses of samples required by regulation.

      Reference methods that are incorporated into the regulations are approved
      through a rulemaking process. In general, this means that EPA publishes a
      proposed rule, citing the method along with a  discussion of how the method can
      be used to analyze compliance samples. The method is proposed for approval in
      conjunction with monitoring requirements for one or more specific contaminants.
      Public comment is solicited on the proposal. The  EPA then decides whether to
      approve the method. If the method is deemed suitable, it is approved via a final
      rule. Under that process, the method is not  approved for analysis of samples until
      it is referenced in a final rule.

      After establishing monitoring requirements in the final rule, the EPA continues to
      evaluate additional analytical methods as they become available. When new or
      revised testing methods for contaminants in drinking water are determined to be as
      effective as methods already established in the regulations, then the Agency can
      use its streamlined approval authority to make the new methods available for
      determining contaminant concentrations in samples collected under the Safe
      Drinking Water Act. Methods approved under the expedited approval process are
      referenced in Appendix A to Subpart C of Part 141 of the  Code of Federal
      Regulations.

      Office of Water (MS - 4606 M)        EPA 815-F-16-005               June 2016

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Summary of Action
The EPA has evaluated 16 testing methods for contaminants listed in the
drinking water regulations and determined them to be as effective as methods
already established in the regulations for those contaminants. The Agency is
using its streamlined approval authority to make these 16 optional, alternative
methods listed  in Table 1 available for determining contaminant concentrations in
samples collected under SDWA.

Table 1.  ASTM methods and vendor-developed methods
Method
ASTM Method D 1253-14
ASTM Method D 1125-14 A
ASTM Method D 51 1-1 4 A
ASTM Method D 51 1-1 4 B
ASTM Method D 1688-1 2 A
ASTM Method D 1688-1 2 C
ASTM Method D 3697-1 2
Hach Method 10241, Rev. 1.2
Hach Method 8026, Rev. 1 .2
Hach Method 10272, Rev. 1.2
Hach Method 10261, Rev. 1.2
Hach Method 10267, Rev. 1.2
Hach Method 10258, Rev. 1.0
Nitrate Elimination Company, Inc.
Nitrate Reductase Method
Thermo Fisher Scientific Discrete
Analyzer Method
Mitchell Method M5331 , Rev. 1 .2
Contam inant(s)/Parameter(s)
Free chlorine, combined chlorine, total
chlorine
Conductivity
Calcium, magnesium
Calcium, magnesium
Copper
Copper
Antimony
Free chlorine
Copper
Copper
Total organic carbon
Total organic carbon
Turbidity
Nitrate, nitrite
Orthophosphate
Turbidity
Additional Information and Copies

You can view or download the complete text of the Expedited Method Approval
Federal Register final action from the Internet at:
https://www.epa.gov/dwanalyticalmethods.
A listing of the methods approved using the expedited approval process can also
be downloaded from the same website.

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You can learn more about the Expedited Method Approval Process for drinking
water and the alternative testing methods approved under the program by
contacting the Safe Drinking Water Hotline (1-800-426-4791) or Glynda Smith,
Technical Support Center (MC-140), U.S. Environmental Protection Agency,
Office of Water, Office of Ground Water and Drinking Water, 26 West Martin
Luther King Drive, Cincinnati, Ohio 45268; (e-mail: smith.glynda(S)epa.gov).

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