Addressing DBPs "in Drinking Water with the
Drinking Water State Revolving Fund
Communities may use the Drinking Water State Revolving Fund (DWSRF) to reduce this public health
concern in their drinking water systems.
BACKGROUND
In many cases, drinking water must be disinfected to
treat microbial pathogens (e.g., bacteria, viruses,
protozoa, parasites). However, disinfectants can also
react with naturally-occurring materials in the water to
form disinfectant byproducts (DBPs) including;
trihalomethanes (THM), haloacetic acids (HAA),
chlorite, and bromate. Together, the Stage 1 and
Stage 2 Disinfection Byproduct Rules (DBPR) improve
drinking water quality by balancing treatment for
microbial pathogens and byproduct formation.
Byproducts, if consumed in excess of the EPA's
maximum contaminant level over many years, may
increase health risks. The EPA developed the DBPR to
limit exposure to these DBPs.
The Stage 1 DBPR reduces drinking water exposure to
DBPs. The Rule applies to community water systems
and non-transient non-community systems which add
a chemical disinfectant during any part of the drinking
water treatment process, and transient non-
community water system that use chlorine dioxide.
The Stage 2 DBPR strengthens public health protection
by tightening compliance monitoring requirements for
THM and HAA.
MANAGING DBP IN DRINKING WATER
Water systems can control DBP levels using a variety of
methods. One option is to optimize the amount of
disinfectant and/or decrease the contact time of the
disinfectant so that fewer DBPs form, while ensuring
compliance with other requirements. Another option is
to change the type of disinfectant being used to change
the type of disinfectant residual. Additional treatment,
like enhanced coagulation or membrane filtration, can
be used to minimize precursors so DBPs do not form in
the first place.
Additional EPA DBPs Resources:
https://www.epa.aov/dwreainfo/staae-l-and~staae-2-disinfectants-
and-disinfection-bvproducts-rules
https://nepis.epa.aov/Exe/ZvPDF.cai?Dockev=P100C8XW.txt
https://www.epa.aov/dwreainfo/divina-reaulations
A OFFICE OF GROUND WATER
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EPA OGWDW | Addressing DBFs in Drinking Water with the DWSRF
EPA 810-F-19-002 July 2019
DWSRF ASSISTANCE
The DWSRF can provide financial assistance to publicly-
owned and privately-owned community water systems,
as well as non-profit non-community water systems, for
drinking water infrastructure projects. Projects must
either facilitate the system's compliance with national
primary drinking water regulations or significantly
further the health protection objectives of the Safe
Drinking Water Act (SDWA).
Each of the 50 states and Puerto Rico operates its own
DWSRF program. They receive annual capitalization
grants from the EPA, which in turn provide low-interest
loans and other types of assistance to water systems.
Repayments of DWSRF loans begin up to 18 months
after project completion, with loan terms up to 30 years
for most communities, or up to 40 years for
disadvantaged communities.
Additionally, states may use a portion of their
capitalization grant from the EPA as "set-asides" to help
communities build the technical, managerial, and
financial capacities of their systems. With an emphasis
on small systems, these funds help ensure sustainable
infrastructure and public health investments.
Planning and Optimization
States can use DWSRF set-asides to help water systems
conduct studies and evaluations to determine the best
approach for addressing DBPs. For example, these
evaluations include, but are not limited to, water age
management studies, optimization studies, and pilot
testing for treatment alternatives. Since these
evaluations are likely to result in a capital improvement
project, assistance can also be provided from the loan
fund. DWSRF set-asides, or loans, can also be used for
planning and design of infrastructure projects that
address DBPs.
Infrastructure Improvements
If water treatment appears to be the cause of DBP
issues, water systems may install enhanced coagulation
technology, modify the disinfection process, or a
combination of both. DWSRF assistance can be used to
upgrade treatment technologies, like building a new
treatment plant or expanding an existing facility to add
DBP precursor removal capability. DWSRF set-asides
can be used for laboratory or testing equipment for
research or contamination prevention.
Partnerships
Consolidation and restructuring of water systems can
be a cost-effective alternative to treatment, particularly
for small systems, where the quality of water treatment
has deteriorated, or a water system is unable to
maintain compliance for technical, managerial, or
financial reasons. Costs associated with consolidation
efforts or infrastructure required to connect two or
more water systems are eligible DWSRF projects,
including creating consecutive systems.
Outreach and Training
Although routine/compliance monitoring is not eligible
for DWSRF funding, outreach and training for water
system operators is an eligible set-aside activity. This
can include one-time monitoring at a system to show
operators how to conduct the monitoring themselves.
States can also use DWSRF set-aside funds to present
workshops, seminars, and other training events that
provide operators with ongoing educational
opportunities.
APPLY FOR FUNDING
Water systems receive DWSRF assistance directly from
state agencies. Each state has its own application
procedure. Contact information for each state is posted
at httos: //www.eoa.aov/drinkinowatersrf/state-dwsrf-
website-and-contacts.
For more information, visit: epa.gov/dwsrf

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A EPA
DWSRF Case Studies: DBPs in Dr nking Water
How communities are using the Drinking Water State Revolving Fund (DWSRF) to address this
public health concern in drinking water systems.
WESTHAVEN COMMUNITY SERVICES
DISTRICT, CA
Westhaven Community Services District faced
maximum contaminant level (MCL) violations for
disinfection byproducts (DBPs). The District received
$65,000 in financial assistance from the DWSRF
program for a planning and design study. The
District's study included an evaluation of DBP
avoidance procedures, site investigation, preliminary
design report, and bench testing of potential
treatment systems. This project also included site
surveys, pilot testing, preparation of environmental
documentation, and plans and specification
development for the proposed infrastructure project.
Completed in February 2018, recommendations from
this study, once implemented, assisted the District in
returning to compliance with the Stage 2
Disinfectants and Disinfection Byproducts Rule
(DBPR).
FONDA, NY
The Village of Fonda, New York received DWSRF
assistance for various water system improvements. A
new mixing system was installed inside a 500,000-
gallon storage tank to reduce stagnant water and help
maintain a consistent chlorine residual, which will
reduce DBP formation. A new telemetry system is
being installed, allowing the Village to remotely
monitor the tank water level, with both high and low
water level alarms. The Village plans to rehabilitate a
pressure reducing valve at its chlorine house and
make other improvements throughout the distribution
system. Construction began in September 2018.
DWSRF assistance totaled approximately $1.4 million,
with an additional $2.2 million grant from the state.
Additional EPA DBP Resources:
httPs://www,epa,aov/dwreainfo/staae-l-and-staae-2-disinfectants-
and-disinfection-bvproducts-rules
https://www.eoa.aov/dwreainfo/staae-l-and-staae-2-disinfectants-
and-disinfection-bvproducts-rules
httPs://nepis.epa.aov/Exe/ZvPDF.cai?Dockev=P100C8XW.txt
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EPA OGWDW | DVVSRF Case Studies: DBPs in Drinking Water
EPA 810-F-19-001 July 2019
BRADY COUNTY, MT
Unable to meet DBP MCL limits, Brady County Water and
Sewer District needed to decide whether to update its
water treatment plant or find a new source of water. The
District found a new source from the North Central
Montana Regional Water Authority, To prepare for
existing water source abandonment, the District received
$257,000 in DWSRF assistance in 2013 for water system
improvements. This project replaced all existing
distribution system water mains and replaced an existing
storage tank with a new 125,000-gallon elevated water
storage tank. A new chlorine building was also
constructed. This regionalization project provided the
County's residents with a reliable source of safe drinking
water.
DESOTO PARISH, LA
The DeSoto Parish Water Works District #1 is
implementing an ion exchange resin pre-treatment
system to reduce DBPs formation. This technology
can be used to reduce natural organic matter and
dissolved organic carbon, which are precursors to
DBPs. Removal of these organic compounds will help
the water system reduce its DBPs. The project
includes the construction of a new ion resin exchange
building, purchase of resin regeneration equipment,
salt saturator, brine tank circulation pumps, flow
monitors, air compressors, and upgrades to the
existing instrumentation and control system. This
project, started in August 2017, received $2.3 million
in DWSRF assistance with 20 percent as loan principal
forgiveness.
DBP SAMPLING STUDY IN KS
The Kansas Department of Health and Environment
(KDHE) and EPA Region 7 utilized DWSRF set-asides and
a Regional Applied Research Effort (RARE) grant from
the EPA for a special study sampling DBPs for
consecutive public water systems (PWS). The first round
of sampling was performed in July 2018. Thirty-nine
water systems participated in the first round. The second
round of sampling was performed in September 2018,
with 36 water systems from the first round also
participating in the second round. The study results
suggested that the primary issue was parent water
systems forming DBPs at the treatment plants and then
passing these down to their consecutive water systems.
In 2019, KDHE and EPA will focus on water systems from
the 2018 participants that may have potential DBP
issues.
FUNDING INCENTIVE FOR DBP-RELATED
PROJECTS IN OK
The Oklahoma DWSRF program provides funding
incentives to water systems with a health-based
violation, specifically a DBPR violation, which is one
of the most common violation types in the state. As
of Fall 2018, there were approximately 120 Oklahoma
water systems under Consent Orders for DBPR
violations. Eligible projects can receive up to
$100,000 in loan forgiveness and benefit from a
streamlined loan application process. The Oklahoma
DWSRF program is utilizing DWSRF funding to reduce
DBP violations and address public health and
compliance issues throughout the state.
APPLY FOR FUNDING
Water systems receive DWSRF assistance directly
from state agencies. Each state has its own
application procedure. Contact information for each
state is posted at https://www.epa.QOv/drinkinq
watersrf/state-dwsrf-website-and-contacts.
For more information, visit: epa.gov/dwsrf

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