Safe
HunKIHG .
Water HATiirn:
January 2002
Monthly Report
Water Lines
SDW Hotline Report
Published Monthly
See past reports at
http://intranet.epa.gov/ow/hotline
Safe Drinking Water Hotline: National
Toll-free No.: (800) 426-4791 or
(877) EPAWATER
For More Information Contact:
Harriet Hubbard, EPA Project Officer
(202) 564-4621
Operated by Booz Allen Hamilton
Under Contract #GS-10F-0090J
Top Ten Topics
What's New
Topic
Questions
(phone & email)
Percent of
Total*
Questions
Tap Water
197**
9
Testing


Local Drinking
171
8
Water Quality


Lead
136
6
Household Wells
135
6
Other DW
124
6
Background


Other EPA
103
5
Arsenic
97
4
Home Water
96
4
Treatment Units


Non-EPA
92
4
Environmental


Radon
83
4
*A total of 2,217 questions were answered by
the Hotline (via telephone and email) in
January 2002.
*Citizens who obtain their drinking water from
private household wells asked 28% of the tap
water testing questions.
In This Issue
Monthly Trends	1
What's New	1
Security Qs & As	1
Question of the Month	2
Frequently Asked Questions	2
Hotline Statistics	3
Did You Know?	4
New Documents:
¦	Small System Requirements For
The Stage 1 Disinfectants and
Disinfection Byproducts Rule.
Small Entity Compliance
Guidance. October 2001,
EPA815-R-01-025, is now
available at www.epa.gov.gov/
safewater/smallsys/s1 ddbpr.pdf
Add This to Your Calendar:
¦	The 28th annual convention and
exhibition of the Water Quality
Association will take place in
New Orleans, LA, March 5-9,
2002. This conference will offer
more than 70 hours of
educational seminars covering
topics form bioterrorism to
arsenic.
Security Qs & As
Q: How can I find out EPA is doing
to protect the nation's water
infrastructure?
A: EPA's Water Protection Task
Force, with assistance from
EPA Regions and external
partners, is working to improve
the security of the nation's
drinking water and wastewater
infrastructure. Many questions
about Water Protection Task
Force related issues (e.g.,
vulnerability assessments,
water utility security) are
answered on EPA's drinking
water security Internet site
(www.epa.gov/safewater/
security/secfs.html). Related
questions that are not
addressed on the Web site may
be directed to the Task Force
via email, at protection.water@
epa.gov.
Monthly Trends
In January 2002, the Hotline saw an increase in calls related to the
unregulated contaminant monitoring rule (UCMR). As illustrated in the chart
below, callers in EPA Regions 4 and 9 asked the most questions about
UCMR. The majority of the UCMR questions received were posed by
operators of public water systems (PWSs). For example, ten of the twelve
callers from North Carolina (in Region 4) and California (in Region 9) were
PWS operators, while the other two callers were employees of
analytical laboratories. The questions asked by these callers
were mainly related to logistical aspects of electronic reporting,
including requests for ID
numbers, and inquiries
about registration/pre-
registration. Other UCMR
questions related to small
system monitoring
equipment, cost
reimbursement for small
systems, and monitoring
schedule requirements.

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January 2002
? of the Month
Q: What is the applicability of the proposed Ground
Water Rule?
A: The requirements of the proposed Ground Water
Rule would apply to all public water systems served
solely by ground water. This rule also would apply to
any system that mixes surface and ground water if the
ground water is added directly to the distribution
system and provided to consumers without treatment.
Systems supplied by ground water under the direct
influence of surface water would not be regulated
under this rule, as proposed.
Frequently Asked Qs & As
Q: EPA proposed to authorize or permit the use of
selected strains of bacterial spores, such as those of
Bacullus subtilis or other spore-forming bacilli, as
indicator organisms for disinfectant evaluation for
destruction of Cryptosporidium and Giardia cysts in
drinking water treatment Does the Interim Enhanced
Surface Water Treatment Rule have any provision for
this process?
A: According to Dr. Paul Berger, OGWDW, bacterial
endospores have been examined as an indicator of
filter efficiency for systems using surface water. The
endospores are somewhat smaller than the Crypto
oocyst, and efficient removal of the endospores would
imply effective oocyst removal. Also, Clostridium
perfringens endospores have been evaluated as an
indicator of fecal contamination in groundwater
sources but, in at least one recent study, other
indicators were found to be more effective. The team
developing changes to the Surface Water Treatment
Rule has determined that the endospores were not
under consideration as a monitoring tool because the
CT values for Crypto are sufficiently well defined to
obviate the need for endospore use.
Q: What is the availability of funding for research to
develop new technology for the removal of Arsenic
under the new Arsenic Rule?
A: In an October 31, 2001, letter to the conferees on the
Veterans Affairs, Housing and Urban Development
and Independent Agencies appropriations measure,
Administrator Whitman wrote that "EPA plans to
provide $20 million over the next two years for
research and development of more cost-effective
technologies to help small systems meet the new [10
ppb arsenic] standard." The Agency is planning how
to conduct this activity. Callers may leave contact
information with the Hotline, and monitor the EPA
drinking water arsenic Web site for updates.
Q: The Drinking Water Contaminant Candidate List
(CCL) at www.epa.gov/OGWDW/ccl/cclfs.html was
last updated 7/23/01. The site states that by 8/01 EPA
will review 5 or more contaminants for inclusion in the
list. Was manganese selected and, if so, what is the
timeframe for determining a primary standard.
A: According to Julie Du, EPA's lead scientist for
manganese, manganese is currently still on the CCL.
A proposal whether or not to regulate will be published
in the Federal Register soon.
Q: The EPA Web site lists key features of the Ground
Water Rule. It reads, "States may waive source water
monitoring for sensitive systems if there is a
hydrogeologic barrier to fecal contamination". What is
considered a hydrogeologic barrier?
A: The proposed Ground Water Rule published in the
May 10, 2000, Federal Register states, "A
hydrogeological barrier is defined as the physical,
biological and chemical factors, singularly or in
combination, that prevent the movement of viable
pathogens from a contaminant source to a public
supply well" (65 FR 30194; 30222). A confining layer is
one example of a hydrogeological barrier. A confining
layer is defined as, "a layer of material that is not very
permeable to ground water flow which overlies an
aquifer and acts to prevent water movement into the
aquifer" (65 FR 30194, 30225; May 10, 2000).
Q: On October 31, 2001, EPA Administrator Whitman
announced that the arsenic in drinking water standard
would be 10 parts per billion (ppb). Will there be a
Federal Register notice to this effect?
A: No additional Federal Register notice is necessary;
the requirements associated with the arsenic in
drinking water standard are in the final rule that was
published on January 22, 2001 (66 FR 6976).
Q: Is it true that because the MCL for arsenic is
expressed in parts per million (mg/L of water) as 0.01
mg/L, and not 0.010 mg/L, arsenic sampling results of
11, 12, 13, and 14 ppb may be rounded to 10 ppb?
A: No. In the June 22, 2000, proposed rule, EPA
proposed a requirement that was promulgated in the
January 22, 2001, final rule that arsenic sampling
results above 10 ppb (0.010 mg/L) be reported to the
nearest 1 ppb. Thus, according to Dick Reading,
OGWDW, 11 (0.011 mg/L) ppb is 11 ppb. And 10.4
ppb (0.0104 mg/L) would round down to 10 ppb
whereas 10.5 ppb would round up to 11 ppb.
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January 2002
Hotline Statistics
Monthly Summary of
Hotline Service
Total number of calls answered
1,641
Total number of emails received
367
Average wait time (in seconds)
0:16
Percent of calls satisfied immediately
97.4
Percent of all calls answered in < 1 min
91.9
Percent of callbacks answered in 5 days
100
Percent of emails answered in 5 days
100
Number of Times Callers Listened to

Recorded Message About Local DW Quality
999
Number of Times Callers Listened to

Recorded Message About Arsenic Rule
84
Comparison to Previous Year
Calls
Emails
January 2002
1,641
367
January 2001
2,701
506
Top Ten Referrals
Inquiry Referred to:
Number of
Referrals
Percent of
Total*
Referrals
1,538 total referrals to other resources, agencies, and
organizations were provided by the Hotline in January 2002.
*	National Sanitation Foundation
Water Quality Association
Underwriter's Laboratory
National Antimicrobial Information Network
*	* * American Ground Water Trust
Water Systems Council
1. EPA Internet
265
17
2. State Lab Certification
203
13
3. NSF/WQA/UL/NAIN*
152
10
4. Local Water System
139
9
5. State PWSS
138
9
6. AGWT/WSC**
80
5
7. Local Public Health
75
5
8. Other Hotlines
71
5
9. Non-EPA Internet
54
4
10. FDA/IBWA
40
3
Customer Profiles
Customer
Calls
Emails
Analytical Laboratories
39
7
Citizen - Private Well
234
50
Citizen - PWS
674
115
Consultants/lndustry/Trade (DW)
115
7
Consultants/lndustry/Trade (Other)
90
47
Environmental Groups
12
1
EPA
35
1
Other Federal Agency
23
3
Government, Local
14
8
Government, State
36
11
Government, Tribal
0
0
Spanish Speaking
1
4
International
3
31
Media
7
1
Medical Professional
9
3
Public Water System
250
23
Schools/University
50
50
Other
49
5
TOTALS
1,641
367
Daily Call Data

Total Calls
Answered
Average Wait Time
mm:sec
2-Jan
64
0014
3-Jan
71
00:23
4-Jan
69
00:15
7-Jan
66
00:10
8-Jan
69
00:12
9-Jan
76
00:11
10-Jan
77
00:10
11-Jan
89
00:16
14-Jan
94
00:22
15-Jan
98
00:18
16-Jan
79
00:08
17-Jan
64
00:13
18-Jan
60
00:18
22-Jan
99
00:22
23-Jan
99
00:21
24-Jan
80
00:10
25-Jan
77
00:16
28-Jan
86
00:13
29-Jan
91
00:25
30-Jan
63
00:27
31-Jan
70
00:20
TOTALS
1,641
00:16
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January 2002
Topic Categories
Category
Calls
Emails
Microbials/Disinfection Byproducts
Chlorine
17
7
Coliforms
37
9
Cryptosporidium
24
1
Disinfection/Disinfection


Byproducts (Other)
23
3
Disinfection - Home Water
14
2
Other Microbials
7
0
Surface Water Treatment (SWTR,


ESWTR, LT1FBR)
28
2
Trihalomethane (THM)
22
1
Inorganic Chemicals (IOC)/Synthetic
Organic Chemicals (SOC)
Arsenic
83
14
Fluoride
20
8
Methyl-ferf/ary-butyl-ether (MTBE)
14
2
Perchlorate
5
0
Phase I, II & V
32
9
Sodium Monitoring
5
0
Sulfate
1
0
Lead and Copper
Copper
10
3
Lead
130
6
Lead Contamination Control Act


(LCCA)/Lead Ban
7
0
Radionuclides
Radionuclides (Other)
19
10
Radionuclides (Radon)
72
11
Secondary DW Regulations
Secondary DW Regulations
37
8
SDWA Background/Overview
Definitions & Applicability
28
2
MCL List
54
10
Other Background
102
22
SDWA
20
3
Hotline Statistics
Category
Calls
Emails
Water on Tap
13
6
Other DW Regulations
Analytical Methods (DW)
29
18
Contaminant Candidate List/


Drinking Water Priority List
1
2
Consumer Confidence Report (DW)
51
8
DW Primacy (PWS)
2
0
Operator (PWS) Certification
6
2
Public Notification (PWS)
8
1
State Revolving Fund (DW)
8
1
Unregulated Contaminant
Monitoring Rule (UCMR)
69
5
Other Drinking Water
Additives Program
5
4
Bottled Water
37
15
Complaints about PWS
22
3
Compliance & Enforcement
(PWS)
11
3
Home Water Treatment Units
73
23
Infrastructure/Cap. Development
3
2
Local DW Quality
137
34
Tap Water Testing
178
19
Treatment/BATs (DW)
29
9
Drinking Water Source Protection
Ground Water Rule
5
2
Sole Source Aquifer
1
0
Source Water/Wellhead Protect.
23
9
UIC Program
7
3
Out of Purview
Household Wells
119
16
Non-Environmental
30
26
Non-EPA Environmental
58
34
Other EPA (Programs)
77
26
TOTALS
1,813
404
Did You Know?
Approximately 42 million people in the U.S.
obtain water from their own private drinking
water supplies, primarily drawn from
ground water through private wells.
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