Water Lines
Safe
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Watch H4tlii>(c
October 2002
Monthly Report
SDW Hotline Report
In This Issue
What's New?
1
Monthly Trends
2
Freauentlv Asked Qs & As
3
Did You Know?
3
Hotline Stats
4
Appendix A
6
Top Ten Topics
Questions Percent of
Topic (phone & Total*
email) Questions^
Local Drinking Water
Quality
302
10
Tap Water Testing
244**
8
Household Wells
174
6
Unregulated
Contaminant
165
6
Monitoring Rule
Coliforms
151
5
Home Water
Treatment Units
147
5
Lead
142
5
Other Drinking Water
Background
141
5
Other EPA
132
4
Surface Water
Treatment
107
4
*A total of 2,946 questions were answered by
the Hotline (via telephone and email) in
October 2002.
**Citizens who obtain their drinking water from
private household wells asked 33% of the tap
water testing questions.
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
What's New
Announcements:
¦ U.S. EPA is announcing a
solicitation for cost-effective
technologies and/or engineering
solutions to remove arsenic from
small drinking water systems.
Additional information and
application materials are now
available at es.epa.gov/ncer/
rfa/current/2003arsenic.html
New Publications:
¦ EPA has published a series of
fact sheets on best management
practices (BMP) measures for
activities such as storm water
runoff, septic systems, and
agricultural fertilizers that are
likely to impact sources of
drinking water. These fact
sheets are now available at
www.epa.gov/safewater/protect/
swpbull.html.
¦ Delineation of Source-water
Protection Areas in Karst
Aquifers of the Ridge and Valley
and Appalachian Plateaus
Physiographic Provinces: Rules
of Thumb for Estimating the
Capture Zones of Springs and
Wells, EPA816-R-02-015, is now
available at www.epa.gov/
safewater/protect/
delineation.html.
¦ Fact Sheet: Guidelines
Establishing Test Procedures for
the Analysis of Pollutants Under
the Clean Water Act; National
Primary Drinking Water
Regulations; and National
Secondary Drinking Water
Regulations; Methods Update,
EPA-821-F-02-011, is now
available at
www.epa.gov/waterscience/meth
ods/update.htm.
Add This To Your Calendar:
¦ A public stakeholder meeting on
Drinking Water Distribution
System Impacts on Water Quality
is scheduled for November 14,
2002 in Seattle Washington. For
registration and general
information about this meeting,
please contact Ms. Stephanie
Danner at The Cadmus Group,
Inc., 1901 North Fort Myer Dr.,
Suite 900, Arlington, VA 22209,
by phone: (703) 247-6129; by
fax: (703) 247-6001, or by e-mail
at Sdanner@cadmusgroup.com.
¦ The National Drinking Water
Advisory Council's Small System
Affordability Working Group will
meet on November 7-8, 2002,
December 18-19, 2002, and on
January 13-14, 2003. The
meetings will be held at
RESOLVE Inc., 1255 23rd
Street, NW, Suite 275,
Washington, DC, and are open to
the public, but from past
experience, seating will likely be
limited. Members of the public
are requested to contact
RESOLVE if they plan on
attending at (202) 944-2300.
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October 2002
Monthly Trends
Number of
Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Rule Questions
180-
120-
100-
The Safe Drinking Water Hotline has noticed an increase in Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Rule (UCMR)
questions for the months of September and October. The increased volume of UCMR questions was associated
with an EPA notice sent out to public water systems subject to UCMR monitoring requirements. The notice
informed systems that they had "yet to report data to the Web-based UCMR reporting system." Of the 165 total
UCMR questions answered by the Hotline in October, 59 (36%) mentioned the UCMR notice. Also, 103 of the
163 UCMR questions (63%) in September related to the UCMR notice. The questions concerning the notice
mainly centered around UCMR applicability and UCMR monitoring guidance. A significant number of the callers
indicated that they were unaware they had to conduct UCMR monitoring until they received the notice or that they
were unaware they had to approve the data received from the analytical laboratory before EPA could review the
monitoring data.
Correction
Please note the following correction to a Question and Answer that appeared in the August 2002 Monthly Report.
Q: Under the UCMR, EPA will arrange all testing and reporting of results for all systems serving a population of
10,000 or less (40 CFR 141.35(a)(2)). How can a small system obtain the UCMR data results for review?
A: A hard copy of the UCMR data generated from samples taken at a PWS serving a population of 10,000 or less
will be sent to the PWS.
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October 2002
Frequently Asked Qs & As
This section provides answers to frequently asked
questions not necessarily represented in one of the
Top Ten Topic categories.
Q: Large water systems required to monitor for
Aeromonas must arrange for testing using the
approved method listed in 40 CFR 141.40 Table 1,
List 2. Testing must be completed by a laboratory
that is certified under 141.28 compliance analysis for
coliform indicator bacteria using an EPA approved
membrane filtration procedure and that also has
been granted approval for UCMR monitoring of
Aeromonas by successfully passing the Aeromonas
Performance Testing (PT) Program administered by
EPA (40 CFR 141.40(a)(5)(ii)(G)(3)). How can a
PWS determine if a laboratory has passed EPA's
performance testing program?
A: Laboratories approved for Aeromonas analysis
will receive approval documentation from EPA and
will be listed on EPA's Office of Ground Water and
Drinking Water Web site. EPA will provide each
successful laboratory with an approval letter
identifying the laboratory by name and the approval
date. This letter, and a copy of the laboratory's
certification under 141.28 for compliance analysis of
coliform indicator bacteria using an EPA approved
membrane filtration procedure, may then be
presented to any PWS as evidence of a laboratory
approval for Aeromonas analysis supporting the
UCMR. EPA will also post a list of the laboratories
that have successfully completed the PT study at
www.epa.gov/safewater/standard/ucmr/aprvlabs.htm
I.
Q: Is a public water system (PWS) that serves
10,000 or more persons and purchases its entire
water supply from another system required to
monitor for the contaminants under the Unregulated
Contaminant Monitoring Regulation?
A: PWSs (other than transient water systems)
serving 10,000 persons or more that purchase their
entire water supplies from other wholesale or retail
public water systems must monitor for the
unregulated contaminants on the UCMR List 1 that
have a sampling location indicated as "distribution
system" and, if notified by the State or EPA, must
monitor for the contaminants on List 2 and/or List 3
that have a sampling location indicated as
"distribution system" (40 CFR 141,40(a)(iii)).
Q: "Community water system" means a public water
system that serves at least 15 service connections
used by year-around residents or regularly serves at
least 25 year-round residents (40 CFR 141.2). How
does EPA define year-round resident?
A: A year-round resident is an individual whose
primary residence is served by the water system.
The individual need not live at the residence for 365
days a year for it to be considered his/her year-
round residence (Public Water System Supervision
Program Water Supply Guidance Manual, #66a,
January 2000).
Q: The Underground Injection Control Director may
authorize the conversion of a Class V motor vehicle
waste disposal well to another type of Class V well if,
among other things, all motor vehicle fluids are
segregated by physical barriers and are not allowed
to enter the well (40 CFR 141.89(b)). What kind of
physical barrier would meet this requirement?
A: Owners and operators must use physical barriers
such as curbs, berms, and/or other containment
structures to prevent motor vehicle fluids from
entering the converted well. These structures should
isolate the well being converted from motor vehicle
waste fluids generated or stored in other areas of
the facility (Conversion of a Motor Vehicle Waste
Disposal Well; EPA816-R-00-017, November 2000).
Q: Wll boiling water reduce nitrate levels in water?
A: No. Boiling, freezing, filtering, or letting water
stand does not reduce nitrate levels in water.
Excessive boiling can actually make the nitrates
more concentrated, because nitrates remain behind
when the water evaporates (Public Notification
Handbook; EPA816-R-00-010, June 2000).
Q: Does the Lead Contamination Control Act
(LCCA) require schools to test drinking water for
lead?
A: No. The LCCA directed EPA to publish guidance
to assist schools, local education agencies and day
care centers in discovering the levels of lead
contamination in drinking-water coolers and taking
actions to reduce contamination. The LCCA
requires the identification of water coolers that are
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October 2002
not lead-free, the repair or removal of water coolers
with lead-lined tanks, a ban on the manufacture and
sale of water coolers that are not lead free, the
identification and resolution of lead problems in
schools' drinking water, and the authorization of
additional funds for lead screening programs for
children.
Q: Do UIC Class V well requirements apply to a
household septic system?
A: The UIC requirements do not apply to "single
family residential septic wells, nor to non-residential
septic system wells which are used solely for the
disposal of sanitary waste and have the capacity to
serve fewer than 20 persons a day." Septic system
wells that are used to inject the waste or effluent
from a multiple dwelling, a business establishment,
or a community or regional business establishment
into a septic tank are subject to the regulations
governing class V wells (40 CFR §144.81 (a)(9)).
Q: How can one obtain a list of public or community
water systems that serve a certain population size?
A: These data are generally available from the
SDWIS database, publicly accessible at
www.epa.qov/enviro/html/sdwis. Alternately, a
person may submit a Freedom of Information Act
(FOIA) request to obtain a list of systems serving a
particular population range.
Q: Under the Public Health Security and
Bioterrorism Preparedness and Response Act of
2002 ("the Bioterrorism Act"), all community water
systems serving populations greater than 3,300
persons must conduct vulnerability assessments.
With respect to the Bioterrorism Act, what
determines the population served?
A: According to EPA's Water Protection Task Force,
this determination will be consistent with the data
reported to SDWIS. EPA will rely on the data
submitted through the state at the end of December
for the January SDWIS run. Although there are
some basic guidelines specific to SDWIS reporting,
individual states may vary in precisely how they
determine the population served.
Q: What has EPA established as the Best Available
Technology (BAT) available for compliance with the
maximum residual disinfectant levels (MRDLs) for
chlorine, chloramines, and chlorine dioxide?
A: EPA has identified the following as the BAT to
achieve compliance with the MRDLs for chlorine,
chloramines, and chlorine dioxide: (1) control of
treatment processes to reduce the disinfectant
demand, and (2) control of disinfection treatment
processes to reduce disinfectant levels (141.65(c)).
Q: For the purpose of determining compliance with
the maximum contaminant level (MCL) for total
conforms, does a public water system (PWS) have to
count total coliform monitoring repeat samples in
their calculations?
A: Yes. A PWS must include the results of repeat
samples in their calculations to determine
compliance with the total coliform MCL
(141.21(a)(6)).
Did You Know?
Speaking of sensitive subpopulations, infants and children (< 10 years), pregnant
women, and the elderly (65+ years), account for 29.1% of the U.S. population.
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October 2002
Hotline Statistics
Monthly Summary of
Hotline Service
Total number of calls answered
2,000
Total number of emails received
360
Average wait time (in seconds)
0:18
Percent of calls satisfied immediately
99.9%
Percent of all calls answered in < 1 min
91.4%
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
1,231
Number of times callers listened to recorded
message about arsenic rule
55
Comparison to Previous Years
Calls
Emails
October 2002
2,000
360
October 2001
1,735
399
Top Ten Referrals
Inquiry Referred to:
Number of
Referrals
Percent of
Total*
Referrals
*1,813 total referrals to other resources, agencies, and
organizations were provided by the Hotline in October 2002.
1. EPA Internet
280
15
2. Local Water System
228
13
3. State Lab Certification
228
13
4. State PWSS
182
10
5. NSF/WQA/UL
161
9
6. AGWT/WSC
106
6
7. Local Public Health
86
5
8. EPA Regions
67
4
9. Non-EPA Internet
65
4
10. Other Hotlines
63
3
Customer Profiles
Customer
Calls
Emails
Analytical Laboratories
33
6
Citizen - Private Well
297
40
Citizen - PWS
1,067
112
Consultants/lndustry/Trade (DW)
138
36
Consultants/lndustry/Trade (Other)
56
24
Environmental Groups
2
3
EPA
25
1
Other Federal Agency
14
4
Government, Local
12
2
Government, State
60
26
Government, Tribal
1
0
Spanish Speaking
6
0
International
1
26
Media
6
1
Medical Professional
5
2
Public Water System
209
31
Schools/University
47
45
Other
21
1
TOTALS
2,000
360
Daily Call Data
Total Calls
Answered
Average Wait Time
mm:sec
1-October
146
00:15
2-October
85
00:10
3-October
83
00:13
4-October
84
00:11
7-October
102
00:18
8-October
100
00:14
9-October
103
00:19
10-October
83
00:14
11-October
75
00:12
15-October
112
00:15
16-October
77
00:17
17-October
112
00:22
18-October
65
00:10
21-October
86
00:13
22-October
74
00:24
23-October
103
00:19
24-October
90
00:27
25-October
72
00:18
28-October
103
00:34
29-October
86
00:17
30-October
67
00:16
31-October
92
00:27
TOTALS
2,000
00:18
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October 2002
Topic Categories
Category
Calls
Emails
Microbials/Disinfection Byproducts
Chlorine
23
7
Coliforms
142
9
Cryptosporidium
20
1
Disinfection/Disinfection
Byproducts (Other)
15
2
Disinfection - Home Water
46
3
Other Microbials
14
1
Surface Water Treatment (SWTR,
ESWTR, LT1FBR)
66
41
Trihalomethane (THM)
16
2
Inorganic Chemicals (IOC)/Synthetic
Organic Chemicals (SOC)
Arsenic
39
4
Fluoride
13
6
Methyl-ferf/a/y-butyl-ether (MTBE)
10
3
Perchlorate
4
2
Phase I, II & V
53
3
Sodium Monitoring
4
0
Sulfate
2
1
Lead and Copper
Copper
21
2
Lead
134
8
Lead Contamination Control Act
(LCCA)/Lead Ban
4
0
Radionuclides
Radionuclides (Other)
20
3
Radionuclides (Radon)
76
2
Secondary DW Regulations
Secondary DW Regulations
37
11
SDWA Background/Overview
Definitions & Applicability
25
8
MCL List
36
12
Other Background
103
38
SDWA
31
4
Hotline Statistics
Category
Calls
Emails
Water on Tap
19
2
Other DW Regulations
Analytical Methods (DW)
26
10
Contaminant Candidate List/
Drinking Water Priority List
2
1
Consumer Confidence Report (DW)
68
11
DW Primacy (PWS)
1
0
Operator (PWS) Certification
5
0
Other Drinking Water Security
23
4
Public Notification (PWS)
64
3
Security Planning Grants
21
10
State Revolving Fund (DW)
2
2
Unregulated Contaminant
Monitoring Rule (UCMR)
160
5
Other Drinking Water
Additives Program
2
2
Bottled Water
50
7
Complaints about PWS
60
6
Compliance & Enforcement
(PWS)
15
5
Home Water Treatment Units
131
16
Infrastructure/Cap. Development
8
1
Local DW Quality
279
23
Tap Water Testing
228
16
Treatment/BATs (DW)
16
10
Drinking Water Source Protection
Ground Water Rule
4
0
Sole Source Aquifer
0
0
Source Water/Wellhead Protect.
24
10
UIC Program
12
5
Out of Purview
Household Wells
149
25
Non-Environmental
35
18
Non-EPA Environmental
56
35
Other EPA (Programs)
101
31
TOTALS
2,515
431
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SAFE DRINKING WATER HOTLINE MONTHLY REPORT
October 2002
Appendix A: Federal Register Summaries
FINAL RULES
"Guidelines Establishing Test Procedures for the Analysis of Pollutants Under the Clean
Water Act; National Primary Drinking Water Regulations; and National Secondary
Drinking Water Regulations; Methods Update"
October 23, 2002 (67 FR 65219)
This final rule revised wastewater and drinking water regulations to include updated versions of
test procedures (i.e., analytical methods) for the determination of chemical, radiological, and
microbiological pollutants and contaminants in wastewater and drinking water. Previously
approved versions of the methods remain approved. The effective date of this rule is November
22, 2002.
"Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Regulation: Approval of Analytical Method for
Aeromonas; National Primary and Secondary Drinking Water Regulations: Approval of
Analytical Methods for Chemical and Microbiological Contaminants"
October 29, 2002 (67 FR 65888)
EPA approved the analytical method and an associated Minimum Reporting Level to support the
Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Regulation's List 2 Aeromonas monitoring. This rule also
approved EPA Method 515.4 to support previously required National Primary Drinking Water
Regulation (NPDWR) compliance monitoring for 2,4-D (as acid, salts and esters), 2,4,5-TP
(Silvex), dinoseb, pentachlorophenol, picloram and dalapon. In addition, EPA Method 531.2
was approved to support previously required NPDWR monitoring for carbofuran and oxamyl.
EPA also approved seven of the eight additional industry-developed analytical methods that were
proposed to support previously required NPDWR compliance monitoring. Finally, EPA updated
the information concerning the inspection of materials in the Water Docket to reflect its new
address.
NOTICES
"Agency Information Collection Activities; OMB Responses"
October 4, 2002 (67 FR 62243)
This document announced Office of Management and Budget (OMB) responses to Agency
clearance requests, in compliance with the Paperwork Reduction Act (44 U.S.C. 3501 et. seq.).
Specifically, EPA ICR No. 2030.01, "Reliability, Validity, and Variability in Behavioral
Determinants of Drinking Water Disinfection By-Product Exposure," was approved August 20,
2002. This Information Collection Request (ICR), OMB No. 2080-0067, expires August 31,
2005. Also, EPA ICR No. 1912.01, "Information Collection Request: National Primary
Drinking Water Regulation for Lead and Copper (Final Rule)," was granted a short-term
extension on September 19, 2002. This ICR, OMB No. 2040-0210, now expires on December
31, 2002.
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"Public Water System Supervision Program Revision for the State of Colorado"
October 7, 2002 (67 FR 62468)
The State of Colorado has revised its Public Water System Supervision (PWSS) primacy
program by adopting regulations for the Consumer Confidence Report Rule. Having determined
that these revisions meet all pertinent requirements in the Safe Drinking Water Act, and EPA's
implementing regulations, EPA approved them. This approval action does not extend to public
water systems in Indian Country.
"Program Requirement Revisions Related to the Public Water System Supervision
Program for the States of Vermont, Connecticut, and New Hampshire, and the
Commonwealth of Massachusetts"
October 7, 2002 (67 FR 62469)
This notice announced that the States of Vermont, Connecticut and New Hampshire, and the
Commonwealth of Massachusetts, are in the process of revising their approved PWSS Programs
to meet the requirements of the Safe Drinking Water Act. EPA intends to approve the respective
revisions for these states after having determined that the revisions are no less stringent than the
corresponding federal regulations.
"Meeting of the Small Systems Affordability Working Group of the National Drinking
Water Advisory Council"
October 8, 2002 (67 FR 62718)
EPA announced a meeting of the Small Systems Affordability Work Group of the National
Drinking Water Advisory Council, established under the Safe Drinking Water Act, as amended
(42 U.S.C. S300f et seq.).
"Investigator Initiated Grants: Requests for Applications"
October 10, 2002 (67 FR 63084)
EPA provided information on the availability of a fiscal year 2003 program announcement in
which areas of research interest, eligibility and submission requirements, evaluation criteria, and
implementation schedules are set forth. EPA requested research applications on "Treatment
Technologies for Arsenic Removal for Small Drinking Water Systems."
"Agency Information Collection Activities: Submission for OMB Review"
October 18, 2002 (67 FR 64366)
EPA announced that it forwarded the ICR entitled "2003 Drinking Water Infrastructure Needs
Survey," EPA ICR No. 2085.01, to OMB for review and approval. Comments must be
submitted by November 18, 2002.
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"Announcement of a Public Stakeholder Meeting on Drinking Water Distribution System
Impacts on Water Quality"
October 21, 2002 (67 FR 64639)
EPA scheduled a public meeting for November 14, 2002, to discuss the finished water quality in
distribution systems. The purpose of this meeting is to provide information to stakeholders and
the public.
"Public Water Supervision Program Revision for the State of Tennessee"
October 21, 2002 (67 FR 64640)
This notice announced that the State of Tennessee is revising its approved PWSS Program.
Tennessee has adopted drinking water regulations that incorporate the requirements of the Public
Notification Rule. EPA has determined that these revisions are no less stringent than the
corresponding federal regulations. Therefore, EPA intends to approve this State program
revision. If no timely and appropriate request for a hearing is received, this determination shall
become final and effective on November 20, 2002.
"Meetings of the Small Systems Affordability Working Group of the National Drinking
Water Advisory Council"
October 23, 2002 (67 FR 65114)
EPA announced a meeting for November 7-8, 2002, of the Small Systems Affordability Work
Group of the National Drinking Water Advisory Council, established under the Safe Drinking
Water Act, as amended (42 U.S.C. 300f et seq.).
"Meeting of the National Drinking Water Advisory Council Notice of Public Meeting"
October 29, 2002 (67 FR 65980)
EPA announced a meeting for November 20-21, 2002, of the National Drinking Water Advisory
Council, established under the Safe Drinking Water Act, as amended (42 U.S.C. 3300f et seq.).
Topics include, but are not limited to: updates on the Ground Water and Radon rules; status
reports from the NDWAC's working groups on Affordability and the Contaminant Candidate
List; source water protection initiatives; and progress in implementing the Public Health Security
and Bioterrorism Preparedness Response Act of 2002.
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