Water Lines
Safe
DKirmiNG i
Watch H4tlii>(c
November 2003
Monthly Report
SDW Hotline Report
In This Issue
What's New	
	1
Did You Know	
	1
Monthly Trends	
	2
Freauentlv Asked Qs & As	
	4
Hotline Stats	
	5
Appendix A	
	7
Top Ten Topics
Questions Percent of
Topic (phone &e- Total*
	 mail)	Questions^
Tap Water Testing
129**
9
Local Drinking Water
Quality
124
8
Household Wells
84
6
Other EPA
72
5
Lead
70
5
Non-EPA
Environmental
66
4
Coliforms
65
4
MCL List
63
4
CCR
60
4
Public Notification
45
3
*A total of 1,488 questions were answered by
the Hotline (via telephone and e-mail) in
November 2003.
**Citizens who obtain their drinking water from
private household wells asked 20 percent of the
tap water testing questions.
Calls
E-mails
Total***
913
254
1,167
***A single call or e-mail may generate multiple
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
Calendar:
Who?
What?
Where?
When?
More
Information
EPA
Stage 1
Phoenix, AZ
11/6/2003 -
To register,

DBPR Train

11/7/2003
contact the SDW

The Trainer


Hotline

Session



NDWAC
Contaminant
Washington,
11/13/2003-


Candidate
DC
11/14/2003


List




Classification




Process




Work Group



NDWAC
Public
Meeting
Cincinnati,
OH
11/19/2003

SAB
Face to Face
Washington,
12/10/2003
For more

Meeting with
DC

information:

OW and
ORD


www.epa.gov/sab
GWPC
UIC
Conference
Houston, TX
1/20/2004-
1/22/2004

ASDWA
Member
Alexandria,
3/17/2004-


Meeting
VA
3/19/2004

GWPC
Annual
Washington,
3/21/2004-


Policy
DC
3/23/2004


Conference



Did You Know?
In a national survey commissioned by EPA conducted in 2002, 37
percent of Americans reported using a drinking water filtering or
treatment device.
(Analysis and Findings of The Gallup Organization 's
Drinking Water Customer Satisfaction Survey,
EPA816-K-03-005, August 6, 2003)

-------
November 2003
Monthly Trends
During fiscal year 2003, the largest percentage of questions received by the Hotline, when grouped by specific contaminant
or contaminant group, was related to lead. Lead related questions comprised 22 percent of the total question volume (see
chart below). The high percentage of lead related questions may be due to several factors including lead disclosure laws
when purchasing a new home or moving into a new apartment building, consumer confidence report requirements for lead
contamination source information, or children's lead exposure and health information distributed through programs like
Head Start. In addition, many callers ask for information on lead contamination sources after learning a child's blood lead
level is high. To better address our callers' most frequent questions about this contaminant, the Safe Drinking Water
Hotline has compiled a special series of Questions and Answers about lead.
Questions About Specific Contaminants or Contaminant Groups
During Fiscal Year Ending September 30, 2003
Phase
Cryptosporidium
12%
Unregulated contaminants'
5%
Trihalomethanes
4%
Radon
11%
IIA/ contaminants
7%
Other Microbes'
3%
Arsenic
Ch brine
Conforms
F uoride
Lead
Copper
3%
Other D/DBPs
5%
* Disinfectants and Disinfection Byproducts other than chlorine and trihalomethanes
** Microbes other than Cryptosporidium and Coliform bacteria
*** Includes methyl tertiary butyl ether (MTBE), percholorate, sodium, and sulfate
Q: How can I get my child's blood lead level tested?
A: A family doctor or pediatrician can perform a blood
test for lead and provide information about the health
effects of lead. The state or city/county departments of
health can also provide information about how you can
have your child's blood tested for lead (Lead in Drinking
Water Regulation: Public Education Guidance, EPA816-
R-02-020, June 2002).
Q: Is there a safe level of lead in drinking water for
children?
A: Lead is a toxic metal that can be harmful to human
health even at low exposure levels because it is
persistent and can bioaccumulate in the body overtime
(56 FR 26460, 26468; June 7, 1991). Young children,
infants, and fetuses are particularly vulnerable to lead
because the physical and behavioral effects of lead occur
at lower exposure levels in children than in adults. A
dose of lead that would have little affect on an adult can
have a significant affect on a child. In children, low levels
of exposure have been linked to damage to the central
and peripheral nervous system, learning disabilities,
shorter stature, impaired hearing, and impaired formation
and function of blood cells (40 CFR 141,85(a)(1)(ii)).
Under the Safe Drinking Water Act, EPA has set an
MCLG for lead at zero, indicating that there is no safe
level of lead for children (56 FR 26460, 26469; June 7,
1991).
Q: How can I tell if my drinking water contains too much
lead?
A: To determine if your water has lead, you should have
your water tested. Testing costs range between $20 and
$100. Since you cannot see, taste, or smell lead
dissolved in water, testing is the only sure way of telling
whether or not there are harmful quantities of lead in your
drinking water (Actions You Can Take to Reduce Lead in
Drinking Water, EPA810-F-93-001, June 1993). To
-2-

-------
November 2003
located a certified laboratory for lead testing contact the
Safe Drinking Water Hotline or visit www.epa.gov/
safewate r/privatewe I Is/labs.html. Additional information
about actions you can take to reduce lead in drinking
water is available at www.epa.gov/safewater/lead/
leadl .html.
Q: How can lead get into my drinking water?
A: Typically, lead enters your water after the water
leaves your local treatment plant or your well. That is,
the source of lead in your home's water is most likely
coming from a pipe or solder in your home's own
plumbing. The most common cause is corrosion, a
reaction between the water and the lead pipes or solder.
Dissolved oxygen, low pH (acidity) and low mineral
content in water are common causes of corrosion
(Actions You Can Take to Reduce Lead in Drinking
Water, EPA810-F-93-001, June 1993). Additional
information about actions you can take to reduce lead in
drinking water is available at www.epa.gov/safewater/
Iead/lead1 .html.
Q: Does the Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA) regulate
the amount of lead in pipes, plumbing, fixtures, and
faucets?
A: The SDWA requires that after June 19, 1986 only
lead free pipe, solder, or flux may be used in the
installation or repair of a public water system, or any
plumbing in residential or non-residential facility providing
water for human consumption, which is connected to a
public water system. Lead free under the SDWA means
that solders and flux may not contain more than 0.2
percent lead, and pipe, pipe fittings, and well pumps may
not contain more than 8.0 percent lead (40 CFR 141.43).
By amending Section 1417 of the SDWA in 1996,
Congress incorporated a performance standard into the
law for endpoint devices intended to dispense water for
human consumption. Section 1417 (e) of the SDWA
states that "lead free" with regard to plumbing fittings and
fixtures intended to dispense water for human
consumption means those fittings and fixtures that are in
compliance with a voluntary standard established
pursuant to the Act. This standard, NSF Standard 61,
Section 9, relates to the amount of lead leached from a
product while "lead free" relates to lead content.
Q: I have brand new home. Should I be worried about
lead contamination from the plumbing?
A: More likely than not, water in buildings less than five
years old have high levels of lead contamination even
though lead plumbing use ended in the early 1900's.
Lead solder use is still widespread and experts regard
solder as the major cause of contamination of household
water in U.S. homes today. Lead levels often decrease
in new homes overtime as mineral deposits form a
coating on the inside of the pipes. This coating acts as
insulation preventing direct contact between the water
and solder, thus decreasing the amount of lead that
leaches into the water (Actions You Can Take to Reduce
Lead in Drinking Water, EPA810-F-93-001, June 1993).
Additional information about actions you can take to
reduce lead in drinking water is available at
www.epa.gov/safewater/lead/lead1 .html.
Q: I am concerned about lead in my drinking water.
What precautions can I take to reduce the amount of lead
in my drinking water?
A: EPA recommends that anytime the water in a
particular faucet has not been used for six hours or
longer, you should flush your cold-water pipes by running
the water until it becomes as cold as it will get. (This
could take as little as five to thirty seconds if there has
been recent heavy water use such as showering or toilet
flushing. Otherwise, it could take two minutes or longer.)
EPA also recommends using only water from the cold-
water tap for drinking, cooking, and especially for making
baby formula (Actions You Can Take to Reduce Lead in
Drinking Water, EPA810-F-93-001, June 1993).
Additional information about actions you can take to
reduce lead in drinking water is available at
www.epa.gov/safewater/lead/lead1 .html.
EPA DISCLAIMER
Answers to questions in the Safe Drinking Water Hotline monthly report are intended to be purely informational and are based on SDWA provisions, EPA regulations,
guidance, and established policy effective at the time of publication. The answers given reflect EPA staff's best judgment at the time and do not represent a final or
official EPA interpretation. This report does not substitute for the applicable provisions of statutes and regulations, guidance, etc., nor is it a regulation itself. Thus, it
does not impose legally-binding requirements on EPA, States, or the regulated community. An answer to a question in this report may be revised at any time to reflect
EPA's revisions to existing regulations, changes in EPA's approach to interpreting its regulations or statutory authority, or for other reasons. EPA may provide a
different answer to a question in this report in the future.
Also, an answer provided in this report may not apply to a particular situation based upon the circumstances. Any decisions regarding a particular case will be made
based on the applicable statutes and regulations. Therefore, interested parties are free to raise questions and objections about the appropriateness of the application of an
answer in this report to a particular situation, and EPA will consider whether or not the recommendations or interpretations in the answer are accurate and appropriate in
that situation. The information in this report is not intended, nor can it be relied upon, to create any rights enforceable by any party in litigation with the United States.
-3-

-------
November 2003
Frequently Asked Qs & As
This section provides answers to frequently asked
questions not necessarily represented in one of the Top
Ten Topic categories.
Q: A public water system (PWS) serving fewer than
10,000 persons purchases all it's water from a
wholesaler and adds a small amount of chlorine to
maintain disinfection in the distribution system. Does
this PWS need to comply with the Stage 1 Disinfectant
and Disinfection Byproducts rule (Stage 1 D/DBP)?
A: The Stage 1 D/DBP rule applies to all community
water systems (CWSs) and nontransient, noncommunity
water systems (NTNCWSs) that add a chemical
disinfectant to the water during any part of the treatment
process. The PWS must begin compliance with the
Stage 1 D/DBP rule on January 1, 2004 (40 CFR
141.130(a)(1) and (b)(1)).
Q: What is a watershed?
A: Each of us lives in a watershed. A watershed is the
total land area and water bodies that drain into a single
river or lake system, and/or is the source of groundwater
recharge to that river or lake system (Safe Drinking
Water Act - Protecting America's Public Health, poster,
EPA816-H-02-003, January 2002). Watersheds are
important because they determine the source of your
drinking water. Order free information about watersheds
from EPA's website: www.epa.gov/safewater/
publicoutreach/posters vids.
Q: The maximum contaminant level (MCL) for asbestos
(fibers greater than 10 micrometers in length) is 7 million
fibers per liter (MFL). What are common sources of
asbestos in drinking water?
A: Asbestos in drinking water may be from the erosion
of naturally occurring mineral deposits or from the decay
of asbestos cement water mains. Asbestos fibers are
resistant to heat and most chemicals and have been
included in a variety of products including cement pipes.
Additional information about asbestos in drinking water
is available at www.epa,qov/safewater/contaminants/
dw contamfs/asbestos.html.
Q: We are under a boil water advisory because there is
fecal coliform in our drinking water. After the boil order
is lifted, will the water in our hot water heater be
contaminated?
A: According to Dr. Paul Berger, OGWDW, if the water
temperature is maintained at 120°F or lower, there is the
possibility that a pathogen may survive. A water
temperature of 140°F or greater maintained for a half
hour should kill virtually any pathogens in the water
heater.
Q: How do we post our water quality report online?
A: Community water systems can provide a link for
public access to their water quality report by adding an
entry at EPA's Office of Ground Water and Drinking
Water (OGWDW) Web site. To add a new entry, access
the following URL: www.epa.gov/safewater/dwinfo.htm.
Select the state in which the water system is located and
then select the link to "your water quality report." Once
you are on the annual drinking water quality reports
page for your state, click on the "add new entry" icon
and enter the requested information so that EPA can link
to your report from the OGWDW Web site.
-4-

-------
November 2003
Hotline Statistics
Monthly Summary of
Hotline Service
Total number of calls answered
913
Total number of e-mails received
254
Average wait time (in seconds)
0:28
Percent of calls satisfied immediately
99.9%
Percent of all calls answered in < 1 min
87.7%
Percent of callbacks answered in 5 days
100%
Percent of e-mails answered in 5 days
100%
Number of times callers were transferred to

the WSC Wellcare Hotline
294
Number of times callers listened to recorded

message about CCRs
176
Number of times callers listened to recorded

message about local drinking water quality

for PWS customers
214
Number of times callers listened to recorded

message about tap water testing and quality

for household well owners
179
Number of times callers listened to recorded

message about tap water testing for PWS

customers
211
Comparison to Previous Year

Calls
E-mails
November 2003
913
254
November 2002
1,455
228
Top Ten Referrals
Inquiry Referred to:
Number of
Referrals
Percent of
Total*
Referrals
1. EPA Internet
194
18
2. Local Water System
122
11
3. State PWSS
119
11
4. State Lab Certification
116
11
5. AGWT/WSC
66
6
6. NSF/WQA/UL
66
6
7. Other Hotlines
49
4
8. Other
46
4
9. Local Public Health
45
4
10. EPA Regions
43
4
*A total of 1,101 referrals to other resources, agencies, and
organizations were provided by the Hotline in November 2003.
Customer Profiles
Customer
Calls
E-mails
Analytical Laboratories
14
3
Citizen - Private Well
89
33
Citizen - PWS
454
91
Consultants/lndustry/Trade (DW)
55
11
Consultants/lndustry/Trade (Other)
79
28
Environmental Groups
1
5
EPA
7
5
Other Federal Agency
8
4
Government, Local
9
6
Government, State
39
7
Government, Tribal
6
0
Spanish Speaking
2
0
International
4
20
Media
2
1
Medical Professional
2
0
Public Water System
69
11
Schools/University
41
29
Other
32
0
TOTALS
913
254
Daily Call Data

Total Calls
Answered
Average Wait Time
mm:sec
3-November
41
00:24
4-November
47
00:52
5-November
42
00:28
6-November
50
00:25
7-November
49
00:15
10-November
50
00:25
12-November
66
00:37
13-November
57
00:41
14-November
48
00:20
17-November
55
01:02
18-November
65
00:41
19-November
52
00:22
20-November
49
00:13
21-November
45
00:22
24-November
51
00:17
25-November
69
00:16
26-November
55
00:09
28-November
22
00:21
TOTALS
913
00:28
-5-

-------
November 2003
Topic Categories
Category
Calls
E-mails
Microbials/Disinfection Byproducts
Chlorine
11
5
Coliforms
60
5
Cryptosporidium
7
1
Disinfection/Disinfection


Byproducts (Other)
21
4
Disinfection - Home Water
3
2
Other Microbials
7
1
Storage - Home Water
2
1
Surface Water Treatment (SWTR,


ESWTR, LT1FBR)
23
7
Trihalomethane (THM)
9
0
Inorganic Chemicals (IOC)/Synthetic
Organic Chemicals (SOC)
Arsenic
21
5
Fluoride
8
1
Methyl-ferf/a/y-butyl-ether (MTBE)
6
1
Perchlorate
1
0
Phase I, II & V
24
7
Sodium Monitoring
2
2
Sulfate
0
0
Lead and Copper
Copper
6
1
Lead
63
7
Lead Contamination Control Act


(LCCA)/Lead Ban
3
1
Radionuclides
Radionuclides (Other)
19
5
Radionuclides (Radon)
25
4
Secondary DW Regulations
Secondary DW Regulations
24
6
SDWA Background/Overview
Definitions & Applicability
14
6
MCL List
54
9
Other Background
24
12
SDWA
34
2
Hotline Statistics
Category
Calls
E-mails
Water on Tap
20
9
Other DW Regulations
Analytical Methods (DW)
15
11
Contaminant Candidate List/


Drinking Water Priority List
4
1
Consumer Confidence Report (DW)
53
7
DW Primacy (PWS)
0
0
Operator (PWS) Certification
4
3
Other Drinking Water Security
25
11
Public Notification (PWS)
43
2
Security Planning Grants
1
0
State Revolving Fund (DW)
4
3
Unregulated Contaminant
Monitoring Rule (UCMR)
11
1
Other Drinking Water
Additives Program
4
3
Bottled Water
24
10
Complaints about PWS
24
10
Compliance & Enforcement
(PWS)
7
13
Home Water Treatment Units
33
9
Infrastructure/Cap. Development
3
3
Local DW Quality
96
28
Tap Water Testing
109
20
Treatment/BATs (DW)
10
7
Drinking Water Source Protection
Ground Water Rule
2
3
Sole Source Aquifer
0
0
Source Water/Wellhead Protection
9
14
UIC Program
4
3
Out of Purview
Household Wells
60
24
Non-Environmental
18
6
Non-EPA Environmental
37
29
Other EPA (Programs)
44
28
TOTALS
1,135
353
-6-

-------
SAFE DRINKING WATER HOTLINE MONTHLY REPORT
November 2003
Appendix A: Federal Register Summaries
NOTICES
"Notice of Request for Initial Proposals (IP) for Projects To Be Funded From the Public
Water Supply Supervision Program (CFDA66.424 - Surveys, Studies, Demonstrations and
Special Purpose Grants - Section 1442 of the Safe Drinking Water Act)"
November 13, 2003 (68 FR 6431)
EPA Region 6 is soliciting proposals for federal assistance for Native American water system
operation and management training, and technical assistance projects. Proposals are being
solicited from tribes, universities, non-profits and other entities defined by the Safe Drinking
Water Act interested in applying for this federal assistance. These projects are used to develop,
expand, or implement programs designed to provide hands-on technical assistance in the
operational and managerial aspects of managing drinking water facilities. EPA will consider all
proposals received on or before 12 p.m. midnight Central Standard Time December 29, 2003.
"Underground Injection Control Program: Hazardous Waste Injection
Restrictions; Petition for Exemption—Class I Hazardous Waste Injection, Rubicon, Inc."
November 21, 2003 (68 FR 65713)
EPA provided notice that an exemption to the land disposal restrictions under the 1984
Hazardous and Solid Waste Amendments to the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act has
been granted to Rubicon, Inc., for five Class I injection wells located in Geismar, Louisiana. As
required by 40 CFR part 148, the company has adequately demonstrated to the satisfaction of the
Environmental Protection Agency by petition and supporting documentation that, to a reasonable
degree of certainty, there will be no migration of hazardous constituents from the injection zone
for as long as the waste remains hazardous. This decision constitutes final Agency action and
there is no administrative appeal.
"Science Advisory Board Staff Office: Notification of Multiple Upcoming Meetings"
November 25, 2003 (68 FR 66095)
EPA's Science Advisory Board (SAB) Staff Office announced that the SAB Drinking Water
Committee will be meeting with the Office of Water and the Office of Research and
Development, on December 10, 2002 from 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
"Public Water Supervision Program Revision for the State of West Virginia"
November 26, 2003 (68 FR 66433)
EPA announced that the State of West Virginia has revised its approved Public Water System
Supervision Program. West Virginia has adopted a Filter Backwash Recycling Rule to require
water systems to institute changes to return recycle flows of a plant's treatment process that may
compromise pathogen treatment. EPA has determined that these revisions are not less stringent
than the corresponding Federal regulations. Therefore, EPA has decided to tentatively approve
-7-

-------
these program revisions. Comments or requests for a public hearing must be submitted by
December 26, 2003.
-8-

-------