SAFE DRINKING WATER HOTLINE
MONTHLY REPORT
October 2001
I. Monthly Summary of Calls and Emails 1
II. Comparison to Previous Year 1
III. Hot Topics 1
IV. Frequent Referrals 2
V. Selected Questions and Answers 2
VI. Specific Water System Enforcement Issues 3
VII.... Corrections (from previous reports) 4
VIII... Question of the Month 4
IX OGWDW Calendar of Events and Meetings 4
Appendix A - Customer Profiles 5
Appendix B - Question Types 6
Appendix C - Safe Drinking Water Regulations Federal Register Abstracts 8
Appendix D - Daily Call Monitoring System Data 8
Appendix E - Contract Management Information 9
Booz I Allen I Hamilton
Safe Drinking Water Hotline
National Toil-Free No.: (800) 426-4791 or (877) EPA WATER
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Safe Drinking Water Hotline Monthly Report
October 2001
I. Monthly Summary of Calls and Emails
Total number of calls answered
1,735
Average wait time
13 seconds
Percent of all calls answered in < 1 min
94.7%
Percent of calls satisfied immediately
98.0%
Percent of callbacks answered in 5 days
100%
Total number of emails received
399
Percent of emails answered in 5 days
100%
Message Retrievals: - Local Drinking Water Quality
1,538
Message Retrievals: - Arsenic Rule
87
II. Comparison to Previous Year
Calls
Emails
October 2001
1,735
399
October 2000
2,968
350
III. Hot Topics
Topic
Questions (via
Percent of
phone & email)
Total
Local Drinking Water Quality
160
8
Household Wells
184
9
Tap Water Testing
216
10
CCR General
48
2
Lead & Copper
147
7
Health Effects/Assessments
69
3
Home Water Treatment Units
79
4
Cryptosporidium
40
1
Secondary DW Regs
56
3
Radon
93
4
Coliforms
63
3
Arsenic
43
2
Bottled Water
68
3
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SDW Monthly Hotline Report
October 2001
IV. Frequent Referrals
Referral
Number of
Percent of
Referrals
Total Referrals
Local Water System
169
10
State Lab Certification
251
14
Local Public Health
113
6
EPA Internet
260
15
NSF/WQA/UL/NAIN
177
10
AGWT
129
7
State PWSS
184
10
FDA/IBWA
58
3
Other Hotlines
90
5
Non-EPA Internet
37
2
Other Federal Agencies
27
2
Regional Offices (combined)
10
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V. Selected Questions and Answers
A. When a PWS exceeds the action level for lead is there a deadline by which it must
take additional steps for source water treatment?
The PWS that exceeds an action level for lead does have deadlines for completing source
water treatment requirements. Deadlines for the source water treatment steps are found
in 40 CFR §141.83(a).
Step 1: A system exceeding the lead or copper action level shall complete lead
and copper source water monitoring and make a treatment recommendation to the
State within 6 months after exceeding the action level.
Step 2: The State shall make a determination regarding source water treatment
within 6 months after submission of monitoring results under step 1.
Step 3: If the State requires installation of source water treatment, the system shall
install the treatment within 24 months after completion of step 2.
Step 4: The system shall complete follow-up tap water monitoring and source
water monitoring within 36 months after completion of step 2.
Step 5: The State shall review the system's installation and operation of source
water treatment and specify maximum permissible source water levels within 6
months after completion of step 4.
Step 6: The system shall operate in compliance with the State-specified
maximum permissible lead and copper source water levels and continue source
water monitoring.
B. Are all motor vehicle waste disposal wells currently banned?
All new motor vehicle waste disposal wells are prohibited as of April 5, 2000 (40 CFR
§141.88).
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SDW Monthly Hotline Report
October 2001
Pursuant to 40 CFR §141.87, existing motor vehicle waste disposal wells (including wells
under construction as of April 2, 2000) are regulated based upon their location. If a motor
vehicle waste disposal well is located within a "ground water protection area," the
owner/operator is required to close the well or obtain a permit within one year of the
completed ground water protection area assessment. The state must complete ground water
protection area assessments by January 1, 2004. If the state has not completed the
assessment in time, all motor vehicle waste disposal wells in the state must be closed or
obtain a permit by January 1, 2005.
If a motor vehicle waste disposal well is located within "other sensitive ground water areas,"
the owner/operator must close the well or obtain a permit by January 1, 2007. States have
until January 1, 2004 to delineate "other sensitive ground water areas." If the state fails to
identify these areas by January 1, 2004, all motor vehicle waste disposal wells in the state
must be closed or obtain a permit by January 1, 2007 unless they are subject to a different
compliance date associated with the ground water protection assessment criteria.
C. Underground Injection Control Program (UIC):
The following question was contained in an email: I am a citizen from Florida
concerned about the use of an Aquifer Storage and Recovery (ASR) well in a test
project wastewater injection well. The project site for treated wastewater is located
near urban and residential wells. The wastewater will be used for recharge purposes
as well as reuse such as spraying for a golf course. The county utility indicates this
treated wastewater is meeting primary and secondary standards. Is this the correct or
appropriate use of an ASR well? Wouldn't this well be considered a Class I well?
No. According to "Class V Underground Injection Control Study," (EPA 816-R-99-
014, September 1999), the well is considered a Class V well. Aquifer Storage and
Recovery (ASR) wells are used to replenish water in an aquifer for subsequent use.
They are used to achieve two objectives: (1) storing water in the ground; and (2)
recovering the stored water (from the same well) for a beneficial reuse. Potable
drinking water (from a drinking water plant), ground water (treated or untreated), and
surface water (treated or untreated) are types of fluid injected into an ASR well. ASR
wells injecting wastewaters are considered Sewage Treatment Effluent (STE) wells.
Water injected into ASR wells is typically treated to meet primary and secondary
drinking water standards. ASR wells are drilled to various depths depending on the
depth of the receiving aquifer. They inject into confined, semi-confined, and
unconfined aquifers. Class V Sewage Treatment Effluent (STE) wells are used for
the disposal of treated sanitary waste from publicly owned treatment works or treated
effluent from a privately owned treatment facility that receives only sanitary waste.
STE wells are commonly used where injection will aid in aquifer recharge. The
injectate may contain fecal coliforms and nitrates above primary drinking water
standards as well as containing constituents that may exceed secondary standards.
Some STE wells inject into shallow aquifers (< 50 feet) that are of extremely poor
quality and are not likely to be used as drinking water sources. However other wells
inject treated wastewater effluent for aquifer recharge, and may be injecting into
aquifers of drinking water quality. It is recommended that you contact your state
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SDW Monthly Hotline Report
October 2001
Underground Injection Control program for information on this project and help with
your concerns on this project. You can contact the Florida UIC program at 850-921-
9417 attention Rich Deuerling.
The entire text of the above mentioned document is available online at
www, epa. gov/ safewater/uic/cl 5 study. html
VI. Specific Water System Enforcement Issues
The Hotline fielded a call from a person who received a notification indicating that a
PWS in Shawnee, Oklahoma, had experienced water quality violations in August and
September. The caller had previously contacted both the PWS and the state, but had been
unsuccessful in obtaining additional information regarding these violations. On the same
day, the Hotline received a call from a doctor at Children's Hospital in Shawnee, who
explained that he had an infant patient with flu-like symptoms of unknown origin.
According to the doctor, the patient's parents remembered that they had recently received
a letter about water quality violations. The doctor wanted to obtain more information
regarding the drinking water problems to assist in diagnosing the child's illness. The
Hotline forwarded this information to the appropriate EPA Regional enforcement contact.
VII. Corrections (from previous reports)
N/A
VIII. Question of the Month
A citizen caller asked the following question: My neighbors and I both have private household
wells. They have free range cattle who are in close proximity to the wells. Recently, they have
demanded that I get rid of my mule and my dogs because they may be producing disease-causing
bacteria in their waste. My neighbor says that this disease-causing bacteria does not come from
cattle waste, only other animals, therefore they do not need to restrict their cattle. I need some
kind of documentation that says that disease-causing bacteria can be in any type of animal waste.
There is no language concerning specific animals for the source information on fecal and E. coli
bacteria, which are the indicators of the presence of disease-causing bacteria. Health effects
language for fecal coliforms and E.coli is as follows: "Fecal coliforms and E. coli are bacteria
whose presence indicates that the water may be contaminated with human or animal wastes."
{Preparing Your Drinking Water Consumer Confidence Report Guidance for water suppliers,
Appendix A, EPA 816-R-99-002, dated March 1999)
The caller was informed that there is no separation of cattle from mules as sources for bacteria
contaminated waste.
IX. Additions to OGWDW Calendar of Events and Meetings
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SDW Monthly Hotline Report
October 2001
The National Capital Area Chapter - Society of Toxicology fall meeting will be held on
December 6, 2001, at the National Library of Medicine, Lister Hill Auditorium in Bethesda.
The annual ASDWA meeting will take place on September 30, 2002 - October 3, 2002, in Salt
Lake City, Utah.
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SDW Monthly Hotline Report
October 2001
Appendix A - Customer Profiles
Calls
Analytical Laboratories 25
Citizens 1,086
Consultants/Industry/Trade Associations 162
Environmental Groups 8
EPA HQ 12
EPA Regions 29
Government 30
Media 6
Medical Professional 6
Schools/University 56
PWS 112
Trans Non Community 1
NTNC 1
Spanish Speaking 26
Other 15
Hangups 46
Out of Purview 114
Total Number of Callers 1,735
Emails
Analytical Laboratories 5
Citizens 223
Consultants/Industry/Trade Associations 51
Environmental Groups 0
EPA HQ 1
EPA Regions 2
Government 2
Media 1
Medical Professional 1
Schools/University 63
PWS 10
Trans Non Community 0
NTNC 0
Spanish 10
Other 16
Hangups 0
Out of Purview 14
Total Number of Emails 399
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SDW Monthly Hotline Report
October 2001
Appendix B - Question Types
Calls
NPDWRs
Microbial/DBP/ICR
Coliforms
SWTR, ESWTR & LT1FBR
GW Rule
Cryptosporidium
Other Microbial
Waterborne Diseases
ICR
Chlorine
THM
Other D/DBPs
Home Water Disinfection
IOC/SOC
Phase I, II & V
Arsenic
Fluoride
MTBE
Perchlorate
Sodium Monitoring
Sulfate
LEAD and COPPER
Lead & Copper
LCCA/Lead Ban
RADIONUCLIDES
Other Rads
Radon
SECONDARY DW REGULATIONS
Secondary DW Regulations
BACKGROUND/OVERVIEW
Definitions & Applicability
EPA Homepage
Science Fair Projects
SDWA
Standard Setting
WOT, Hands & MCL List
Other Background
OTHER DRINKING WATER
REGULATIONS
Analytical Methods
CCL & DWPL
CCR Compliance
CCR General
CCR Saw PSA
NCOD
Operator Certification
Public Notification
Small System Variances & SSCTs
SRF Funds
State Primacy & Indian Lands
UCMR Lab Methods Issues
UCMR PWS Monitoring 9
UCMR Other 27
Variances, Exemptions & Waivers 2
OTHER DRINKING WATER
Additives Program 3
63 Affordability/Cost/Needs Capacity 1
28 Bottled Water 68
2 Complaints about PWS 47
40 Compliance & Enforcement 25
21 Health Effects & Health Assessments 69
7 HWTUs 79
3 Local DW Quality 160
28 Meeting Registration 24
7 State Lab Certification 21
23 Tap Water Testing 216
27 Treatment/BATs 30
OTHER PROGRAMS
37 Air 11
43 CWA 12
26 Pesticides 5
19 Pollution Prevention 4
2 RCRA 9
0 TSCA 0
3 Non-EPA Environmental 13
Non Environmental 12
147 GROUND WATER/WELLHEAD
9 Household Wells 184
Sole Source Aquifer 1
17 Groundwater 14
93 WHP 4
Source Water 13
56 UIC Wells 10
TOTAL QUESTIONS 1,887
25
3
10
15
4
57
92
17
4
6
48
0
1
2
17
1
1
7
1
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SDW Monthly Hotline Report
October 2001
Emails
Microbial/DBP/ICR
Coliforms
SWTR, ESWTR & LT1FBR
GW Rule
Cryptosporidium
Other Microbial
Waterborne Diseases
ICR
Chlorine
THM
Other D/DBPs
Home Water Disinfection
IOC/SOC
Phase I, II, V
Arsenic
Fluoride
MTBE
Perchlorate
Sodium Monitoring
Sulfate
LEAD and COPPER
Lead & Copper
LCCA/Lead Ban
RADIONUCLIDES
Other Rads
Radon
SECONDARY DW REGULATIONS
Secondary DW Regulations
BACKGROUND/OVERVIEW
Definitions & Applicability
EPA Homepage
Science Fair Projects
SDWA
Standard Setting
WOT, Hands & MCL List
Other Background
OTHER DRINKING WATER
REGULATIONS
Analytical Methods
CCL & DWPL
CCR Compliance
CCR General
CCR Saw PSA
NCOD
Operator Certification
Public Notification
Small System Variances & SSCTs
SRF Funds
State Primacy & Indian Lands
UCMR Lab Methods Issues
UCMR PWS Monitoring 0
UCMR Other 2
11 Variances, Exemptions & Waivers 0
6 OTHER DRINKING WATER
3 Additives Program 5
1 Affordability/Cost/Needs Capacity 2
2 Bottled Water 18
1 Complaints about PWS 4
1 Compliance & Enforcement 6
4 Health Effects/Health Assessments 11
2 HWTUs 24
4 Local DW Quality 47
16 Meeting Registration 0
State Lab Certification 7
18 Tap Water Testing 17
19 Treatment/BATs 12
3 OTHER PROGRAMS
3 Air 3
3 CWA 6
1 Pesticides 1
1 Pollution Prevention 0
RCRA 4
14 TSCA 0
1 Non-EPA Environmental 32
Non Environmental 28
4 GROUNDWATER/WELLHEAD
9 Household Wells 34
Sole Source Aquifer 0
13 Groundwater 9
WHP 3
6 Source Water 6
3 UIC Wells 4
4 TOTAL QUESTIONS 492
1
0
16
21
13
1
0
5
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
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Monthly Hotline Report
October 2001
Appendix C - Safe Drinking Water Regulations Federal Register Abstracts
Arsenic
"National Primary Drinking Water Regulations; Arsenic and Clarifications to Compliance and
New Source Contaminants Monitoring" (66 FR 50961, October 5, 2001)
This action announced the availability of three reports and recommendations on the science, cost
of compliance, and benefits analyses in support of a rule on arsenic in drinking water. These
reports were prepared by the National Academy of Sciences, The National Drinking Water
Advisory Council, and the EPA Science Advisory Board.
Appendix D - Daily Call Monitoring System Data
Total No. No. Calls Average Wait
Calls Aband Time mmrsec
1-Oct 109
2-Oct 87
3-Oct 81
4-Oct 71
5-Oct 88
8-Oct 0
9-Oct 124
10-Oct 100
11-Oct 65
12-Oct 92
15-Oct 105
16-Oct 95
17-Oct 75
18-Oct 69
19-Oct 84
22-Oct 93
23-Oct 84
24-Oct 64
25-Oct 75
26-Oct 84
29-Oct 25
30-Oct 85
31-Oct 30
4
3
4
1
1
0
4
2
3
3
5
2
1
2
2
3
1
0
2
3
1
1
2
0:10
0:12
0:09
0:11
0:12
0
0:17
0:14
0:13
0:15
0:18
0:12
0:12
0:17
0:15
0:14
0:14
0:10
0:13
0:14
0:07
0:19
0:09
Total
1,785
50
0:13
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Monthly Hotline Report
October 2001
Appendix E - Contract Management Information
Pending and Completed Actions
A. Hotline staff continued to take registrations for workshops conducted in Regions 1, 4, 7,
and 10.
B. Hotline managers worked with Project Officer in developing OGWDW's counter-
terrorism desk statements. The Hotline provided weekly tabulations and analyses of calls
and emails concerning potential terrorist threats to the public water supply; Hotline
continues to monitor and assess callers' concerns and inquiries relevant to this topic and
relay this information to the Project Officer.
C. Hotline worked with Project Officer to identify FDA contacts for issues concerning
terrorism and bottled water.
D. Hotline worked with PO to develop a modified Hotline night phone message to provide
emergency referral direction for citizens.
E. On October 3, 2001 Hotline staff was briefed by Jenny Jacobs of EPA's OGWDW on the
Operator Certification program.
F. Hotline staff attended a UIC training session at EPA Headquarters on October 15, 2001.
G. Pursuant to instructions from OGWDW, Hotline management implemented a standard
protocol for Hotline responses to inquiries regarding details specific to individual utilities
(e.g., the latitude/longitude or address of a water system, water supply, dam, water intake,
etc.).
H. Hotline management worked with PO and OGWDW technical contacts to set procedures
for handling comments on the Arsenic Rule submitted (via email) to the Hotline after the
expiration of the comment period.
Report on Internet Activities
Our searches revealed no errors on the OGWDW Web site in October.
Hotline Suggestions (for areas of frequent concern among callers that EPA may wish to
consider addressing in future publications)
The Hotline occasionally receives inquiries concerning EPA's position on the disposal of drugs
and drug residue into drinking water sources. There is some information available from the U.S.
Geological Survey, but Hotline staff will generally refer callers to either EPA's Wastewater
hotline or the CWA office for information on this subject.
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