EPA Updates Drinking Water Regulations

On June 29, EPA published minor corrections and clarifications to drinking water regulations in the Federal Register. This will help public drinking water systems comply with regulations by clarifying and correcting existing drinking water regulations.

The corrections and clarifications do not affect existing public health protection. The final rule shifts the compliance date for some requirements of the Long Term 1 Enhanced Surface Water Treatment Rule from January 14, 2005, to January 1, 2005, to ease implementation and improve readability of the Consumer Confidence Reports provided to customers.

It gives states the flexibility to use optional monitoring data for disinfection profiling carried out under that rule. Additionally, the rule establishes a detection limit for uranium of 1 part per billion in the Radionuclides Rule, which established a maximum contaminant level for uranium in drinking water of 30 parts per billion.

Finally, the Agency is clarifying and correcting typographical errors, inadvertent omissions, editorial errors, and outdated language in the Surface Water Treatment Rules and other Drinking Water rules. This includes reinstatement of text that was previously omitted from the Lead and Copper Rule, but maintained in current rule guidance, that lists the types of facilities that must be sent public education brochures by a public water system which has exceeded the action level for lead or copper.

Source: EPA