Maryland's Public Water System Supervision Program to be Revised

The State of Maryland is revising its approved Public Water System Supervision Program, adopting five new rules.

Included in this revision are the Arsenic Rule, which will provide for better public health protection by lowering the maximum contaminant level (MCL); the Interim Enhanced Surface Water Treatment Rule, which will help improve control of microbial pathogens in drinking water, including specifically the protozoan Cryptosporidium; and the Stage 1 Disinfectants and Disinfection Byproducts Rule, which will set new requirements to limit the formation of chemical disinfection byproducts in drinking water. Also included are the Filter Backwash Recycling Rule, which will require water systems to institute changes to return recycle flows of a plant's treatment process that may compromise pathogen treatment; and the Radionuclides Rule, which establishes a new MCL level for uranium and revises monitoring requirements.

EPA has determined that these revisions, all effective September 1, 2003, are no less stringent than the corresponding Federal regulations. Therefore, EPA has decided to tentatively approve these program revisions.

All interested parties are invited to submit written comments on this determination and may request a public hearing. Comments or a request for a public hearing must be submitted by April 16, 2004.

Comments or a request for a public hearing must be submitted to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Region III, 1650 Arch Street, Philadelphia, PA 19103-2029. Comments may also be submitted electronically to Steve Maslowski at [email protected].

All documents relating to this determination are available for inspection between the hours of 8 a.m. and 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday, at the following offices:

Drinking Water Branch, Water Protection Division, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Region III, 1650 Arch Street, Philadelphia, PA 19103-2029

Water Supply Program, Maryland Department of the Environment, Montgomery Park Business Center, 1800 Washington Blvd, Baltimore, MD 21230.

Source: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency