<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8" standalone="yes"?>
<REGINFO_RIN_DATA xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance" RUN_DATE="2026-10-25-04:00" xsi:noNamespaceSchemaLocation="https://www.reginfo.gov/public/xml/REGINFO_XML_Ver10262011.xsd">
    <RIN_INFO>
        <RIN>2040-AA97</RIN>
        <PUBLICATION>
            <PUBLICATION_ID>200004</PUBLICATION_ID>
            <PUBLICATION_TITLE>Unified Agenda of Federal Regulatory and Deregulatory Actions</PUBLICATION_TITLE>
        </PUBLICATION>
        <AGENCY>
            <CODE>2040</CODE>
            <NAME>Water</NAME>
            <ACRONYM>WATER</ACRONYM>
        </AGENCY>
        <PARENT_AGENCY>
            <CODE>2000</CODE>
            <NAME>Environmental Protection Agency</NAME>
            <ACRONYM>EPA</ACRONYM>
        </PARENT_AGENCY>
        <RULE_TITLE>National Primary Drinking Water Regulations: Ground Water Rule</RULE_TITLE>
        <ABSTRACT><![CDATA[The Safe Drinking Water Act as amended in 1996 directs EPA to promulgate regulations requiring disinfection as necessary for ground water systems. The intention is to develop a protective public health approach which assures a baseline of protection for all consumers of ground water and sets in place an increasingly targeted strategy to identify high risk or high priority systems that require greater scrutiny or further action. Development and implementation of the rule will involve local, tribal, State and Federal governments. The structure of the rule is a series of barriers to microbial contamination. The multiple-barrier approach relies upon four major components: 1) periodic onsite inspections of ground water systems requiring the evaluation of eight key areas and the identification of significant deficiencies; 2) source water monitoring for systems drawing from sensitive aquifers without treatment or with other indications of risk; 3) a requirement for correction of significant deficiencies; and 4) a requirement for treatment where contamination or significant deficiencies are not or cannot be corrected, and alternative sources of drinking water are not available. EPA believes that the combination of these elements strikes an appropriate regulatory balance which tailors the intensity or burden of protective measures and follow-up action to the risk being addressed.]]></ABSTRACT>
        <PRIORITY_CATEGORY>Economically Significant</PRIORITY_CATEGORY>
        <RIN_STATUS>Previously Published in The Unified Agenda</RIN_STATUS>
        <RULE_STAGE>Proposed Rule Stage</RULE_STAGE>
        <MAJOR>Yes</MAJOR>
        <UNFUNDED_MANDATE_LIST>
            <UNFUNDED_MANDATE>Private Sector</UNFUNDED_MANDATE>
        </UNFUNDED_MANDATE_LIST>
        <CFR_LIST>
            <CFR>40 CFR 141</CFR>
            <CFR>40 CFR 142</CFR>
        </CFR_LIST>
        <LEGAL_AUTHORITY_LIST>
            <LEGAL_AUTHORITY>42 USC 300(f) SDWA sec 1412</LEGAL_AUTHORITY>
        </LEGAL_AUTHORITY_LIST>
        <LEGAL_DLINE_LIST>
            <LEGAL_DLINE_INFO>
                <DLINE_TYPE>Statutory</DLINE_TYPE>
                <DLINE_ACTION_STAGE>Final</DLINE_ACTION_STAGE>
                <DLINE_DATE>05/31/2002</DLINE_DATE>
                <DLINE_DESC>  </DLINE_DESC>
            </LEGAL_DLINE_INFO>
        </LEGAL_DLINE_LIST>
        <RPLAN_ENTRY>Yes</RPLAN_ENTRY>
        <RPLAN_INFO>
            <STMT_OF_NEED><![CDATA[Public water systems (PWSs) that use ground water as their sole source of water, as opposed to surface water PWSs, are not federally regulated as to treatment for microorganisms. There is data that indicates that a number of ground water PWSs are contaminated with microorganisms of fecal origin that can and have caused illness.]]></STMT_OF_NEED>
            <LEGAL_BASIS><![CDATA[Section 1412(b)(1)(A) of the Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA) requires EPA to establish National Primary Drinking Water Regulations for contaminants that may have an adverse public health effect and that present a meaningful opportunity for health risk reduction. This general provision is supplemented with an additional requirement under Section 1412(b)(8) that EPA also develop regulations specifying the use of disinfectants for ground water systems as  necessary.]]></LEGAL_BASIS>
            <ALTERNATIVES><![CDATA[Not available at this time.]]></ALTERNATIVES>
            <COSTS_AND_BENEFITS><![CDATA[Not available at this time.]]></COSTS_AND_BENEFITS>
            <RISKS><![CDATA[Not available at this time.]]></RISKS>
        </RPLAN_INFO>
        <TIMETABLE_LIST>
            <TIMETABLE>
                <TTBL_ACTION>NPRM</TTBL_ACTION>
                <TTBL_DATE>04/00/2000</TTBL_DATE>
            </TIMETABLE>
            <TIMETABLE>
                <TTBL_ACTION>Final Action</TTBL_ACTION>
                <TTBL_DATE>11/00/2000</TTBL_DATE>
            </TIMETABLE>
        </TIMETABLE_LIST>
        <ADDITIONAL_INFO>SAN No. 2340

Statutory deadline for final: After August 6,1999 but before May 31, 2002.</ADDITIONAL_INFO>
        <RFA_REQUIRED>Yes</RFA_REQUIRED>
        <SMALL_ENTITY_LIST>
            <SMALL_ENTITY>Businesses</SMALL_ENTITY>
            <SMALL_ENTITY>Governmental Jurisdictions</SMALL_ENTITY>
            <SMALL_ENTITY>Organizations</SMALL_ENTITY>
        </SMALL_ENTITY_LIST>
        <GOVT_LEVEL_LIST>
            <GOVT_LEVEL>Federal</GOVT_LEVEL>
            <GOVT_LEVEL>Local</GOVT_LEVEL>
            <GOVT_LEVEL>State</GOVT_LEVEL>
            <GOVT_LEVEL>Tribal</GOVT_LEVEL>
        </GOVT_LEVEL_LIST>
        <FEDERALISM>Yes</FEDERALISM>
        <NAICS_LIST>
            <NAICS>
                <NAICS_CD>22131</NAICS_CD>
                <NAICS_DESC>Water Supply and Irrigation Systems</NAICS_DESC>
            </NAICS>
        </NAICS_LIST>
        <PRINT_PAPER>NA</PRINT_PAPER>
        <INTERNATIONAL_INTEREST>Not Collected</INTERNATIONAL_INTEREST>
        <AGENCY_CONTACT_LIST>
            <CONTACT>
                <FIRST_NAME>Eric</FIRST_NAME>
                <LAST_NAME>Burneson</LAST_NAME>
                <AGENCY>
                    <CODE>2040</CODE>
                    <NAME>Office of Water</NAME>
                    <ACRONYM>OW</ACRONYM>
                </AGENCY>
                <PHONE>202 564-5250</PHONE>
                <EMAIL>burneson.eric@epa.gov</EMAIL>
                <MAILING_ADDRESS>
                    <STREET_ADDRESS>4607M, 1200 Pennsylvania Avenue NW,</STREET_ADDRESS>
                    <CITY>Washington</CITY>
                    <STATE>DC</STATE>
                    <ZIP>20460</ZIP>
                </MAILING_ADDRESS>
            </CONTACT>
            <CONTACT>
                <FIRST_NAME>Tracy</FIRST_NAME>
                <LAST_NAME>Bone</LAST_NAME>
                <AGENCY>
                    <CODE>2040</CODE>
                    <NAME>Office of Water</NAME>
                    <ACRONYM>OW</ACRONYM>
                </AGENCY>
                <PHONE>202 564-5257</PHONE>
                <FAX>202 564-3753</FAX>
                <EMAIL>Bone.Tracy@epamail.epa.gov</EMAIL>
                <MAILING_ADDRESS>
                    <STREET_ADDRESS>4601M,</STREET_ADDRESS>
                    <CITY>Washington</CITY>
                    <STATE>DC</STATE>
                    <ZIP>20460</ZIP>
                </MAILING_ADDRESS>
            </CONTACT>
        </AGENCY_CONTACT_LIST>
        <PROCUREMENT>Not Procurement Related</PROCUREMENT>
        <REINVENT_GOVT>No</REINVENT_GOVT>
    </RIN_INFO>
</REGINFO_RIN_DATA>
