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EPA/WATER

RIN: 2040-AA97

Publication ID: Spring 2000

Title: National Primary Drinking Water Regulations: Ground Water Rule
Abstract: 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.
Agency: Environmental Protection Agency(EPA)	Priority: Economically Significant
RIN Status: Previously published in the Unified Agenda	Agenda Stage of Rulemaking: Proposed Rule Stage
Major: Yes	Unfunded Mandates: Private Sector
CFR Citation: 40 CFR 141 40 CFR 142
Legal Authority: 42 USC 300(f) SDWA sec 1412

Legal Deadline:

Action	Source	Description	Date
Final	Statutory		05/31/2002

Statement of Need: 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.

Summary of the Legal Basis: 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.

Alternatives: Not available at this time.

Anticipated Costs and Benefits: Not available at this time.

Risks: Not available at this time.

Timetable:

Action	Date	FR Cite
NPRM	04/00/2000
Final Action	11/00/2000

Additional Information: SAN No. 2340 Statutory deadline for final: After August 6,1999 but before May 31, 2002.
Regulatory Flexibility Analysis Required: Yes	Government Levels Affected: Federal, Local, State, Tribal
Small Entities Affected: Businesses, Governmental Jurisdictions, Organizations	Federalism: Yes
Included in the Regulatory Plan: Yes
Sectors Affected: 22131 Water Supply and Irrigation Systems
Agency Contact: Eric Burneson Environmental Protection Agency Water 4607M, 1200 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20460 Phone:202 564-5250 Email: burneson.eric@epa.gov Tracy Bone Environmental Protection Agency Water 4601M, Washington, DC 20460 Phone:202 564-5257 Fax:202 564-3753 Email: Bone.Tracy@epamail.epa.gov