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EPA/WATER RIN: 2040-AA97 Publication ID: Fall 2006 
Title: National Primary Drinking Water Regulations: Ground Water Rule 
Abstract: EPA is finalizing a national primary drinking water regulation (NPDWR), the Ground Water Rule (GWR), to provide for increased protection against microbial pathogens in public drinking water systems that use ground water sources. This final rule is in accordance with the Safe Drinking Water Act as amended in 1996, which requires the EPA to promulgate regulations requiring disinfection as a treatment technique for all public water systems, including surface water systems and, as necessary, ground water systems. The GWR establishes a risk-targeted approach to target ground water systems that are susceptible to fecal contamination, instead of requiring disinfection for all ground water systems. The occurrence of fecal indicators in a drinking water supply is an indication of the potential presence of microbial pathogens that may pose a threat to public health. This rule requires ground water systems that are at risk of fecal contamination to take corrective action to reduce cases of illnesses and deaths due to exposure to microbial pathogens. The proposed GWR was published in the Federal Register in 2000 (65 FR 30194, May 10, 2000) (USEPA, 2000a). The primary elements of the proposed GWR were sanitary surveys, triggered monitoring, hydrogeologic sensitivity analyses, routine monitoring, corrective action, and compliance monitoring. EPA received numerous comments on the proposed GWR and has carefully considered those comments in developing the final GWR. This consideration has led to a number of changes which the Agency believes will result in a more flexible, more targeted, more protective final GWR. This risk-targeting strategy includes regular sanitary surveys to check for significant deficiencies; triggered ground water source monitoring to detect fecal contamination at GWSs when they detect bacteria in TCR samples; treatment technique requirements that require corrective actions to address sanitary survey significant deficiencies and fecal contamination in ground water; and compliance monitoring to ensure that, when treatment is installed to address contamination, the treatment reliably removes 99.99 percent (4-log) of viruses. EPA proposed requiring GWSs in hydrogeologically sensitive settings to comply with the routine source water monitoring requirements (presently referred to as assessment monitoring) because aquifers considered hydrogeologically sensitive, i.e., aquifers in non-porous (fractures or conduits) media, may be at considerably more risk of contamination. In the final rule, EPA gives States the option of requiring assessment monitoring, and recommends that states conduct hydrogeologic sensitivity assessments to identify systems that should undergo assessment monitoring because they may be at risk to contamination. EPA believes that the final rule provides public health benefits while apportioning costs in a more flexible targeted manner. Measures to protect public health include treatment technique requirements to address sanitary survey significant deficiencies and fecal contamination in ground water and compliance monitoring to ensure that 4-log treatment of viruses is maintained where it is used to comply with the final Ground Water Rule. 
Agency: Environmental Protection Agency(EPA)  Priority: Other Significant 
RIN Status: Previously published in the Unified Agenda Agenda Stage of Rulemaking: Completed Actions 
Major: Yes  Unfunded Mandates: No 
CFR Citation: 40 CFR 141    40 CFR 142   
Legal Authority: 42 USC 300 g-1(b)(8) "SDWA 1412 (b)(8)"    42 USC 300j-4 "SDWA 1445"   
Legal Deadline:
Action Source Description Date
Final  Judicial  Settlement Agreement  10/11/2006 
Timetable:
Action Date FR Cite
NPRM  05/10/2000  65 FR 30194   
NODA  03/27/2006  71 FR 15105   
Final Action  11/08/2006  71 FR 65574   
Additional Information: SAN No. 2340; EPA publication information: NPRM - http://www.epa.gov/safewater/gwr.html; Statutory deadline for final rule: Not later than the date of promulgation of the Stage II rulemaking for disinfection byproducts (January 4, 2006).
Regulatory Flexibility Analysis Required: Yes  Government Levels Affected: Federal, Local, State, Tribal 
Small Entities Affected: Businesses, Governmental Jurisdictions, Organizations  Federalism: No 
Included in the Regulatory Plan: No 
RIN Information URL: http://www.epa.gov/ogwdw/gwr.html  
Sectors Affected: 22131 Water Supply and Irrigation Systems 
Agency Contact:
Crystal Rodgers-Jenkins
Environmental Protection Agency
Water
4607M, 1200 Pennsylvania Avenue NW,
Washington, DC 20460
Phone:202 564-5275
Fax:202 564-3767
Email: rodgers-jenkins.crystal@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