New Rule to Impact Smaller Water Treatment Systems

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has published the proposed Long Term 1 Enhanced Surface Water Treatment Rule (LT1ESWTR) and Filter Backwash Rule (FBR) to increase protection of finished drinking water supplies from contamination by Cryptosporidium and other microbial pathogens.

This phase of the Surface Water Treatment Rule will apply to public water systems using surface water or ground water under the direct influence of surface water and will specifically affect 11,500 small water systems which serve fewer than 10,000 people annually. More than 18 million people are served by these smaller water systems.

The proposed filter backwash requirements will affect public water systems of all sizes. It is designed to reduce the risks associated with recycling contaminants removed during the filtration process.

The 1996 Amendments to SDWA require EPA to promulgate an Interim Enhanced Surface Water Treatment Rule (IESWTR) and a Stage 1 Disinfection Byproducts Rule (announced in December 1998). The IESWTR set the first drinking water standards to control Cryptosporidium in large water systems, by establishing filtration and monitoring requirements for systems serving more than 10,000 people each.

The 1996 Amendments require EPA to promulgate a Long Term 1 Enhanced Surface Water Treatment Rule (for systems serving less than 10,000 people) by November 2000 and also to "promulgate a regulation to govern the recycling of filter backwash water within the treatment process of a public water system" by August 2000. The current proposed rule includes provisions addressing both of these requirements.

The proposed LT1 rule contains five key provisions for systems using surface water or ground water under the direct influence of surface water (GWUDI):

A treatment technique requiring a 2-log (99 percent) Cryptosporidium removal requirement;

Strengthened combined filter effluent turbidity performance standards and new individual filter turbidity provisions;

Disinfection benchmark provisions to assure continued microbial protection is provided while facilities take the necessary steps to comply with new disinfection byproduct standards;

Inclusion of Cryptosporidium in the definition of GWUDI and in the watershed control requirements for unfiltered public water systems;

And requirements for covers on new finished water reservoirs.

Filter Backwash Rule provisions apply to all systems which recycle and use surface water or GWUDI, regardless of population served. The backwash rule contains three key provisions:

A provision requiring recycle flows to be introduced prior to the point of primary coagulant addition;

A requirement for systems meeting criteria to perform a one-time self assessment of their recycle practice and consult with their primacy agency to address and correct high risk recycle operations; and

a requirement for direct filtration systems to provide information to the State on their current recycle practice. The states may require that modifications to recycle practice be made.

The recycle assessment requirement would apply to conventional systems that practice direct recycle, employ 20 or fewer filters to meet production requirements during a selected month, and recycle spent filter backwash water, thickener supernatant, and/or liquids from dewatering processes.

For general information, contact the Safe Drinking Water Hotline at (800) 426-4791. For specific information on proposed rule, contact Jeffery Robichaud, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Ground Water and Drinking Water (MC 4607), 1200 Pennsylvania Ave. NW, Washington, DC 20460. Or call (202) 260-2568.

EPA Issues Revised Public Notification Rule

EPA has revised the existing Public Notification rule to better tailor the form, manner, and timing of the notices to the relative risk to health. The revised regulations require faster notice in emergencies and fewer notices overall, and should make the existing notification process less burdensome for water suppliers.

The final regulations were signed by EPA Administrator Carol Browner on April 7, 2000. They do not apply to public water systems in states with approved primacy programs until two years from publication, unless a primacy state chooses to adopt the new requirements earlier.

Public water systems where EPA directly implements the drinking water program (i.e., Wyoming, Washington, D.C., and tribal lands) must comply with the new regulations 180 days after publication.

The rule includes a variety of changes to notification policies. They include:

24-hour notice. Water systems are required to distribute notices in 24 hours (instead of 72) for violations posing acute health risks due to short-term exposure (Tier 1).

Consultation requirement. Water systems must consult with the State or EPA within 24 hours of a Tier 1 violation to receive direction on subsequent requirements.

30-day notice for other serious violations. The notice deadline for violations of maximum contaminant levels or treatment techniques which do not pose an immediate threat to human health is extended from 14 days to 30 days, with possible extension to 3 months (Tier 2).

12-month notice for non-serious violations. The notice deadline for all other violations is extended from 3 months to 12 months, allowing a single annual report where applicable (Tier 3). Systems may choose to include this notice in their annual consumer confidence report.

Simplified standard language. The existing standard health effects language is simplified, consistent with the consumer confidence report (CCR) requirements. New standard language is now required for monitoring violations.

Reduced number of notices. Formerly, water systems were required to use specific multiple delivery methods when distributing notices. Water systems now have the flexibility to chose the delivery method that will reach their customers best, even if that is one single method.

The revised rule sets a minimum method for each tier and a performance standard requiring water systems to take additional steps reasonably calculated to reach other persons served. Methods of delivery may include the media, hand delivery or posting.

EPA Offices Propose Re-Issuing Storm Water Permit

Eight of EPA's regional offices (Regions 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 8, 9, 10) are proposing to re-issue the multi-sector storm water general permit associated with industrial activity under the Clean Water Act National Pollution Discharge Elimination System (NPDES). The current general permit, first issued on Sept. 29, 1995, and which expires on Sept. 29, 2000, controls storm water discharges where EPA is the permitting authority.

The proposed permit will control storm water discharges from 29 sectors of industrial activity to protect water quality in rivers, lakes, wetlands and marine waters. EPA is requesting public comment for 60-days. Copies of the proposed permit and additional information of the storm water program are available on the Internet at http://www.epa.gov/owm/.