Expedited Method Approval Process

You will need Adobe Reader to view some of the files on this page. See EPA's PDF page to learn more.

EPA can use an expedited process to announce the approval of new drinking water analytical methods in the Federal Register. The process provides laboratories and water systems more timely access to new alternative testing methods than the traditional rulemaking process.

• Expedited Method Approval Requirements
  
• Expedited Method Approval Federal Register Notices 
  
• Methods Approved Under the Expedited Process

Expedited Method Approval Requirements

There are several requirements that must be met before a new method can be approved using the expedited process.

• Public water systems must be required by federal regulation to monitor for a contaminant that is an analyte in the new method.
• Drinking water regulations must list at least one approved method for the contaminant (i.e., a method that was approved using the rulemaking process).
• A comparison of the new alternative method to the approved method(s) must show the new method to be equally effective in determining the concentration of the contaminant.

New methods may be submitted for evaluation under the Alternate Test Procedure (ATP) program. A new method can be considered for approval using the expedited process, if it has performance characteristics that fall within the range of performance characteristics obtained by the methods listed in regulation for the same contaminant.

Top of page

Expedited Method Approval Federal Register Notices

• June 28, 2012 Notice - EPA approves 10 methods
  • Fact Sheet on the June 28, 2012 Federal Register Notice (PDF) (2 pp, 445K)
• June 24, 2011 Notice - EPA approves 11 new methods
  • Fact Sheet on the June 24, 2011 Federal Register Notice (PDF) (2 pp, 45K)  
• June 8, 2010 Notice - EPA approves 12 new methods | PDF Version (8 pp, 98K)
  • Fact Sheet on the June 8, 2010 Federal Register Notice (PDF) (2 pp, 23K)
• November 10, 2009 Notice – EPA approves 25 new methods | PDF Version (11 pp, 110K)
• August 3, 2009 Notice – EPA approves six new methods | PDF Version (14 pp, 72K)
• June 29, 2009 - National Primary Drinking Water Regulations: Minor Correction to Stage 2 Disinfectants and Disinfection Byproducts Rule and Changes in References to Analytical Methods | PDF Version (7 pp, 83K)
• June 3, 2008 Notice – EPA publishes first list of methods approved under the expedited process | PDF Version (18 pp, 1.1M)
• April 10, 2007 Notice – Announcement of EPA’s plan to implement the expedited process

Top of page

Methods Approved Under the Expedited Process

• Appendix A to Subpart C in 40 CFR 141 (June 28, 2012) (PDF) (21 pp, 218K)

Top of page