Drinking Water Regulations Under Development

National Primary Drinking Water Regulations

This section focuses on the current regulatory status of certain contaminants and public water system operations. The public has many opportunities for involvement in EPA's rulemaking process, from stakeholder and early involvement meetings, to review and commenting on Notices of Data Availability and formal rule proposals in the Federal Register.  EPA rulemaking also involves small business and tribal government consultations and official committees established under the Federal Advisory Committee Act (FACA).  EPA publishes a list of public meetings on issues ranging from proposed regulations to the development of databases and publishes a list of public meetings and regulations and draft documents that are open for comment in the Federal Register.

Currently, the EPA is  proposing revisions to the 1989 Total Coliform Rule. The proposed  Revised Total Coliform Rule offers a meaningful opportunity for greater  public health protection beyond the current Total Coliform Rule. The  proposed revisions require systems that have an indication of coliform  contamination in the distribution system to assess the problem and take  corrective action that may reduce cases of illnesses and deaths due to  potential fecal contamination and waterborne pathogen exposure. This  proposal also updates provisions in other rules that reference  analytical methods and other requirements in the current TCR (e.g.,  Public Notification and Ground Water Rules). These proposed revisions  are in accordance with the Safe Drinking Water Act as amended, which  requires EPA to review and revise, as appropriate, each national  primary drinking water regulation promulgated under the Safe Drinking  Water Act not less often than every six years. As with the current  Total Coliform Rule, the proposed Revised Total Coliform Rule applies to all public water systems.

Total Coliform

EPA proposed Revisions to the Total Coliform Rule on July 14, 2010.  EPA proposed a rule that had the same substance and effect as the recommendations made by the Total Coliform Rule Distribution System Advisory Committee in its signed Agreement in Principle (AIP) (PDF) (41 pp, 2MB, About PDF). The proposed  Revisions to the Total Coliform Rule offer a meaningful opportunity for greater  public health protection beyond the current Total Coliform Rule. The  proposed revisions require systems that have an indication of coliform  contamination in the distribution system to assess the problem and take  corrective action that may reduce cases of illnesses and deaths due to  potential fecal contamination and waterborne pathogen exposure. This  proposal also updates provisions in other rules that reference  analytical methods and other requirements in the current TCR (e.g.,  Public Notification and Ground Water Rules). These proposed revisions  are in accordance with the Safe Drinking Water Act as amended, which  requires EPA to review and revise, as appropriate, each national  primary drinking water regulation promulgated under the Safe Drinking  Water Act not less often than every six years. As with the current  Total Coliform Rule, the proposed Revisions to the Total Coliform Rule applies to all public water systems.  EPA expects to publish the final Revisions to the Total Coliform Rule in the summer of 2012.

Radon

The 1996 Safe Drinking Water Act Amendments required EPA to establish a multimedia approach to address the public health risks from radon.  EPA proposed regulations to reduce the public health risks associated with radon in air and water on November 2, 1999.

Other Links:

• From Risk to Rule: How EPA Develops Risk-based (PDF) (95 pp, 2MB, About PDF)
  
• The Basics of the Regulatory Process
• Current Drinking Water Regulations
• EPA's Regulatory Agenda
• Homeland Security Presidential Directives in recognition of the increased need to protect.
• The National Drinking Water Advisory Council provides advice, information, and recommendations on matters related to activities, functions, policies, and regulations required by the Safe Drinking Water Act.