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UCMR Update Issue
8
| Editor’s Notes |
Issue 8 |
| Those of you who have an outstanding memory might notice
that as the seasons change, so have the interns. Not only am I the
newest person on the team, I am the first female editor of The UCMR
Update! |
Brenda Parris, Editor
O.R.I.S.E. Fellow
Technical Support Center
September 2005 |
Some of you might be wondering, “Who is this lady, and what did
she do with Cory Wagner?” Cory is in DC if you want to look him
up in the phone book, and I am an Oak Ridge Interning Fellow with the
Technical Support Center in Cincinnati. I recently shifted from recycling
(a.k.a. garbage or solid waste) to water. My family seems to think that
I am moving up in the world. Now my father can proudly say that his daughter
works with water instead of garbage. Life in Cincinnati is great, and
we are working night and day to bring you the next cycle of the Unregulated
Contaminant Monitoring Regulation (UCMR). The UCMR 2 Rule was proposed
on August 22, 2005. Do not worry; the next cycle is easier! Believe me,
my mentor made me read both UCMR 1 and 2, and UCMR 2 appears simpler.
The UCMR team has listened to comments, and improved many aspects for
UCMR 2. Thus, the changes they made were done to make your life easier.
Just in case you were wondering if you should read this, the main goals
are to:
- Bring closure to UCMR 1 so we all can sleep at night.
- Introduce UCMR 2 so we can prepare for the next adventure.
| Table
of Contents
Editor’s Notes ........................................2
UCMR 1 ................................................3
Changes Between UCMR 1 & 2 ...............3
Proposed UCMR 2 ..................................5
Partnership Agreements for States ...........6
Lab Approval Program .............................6
Remember These Dates ..........................6
Want to Know More? ...............................7
Contact Information .................................7
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UCMR Update Issue
Number 8-Issued by the Technical Support Center (TSC) of
the Office of Ground Water and Drinking Water (OGWDW). Future updates
will be distributed as needed to maintain the flow of Unregulated
Contaminant Monitoring Regulation (UCMR) information. |
UCMR 1
UCMR 1 is a success! Of the 3900 public water systems (PWSs) required
to monitor, 99.7% have reported all or part of their data. We recognize
that some of you have yet to complete your data reporting, and may be
collecting additional data per Administrative Orders from your Region.
Regardless of your circumstances we urge you to complete what you have
started. We cannot stress enough the importance of the UCMR program.
In 1996 the Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA) was amended requiring the
EPA to establish criteria to monitor unregulated contaminants, and to
identify a maximum of 30 contaminants to monitor every five years. As
a result, the UCMR program was developed. The program was developed to
coordinate with the Candidate Contaminant List (CCL) and the National
Drinking Water Contaminant Occurrence Database (NCOD). The data collected
through the program is stored in the NCOD to facilitate analysis, review
contaminant occurrence, and to guide the development of subsequent CCLs.
The UCMR program benefits the environment and public health by providing
EPA and other interested parties with scientific data on the occurrence
of these contaminants in drinking water, permitting assessment of the
population potentially being exposed, and the levels of that exposure.
This is the primary source of occurrence and exposure data the Agency
uses to determine whether to regulate these contaminants in the interest
of protecting public health. How great is that? Knowing that you are participating
in such an important process that protects the environment and public
health.
NEWS FLASH! The Safe Drinking Water
Accession and Review System (SDWARS) is closing! This is not a joke. On
September 30 the Central Data Exchange (CDX) will no longer allow anyone
to register for UCMR 1. Everyone needs to be registered to submit data.
The SDWARS will not accept UCMR 1 data after December 9! Please approve,
review and submit any data that needs to be included in UCMR 1.
Changes Between UCMR 1 & 2
Times have changed since UCMR 1 was initiated in 1999. The price of gas
was only $1.16 per gallon and everyone was preparing for Y2K. We all are
aware of the changes to the price of gas, and Y2K has become a distant
memory. Kids born in 1999 started first grade this fall! Just think, as
you sit in your “green vehicle” behind a line of traffic following
a school bus this fall, students are not the only ones who are learning.
The UCMR team learned from UCMR 1, and made positive changes to the proposed
UCMR 2. Note your cheat sheet of changes.
| Topic |
1999-UCMR 1 |
2005-Proposed UCMR 2 |
| Number of Contaminants |
25 |
26 |
| Number of Methods |
25 |
9 (4 are perchlorate methods) |
| Number of Reporting Elements |
18 |
15 |
| Laboratory Approval |
Most methods required state certification. Aeromonas and perchlorate
required EPA approval |
EPA approval required for all contaminants |
| Posting and Approving Data |
PWSs used SDWARS to approve data |
PWSs use SDWARS to approve data. Defaults to approved 60 days after
posted by lab |
| PWS’s Population |
Subject to multiple interpretations |
Set as of June 30, 2005 |
| Number of Small PWSs Considered for Screening Survey (List 2) |
180 |
480 |
| Number of Large PWSs Considered for Screening Survey (List 2) |
120 |
˜ 325 PWSs serving more than 100,000 people, and 320 randomly
selected PWSs serving 10,000-100,000 people |
| Screening Survey (List 2) Monitoring Period |
12 months of monitoring within a 1-year period |
12 months of monitoring within a 2-year period |
| Contact Info |
Unspecified |
Large PWSs must submit information to SDWARS |
| Large PWS Sampling Schedule |
Scheduled by a sampler within a 3 year time frame |
Scheduled by EPA with allowances for changes if needed |
| Sampling Location |
EPTDS or phase II/V sample points. In addition, Aeromonas samples
were collected at 3 locations in the distribution system |
EPTDS or a representative EPTDS for PWSs with multiple ground water
entry points. In addition, nitrosamine samples are collected at the
maximum residence time location in the distribution system |
| Calculating PWS Population Served |
Subject to many interpretations |
Clearly defined as total population; retail + wholesale |
| Acronyms: EPTDS = entry
point to the distribution system; PWS = public water system; SDWARS
= Safe Drinking Water Accession and Review System |
Proposed UCMR 2
Since I already went over the changes from UCMR 1 there is little to
say about UCMR 2. You might say that not much has changed since I was
able to summarize a 168 page document into a small table.
Three key points to remember about UCMR 2 are listed.
1. Assessment Monitoring (List 1)
– uses six methods to monitor 11 contaminants (four of the six
methods are for perchlorate)
- Sampling occurs during a 12-month period between July 2007-June
2010
- Requires all PWSs serving more than 10,000 people to monitor
- Requires a representative sample of 800 PWSs serving 10,000 or
fewer people to monitor
Assessment Monitoring (List 1) Contaminants |
| Dimethoate |
2,2',4,4'-tetrabromodiphenyl ether (BDE-47) |
| Terbufos sulfone |
2,2',4,4',5-pentabromodiphenyl ether (BDE-99) |
| 1,3-dinitrobenzene |
2,2',4,4',5,5'-hexabromobiphenyl (245-HBB) |
| Perchlorate |
Hexahydro-1,3,5-trinitro-1,3,5-triazine (RDX) |
| 2,4,6-trinitrotoluene (TNT) |
2,2',4,4',5,5'-hexabromodiphenyl ether (BDE-153) |
2. Screening Survey (List 2) - uses
three methods to monitor 15 contaminants
- Sampling occurs during a 12-month period between July 2007-June
2009
- Requires all PWSs serving 100,000 or more people to monitor
- Requires a representative sample of 320 PWSs serving 10,001-100,000
people to monitor
- Requires a representative sample of 480 small PWSs serving 10,000
or fewer people to monitor
Screening Survey (List 2) Contaminants |
| Alachlor |
Metolachlor OA |
| Alachlor ESA |
N-nitroso-diethylamine (NDEA) |
| Alachlor OA |
N-nitroso-dimethylamine (NDMA) |
| Acetochlor |
N-nitroso-di-n-butylamine (NDBA) |
| Acetochlor ESA |
N-nitroso-di-n-propylamine (NDPA) |
| Acetochlor OA |
N-nitroso-methylethylamine (NMEA) |
| Metolachlor |
N-nitroso-pyrrolidine (NPYR) |
| Metolachlor ESA |
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3. Laboratory Approval Program - requires
laboratories wishing to analyze samples request and be granted EPA approval.
Partnership Agreements for States 
Back by popular demand…the PA! Your comments from UCMR 1 have driven
the design of this document to be more user friendly and easier to read.
It identifies activities performed by the state that are key to the success
of the program. Since the PAs needs to be in place by December 31, 2005,
State officials should be hearing from their Region soon.
THANK YOU! The states helped make
UCMR 1 a success. We truly appreciate all their support, assistance and
suggestions. We look forward to working with them on UCMR 2.
Laboratory Approval Program
Laboratories interested in analyzing samples for public water systems
(PWSs) must be aware of the UCMR 2 laboratory approval requirements. They
need to register for the Laboratory Approval Program, and complete the
method-specific application packages. Upon review, qualified labs will
be eligible to participate in a proficiency testing (PT) program. Laboratories
that successfully complete the PT program are granted method-specific
approval to analyze samples once the final UCMR 2 is promulgated. To begin
this process, please write:
UCMR 2 Laboratory Approval Coordinator
US EPA, Technical Support Center
26 West Martin Luther King Drive (MS 140)
Cincinnati, OH 45268
PWSs need to notify their contracting laboratory
to make sure that they are aware of the Laboratory Approval Program.
Remember These Dates
| August 22, 2005 |
UCMR 2 published in Federal Register |
| October 21, 2005 |
Public comment period ends |
| Mid-2006 |
Anticipated UCMR 2 final rule published |
| July 1, 2007 |
Proposed date that UCMR 2 monitoring will begin |
Reporting Deadlines Before Monitoring Begins
| Within 90 Days from final rule publication |
Large PWSs (serve > 10,000 people) report contact information
to SDWARS |
| Within 210 Days from final rule publication |
Large PWSs must:(1) Review and edit sampling location and inventory
information; and (2) Review and edit monitoring schedule |
| After 210 Days from final rule publication |
Large PWSs must:(1) Notify EPA of sampling location and inventory
changes; and (2) Notify EPA if unable to sample according to established
schedule |
Reporting Monitoring Results.
| Within 120 Days from sample collection |
Labs must post monitoring results to EPA’s electronic reporting
system |
| Within 60 Days from lab posting data |
Large PWSs review and approve data |
Want to Know More?
Contact Information
Laboratories and PWSs: when contacting
EPA about UCMR issues, please use your U. S. EPA Lab ID or PWSID, respectively.
Drinking Water Hotline: General UCMR
questions may be directed to:
1-888-890-1995
SDWARS Help Desk: SDWARS/UCMR registration
and reporting system questions may be directed to
1-888-890-1995
TSC Correspondence: May be directed
to:
UCMR Coordinator
Technical Support Center (MS-140)
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
26 W. Martin Luther King Drive
Cincinnati, OH 45268
Fax: 513-569-7191
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