Water: Ground Water Rule
Laws & RegulationsRegulatory InformationSafe Drinking Water ActGround Water RuleGround Water RuleGround Water Rule
Welcome to the Ground Water Rule (GWR) page. On this site you will find links to the rule, fact sheets as well as general information about the history of the rulemaking.
- On this page
Ground Water Rule
The purpose of the rule is to reduce disease incidence associated with disease-causing microorganisms in drinking water. The rule establishes a risk-based approach to target ground water systems that are vulnerable to fecal contamination. Ground water systems that are identified as being at risk of fecal contamination must take corrective action to reduce potential illness from exposure to microbial pathogens. The rule will apply to all systems that use ground water as a source of drinking water
The GWR was signed on October 11, 2006. It was published in the Federal Register on November 08, 2006.
- Final Rule
- Read online
- PDF File (88 pp, 15.1 M) (About PDF)
- Corrections to the final rule
- Federal Register Notice, November 21, 2006
A correction to the table on Analytical Methods For Source Water Monitoring was published in the Federal Register November 21, 2006.
- Federal Register Notice, November 21, 2006
- Fact Sheet
EPA 815-F-06-003, October 2006
This fact sheet provides information on the basic requirements, the public health and environmental benefits, and estimated costs associated with the rule.- Read online
- PDF File (2 pp, 28 K) (About PDF)
- Quick Reference Guide to GWR
This document provides a simple and straight forward description of the rule, critical deadlines and requirements for drinking water systems and states.- coming
For other quick reference guides visit the drinking water standards - quick reference guides page.
- coming
- Questions and Answers about the GWR
- GWR Supporting Documents – The following documents were developed to support the final rule-making. (About PDF)
- Occurrence and Monitoring Document for the Final Ground Water Rule (PDF) (160 pp, 1.5 MB)
EPA 815-R-06-012 October 2006 - Technology and Cost Document for the Final Ground Water Rule (PDF) (167 pp, 639 K)
EPA 815-R-06-015, October 2006 - Economic Analysis for the Ground Water Rule (PDF) (391 pp, 1.4 MB)
EPA 815-R-06-014, October 2006
- Occurrence and Monitoring Document for the Final Ground Water Rule (PDF) (160 pp, 1.5 MB)
- For additional supporting information related to this rule-making, including the Response to Comment document, visit docket number EPA-HQ-OW-2002-0061 at Regulations.gov.
Rule Making History
- Proposed Ground Water Rule (May 10, 2000)
- Read Online
- PDF Version (82 pp, 560 K) (About PDF)
- Proposed Rule Fact Sheet (PDF) (2 p, 67 K) (About PDF)
- Questions and Answers about the proposed Ground Water Rule
- RegulatoryImpact Analysis for the Proposed Ground Water Rule (PDF) (274 p, 742 K) (About PDF)
- Related Federal Register Notices