Total Coliform Rule Revisions

 
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• Total Coliform Rule
 
• Compliance Help
 
• Water Distribution System  

Background

The 1996 amendments to the Safe Drinking Water Act  [Section 1412(b) (9)] require the Administrator to review and revise, as  appropriate, each national primary drinking water regulation not less often  than every 6 years. EPA published as part of its National Primary Drinking  Water Regulation (NPDWR) Review its decision to revise the TCR in July 2003. 

Helpful Links

• Proposed Revisions to 1989 Total Coliform Rule
• National Academy of Sciences Committee on Public Water Supply Distribution Systems: Assessing and Reducing Risks
• Total Coliform Rule Distribution System Advisory Committee (TCRDSAC)

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

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Meeting Information

EPA plans to hold meetings and webcasts regarding  potential changes to the Total Coliform Rule and the possible addition of  distribution system requirements.  More  information about planned and past meetings is provided below.

Future meetings and webcasts

Re-evaluation of Currently Approved Total Coliform Rule Analytical Methods – Stakeholder Web Conferences

EPA plans to hold three public web conference meetings for technical dialogue with stakeholders regarding re-evaluation of currently approved Total Coliform Rule analytical methods. More information about these meetings is provided below.

 
• August 16, 2010 Federal Register Notice | PDF Version (1pp, 46K)
 

 
• September 8, 2010 Web Conference
      10 AM to 3 PM Eastern Time

 
• October 6, 2010 Web Conference
      10 AM to 3 PM Eastern time

 
• November 4, 2010 Web Conference
      10 AM to 3 PM Eastern Time

 

To register for these meetings, receive call in information and meeting agenda please contact Cesar Cordero at cordero.cesar@epa.gov or 202-564-3716. Participants should register by Sept 1, Sep 29 and Oct 27 for the Sept 1, Oct 6 and Nov 4 meeting respectively. For technical information please contact Sandhya Parshionikar at 513-569-7123.

Total Coliform Rule Proposed Revisions – Public Information Meetings and Webcasts

Agenda and presentation for the  meetings and webcast (August 3, August 6, and August 20, 2010)

 
• Public Information Meeting Agenda PDF (1 pp, 38 K)
 
• Public Information Webcast Agenda PDF (1 pp, 43 K)
 
• Public Information Presentation PDF (59 pp, 356 K)

Meetings

 
• August 26, 2010, Webcast
      11:30 AM to 3:30 PM Eastern Time
      Pre-registration is highly  recommended.  To register for the  webcast, please go to https://www1.gotomeeting.com/register/951452192.  After registering you will receive a  confirmation email containing information about the webcast.  You will also be prompted to test whether  your computer has all the required software and applications installed to  participate in the webcast.  For more  information about the webcast, please contact Sean Conley at conley.sean@epa.gov or at  202-564-1781.

Past meetings  and webcasts

 
•   For meetings of the Total Coliform Rule Distribution System Advisory Committee (TCRDSAC)   see the following page.

 
• Total Coliform Rule Revisions - May 11 and 12, 2010, Washington DC
       
  • Federal Register Notice of Stakeholder Meeting
       
  • Presentations PDF (114pp, 10M)
     
  
   
 
• Total Coliform Rule Revisions - April 3, 2009
       
  • Federal Register Notice of Stakeholder Meeting   | PDF Version (1pp, 64K)
       
  • Presentations PDF
    (75pp, 566K)
     
   

 
• Total Coliform Rule Revision / Distribution System Technical Public Meeting - June 13, 2007
       
  • Federal Register Notice Total Coliform Rule Revision / Distribution System Technical Public Meeting announcement PDF
    (2pp, 18 K)
     
   

 
• Total Coliform Rule / Distribution System Stakeholder Technical Workshop and Request for Nominations
      The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) held a technical workshop in Washington, DC, to discuss available information on the Total Coliform Rule (TCR) and available information regarding risks in distribution systems in support of revisions to the TCR. As part of the technical workshop, EPA discussed information and analytic approaches for characterizing risks posed by the distribution system. Subsequently, if results from the workshop indicate that a formal consensus building process is appropriate for the revision effort, the Agency will consider establishing a Committee under the Federal Advisory Committee Act to provide advice and recommendations on how best to utilize available information for potential revisions to the TCR and to address public health risks from contamination of distribution systems. In addition, such a Committee could provide recommendations to determine if further information is needed to be collected to address health risks associated with distribution systems.    
       
  • Agenda PDF (15 pp, K)
       
  • Workshop Presentations                
             
    • Welcoming and Opening Remarks                        
                   
      • Drivers for Revision of the Total Coliform Rule and Consideration of Distribution System Requirements PDF (9 pp, 126K)
                 
               
             
    • Considerations for Decision-Making about Risk                        
                   
      • EPA's Approach to Risk Management PDF (8 pp, 45K)
                   
      • Considerations for Risk Management in the Face of Uncertainty (Panel Presentation) PDF (11 pp, 39K)
                 
               
             
    • Public Health Perspectives on Distribution Systems                        
                   
      • Available Public Health Information and the Use of the Information in Estimating the Scope of Distribution System Problems PDF (36 pp, 185K)
                   
      • State and Local Perspectives on the Scope of Public Health Outcomes from Distribution System Problems PDF (37 pp, 878K)
                 
               
             
    • Distribution System Physical Integrity Issues: Cross Connections and Backflow                        
                   
      • Overview of Available Information on Cross-Connections and Backflow PDF (43 pp, 1M)
                   
      • Use of Available Information on Cross Connections and Backflow PDF (32 pp, 159K)
                   
      • Use of Cross-Connection and Backflow Information in Support of Implementing a State Program PDF (34 pp, 265K)
                 
               
             
    • Other Distribution System Physical Integrity Issues: Intrusion, Contamination during Main Repair, and Storage Vessel Integrity                        
                   
      • Overview of Available Information on Some Distribution System Integrity Problems and the Potential Use of the Data PDF (pp, 1M)
                   
      • Use of Available Information on Intrusion to Characterize Distribution System Problems PDF (40 pp, 998K)
                 
               
             
    • Water Quality in the Distribution System                        
                   
      • Overview of Available Information on Biofilm Microbiology, Growth and Release PDF (28 pp, 841 K)
                   
      • Microbes of Potential Concern in Distribution System Biofilms PDF (29 pp, 330K)
                   
      • Use of Data to Inform Risk Characterization and Management in Addressing Biofilm Problems PDF (29 pp, 265K)
                 
               
             
    • Objective of TCR and its Indicators                        
                   
      • EPA's Perspective on the Purpose and Limitations of TCR Monitoring PDF (14 pp, 40K)
                   
      • State Perspective PDF (15 pp, 447K)
                   
      • Industry Perspective PDF (21 pp, 1M)
                 
               
             
    • Issues with the Current TCR                        
                   
      • EPA's Perspective on TCR Implementation Issues PDF (11 pp, 171K)
                   
      • State Perspective on TCR Implementation Issues PDF (9 pp, 135K)
                   
      • Small Utility Perspective on TCR Implementation Issues PDF (9 pp, 20K)
                 
               
             
    • TCR Compliance Analysis                        
                   
      • Overview of TCR Compliance Information PDF (45 pp, 180K)
                 
               
             
    • Current Use of Distribution System Tools for Reducing Distribution System Exposures and Total Coliform Occurrence                        
                   
      • Overview of Current Distribution System Risk Minimization Techniques PDF (74 pp, 2M)
                 
               
           
         
       

  For more information regarding the solicitation of nominations for membership on a potential Federal Advisory Committee, use the following link: Federal Register Notice of Meeting

   
  • Preparatory Webcast – January 17, 2007, 2:00pm – 4:30 pm EST
        On January 17, 2007 EPA hosted an important preparatory webcast for the Stakeholder Technical Workshop. The purpose of the webcast was to provide basic background information to technical workshop attendees who do not have a good deal of experience with TCR-DS issues, ensuring that all workshop attendees had a common base of information with which to understand and discuss workshop presentations and materials. Please see the links to the agenda and presentation materials below for more information on the topics that were covered.    
         
    • Agenda PDF (1 pp, 22 K)
         
    • Webcast Presentations                
               
      • Objectives of the Webcast PDF (8 pp, 205K)
               
      • Legislative Background PDF (10 pp, 133K)
               
      • TCR Coliform Overview PDF (15 pp, 106K)
               
      • Distribution System Infrastructure PDF (24 pp, 828K)
               
      • Distribution System Contamination PDF (20 pp, 958K)
             
           
       
     

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  TCR Issue Papers

  EPA and AWWA developed a series of TCR Issue Papers to present available information on a range of issues related to the TCR.  The paper topics were based on feedback from stakeholders and comments received on the TCR since promulgation.  The objective of the issue papers is to review the available data, information and research regarding issues relevant to the revision of the TCR, and where relevant, identify areas in which additional research may be warranted.  Draft papers were completed in June 2006 and were reviewed by a range of industry experts and stakeholders from :

  • EPA's Office of Ground Water and Drinking Water (OGWDW);
  • academia;
  • water utilities;
  • Association of Metropolitan Water Agencies (AMWA);
  • American Water Works Association (AWWA);
  • American Water Works Service Company (AWWSC);
  • National Rural Water Association (NRWA);
  • environmental consulting companies; and
  • state regulators.

  EPA held a TCR Experts workshop in June 2006 to discuss the draft papers and possible rule revisions.  The review and comment by the experts constitutes peer review of the papers.

  EPA will use the papers as information sources for discussions of TCR issues with the drinking water community, experts and stakeholders.

  The papers are:

  • Total Coliform Rule and Distribution System Issue Papers Overview PDF (6pp, 147K)
  • Distribution System Indicators of Water Quality PDF (100pp, 399K)
  • The Effectiveness of Disinfectant Residuals in the Distribution System PDF (61 pp, 222K)
  • Invalidation of Total Coliform Positive Samples PDF (61 pp, 52K)
  • Analysis of Compliance and Characterization of Violations of the Total Coliform Rule PDF (105pp, 750K)
  • Evaluating HACCP Strategies for Distribution System Monitoring, Hazard Assessment and Control PDF (81pp, 630K)
  • Inorganic Contaminant Accumulation in Distribution Systems PDF (93pp, 788K)
  • Distribution System Inventory, Integrity and Water Quality PDF (28 pp, 641K)
  • A Review of Distribution System Monitoring Strategies under the Total Coliform Rule PDF (84 pp, 927K)
  • Effect of Treatment on Nutrient Availability PDF (45 pp, 413K)
  • Causes of Total Coliform Positive Samples and Contamination Events in Distribution Systems PDF (34pp, 19K)

  Note - The papers present available information and do not represent Agency policy or necessarily reflect the views of EPA. The papers on Distribution System Monitoring Strategies and Distribution System Inventory were prepared by AWWA.

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  Request for Review by the Science Advisory Board Drinking Water Committee on EPA's Draft Supporting Analyses for the Proposed Revised Total Coliform Rule

  The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Office of Water, is requesting that the Science Advisory Board (SAB) Drinking Water Committee (DWC) review the draft supporting analyses for the proposed Revised Total Coliform Rule (RTCR). The SAB review will focus on (1) the data sources used to estimate baseline total coliform and E. coli occurrence, public water system profile, and sensitive subpopulations in the United States, (2) the occurrence analysis used to inform the benefits analysis, (3) the qualitative analysis used to assess the reduction in risk due to implementation of the rule requirements, and (4) analysis of the engineering costs and costs to states resulting from implementation of the revisions.

  The following files are provided to facilitate the SAB DWC review:

  Draft Supporting Analyses

  • Baseline Conditions Draft for SAB DWC 05.1.09 (PDF) (22 pp, 675K)
  • Occurrence and Predictive Model Draft for SAB DWC 05.1.09 (PDF) (49 pp, 413K)
  • Benefits Analysis Draft for SAB DWC 05.1.09 (PDF) (45 pp, 1.8M)
  • Cost Analysis Draft for SAB DWC 05.1.09 (PDF) (45 pp, 2.7M)

  Supplemental Information

  • Draft Supporting Analyses Appendices
    • Appendix A Public Water System Counts (PDF) (83 pp, 34M)
    • Appendix B Modeled Total Coliform Occurrence (PDF) (45 pp, 215K)
    • Appendix C RTCR Costs (PDF) (13 pp, 413K)
    • Appendix D Compliance Forecast (PDF) (26 pp, 142K)
  • Draft RTCR Technology and Cost Doc Draft for SAB DWC 05.1.09 (PDF) (45 pp, 413K)
  • Agreement in Principle (AIP) (PDF) (41 pp, 1.5M)
  • Background on Current TCR and Rule Revisions Development (presentation) (PDF) (42 pp, 429K)
  • Comparison of Current TCR Requirements with the AIP and Alternative Analysis (table) (PDF) (4 pp, 183K)

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