Environmental Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
usually accomplished by filtering the water through granulated activated
carbon, which increases the cost for consumers (estimated at about $100 or
more per year per hookup).
byproduct regulations*
A major challenge for drinking water practitioners is how to balance the risks
from microbial pathogens and disinfection byproducts. Providing protection
from these microbial pathogens while simultaneously ensuring decreasing
health risks to the population from disinfection byproducts (DBPs) is impor-
tant. The Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA) amendments, signed by President
Clinton in 1996, required the USEPA to develop rules to achieve these goals.
The Stage 1 Disinfectants and Disinfection Byproducts Rule and the Interim
Enhanced Surface Water Treatment Rule are the first of a set of rules known
as the Microbial and Disinfection Byproduct (MDBP) Rules. These new rules
were the product of 6 years of collaboration among the water industry, envi-
ronmental and public health groups, and local, state, and federal government.
The schedule for implementing the MDBP Rules was established as follows:
• December 16, 1998—Final Rule, Interim Enhanced Surface Water
Treatment Rule and Stage 1 Disinfectants and Disinfection
Byproducts Rule (DBPR)
• June 8, 2001—Final Rule, Filter Backwash Recycling Rule
• Summer, 2001—Final Rule, Long-Term 1 Enhanced Surface Water
Treatment
• Spring/Summer, 2002—Final Rule, Ground Water Rule
• May 2002—Final Rule, Long-Term 2 Enhanced Surface Water
Treatment Rule and Stage 2 Disinfectants and Disinfection Byproduct
Rule (DBPR)
• October 1, 2006—Under Stage 2 DBPR, community water systems
serving at least 100,000 must submit initial distribution system
evaluation (IDSE) monitoring plans, system-specific study plans, or
40/30 certification
• March 31, 2009—Under Stage 2 DBPR, community water systems
serving 50,000 to 99,000 must submit initial distribution system
evaluation (IDSE) monitoring plans, system-specific study plans, or
40/30 certification
Other pertinent Stage 2 DBPR rules can be found in applicable USEPA regu-
lations; see
http://water.epa.gov/lawsregs/rulesregs/sdwa/stage2/regs_fact-
sheet.cfm
.
*
This section is adapted from USEPA,
Drinking Water Priority Rulemaking: Microbial and
Disinfection Byproducts Rules
, EPA 816-F-01-012. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency,
Washington, DC, 2001.
