Environmental Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
TAble 3.4
Summary of Major Amendment Provisions for the 1996 SDWA Regulations
Definition
Constructed conveyances
, such as cement ditches, used primarily to supply substandard drinking water to farm workers are now
SDWA protected
Contaminant
regulation
Old contamination selection requirement (USEPA regulates 25 new contaminants every 3 years) was deleted.
USEPA must evaluate at least 5 contaminants for regulation every 5 years, addressing the most risky first, and considering
vulnerable populations.
USEPA must issue
Cryptosporidium
rule (enhanced Surface Water Treatment Rule) and disinfection byproduct rules under agreed
deadlines. The Senate provision giving industry veto power over USEPA's expediting the rules was deleted.
USEPA is authorized to address “urgent threats to health” using an expedited, streamlined process.
No earlier than 3 years after enactment and no later than the date USEPA adopts the State II DBP rule, USEPA must adopt a rule
requiring disinfection of certain groundwater systems and provide guidance on determining which systems must disinfect.
USEPA may use cost-benefit provisions to establish this regulation.
Risk assessment,
management, and
communication
Requires cost-benefit analysis, risk assessment, vulnerable population impact assessment, and development of public
information materials for USEPA rules.
Allows but does not require USEPA to use risk assessment and cost-benefit analysis in setting standards.
Standard setting
Cuts back Senate's process to issue standards from three to two steps, deleting the requirement of Advanced Notice of Proposed
Rule Making.
Risks to vulnerable populations must be considered.
Has cost-benefit and risk-risk as discretionary USEPA authority. “Sound Science” provision is limited to standard setting and
scientific decisions.
Standard is reevaluated every 6 years instead of every 3 years.
Treatment
technologies for
small systems
Establishes new guidelines for USEPA to identify best treatment technology for meeting specific regulations.
For each new regulation, USEPA must identify affordable treatment technologies that achieve compliance for three categories of
small systems: those serving 3301 to 10,000, those serving 501 to 3000, and those serving 500 or fewer.
For all contaminants other than microbials and their indicators, the technologies can include package systems as well as
point-of-use and point-of-entry units owned and maintained by water systems.
USEPA has 2 years to list such technologies for current regulations and 1 year to list such technologies for the Surface Water
Treatment Rule.
USEPA must identify best treatment technologies for the same system categories for use under variances. Such technologies do
not have to achieve compliance but must achieve maximum reduction, be affordable, and protect public health.
USEPA has 2 years to identify variance technologies for current regulations.
