EPA proposed the third Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Rule (UCMR 3) in the March 3Federal Register (76 FR 11713). Comments are due to EPA by May 2. As detailed in AMWA’s Bulletin 11-03, the proposed list includes 28 chemical contaminants for large systems to monitor, the majority of which are on the Contaminant Candidate List. EPA would select a number of small systems to monitor for the two viruses on the list.
Comment is requested on whether hexavalent chromium (Cr-VI) should be included in the list of chemicals to be monitored and if so, which chemical should be removed from the list, since the SDWA allows for no more than 30 contaminants on the UCMR list. EPA also asks what analytical methods should be used to measure Cr-VI and whether the agency should require total chromium monitoring alongside Cr-VI sampling, stating: “Side-by-side measurements may provide valuable information on relative occurrence and the utility of total chromium monitoring as a surrogate for chromium-6.”
AMWA is working with the Regulatory Committee to develop comments on the notice. An outline of 18 issues on which AMWA plans to comment is available on AMWA’s Regulatory Committee page. A draft comment letter will be made available by mid-April for members to use to inform their own comment letters. Members with comments on the proposal are encouraged to send them to Erica Brown ([email protected]).