In the 22 years between the original passage of the
Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA) in 1974 and
the most recent SDWA reauthorization in 1996,
the US Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA)
finalized only nine regulations. Between 1998 and
2004, USEPA is expected to finalize 10 new regulations
in just six years, an unprecedented level of regulatory
activity.
In addition to regulating more contaminants, the
new rules are expected to be more complex because of
the combination of stipulated treatment techniques and
maximum contaminant levels (MCLs) that increase the
number of potential violation codes. In addition, future
MCL-based regulations are likely to address difficult-to-
treat contaminants such as perchlorate, chromium-
VI, and methyl tertiary butyl ether. An analysis of
existing USEPA compliance data indicates that as regulations
become more complex the number of violations
increases. Compliance with the new regulations will
challenge all utilities, particularly small systems.
The author proposes several strategies for water
providers as they attempt to address the complexities
of these upcoming regulations. The strategies include
finding qualified consulting engineers familiar with all
details of the upcoming regulations, educating not only
utility personnel but also elected officials and
customers about the new rules, and seeking out any
and all potential sources of funding assistance. Utilities'
success in meeting their compliance goals will depend
on active planning and early fundraising to support
construction, operation, and maintenance of the
required treatment. Includes 28 references, table, figures.
| Edition : | Vol. 95 - No. 3 |
| File Size : | 1
file
, 670 KB |
| Note : | This product is unavailable in Ukraine, Russia, Belarus |
| Number of Pages : | 9 |
| Published : | 03/01/2003 |
