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Arsenic in Drinking Water
The Safe Drinking Water Act requires EPA to revise the existing 50 parts
per billion (ppb) standard for arsenic in drinking water. On January 22,
2001 EPA adopted a new standard (read
online) ~ (PDF file), and
public water systems must comply with the 10 ppb standard beginning January
23, 2006. The Final August 2002 “Implementation Guidance for the
Arsenic Rule and Clarifications to Compliance and New Source Contaminants
Monitoring” and training information may be viewed at http://www.epa.gov/safewater/ars/implement.html.
Information about EPA’s arsenic small system treatment research
program, including the application for EPA’s 2003 treatment demonstration
studies, is available at http://www.epa.gov/ORD/NRMRL/arsenic.
 Minor
Clarification of National Primary Drinking Water Regulation for Arsenic
- Final Rule
EPA is affirming that the public health standard for arsenic in drinking
water established in January 2001 is 10 parts per billion (ppb). In today’s
action, EPA is making clear that when a monitoring result is expressed
in milligrams per liter (mg/L) rather than ppb, that any monitoring result
greater than 0.010 mg/l is a violation of the January 2001 arsenic standard.
To assure that this clarification extends to the regulatory text for arsenic
and to remove any implementation uncertainty relating to this issue, EPA
has amendended the arsenic Maximum Contaminant Level (MCL) to express
it as 0.010 mg/l.
The information below provides a history of EPA's rulemaking efforts
related to arsenic and the various technical and factual information
associated with those efforts.
Report to Congress
The Agency's report to Congress, "Small System Arsenic Implementation
Issues", may be viewed or downloaded at this link along with a
synopsis of the report. [Full Report
(PDF file), Synopsis (PDF File)]
This March 2002 report describes three major activities that address
an Agency review of national-level affordability criteria for drinking
water rules and small systems implementation issues related to the new
arsenic in drinking water standard.
Review of the 10ppb Standard
After publishing the final arsenic rule on January 22, 2001, EPA postponed
the effective date of the rule until February 22, 2002, requested public
comment on the standard, and began reviewing the new standard, the science,
costs and benefits analyses that supported the regulation. “[A]s
announced by the Administrator on October 31, 2001, EPA
will not further postpone the January 2001 rule (PDF
file), and EPA also does not expect to take any other additional
action relative to the July 2001 proposal in the interim (April 17,
2002 Federal Register notice, 67 FR 19030, footnote 3 of Table III-2
at 19037).” The Agency will continue to evaluate the three expert
panel reports discussed below, public comments on the standard and the
reports, and other relevant information as they become available. EPA
expects to make a final decision on whether to revise the January 2001
rule as part of the next six-year review of drinking water standards,
which is due in August 2008.
Three Expert Panel Reviews
Reports and recommendations on the science, cost of compliance, and
benefits analyses in support of the 10 ppb final arsenic in drinking
water rule were made available for review and public comment until October
31, 2001 [(read
online) (PDF file)]. These reports
were prepared by independent, expert panels convened by the National
Academy of Sciences, the National Drinking Water Advisory Council, and
the EPA Science Advisory Board.
Request for comment on the new Arsenic standard
On July 19, 2001 (66 FR 37617) , EPA issued a proposal [ (read
online) (PDF file) ] to
request comment on whether the data and technical analyses associated
with the January 2001 arsenic rule support setting the arsenic standard
at 3 ppb, 5 ppb, 10 ppb, or 20 ppb. On August 16, 2001, EPA provided
a separate docket electronic mail (e-mail) address, ow-arsenic-docket@epa.gov,
to help the Agency process comments [ (read
online) (PDF file) ] on the
July 19th proposed rule. The comment period closed October 31, 2001.
Health effects and risk review
The National Academy of Sciences’ (NAS) National Research Council’s
subcommittee on arsenic held meetings on May 21, June 20, and July 18,
2001. NAS has posted information
on the scope of the study, membership, meetings, and meeting summaries
of the closed sessions.
Information on the subcommittee process is also available on the NAS
website under frequently
asked questions.
Process for the Cost Review
EPA requested nominations for the National Drinking Water Advisory Council
workgroup (read online). Arsenic
cost workgroup membership and meetings
summaries are available. A final workgroup meeting was held August
2-3 in Washington, DC. The entire NDWAC conferred on August 22 to discuss
the report and what to transmit to EPA.
Process for the Benefits review
EPA’s Science Advisory Board (SAB) requested nominations for the SAB
Arsenic Benefits Review Panel (read
online). The Federal Register notice for the July 19-20, 2001 meeting
(read
online) listed the charge and the meeting minutes are available
at www.epa.gov/sab/01minute.htm.
Second Extension of the Effective Date
On April 23, 2001 EPA requested public comment on a proposal to delay
the effective date [(read
online) (PDF file)]
for the rule until February 22, 2002. On May 22, 2001 EPA announced
that it would delay the effective date [(read
online) (PDF file)] for
the rule until February 22, 2002 allowing time to complete the reassessment
process outlined above and to afford the public a full opportunity to
provide further input.
First Extension of Effective Date
In accordance with the January 20, 2001 memorandum from Andrew Card,
Assistant to the President and Chief of Staff, entitled "Regulatory
Review Plan,"
EPA temporarily delayed the effective date for this rule for 60 days,
from March 23, 2001 until May 22, 2001. The delay of effective date
was published in the Federal Register on March 23, 2001 [(read
online) (PDF file)].
EPA Adopts a Stricter Standard for Arsenic
On January 22, 2001 EPA adopted a new standard for arsenic in drinking
water at 10 ppb.
Link to other information supporting the January 2001 final rule:
Proposed Arsenic Rule
On June 22, 2000 EPA proposed a 5 ppb standard for arsenic. EPA requested
comment on 3 ppb, 10 ppb and 20 ppb.
- Federal Register Notice (65 FR 38888 / June 22, 2000) (read
online) ~ (PDF file) (EPA 815-Z-00-004)
Proposal support documents
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