69390 Federal Register / Vol. 63, No. 241 / Wednesday, December 16, 1998 / Rules and Regulations ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION document includes the best available review at EPA's Drinking Water Docket: AGENCY technologies (BATs) upon which the 401 M Street, SW., Washington, DC MRDLs and MCLs are based. The set of 20460 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., Eastern 40 CFR Parts 9, 141, and 142 regulations promulgated today is also Standard Time, Monday through Friday, know as the Stage 1 Disinfection excluding legal holidays. For access to [WH±FRL±6199±8] Byproducts Rule (DBPR). EPA believes docket materials, please call 202/260± RIN 2040±AB82 the implementation of the Stage 1 DBPR 3027 to schedule an appointment and will reduce the levels of disinfectants obtain the room number. National Primary Drinking Water and disinfection byproducts in drinking FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For Regulations: Disinfectants and water supplies. The Agency believes the general information contact, the Safe Disinfection Byproducts rule will provide public health Drinking Water Hotline, Telephone protection for an additional 20 million AGENCY: Environmental Protection (800) 426±4791. The Safe Drinking households that were not previously Agency (EPA). Water Hotline is open Monday through covered by drinking water rules for ACTION: Final rule. Friday, excluding Federal holidays, disinfection byproducts. In addition, the from 9:00 am to 5:30 pm Eastern Time. rule will for the first time provide SUMMARY: In this document, EPA is For technical inquiries, contact Tom public health protection from exposure finalizing maximum residual Grubbs, Office of Ground Water and to haloacetic acids, chlorite (a major disinfectant level goals (MRDLGs) for Drinking Water (MC 4607), U.S. chlorine dioxide byproduct) and chlorine, chloramines, and chlorine Environmental Protection Agency, 401 bromate (a major ozone byproduct). dioxide; maximum contaminant level M Street SW, Washington, DC 20460; The Stage 1 DBPR applies to public goals (MCLGs) for four trihalomethanes telephone (202) 260±7270. For Regional water systems that are community water (chloroform, bromodichloromethane, contacts see SUPPLEMENTARY systems (CWSs) and nontransient dibromochloromethane, and INFORMATION. bromoform), two haloacetic acids noncommunity water systems (dichloroacetic acid and trichloroacetic (NTNCWs) that treat their water with a SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This acid), bromate, and chlorite; and chemical disinfectant for either primary regulation is effective 60 days after National Primary Drinking Water or residual treatment. In addition, publication of Federal Register Regulations (NPDWRs) for three certain requirements for chlorine document for purposes of the disinfectants (chlorine, chloramines, dioxide apply to transient Administrative Procedures Act and the and chlorine dioxide), two groups of noncommunity water systems Congressional Review Act. Compliance organic disinfection byproducts (total (TNCWSs). dates for specific components of the rule trihalomethanes (TTHMs)Ða sum of the EFFECTIVE DATE: This regulation is are discussed below. Solely for judicial four listed above, and haloacetic acids effective February 16, 1999. Compliance review purposes, this final rule is (HAA5)Ða sum of the two listed above dates for specific components of the rule promulgated as of 1 p.m. Eastern Time plus monochloroacetic acid and mono- are discussed in the Supplementary December 30, 1998, as provided in 40 and dibromoacetic acids), and two Information Section. The incorporation CFR 23.7. inorganic disinfection byproducts by reference of certain publications Regulated entities. Entities regulated (chlorite and bromate). The NPDWRs listed in today's rule is approved by the by the Stage 1 DBPR are community and consist of maximum residual Director of the Federal Register as of nontransient noncommunity water disinfectant levels (MRDLs) or February 16, 1999. systems that add a disinfectant during maximum contaminant levels (MCLs) or ADDRESSES: Public comments, the any part of the treatment process treatment techniques for these comment/response document, including a residual disinfectant. In disinfectants and their byproducts. The applicable Federal Register documents, addition, certain provisions apply to NPDWRs also include monitoring, other major supporting documents, and transient noncommunity systems that reporting, and public notification a copy of the index to the public docket use chlorine dioxide. Regulated requirements for these compounds. This for this rulemaking are available for categories and entities include: Category Examples of regulated entities Industry ................... Community and nontransient noncommunity water systems that treat their water with a chemical disinfectant for either pri- mary of residual treatment. In addition, certain requirements for chlorine dioxide apply to transient noncommunity water systems. State, Local, Tribal, Same as above. or Federal Gov- ernments. This table is not intended to be applicability criteria in § 141.130 of this Regional Contacts exhaustive, but rather provides a guide rule. If you have questions regarding the I. Kevin Reilly, Water Supply Section, for readers regarding entities likely to be applicability of this action to a JFK Federal Bldg., Room 203, Boston, regulated by this action. This table lists particular entity, contact one of the MA 02203, (617) 565±3616 the types of entities that EPA is now persons listed in the preceding FOR II. Michael Lowy, Water Supply Section, aware could potentially be regulated by FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT section 290 Broadway 24th Floor, New York, this action. Other types of entities not or the Regional contacts below. NY 10007±1866, (212) 637±3830 listed in this table could also be III. Jason Gambatese, Drinking Water regulated. To determine whether your Section (3WM41), 1650 Arch Street, facility is regulated by this action, you Philadelphia, PA 19103±2029, (215) should carefully examine the 814±5759 Federal Register / Vol. 63, No. 241 / Wednesday, December 16, 1998 / Rules and Regulations 69391 IV. David Parker, Water Supply Section, HAN: Haloacetonitriles TNCWS: Transient noncommunity 345 Courtland Street, Atlanta, GA ICR: Information collection rule (issued water systems 30365, (404) 562±9460 under section 1412(b) of the SDWA) TWG: Technical work group V. Miguel Del Toral, Water Supply ILSI: International Life Sciences UMRA: Unfunded mandates reform act Section, 77 W. Jackson Blvd., Chicago, Institute URTH: Unreasonable risk to health IL 60604, (312) 886±5253 IESTWR: Interim Enhanced Surface WIDB: Water Industry Data Base VI. Blake L. Atkins, Drinking Water Water Treatment Rule Table of Contents Section, 1445 Ross Avenue, Dallas, LOAEL: Lowest Observed Adverse TX 75202, (214) 665±2297 Effect Level I. Background VII. Ralph Flournoy, Drinking Water/ LT1ESTWR: Long-Term 1Enhanced A. Statutory Requirements and Legal Ground Water Management Branch, Surface Water Treatment Rule Authority 726 Minnesota Ave., Kansas City, KS MCL: Maximum contaminant level B. Regulatory History 66101, (913) 551±7374 MCLG: Maximum contaminant level 1. Existing Regulations VIII. Bob Clement, Public Water Supply 2. Public Health Concerns To Be goal Addressed Section (8P2±W±MS), 999 18th Street, M±DBP: Microbial and Disinfectants/ 3. Regulatory Negotiation Process Suite 500, Denver, CO 80202±2466, Disinfection Byproducts 4. Federal Advisory Committee Process (303) 312±6653 mg/L: Milligrams per liter 5. 1997 and 1998 Notices of Data IX. Bruce Macler, Water Supply Section, MRDL: Maximum residual disinfectant Availability (NODA) 75 Hawthorne Street, San Francisco, level II. Summary of Final Stage 1 Disinfection CA 94105, (415) 744±1884 MRDLG: Maximum residual disinfectant Byproduct Rule X. Wendy Marshall, Drinking Water level goal A. Applicability Unit, 1200 Sixth Avenue (OW±136), NDWAC: National Drinking Water B. MRDLGs and MRDLs for Disinfectants Seattle, WA 98101, (206) 553±1890 Advisory Council C. MCLGs and MCLs for TTHMs, HAA5, Chlorite, and Bromate Abbreviations Used in This Document NIST: National Institute of Science and D. Treatment Technique for Disinfection Technology Byproducts Precursors AWWA: American Water Works NOAEL: No Observed Adverse Effect E. BAT for Disinfectants, TTHMs, HAA5, Association Level Chlorite, and Bromate AWWSCo: American Water Works NODA: Notice of Data Availability F. Compliance Monitoring Requirements Service Company NOM: Natural organic matter G. Analytical Methods BAT: Best available technology NPDWR: National Primary Drinking H. Laboratory Certification Criteria BDCM: Bromodichloromethane Water Regulation I. Variances and Exemptions CDC: Centers for Disease Control and NTNCWS: Nontransient noncommunity J. State Recordkeeping, Primacy, Reporting Prevention water system Requirements C.I.: Confidence Intervals K. System Reporting Requirements NTP: National Toxicology Program L. Guidance Manuals CMA: Chemicals Manufacturers NTTAA: National Technology Transfer Association M. Regulation Review and Advancement Act III. Explanation of Final Rule CPE: Comprehensive performance NTU: Nephelometric turbidity unit evaluation A. MCLGs/MRDLGs OMB: Office of Management and Budget 1. MCLG for Chloroform CWS: Community water system PAR: Population attributable risk a. Today's Rule DBCM: Dibromochloromethane PBMS: Performance based measurement b. Background and Analysis DBP: Disinfection byproducts c. Summary of Comments D/DBP: Disinfectants and disinfection system PE: Performance evaluation 2. MCLG for Bromodichloromethane