Federal Register #EPAHQOW20230469

EPA Solicitation for Laboratory Monitoring of 30 Unregulated Drinking Water Contaminants (UCMR 6)

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is proposing the sixth Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Rule (UCMR 6) to advance national drinking water safety. - Government Buyer: - U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) - Office of Ground Water and Drinking Water (OGWDW) - Standards and Risk Management Division (SRMD) - Products/Services Requested: - Monitoring and laboratory analysis for 30 unregulated contaminants in public water systems - Contaminants include: - 7 ultrashort organofluorine compounds (notably PFAS) - 3 pesticide metabolites - 13 semivolatile organic compounds - 7 purgeable organic compounds - Specific chemicals and part numbers listed (e.g., 1,1,2,2-Tetrachloroethane CASRN 79345, Perfluoro-2-methoxyacetic acid CASRN 674135) - Use of EPA-approved analytical methods (Methods 524.3 Enhanced Sensitivity, 525.3, 540, 563) - OEMs and Vendors: - No specific OEMs or commercial vendors named; EPA-approved laboratories will conduct analyses - Unique/Notable Requirements: - Applies to all community and non-transient non-community public water systems serving 3,300+ people, plus a sample of smaller systems - EPA covers analytical costs for systems serving 10,000 or fewer people - Monitoring is subject to appropriations and laboratory capacity - Data will inform future regulatory decisions and be made publicly available - Laboratory approval applications required by EPA - Period of Performance: - Monitoring proposed from January 1, 2028, through December 31, 2030; all monitoring completed by December 31, 2031 - Key milestones for applicability determination and laboratory approval - Competing Solutions: - Commercial water testing laboratories and analytical instrument manufacturers (e.g., Thermo Fisher Scientific, Agilent Technologies, Waters Corporation) may compete for laboratory services and equipment supply

Description

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is proposing the sixth Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Rule (UCMR 6) under the Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA). This rule would require public water systems (PWSs) to collect national occurrence data for 30 contaminants including seven ultrashort organofluorine compounds (including certain PFAS), three pesticide metabolites, 13 semivolatile organic compounds, and seven purgeable organic compounds. The monitoring would apply to all community and non-transient non-community water systems serving 3,300 or more people, and a representative sample of smaller systems serving fewer than 3,300 people, subject to appropriations and laboratory capacity. The data collected will be publicly available and used to inform EPA decisions on drinking water regulations. The EPA is also holding two public meetings via webinar to discuss the proposal.

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