Federal Register #EPAHQ-OW-2023-0469

EPA Proposes UCMR 6 Rule for Monitoring 30 Unregulated Contaminants in Public Water Systems

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is proposing the sixth Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Rule (UCMR 6) to expand national monitoring of unregulated contaminants in public water systems. - Government Buyer: - U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) - Office of Ground Water and Drinking Water (OGWDW), Standards and Risk Management Division (SRMD) - OEMs and Vendors: - EPA is the only OEM or vendor explicitly mentioned - Products/Services Requested: - Monitoring and laboratory analysis for 30 unregulated contaminants in public water systems - 7 ultrashort organofluorine compounds (including PFAS) - 3 pesticide metabolites - 13 semivolatile organic compounds - 7 purgeable organic compounds - Specific chemicals include: 1,1,2,2-Tetrachloroethane, 1,2,3-Trichloropropane, Naphthalene, Anthracene, Chlorothalonil, Dichlorvos (DDVP), Metribuzin, Phorate, Pyrene, Trifluralin, Chlorpyrifos oxon, Phorate sulfone, Phorate sulfoxide, Bistriflimide (TFSI), Perfluoro-2-methoxyacetic acid (PFMOAA), Perfluoroethanesulfonic acid (PFEtS), Perfluoropropanesulfonic acid (PFPrS), Perfluoropropanoic acid (PFPrA), Trifluoromethanesulfonic acid (TFMS), Trifluoroacetic acid (TFA), and others - Testing methods specified: EPA Method 524.3 Enhanced Sensitivity, EPA Method 525.3, EPA Method 540, EPA Method 563 - Unique or Notable Requirements: - Applies to all community and non-transient non-community water systems serving 3,300 or more people, plus a representative sample of smaller systems - EPA will cover analytical costs for systems serving 10,000 or fewer people - Data collected will inform future regulatory decisions and be made publicly available - Monitoring period is from 2028 to 2030, with all data collection completed by 2031 - Laboratory approval applications required for participation

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 regarding drinking water regulations. The EPA is also holding two public meetings via webinar to discuss the proposal.

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