USEPA Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance

Federal Facility Enforcement Office's "Blue Book" for Compliance with
the Safe Drinking Water Act

![](media/image1.jpeg){width="2.582638888888889in"
height="2.582638888888889in"}

[Purpose of this Document:]{.underline}

U.S. EPA's Federal Facility Enforcement Office prepared this document to
aid regulated entities in complying with the Safe Drinking Water Act.
Specifically, this document is designed to assist federal facilities
with public water systems comply with the requirements of the Safe
Drinking Water Act and the USEPA regulations. The statements in this
document are intended solely as guidance in this effort. Among other
things, the information in this document describes existing requirements
for regulated entities under the Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA) and its
implementing regulations at 40 CFR 141-143. While the Agency has made
every effort to ensure the accuracy of the statements in this document,
the regulated entity's legal obligations are determined by the terms of
its applicable environmental facility-specific permits, and underlying
statutes and applicable state and local laws. Nothing in this document
alters any statutory, regulatory or permit requirement. Federal
facilities requiring additional information or advice should consult a
qualified professional. In the event of a conflict between statements in
this document and either the permit or regulations, this document would
not be controlling. U.S. EPA may decide to revise this document without
notice to reflect changes in EPA's regulations or to clarify and update
text. U.S. EPA and local decision makers retain the discretion to adopt
approaches on a case-by-case basis that differ from those described in
this guidance where appropriate and authorized by underlying
requirements. The guidance does not constitute rulemaking by the EPA and
does not confer legal rights or impose legal obligations upon any member
of the public.

The information listed below is not intended for a specific type of
drinking water system (i.e. community/non-community). It is, however,
intended to provide general guidance on drinking water compliance and
related drinking water references using the Internet. This document
contains hyperlinks to non-EPA Web sites and documents. These hyperlinks
are provided as a service to readers and do not represent an endorsement
of non-EPA Web sites, documents, companies, or products. EPA does not
make any representations regarding the content of these hyperlinks, or
the accuracy or validity of any information contained therein.

**[How this document is organized:]{.underline}**

You must have an Internet browser and Internet access to use this
document. Scroll down to view each part or simply click on the link
below:

[Part 1. The Safe Drinking Water Act](#Part_1)

-   [*Explain how environmental laws and regulations are made in the
    United States.*](#P1Q0)

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-   [*What is the Safe Drinking Water Act?*](#P1Q1)

-   [*What kind of financial assistance (other than the from the public
    water system's host organization) is available for federal
    facilities?*](#P1Q2)

-   [*How does the act apply to Federal Facilities?*](#P1Q23)

-   [*Is there guidance designed specifically for federal facilities to
    implement the Safe Drinking Water Act and applicable executive
    orders?*](#P1Q3)

-   [*The SDWA constantly refers to a Public Water System. What is a
    Public Water System?*](#P1Q4)

-   [*What are some key definitions I should know before applying the
    SDWA at my facility?*](#P1Q5)

-   [*How do you know if your water system really is a
    PWS?*](#how-do-you-know-if-your-water-system-really-is-a-pws)

-   [*Where can I go to find what these drinking water terms
    mean?*](#P1Q7)

-   [*What regulations apply to a PWS?*](#P1Q8)

-   [*Where can I find guidance on contaminants regulated by the
    National Primary/Secondary water regulations and on unregulated
    contaminants?*](#P1Q9)

-   [*What is the regulatory history of the SDWA and what are the
    potential future actions?*](#P1Q10)

[Part 2. Technical Assistance](#Part_2)

-   [*How Does Water Get To a Consumer's Faucet (Distribution System
    Issues)?*](#how-does-water-get-to-a-consumers-faucet-distribution-system-issues)

-   [*What resources are available to federal facilities to perform
    water quality
    modeling?*](#what-resources-are-available-to-federal-facilities-to-perform-water-quality-modeling)

-   [*What resources are available to federal facilities to learn how to
    conduct appropriate operations and maintenance projects on a public
    water system?*](#P2Q3)

-   [*Are federal facility public water systems required to conserve
    drinking water?*](#P2Q4)

-   [*How can water systems control cross-connections?*](#P2Q5)

-   [*What actions should the water system take during and emergency,
    natural disaster, or known waterborne disease outbreak?*](#P2Q6)

-   [*How do Public Water Suppliers treat my water to make it safe
    (Treatment Issues)?*](#P2Q7)

-   [*How often is my water supply tested (sampling and monitoring
    issues)?*](#how-often-is-my-water-supply-tested-sampling-and-monitoring-issues)

-   [*What records should be kept by the public water system?*](#P2Q9)

-   [*Am I required to notify my consumers about the quality of water my
    systems
    delivers?*](#am-i-required-to-notify-my-consumers-about-the-quality-of-water-my-systems-delivers)

-   [*What is SDWIS/FED?*](#P2Q11)

-   [*Who operates the water treatment plant (Operator Training
    Issues)?*](#who-operates-the-water-treatment-plant-operator-training-issues)

-   [*Where can operators go for technical training on a variety of
    water-related topics?*](#P2Q13)

[Part 3. Managerial Assistance](#part-3.-managerial-assistance)

-   [*How can a federally owned public water system improve plant
    performance on limited funds?*](#P3Q2)

-   [*What information is available for managers of public water
    systems?*](#P3Q3)

-   [*What tools are available to assess the performance and ability of
    a public water system to produce safe drinking water?*](#P3Q4)

[]{#Part_1 .anchor}Part 1. The Safe Drinking Water Act

[]{#P1Q0 .anchor}Explain how environmental laws and regulations are made
in the United States.

Once Congress passes an act, the text is standardized and published in
the United States Code, which is the official record of all federal
laws. In order to make the laws work, Congress authorizes certain
government agencies, including EPA, to create regulations that specify
what is and is not legal.

The authorized agency proposes regulations that are subsequently listed
in the Federal Register so that the public can consider them and submit
comments to the agency. The agency considers all the comments, revises
the regulation accordingly, and issues a final rule. Once a regulation
is completed and has been printed in the Federal Register as a final
rule, it is \"codified\" by being published in the Code of Federal
Regulations (CFR), which is the official record of all regulations
created by the federal government. The CFR is divided into 50 volumes,
called titles, each of which focuses on a particular area. Nearly all
environmental regulations appear in Title 40. The Safe Drinking Water
Act is codified in 40 CFR 141-143.

[]{#P1Q1 .anchor}What is the Safe Drinking Water Act?

The **Safe Drinking Water Act** (SDWA), which celebrated its 25th
anniversary in 1999, is the main federal law that ensures the quality of
Americans\' drinking water.  Under SDWA, EPA sets standards for drinking
water quality and oversees the states, tribes, localities, and water
suppliers who implement those standards.

Read about the act and its requirements by clicking any of these links:

Brief Overview of the SDWA

<http://www.epa.gov/safewater/sdwa/understand.pdf>

Public Law Title 42 Chapter 6A (Safe Drinking Water Act)

<http://uscode.house.gov/DOWNLOAD/42C6A.DOC>

Or, search for specific statutory citations directly from the United
States Code:

Public Law Title 42 Chapter 6A (Safe Drinking Water Act)

[http://www4.law.cornell.edu/uscode/42/300f.html](http://uscode.house.gov/title_42.htm)

In 1996, Congress amended the **Safe Drinking Water Act** to emphasize
sound science and risk-based standard setting, small water supply system
flexibility and technical assistance, small system capability
enhancements, capacity development, community-empowered source water
assessment and protection, public right-to-know, and water system
infrastructure assistance through a multi-billion-dollar state revolving
loan fund. 

For more detailed information, read: 

Section-by-section summary of the Safe Drinking Water Act:

<http://www.epa.gov/safewater/sdwa/summ.html>

Regulatory Thematic Summary:

<http://www.epa.gov/safewater/sdwa/theme.html>

Full text version of the 1996 SDWA Amendments:

<http://www.epa.gov/safewater/sdwa/text.html>

[]{#P1Q2 .anchor}What kind of financial assistance (other than the from
the public water system's host organization) is available for federal
facilities?

Unfortunately, federal facilities are not authorized to receive
additional funding for drinking water system compliance under the SDWA.
The SDWA, as amended in 1996, established the Drinking Water State
Revolving Fund (DWSRF) to make funds available to non-federal drinking
water systems to finance infrastructure improvements. The program also
emphasizes providing funds to small and disadvantaged communities and to
programs that encourage pollution prevention as a tool for ensuring safe
drinking water. Contact the public water system's host organization
(DoD, DoE, BLM, etc.) for financial issues.

**Note: Federal Facilities are not authorized DWSRF allocations
according to federal law. The SDWA citation that prohibits the use of
DWSRF funds for Federally-owned systems is section 1452(a)(2). The USEPA
reflects this limitation in 40 CFR 35.3520(d).**

[]{#P1Q23 .anchor}How does the act apply to Federal Facilities?

Section 1447 of the SDWA, as amended in 1977, provides that, subject to
a national security exemption, each Federal Agency shall be subject to,
and comply with, all Federal, State, and local requirements, and
administrative authorities. To support this change in prior policy the
congressional committee stated the following \"\... Furthermore, the
committee intends that Federal agencies comply with State and local
drinking water requirements and regulations which are more stringent
than the primary drinking water standards.\" A state with primacy does
not have jurisdiction over Indian Lands due to the Indian land's status
as \"sovereign nations." Therefore, the federal government has
jurisdiction over public water systems on Indian lands, unless the
Indian Tribe obtains primacy.

On August 6, 1996, the Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA) Amendments of
1996, Public Law Number 104-l 82 (the Amendments), became law. Prominent
among the Amendments, are several provisions uniquely applicable to
federal entities. The new SDWA clarifies that Federal agencies could be
subject to fines and penalties for a violation of an administrative
order. Federal Facilities can be subject to fines and penalty orders
issued by the EPA or the state. In 1998, the Army's Redstone Arsenal
received a cash penalty of \$80,000 and \$807,000 in supplemental
environmental projects for improper management of a drinking water
system that served 22,000 people.

This guidance explains the Amendment's application to federal entities
and offers advice to regions when exercising the enhanced SDWA
authorities. In brief, the Amendments:

-significantly enhanced the SDWA's pre-existing waiver of sovereign
immunity,

-reiterated EPA's express enforcement authority over federal entities,

> -streamlined the pre-existing statutory process for issuing public
> water system compliance orders,
>
> -expanded EPA's administrative penalty authority for any violation of
> the SDWA including the public water supply and underground injection
> control requirements

and requirements imposed by an administrative order,

-provided citizens the opportunity to obtain judicial review of penalty
orders,

> -required states to use any penalty or fine collected from a federal
> entity under Section 1447 for environmental purposes.

Read about major enforcement policy documents at the links below:

Guidance on Federal Facility Penalty Order Authority Under the Safe
Drinking Water Act, as amended in 1996

<http://es.epa.gov/oeca/fedfac/policy/safedrink.pdf>

[]{#P1Q3 .anchor}Is there guidance designed specifically for federal
facilities to implement the Safe Drinking Water Act and applicable
executive orders?

Yes. Federal facilities may use sections of "The Yellow Book" to help
them develop compliance plans for the SDWA (and other environmental
regulations). [The Yellow Book Guide to Environmental Enforcement and
Compliance at Federal Facilities]{.underline} has been written to meet
the needs of a diverse audience. The Yellow Book\'s primary purpose is
to provide individuals with Federal Facility environmental
responsibilities with an informational tool to help comply with
environmental requirements and to clearly explain the compliance and
enforcement processes used by EPA and States at Federal Facilities. The
Yellow Book was originally published in November 1988. The revised and
reissued Yellow Book, published in February 1999, supersedes the 1988
version. The Yellow Book is available on CD-ROM from USEPA's Office of
Enforcement---Federal Facility Enforcement Office.

Consult the Federal Facility "Yellow Book" for a listing of most Federal
Facility environmental regulations and executive orders. The "Yellow
Book" provides more background about the SDWA and federal facilities and
includes important executive orders (eg. EO 13148) related to drinking
water.

To view the "Yellow Book," click on the link below:

Full version of the Federal Facility "Yellow Book"

<http://es.epa.gov/oeca/fedfac/yellowbk/yellowbk.pdf>

[]{#P1Q4 .anchor}The SDWA constantly refers to a Public Water System.
What is a Public Water System?

Public water systems are the foundation of the drinking water program
under SDWA. In general, the SDWA and the USEPA define a public water
system as one that serves water by pipes or other constructed
conveyances to at least 25 persons or 15 service connections for at
least 60 days per year (see official definition below). Such water
systems may be owned by homeowner associations, investor-owned water
companies, local governments, and others. Examples of Federal Facility
water systems include facilities like office buildings, housing areas,
recreational facilities, and bombing ranges that have drinking water
systems that meet the minimum requirements. Water that does not come
from a public water supply, and which serves one or only a few homes, is
called a private supply. Federal Facilities that are served drinking
water from another public water system should expect to receive public
notices from their provider only if deficiencies are identified during
routine monitoring.

**USEPA Official SDWA Definition**:  A public water system (PWS) is a
system for the provision to the public of water for human consumption
through pipes or other constructed conveyances, if such system has at
least fifteen service connections or regularly serves at least
twenty-five individuals daily\--at least 60 days out of the year. 

Click on the link below for an USEPA policy letter on PWSs.

USEPA policy letter regarding public water system classification

<http://www.epa.gov/safewater/wsg/wsg_66a.pdf>

**Community water systems** are public systems that serve people
year-round in their residences. EPA also regulates other kinds of public
water systems\--such as those at schools, factories, campgrounds, or
restaurants\--that have their own water supply. Of the three types of
PWS, community water systems have the most requirements (monitoring,
operator certification, etc.) since CWS usually serve more consumers per
system.

**Non-Transient Non-Community Water System** is a public water system
that is not a community water system and regularly serves at least 25 of
the same persons over 6 months per year. Typical monitoring requirements
include periodic sampling for organics, inorganics, and total coliforms.

**Transient Non-Community Water System** is a water system that is not a
NTNCWS. This system serves transient consumers. Transient consumers
represent individuals who have the opportunity, to consume water from a
water system, but who do not fit the definition of a residential or
regular consumer. Obvious examples are people stopping by at a highway
rest stop, people vacationing for a few days or weeks at a hotel or
resort, people having lunch or dinner at a restaurant, etc. Transient
non-community water systems are typically required to only monitor for
coliforms, nitrate, and nitrite.

Click to read online or download a PDF version of the August 5, 1998
Federal Register notice on the revised Definition of a Public Water
System, as amended by Section 1401(4) of the 1996 SDWA Amendments.

<http://www.epa.gov/ogwdw/pws/pwsdef.pdf>

[]{#P1Q5 .anchor}What are some key definitions I should know before
applying the SDWA at my facility?

Understanding the key legal definitions of the SDWA is very important
for a successful compliance program. Several important definitions are
listed below:

  ----------------- -----------------------------------------------------
  **Definitions**   ***Human Consumption.*** Defined to include drinking,
                    bathing, showering, cooking, dishwashing, and
                    maintaining oral hygiene.

                    ***Constructed Conveyance.*** Broadly interpreted to
                    refer to any manmade conduit such as ditches,
                    culverts, waterways, flumes, mine drains, or canals.

  **Determining     ***Natural Waterways.*** Factors that a primacy
  Constructed       agency should consider to determine whether or not a
  Conveyances**     natural waterway is considered a \"constructed
                    conveyance\" include whether or not it exists in its
                    current configuration substantially from human
                    modifications, who owns or controls the water, and
                    the reason why water is present.

                    ***Counting.*** Whether a \"constructed conveyance\"
                    counts as a connection depends on whether the water
                    supplier knows or should know that the connection
                    exists or that the individuals are using the water
                    from that connection for human consumption.

  **Water           A supplier cannot limit its SDWA liability by not
  Suppliers\'       making efforts to gather necessary information and
  Liability**       documentation regarding its users\' water use, or
                    solely by requiring its users to sign a waiver
                    agreement.

  **Constructed     ***Other Than Residential Use Exclusion.*** A
  Conveyance        \"constructed conveyance\" system may automatically
  Exclusions**      exclude a connection from being counted if its use is
                    exclusively for purposes other than residential uses.

                    ***Alternative Water Exclusion.*** A \"constructed
                    conveyance\" system may exclude a connection from
                    being counted if the primacy agency makes a factual
                    determination based on documentation submitted by the
                    water supplier that the water supplier is providing
                    its users at that connection with alternative water
                    that provides the equivalent level of public health
                    protection as the applicable **NPDWRs**.

                    ***Treatment Exclusion.*** A \"constructed
                    conveyance\" system may exclude a connection from
                    being counted if the primacy agency makes a factual
                    determination based on documentation submitted by the
                    water supplier that the water at the connection is
                    treated to provide the equivalent level of public
                    health protection as the applicable NPDWRs.

  **Special         If in existence prior to May 18, 1994, and providing
  Irrigation        primarily agricultural service with only incidental
  District**        residential use, a piped irrigation district may not
                    be considered a PWS if all of its connections comply
                    with the alternative water or treatment exclusions
                    (above) for \"constructed conveyance\" suppliers.
  ----------------- -----------------------------------------------------

**It is important to remember that the USEPA does not regulate drinking
water wells that supply water to fewer than 25 people and have fewer
than 15 service connections, *but state agencies may*. [Consult with
local and state drinking water representatives for more stringent
requirements]{.underline}. Click on the links below to locate your
system's state drinking water representative:**

Local drinking water information by state:

<http://www.epa.gov/safewater/dwinfo.htm>

State drinking water protection offices, private water organizations,
and public health organizations

<http://www.epa.gov/safewater/links.html>

## 

## 

## 

##  

## How do you know if your water system really is a PWS?

![](media/image2.wmf){width="8.0in" height="5.945833333333334in"}Use the
decision tree below to decide if your system meets the legal
requirements of a public water system (box 1 and 2). Then determine if
your system meets the legal requirements (local, state, and federal) for
a regulated public water system (box 3). If your system meets all 4
requirements of box 3, then it is an unregulated PWS (TNCWS, NTNCWS, and
CWS are defined above).

-   *This chart may be changed in the future due to new USEPA
    regulations governing consecutive public water systems (i.e. Stage 2
    DBP Rule).*

[]{#P1Q7 .anchor}*Where can I go to find what these drinking water terms
mean?*

You may wish to consult EPA\'s drinking water glossary if you find
unfamiliar terms in the following pages. Click on the link below to
review unfamiliar terms:

Drinking Water Glossary of Terms

<http://www.epa.gov/safewater/glossary.htm>

[]{#P1Q8 .anchor}*What regulations apply to a PWS?*

The Environmental Protection Agency sets standards that, when combined
with protecting ground water and surface water, are a critical to
ensuring safe drinking water. EPA works with its regional offices,
states, tribes, and its many partners to protect public health through
implementing the Safe Drinking Water Act.

For a table of currently regulated contaminants, potential health
effects, and sources, read National Primary Drinking Water Standards,
which lists the legally enforceable standards (Maximum Contaminant
Levels) that apply to public water systems as well as National Secondary
Drinking Water Regulations, the non-enforceable guidelines for
contaminants that may cause cosmetic or aesthetic effects in drinking
water.

Click on this link to find out about the legal requirements enforced by
the NPDWRs (including treatment techniques, available control
technologies, public notification, consumer confidence reports, and
monitoring requirements):

National Primary Drinking Water Regulations (NPDWRs)

[http://www.epa.gov/safewater/regs/cfr141.pdf](http://www.epa.gov/safewater/mcl.html)

Click on this link to see a list of all regulated contaminants and their
corresponding maximum permissible level in drinking water:

Maximum Contaminant Levels (MCLs)

<http://www.epa.gov/safewater/mcl.html>

Click on this link to find out about the non-enforceable requirements
for taste and odor issues covered by the NSDWRs:

National Secondary Drinking Water Regulations (non-enforceable)

<http://www.epa.gov/safewater/regs/cfr143.pdf>

Click on this link for detailed information on current drinking water
regulations and corresponding implementation manuals (guidance
documents)

USEPA's Web for Regulations and Guidance

<http://www.epa.gov/safewater/regs.html>

[]{#P1Q9 .anchor}Where can I find guidance on contaminants regulated by
the National Primary/Secondary water regulations and on unregulated
contaminants?

Health Advisories provide information on certain contaminants. Health
Advisories provide water professionals with guidance about health
effects of various contaminants. These values are based on non-cancer
health effects for different durations of exposure (e.g., one-day,
ten-day, longer-term, and lifetime).

Click on the following link to learn more about Drinking Water
Advisories:

USEPA's Drinking Water Advisories

[http://www.epa.gov/waterscience/drinking/standards/](http://www.epa.gov/safewater/sdwa/text.html)

[]{#P1Q10 .anchor}What is the regulatory history of the SDWA and what
are the potential future actions?

This chart shows the order in which EPA regulated more than 90 drinking
water contaminants since the creation of the SDWA.

USEPA's Contaminant Timeline

[http://www.epa.gov/safewater/consumer/contam_timeline.pdf](http://www.epa.gov/safewater/sdwa/text.html)

This chart describes future USEPA drinking water rulemaking efforts.

USEPA's Chart of Key Regulatory Dates

<http://www.epa.gov/safewater/pws/imp_milestones.pdf>

[]{#Part_2 .anchor}Part 2. Technical Assistance

## How Does Water Get To a Consumer's Faucet (Distribution System Issues)? 

In a typical community water supply system, water is transported under
pressure through a distribution network of buried pipes. Smaller pipes,
called service lines, are attached to the main water lines to bring
water from the distribution network to your house. In many community
water supply systems, water pressure is provided by pumping water up
into storage tanks that store water at higher elevations than the houses
they serve. The force of gravity then \"pushes\" the water into your
home when you open your tap. Houses on a private supply usually get
their water from a private well. A pump brings the water out of the
ground and into a small tank within the home, where the water is stored
under pressure. Water distribution system modeling is important for all
water systems because low pressure within the distribution system can
drastically change the quality of water delivered to the system's
consumers and must be monitored closely. Low pressure (defined as below
20 psi) increases the potential for contaminants to back-flow or back
siphon into the water distribution system. Many states require PWSs to
maintain a minimum pressure of 20 psi in their distribution system
because a pressurized system (\>20 psi) is less likely to draw
contamination into the distribution system through pipe cracks or
cross-connections.

## What resources are available to federal facilities to perform water quality modeling?

![](media/image3.gif){width="3.5479166666666666in"
height="4.047916666666667in"}EPANET (see picture) is a Windows 95/98/NT
program that performs extended period simulation of hydraulic and
water-quality behavior within pressurized pipe networks. A network can
consist of pipes, nodes (pipe junctions), pumps, valves and storage
tanks or reservoirs. EPANET tracks the flow of water in each pipe, the
pressure at each node, the height of water in each tank, and the
concentration of a chemical species throughout the network during a
simulation period comprised of multiple time steps. In addition to
chemical species, water age and source tracing can also be simulated.

EPANET 2 Website:

<http://www.epa.gov/ORD/NRMRL/wswrd/epanet.html#Description>

The Windows version of EPANET provides an integrated environment for
editing network input data, running hydraulic and water quality
simulations, and viewing the results in a variety of formats. These
include color-coded network maps, data tables, time series graphs, and
contour plots. 

EPANET was developed by the Water Supply and Water Resources Division
(formerly the Drinking Water Research Division) of the U.S.
Environmental Protection Agency\'s National Risk Management Research
Laboratory. It is public domain software that may be freely copied and
distributed.

Click here to download EPANET software, upgrades, and documentation:

Installation Software

<http://www.epa.gov/ORD/NRMRL/wswrd/EN2setup.exe>

Software Developer's Toolkit Upgrades (not for typical users)

<http://www.epa.gov/ORD/NRMRL/wswrd/EN2toolkit.zip>

EPANET User's Manual

<http://www.epa.gov/ORD/NRMRL/wswrd/EN2manual.PDF>

Another good water distribution system modeling site is maintained by
the University of Kentucky. Engineers at the University of Kentucky and
their associates have been developing and supporting state-of-the-art
pipe network modeling technology for over 30 years. A number of
technical achievements and teaching awards have been presented to
members of the development team in recognition of this work that has set
the world standard for pipe network technology.

The PIPE2000 graphical user interface (GUI) incorporates all the best
existing modeling capabilities and introduces a number of powerful new
ones. This advanced WINDOWS (95, 98, NT4, NT5) GUI will allow access to
steady state, transient, gas, and steam models for a variety of
applications. The PIPE2000 GUI incorporates powerful mapping and
comprehensive facilities management capabilities (AM/FM). The PIPE2000
development effort combined a high level of hydraulic expertise for
model development and advanced computer-engineering design of the
graphical interface. This is the only way to produce the powerful
modeling tools needed by today\'s engineers. Choose your modeling tools
only after you have taken a comprehensive look at costs, capabilities
and level of technical support.  Browse this web site for detailed
information and evaluation material and you are the judge.

> Please click on the KYPIPE Website listed below to learn more about
> the University of Kentucky's water distribution

[*http://www.kypipe.com/pipe2000.html*](http://www.kypipe.com/pipe2000.html)

[]{#P2Q3 .anchor}What resources are available to federal facilities to
learn how to conduct appropriate operations and maintenance projects on
a public water system?

![](media/image4.png){width="4.375in"
height="2.6020833333333333in"}MIL-HDBK-1164 provides general technical
guidance for operating and maintaining (see picture) potable water
systems at fixed military installations (and other federal facilities).
Since no two installations are exactly alike, this handbook is
supplemental to site-specific operations and maintenance (O&M) manuals
provided for each installation. The handbook applies to all personnel
responsible for operating and maintaining fixed-base water systems,
including supervisors as well as operators. To provide military
personnel with the most up-to-date information available the handbook
guides the reader to industry standards, manuals of practice, training
guides, handbooks, and miscellaneous documents published by the American
Water Works Association (AWWA) and other authorities in the water supply
and treatment field. This manual is not intended to be read in its
entirety. Rather, the reader is expected to refer to individual parts as
the need arises.

Operations and Maintenance of Water Supply Systems

<http://www.afcesa.af.mil/Directorate/CES/Civil/Water/mh1164.pdf>

MIL-HDBK-1005/7A, Water Supply Systems

<http://www.afcesa.af.mil/Directorate/CES/Civil/Water/1005_7A.pdf>

[]{#P2Q4 .anchor}Are federal facility public water systems required to
conserve drinking water?

Yes. Executive Order 13123 mandated the establishment of water
conservation goals (eg. identify conservation opportunities and install
cost-effective water-conserving fixtures equipment) for Federal
Agencies. The Department of Energy (DOE) was tasked to take the lead in
this effort, with inputs from the Military Services and other Federal
Agencies. The products of the effort are listed below.

[Department of Energy's Website]{.underline} for water conservation
(contains topics on: Water Conservation Requirements and Guidance for
Implementing Executive Order 13123, and guidance on Identifying and
Implementing Successful Water Conservation Projects):

<http://www.eren.doe.gov/femp/techassist/waterconserve.html>

Executive Order 13123

Greening the Government Through Efficient Energy Management

<http://www.eren.doe.gov/femp/resources/exec13123.html>

Guidance to Establish Water Efficiency Improvement Goal for Federal
Agencies

> [http://www.afcesa.af.mil/Directorate/CES/Civil/Water/Federal%20Water%20Efficiency%20Goal%20&%20BMPs%2010%20May%2000.doc](http://www.afcesa.af.mil/Directorate/CES/Civil/Water/Federal Water Efficiency Goal & BMPs 10 May 00.doc)

MIL-HDBK-1165, Water Conservation.
<http://www.afcesa.af.mil/Directorate/CES/Civil/Water/1165.pdf>

[]{#P2Q5 .anchor}![](media/image5.jpeg){width="3.6319444444444446in"
height="2.328472222222222in"}How can water systems control
cross-connections?

Contamination can enter a water system in many ways, usually through
some type of opening to the distribution system (i.e. cracked pipe,
damaged reservoir hatch, etc.). One common route is through
cross-connections. Cross-connections are conditions that allow
contaminated water to mix with potable water. Cross-connections can
happen if an individual begins filling a livestock water tank by placing
a garden hose inside the tank during filling. If water pressure is lost
while the tank is filling, dirty water from the livestock tank could
flow backwards through the garden hose into the drinking water system.
Similar situations occur when filling pesticide sprayers, fertilizer
tanks, etc. Cross-connections control programs are mandated by the SDWA
and should be eliminated or protected using backflow devices (see inset
picture above) and routine surveillance programs.

Several websites provided cross-connection and backflow guidance. The
Foundation for Cross-Connection Control and Hydraulic Research is a
leader in cross-connection control technology. The Foundation for
Cross-Connection Control and Hydraulic Research at University of
Southern California was founded in 1944. The Foundation is considered by
many to be the world\'s authority in the field of cross-connection
control. The Foundation offers training courses and training tools to
assist those involved in cross-connection control. The foundation also
provides an updated list of approved backflow prevention assemblies.

Click on the link below to explore the website for the Foundation for
Cross-Connection Control and Hydraulic Research at University of
Southern California

<http://www.usc.edu/dept/fccchr/>

Another website dealing with cross-connection control is located at the
EPA Region 4 website.

Click on this link to explore the Georgia Water System Instruction
Manual

<http://www.epa.gov/region4/peerreview/states/georgia/gainst.htm>

[]{#P2Q6 .anchor}What actions should the water system take during an
emergency, natural disaster, or known waterborne disease outbreak?

Safety should be the first priority of any water system during
emergencies or natural disasters (floods, tornado, etc.). Preventing
contamination to the drinking water system is the next most important.
If contamination is suspected, contact your system's primacy agency. The
following guidance clarifies how long to boil water during a boil water
advisory or other drinking water emergency. This guidance was prompted
by the fact that various agencies have issued inconsistent instructions
on the duration of boiling.

<http://www.epa.gov/safewater/wsg/wsg_11.pdf>

Linked below is an article from the *Morbidity and Mortality, Weekly
Report* (September 18, 1994), on the boil water advisory issued during
December 1993 for Washington, DC. The last paragraph of this article
includes a joint EPA/Centers for Disease Control policy statement on how
long individuals should boil their water when a water system issues a
boil water notice.

<http://www.epa.gov/safewater/wsg/wsg_134.pdf>

The memorandum linked below clarifies EPA\'s guidance on water treatment
chemicals and the operation of public water supplies during emergencies.
Specifically, this guidance addresses emergency disinfection.

<http://www.epa.gov/safewater/wsg/wsg_61.pdf>

[]{#P2Q7 .anchor}How do Public Water Suppliers treat my water to make it
safe (Treatment Issues)?

![](media/image6.jpeg){width="3.165277777777778in"
height="4.190277777777778in"}Water suppliers use a variety of treatment
processes to remove contaminants from drinking water. These individual
processes may be arranged in a \"treatment train\" to remove undesirable
contaminants from the water. The most commonly used processes for
surface water plants (and possibly even plants using groundwater under
the direct influence of surface water) include filtration, flocculation
and sedimentation, and disinfection. Some treatment trains also include
ion exchange and adsorption. A typical water treatment plant would have
only the combination of processes needed to treat the contaminants in
the source water used by the facility. Most groundwater facilities
usually do very little treatment, primarily only disinfecting the water.
The EPA is responsible for identifying "Best Available Treatment
Technologies" (BATs) for every regulated contaminant. Some BATs are
listed below. If you want to know what types of treatment are used for
your water supply, contact your local water supplier or public works
department.

***Flocculation/Sedimentation***

Flocculation refers to water treatment processes that combine small
particles into larger particles, which settle out of the water as
sediment. Alum and iron salts or synthetic organic polymers (alone, or
in combination with metal salts) are generally used to promote
coagulation. Settling or sedimentation is simply a gravity process that
removes flocculated particles from the water.

***Filtration***

Many water treatment facilities use filtration to remove remaining
particles from the water supply. Those particles include clays and
silts, natural organic matter, precipitants from other treatment
processes in the facility, iron and manganese, and microorganisms.
Filtration clarifies water and enhances the effectiveness of
disinfection.

***Ion Exchange***

Ion exchange processes are used to remove inorganic constituents if they
cannot be removed adequately by filtration or sedimentation. Ion
exchange can be used to treat hard water (i.e. water which contains
divalent cations like calcium and magnesium). It can also be used to
remove arsenic, chromium, excess fluoride, nitrates, radium, and
uranium.

***Adsorption***

Organic contaminants, color, and taste- and odor-causing compounds can
stick to the surface of granular or powdered activated carbon (GAC or
PAC). GAC is generally more effective than PAC in removing these
contaminants. Adsorption is not commonly used in public water supplies.

***Disinfection (chlorination, ozonation, UV, etc.)***

Water is often disinfected before it enters the distribution system to
ensure that dangerous microbes are killed and is mandatory for SW and
GWUDISW systems. Chlorine, chloramines, or chlorine dioxide most often
are used because they are very effective disinfectants, and residual
concentrations can be maintained to guard against biological
contamination in the water distribution system. Ozone and UV are
powerful disinfectants, but are not effective in controlling biological
contaminants in the distribution pipes because they do not leave any
residual disinfectant in the treated water. Water systems that use ozone
or UV could become contaminated after the disinfection point (i.e. in
the distribution system) because there is no residual.

***Technology Transfer***

The National Drinking Water Clearinghouse (NDWC) provides technical
assistance to water plant operators and managers on a variety of issues.
NDWC offers Tech Briefs on many treatment options available for drinking
water contaminants. Each fact sheet provides concise technical
information about a drinking water treatment technology relevant to
small systems. The Tech Briefs are aimed at drinking water
professionals, particularly small system operators, and the content is
fairly technical. Tables and/or helpful illustrations are provided, as
are sources for more information.

Click on the link below to access all NDWC Tech Briefs:

<http://www.estd.wvu.edu/ndwc/NDWC_eduprod.html#briefs>

Example Tech Briefs:

Disinfection:

<http://www.estd.wvu.edu/ndwc/TB1.pdf>

Filtration:

<http://www.estd.wvu.edu/ndwc/TB2.pdf>

Organics Removal:

<http://www.estd.wvu.edu/ndwc/TB5.pdf>

## How often is my water supply tested (sampling and monitoring issues)?

##  

EPA has established pollutant-specific minimum testing schedules for
public water systems. To find out how frequently you should be testing
your drinking water, contact your state agency in charge of drinking
water.

The table on this page shows the major groups of contaminants and the
minimum frequency that most public water systems must test for them. If
a problem is detected, there are immediate retesting requirements that
go into effect and strict instructions for how the system informs the
public about the problem. For example, if a routine coliform sample test
positive, 4 repeat samples must be taken at specified locations in the
distribution system. The system must also take 5 additional routine
coliform samples in the same distribution system the following month.
Until the system can reliably demonstrate that it is free of problems,
the retesting is continued.

+------------------------+---------------------------------------------+
| Typical Community      |                                             |
| Water System           |                                             |
| Monitoring Schedule    |                                             |
+------------------------+---------------------------------------------+
| **Contaminant**        | **Minimum Monitoring Frequency**            |
+------------------------+---------------------------------------------+
| **Acute Contaminants** |                                             |
+------------------------+---------------------------------------------+
| Bacteria               | Monthly or quarterly, depending on system   |
|                        | size and type (includes chlorine and pH)    |
+------------------------+---------------------------------------------+
| Protozoa and Viruses   | Continuous monitoring for turbidity,        |
|                        | monthly for total coliforms, as indicators  |
+------------------------+---------------------------------------------+
| Nitrate/Nitrite        | Annually                                    |
+------------------------+---------------------------------------------+
| **Chronic              |                                             |
| Contaminants**         |                                             |
+------------------------+---------------------------------------------+
| Volatile Organics      | Ground water systems, annually for 2        |
|                        | consecutive years; surface water systems,   |
| (e.g., benzene)        | annually                                    |
+------------------------+---------------------------------------------+
| Synthetic Organics     | Larger systems, twice in 3 years; smaller   |
|                        | systems, once in 3 years                    |
| (e.g., pesticides)     |                                             |
+------------------------+---------------------------------------------+
| Inorganics/Metals      | Ground water systems, once every 3 years;   |
|                        | surface water systems, annually             |
+------------------------+---------------------------------------------+
| Lead and Copper        | Annually                                    |
+------------------------+---------------------------------------------+
| Radionuclides          | Once every 4 years                          |
+------------------------+---------------------------------------------+
| General requirements   |                                             |
| may differ slightly    |                                             |
| based on the size or   |                                             |
| type of drinking water |                                             |
| system.                |                                             |
+------------------------+---------------------------------------------+

+------------------------+---------------------------------------------+
| Typical Non-Community  |                                             |
| Non-Transient Water    |                                             |
| System Monitoring      |                                             |
| Schedule               |                                             |
+------------------------+---------------------------------------------+
| **Contaminant**        | **Minimum Monitoring Frequency**            |
+------------------------+---------------------------------------------+
| **Acute Contaminants** |                                             |
+------------------------+---------------------------------------------+
| Bacteria               | Monthly or quarterly, depending on system   |
|                        | size and type (includes chlorine and pH)    |
+------------------------+---------------------------------------------+
| Protozoa and Viruses   | Continuous monitoring for turbidity (if     |
|                        | surface water or GWUDISW), monthly for      |
|                        | total coliforms, as indicators              |
+------------------------+---------------------------------------------+
| Nitrate/Nitrite        | Annually                                    |
+------------------------+---------------------------------------------+
| **Chronic              |                                             |
| Contaminants**         |                                             |
+------------------------+---------------------------------------------+
| Volatile Organics      | Ground water systems, annually for 2        |
|                        | consecutive years; surface water systems,   |
| (e.g., benzene)        | annually                                    |
+------------------------+---------------------------------------------+
| Inorganics/Metals      | Ground water systems, once every 3 years;   |
|                        | surface water systems, annually             |
+------------------------+---------------------------------------------+
| Lead and Copper        | Annually                                    |
+------------------------+---------------------------------------------+
| Radionuclides          | Once every 4 years                          |
+------------------------+---------------------------------------------+
| General requirements   |                                             |
| may differ slightly    |                                             |
| based on the size or   |                                             |
| type of drinking water |                                             |
| system.                |                                             |
+------------------------+---------------------------------------------+

  ------------------------ ----------------------------------------------
  Typical Transient        
  Non-Community Water      
  System Monitoring        
  Schedule                 

  **Contaminant**          **Minimum Monitoring Frequency**

  **Acute Contaminants**   

  Bacteria                 Monthly or quarterly, depending on system size
                           and type (includes chlorine and pH)

  Nitrate/Nitrite          Annually

  **Chronic Contaminants** 

  None.                    

  General requirements may 
  differ slightly based on 
  the size or type of      
  drinking water system.   
  ------------------------ ----------------------------------------------

[]{#P2Q9 .anchor}What records should be kept by the public water system?

Title 40 CFR 141.33 establishes record keeping requirements for public
water systems concerning bacteriological and chemical analyses. Section
141.33 (a) specifies that bacteriological records must be kept at least
five years and chemical analyses at least 10 years. However, there is no
specific language addressing the length of time radiological records
must be maintained. Furthermore, the final Radionuclides Rule of
December 7, 2000 (65 FR 76707) does not contain any language that would
modify 40 CFR 141.33 - Record maintenance.

The link below clarifies record keeping requirements for the
Radionuclides Rule.

<http://www.epa.gov/safewater/wsg/wsg_H50.pdf>

## Am I required to notify my consumers about the quality of water my systems delivers?

##  

Yes. The USEPA developed the Public Notification and Consumer Confidence
Report (only for CWS) regulations specifically for this purpose. Public
water systems must notify their consumers when they violate primacy
agency drinking water standards (including monitoring requirements) or
otherwise provide drinking water that may pose a risk to consumers\'
health.  EPA has revised the existing Public Notification rule to better
tailor the form, manner, and timing of the notices to the relative risk
to health.  The revised rule makes notification easier and more
effective for both water systems and the customers that they serve. 

Click on this link to view the **Public Notification Handbook**
\[816-R-00-010 / June 2000\]. This guide provides instructions and
includes templates that water suppliers can use for various types of
public notices.

Download **The** **Public Notification Handbook** as a PDF file

<http://www.epa.gov/safewater/pws/pn/handbook.pdf>

Click on this link to open various Public Notification templates
available from the USEPA:

[Microsoft Word and Word Perfect files of PN
templates](http://www.epa.gov/safewater/pws/pn/templates.html)

Water suppliers that serve the same people year-round (i.e. CWS) must
also prepare annual water quality reports (consumer confidence reports)
for their customers. The first reports were due by October 1999 and are
now required each year by July 1. The reports tell where drinking water
comes from, what\'s in it, and how you can help protect it.

Click this link to view a Consumer Confidence Report fact sheet:

<http://www.epa.gov/safewater/ccr/ccrfact.html>

Find out about your local drinking water (and see if your report is
on-line)

<http://www.epa.gov/safewater/dwinfo.htm>

> Or learn more about drinking water and health and how you can help
> protect your tap water.

<http://www.epa.gov/safewater/dwhealth.html>

To find out how frequently your drinking water is tested, contact your
water system or state agency in charge of drinking water. Individuals
may also inquire about their drinking water through the USEPA's Safe
Drinking Water Information System (SDWIS/FED).

[]{#P2Q11 .anchor}What is SDWIS/FED?

EPA maintains drinking water data in several databases.  It uses this
information to help manage environmental programs, and provides public
access to the data through the Internet. 

**Safe Drinking Water Information System - Federal version
(SDWIS/FED):** SDWIS/FED is EPA\'s national regulatory compliance
database for the drinking water program.  It includes information on the
nation\'s 170,000 public water systems and violations of drinking water
regulations. 

Website for SDWIS/FED basic information:

<http://www.epa.gov/safewater/sdwisfed/sdwis.htm>

SDWIS/FED is a database designed and implemented by EPA to meet its
needs in the oversight and management of the Safe Drinking Water Act
(SDWA). The database contains data submitted by states and EPA regions
in conformance with reporting requirements established by statute,
regulation, and guidance. A \"sister\" system, SDWIS/State (Safe
Drinking Water Information System/State version), is a database designed
by EPA and the states to help states (and EPA regions) run their
drinking water programs and fulfill EPA reporting requirements. 

This EPA web site provides a significant amount of historical as well as
current and planned information concerning SDWIS/FED. For example, users
may browse through or download the most current copies of various
SDWIS/FED user documents, a variety of rule reporting guidance
documents, general documents describing the operations of SDWIS/FED
software. Users may also download copies of SDWIS/FED PC-based software,
view current and proposed event schedules, become familiar with current
SDWIS/FED news and events, and submit information and determine the
status of problems encountered with SDWIS/FED software and reports.

Website for SDWIS/FED data retrievals:

<http://www.epa.gov/enviro/html/sdwis/sdwis_query.html>

**[About MS Excel PivotTables®]{.underline}**

To use these tables you'll need MS Excel 97 or 2000. Detailed
instructions are available for downloading, and summary instructions are
included in each PivotTable®. No prior knowledge of spreadsheets is
required. 

PivotTables® are multidimensional databases (MDBs) that provide online
analytical processing, or OLAP. They enable you to quickly summarize,
cross-tabulate, and analyze large amounts of data. You can pivot, or
rotate, rows and columns to see different summaries of the source data,
filter the data, and drill-down to the details in the underlying source
data. 

For example, you can easily find the number of systems reporting a
certain type of violation, in a certain year, for a certain state. To
see the data in context, you can compare the results to those of other
states, or to other states in that region. To look for trends you can
build a graph to compare the results across several years. To
investigate an unusually high or low result you can see if the problem
stems from a certain contaminant or rule, within a certain system type,
size category, or primary source. Using the PivotTables described in
these instructions, you could probably perform this analysis in less
than 15 minutes. 

Download Current SDWIS/FED Pivot Table

<http://www.epa.gov/safewater/data/00detailtable.zip>

## Who operates the water treatment plant (Operator Training Issues)?

The Safe Drinking Water Act Amendments of 1996 directed EPA to:

> -initiate a partnership with States, water systems, and the public to
> develop information on recommended operator certification
> requirements; 
>
> -issue guidelines specifying minimum standards for certification and
> recertification of the operators of community and nontransient,
> noncommunity public water systems; 
>
> -reimburse training and certification costs for operators of systems
> serving 3,300 persons or fewer, including per diem for unsalaried
> operators, who are required to undergo training as a result of the
> Federal requirement, through grants to the States. 

In order to avoid a reduction of 20% of their Drinking Water State
Revolving Fund (DWSRF) allocation, States are required to implement the
EPA guidelines or an equivalent State program. Federal Facilities must
comply with the state's drinking water regulations, including all State
operator certification requirements.  Even though the SDWA requires
states to develop operator certification requirements for CWS and
NTNCWS, states may choose to develop operator certification requirements
for TNCWS.

This notice includes EPA\'s process and schedule for reviewing state
operator certification programs and for making Drinking Water State
Revolving Fund (DWSRF) withholding determinations; a clarification in
the Operator Certification Guidelines with respect to the validation of
certification exams; and the final allocation methodology for funding
grants to states for the Operator Certification Expense Reimbursement
Grants program.

Operator Certification Notice:

<http://www.epa.gov/safewater/opcert/finaladditions.pdf>

Operator Certification Manual

<http://www.epa.gov/OGWDW/opcert/opguide.pdf>

[]{#P2Q13 .anchor}Where can operators go for technical training on a
variety of water-related topics?

Established by the U.S. EPA Office of Ground Water and Drinking Water,
the **Drinking Water Academy (DWA)** is a long-term training initiative
whose primary goal is to expand EPA, State, and Tribal capabilities to
implement the 1996 Amendments to the Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA).  In
addition to providing classroom and Web-based training, the DWA will act
as a resource for training materials pertaining to SDWA implementation. 
EPA formed the DWA to help EPA, States, and Indian Tribes enhance
program capability to meet the public health protection objectives of
the SDWA requirements.  The 1996 SDWA Amendments created a number of new
programmatic challenges for the States, Tribes, and the water systems
they regulate.  The Amendments also provided new funding opportunities
to meet these growing needs.  DWA training will support EPA, State, and
Tribal efforts to implement these new regulations.

> The USEPA's Drinking Water Academy is a great resource for public
> water system operators. Contact the Academy through the link listed
> below.

<http://www.epa.gov/safewater/dwa.html>

##### Part 3. Managerial Assistance

[]{#P3Q2 .anchor}How can a federally owned public water system improve
plant performance on limited funds?

Capacity Development is the key! The Capacity Development Program
addresses issues affecting all drinking water systems, especially public
water systems serving populations less than 3,300.  Capacity development
refers to the technical, financial, and managerial capacity of a system
to provide safe drinking water. 

> Click on the following link to learn about capacity development and
> how strategic planning can allow your system to continue to comply
> with new regulations:

<http://www.epa.gov/safewater/smallsys.html>

[]{#P3Q3 .anchor}What information is available for managers of public
water systems?

The USEPA's website "Public Water System Supervision Program" is a great
resource for water system managers and operators. Through the Public
Water System Supervision (PWSS) program, EPA implements and enforces
drinking water standards to protect public health.

The USEPA PWSS website is listed below.

> This site contains several USEPA policy letters and guidance documents
> for PWS operators and managers.

<http://www.epa.gov/safewater/wsg.html>

Managers can also access the Local Government Environmental Assistance
Network (LGEAN). The LGEAN is a \"first-stop shop\" providing
environmental management, planning, and regulatory information for local
government elected and appointed officials, managers and staff. 

LGEAN also enables local officials to interact with their peers and
others on-line.  In an effort to reach all local governments, LGEAN
publishes a quarterly newsletter titled "SCAN" and manages a toll-free
hotline service.

> Connect to LGEAN through the following website:

<http://www.lgean.org/>

[]{#P3Q4 .anchor}What tools are available to assess the performance and
ability of a public water system to produce safe drinking water?

System assessments like compliance audits, comprehensive performance
evaluations, sanitary surveys, etc. are all excellent evaluation tools
to ensure your public water system is producing safe and reliable
drinking water.

Following is a list of recent documents and resources available from the
Federal Facilities Enforcement Office.

Available resources for Federal Facilities:

<http://es.epa.gov/oeca/fedfac/complian/fedfacs.pdf>

The Environmental Protection Agency (U.S. EPA) is responsible for
ensuring that Federal Facilities and organizations comply with federal
laws that protect the public health and the environment. U.S. EPA's
Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance (OECA) has begun
combining traditional enforcement activities with more innovative
compliance approaches including the provision of compliance assistance
to the general public. U.S. EPA's Office of Compliance Assistance was
established in 1994 to focus on compliance assistance-related
activities. U.S. EPA is also encouraging the development of
self-assessment programs at individual facilities. Voluntary audit
programs play an important role in helping companies meet their
obligation to comply with environmental requirements. Such assessments
can be a critical link, not only to improved compliance, but also to
improvements in other aspects of an organization's performance. For
example, environmental audits may identify pollution prevention
opportunities that can substantially reduce an organization's operating
costs. Environmental audits can also serve as an important diagnostic
tool in evaluating a facility's overall environmental management system
or EMS.

USEPA is developing 13 multi-media Environmental Audit Protocols to
assist and encourage Federal Facilities and organizations to perform
environmental audits and disclose violations in accordance with OECA's
Audit and Small Business Policies. The audit protocols are also intended
to promote consistency among regulated entities when conducting
environmental audits and to ensure that audits are conducted in a
thorough and comprehensive manner.

U.S. EPA has developed these audit protocols to provide regulated
entities with specific guidance in periodically evaluating their
compliance with federal environmental requirements.

The Audit Protocols are designed for use by individuals who are already
familiar with the federal regulations but require an updated
comprehensive regulatory checklist to conduct environmental
***compliance*** audits at regulated facilities. Typically, compliance
audits are performed by persons who are not necessarily media or legal
experts but instead possess a working knowledge of the regulations and a
familiarity with the operations and practices of the facility to be
audited. These two basic skills are a prerequisite for adequately
identifying areas at the facility subject to environmental regulations
and potential regulatory violations that subtract from the organizations
environmental performance. With these basic skills, audits can be
successfully conducted by persons with various educational backgrounds
(e.g., engineers, scientists, lawyers, business owners or operators).
These protocols are not intended to be a substitute for the regulations
nor are they intended to be instructional to an audience seeking a
primer on the requirements under Title 40, however, they are designed to
be sufficiently detailed to support the auditor's efforts.

> Click the following link to download the current SDWA Audit Protocol
>
> <http://es.epa.gov/oeca/main/strategy/sdwafina.pdf>

###### Improving Plant Performance

The following references address improving plant performance, protecting
public health, and handling treatment plant wastes. They may be valuable
resources for plant managers and operators alike.

### Optimizing Water Treatment Plant Performance with the Composite Correction Program

#### EPA/625/8-90/017

> This document summarizes the results of an ongoing project to evaluate
> the effectiveness of the Composite Correction Program approach to
> improving the performance of drinking water treatment facilities. This
> approach is a logical and systematic evaluation of a water treatment
> facility. It is made by a team with knowledge of drinking water
> treatment plant design, operation, and operational trouble shooting in
> order to identify the unique combination of factors limiting
> performance. The facility\'s capacity, operational performance,
> maintenance program, and administration are among the factors
> investigated.
>
> Once the significant elements affecting a plant\'s performance have
> been identified, a program may be initiated to address these findings
> and thus assist the community in using its existing major unit
> processes to achieve the desired finished water quality.
>
> The results of the 13 drinking water plant evaluations done to date
> are summarized, as are two corrective action programs. The case
> studies focus on the potential for the approach to improve the
> performance of small systems in meeting the turbidity removal
> requirements of the Surface Water Treatment Rule.
>
> Order
>
> <http://www.epa.gov/ttbnrmrl/625/8-90/017.htm>

### 

### 

### 

### Optimizing Water Treatment Plant Performance Using the Composite Correction Program - 1998 Edition

#### EPA/625/6-91/027

> The Composite Correction Program (CCP) has been developed and
> demonstrated as a method of optimizing surface water treatment plant
> performance to enhance public health protection from microbial
> pathogens. It focuses on effective use of the existing water treatment
> processes as barriers against passage of particles to the finished
> water. It consists of two components - a Comprehensive Performance
> Evaluation (CPE) followed by Comprehensive Technical Assistance (CTA).
> A CPE is conducted to identify the factors limiting treatment plant
> performance. A CTA is the performance improvement phase that can be
> implemented to address the performance limiting factors identified by
> the CPE. This handbook reflects the experience gained from over 70
> CPEs and 9 CTAs. In addition, seven state pilot programs have provided
> the basis for the concept of area-wide application of the CCP, which
> is also described in the handbook. This handbook will be useful to
> treatment plant operations and administrative personnel, consultants,
> technical assistance providers and State and local officials
> interested in fostering water treatment plant performance improvement.

Comprehensive Correction Program Manual (CPE and CTA)

[http://www.epa.gov/ttbnrmrl/Docs/625691027.pdf](http://www.epa.gov/ttbnrmrl/625/6-91/027.htm)

> **Guidance Manual for Conducting Sanitary Surveys of Public Water
> Systems; Surface Water and Ground Water Under the Direct Influence
> (GWUDI)**
>
> EPA 815-R-99-016 - April 1999
>
> This manual provides guidance on how to conduct a sanitary survey of
> surface water and ground water under the direct influence (GWUDI) of
> surface water drinking water systems. A comprehensive sanitary survey
> is an important element in helping water systems protect public
> health. Sanitary surveys are carried out to evaluate: (1) the
> capability of a drinking water system to consistently and reliably
> deliver an adequate quality and quantity of safe drinking water to the
> consumer, and (2) the system's compliance with federal drinking water
> regulations. Much of the information generated by a sanitary survey
> helps identify existing and potential sanitary risks. This guidance
> manual will identify **assessment criteria** to be evaluated for
> sanitary risks. The manual also describes how to identify
> **significant deficiencies** that represent an imminent health risk
> and require immediate correction.
>
> Click here to view the Sanitary Survey Guidance Manual
>
> <http://www.epa.gov/safewater/mdbp/pdf/sansurv/sansurv.pdf>

### Ground Water and Wellhead Protection

#### EPA/625/R-94/001

> This document is for those responsible for delineating the boundaries
> of a wellhead protection area, identifying and evaluating potential
> contaminants, and identifying wellhead management options. It is
> divided into two parts: (I) Wellhead Protection Area (WHPA)
> Delineation and (II) Implementation of Wellhead Protection Areas.
>
> *Part I*: Chapter 1 provides a general introduction to fundamentals of
> contaminant hydrogeology, followed by Chapter 2 (Potentiometric Maps)
> and 3 (Measurements and Estimation of Aquifer Parameters for Flow
> Equations), which cover essential hydrogeologic concepts for WHPA
> delineation. The last three chapters in Part I cover specific WHPA
> delineation methods: simple geometric and analytical methods,
> hydrogeologic mapping and computer modeling.
>
> *Part II*: Chapter 7 provides an overview of the major steps in
> developing a wellhead protection program. Chapters 8 (Contaminant
> Identification and Risk Assessment) and 9 (Wellhead Protection Area
> Management) contain numerous tables, checklists, and worksheets for
> the steps that follow delineation of wellhead protection areas.
> Chapter 10 includes six case studies that illustrate delineation
> methods and implementation approaches for a variety of hydrogeologic
> settings.
>
> Order this document:
>
> <http://www.epa.gov/ttbnrmrl/Handbks.htm>

###  Management of Water Treatment Plant Residuals

#### EPA/625/R-95/008

> This handbook is the result of a cooperative effort among the American
> Society of Civil Engineers, the American Water Works Association, and
> EPA. It was developed over a four-year period with the assistance of
> many individuals working in the water supply and residuals management
> fields. It contains chapters on regulatory issues, characterization,
> processing, direct discharge to surface waters, discharge to
> wastewater treatment plants, landfilling, land application, brine
> waste disposal, radioactive waste disposal, economics, case studies,
> and waste minimization and reuse.
>
> The handbook provides the consensus opinion/judgment of the
> cooperating organizations as to what constitutes best practice. It
> first gives meaningful guidance to federal, state, and local
> regulatory personnel in reviewing drinking water treatment plant plans
> for residuals management, and it secondly helps the utility to select
> an environmentally sound way for managing its residuals. The handbook
> strives to provide enough information for the user to do a feasibility
> design of the selected process(es). Design examples, case studies,
> results of recent research in the field, and pollution prevention
> methods and technologies are included to the extent that information
> was available.

Order this Document:

<http://www.epa.gov/ttbnrmrl/Handbks.htm>

### Environmental Planning for Small communities: A Guide for Local Decision-Makers

#### EPA/625/R-94/009

> EPA\'s Office of Research and Development in concert with the Office
> of Regional Operations and State/Local Relations announce the
> availability of a new publication for small communities.
>
> *Environmental Planning for Small Communities - A Guide for Local
> Decision-Makers* presents a process for creating and implementing a
> community environmental plan. With a comprehensive environmental plan,
> local decision-makers can create an integrated approach to protecting
> the environment and meeting their community\'s needs. Planning ahead
> to solve environmental problems can especially help small communities
> that do not have the resources to meet all of the regulatory
> requirements at once. This approach will help the community prioritize
> solutions to environmental problems and develop a strategy for
> regulatory compliance.
>
> Chapter 1 introduces the goals of creating a plan and putting it into
> action.
>
> Chapter 2 describes how to build a planning team that can lead your
> community in creating its environmental plan.
>
> Chapter 3 explains the importance of developing a shared vision, or
> framework, for your community\'s future.
>
> Chapter 4 describes how to define your community\'s needs by
> determining the greatest problems facing your community\'s public
> health, environment, and quality of life; by determining which
> environmental regulations apply to your community; and by evaluating
> the effectiveness of your environmental facilities.
>
> Chapter 5 explains how to figure out which technologies and strategies
> can work in your community.
>
> Chapter 6 discusses how to weigh your community\'s needs and possible
> ways of meeting those needs to set priorities for action.
>
> Chapter 7 is about implementation: putting the plan into action,
> evaluating how well the plan works, and revising the plan as you need
> to.
>
> This guide provides general information about environmental issues and
> offers suggestions for dealing with many of these issues. The reader
> will still have questions about what their community can and should
> do. Appendices are provided that include information on regulations,
> assessing risks, and where to turn for help. With minimal exposure in
> the form of large conference distribution, about 3,000 copies have
> been distributed in seven months. This demand is significant in that
> it is by word-of-mouth only. The guide is being used as the primary
> resource document for a Region VIII pilot project in South Dakota for
> three small communities. These communities with the assistance of the
> regional Rural Community Assistance Project (RCAP) personnel are
> identifying and prioritizing their local environmental issues. Similar
> pilot projects are being conducted in Region X in the states of Idaho
> and Oregon.
>
> The Decision-Makers Guide is also the cornerstone of several
> community-based environmental projects being proposed under the
> Environmental Technology Initiative and other Office of Research and
> Development initiatives.

Order

<http://www.epa.gov/ttbnrmrl/625/R-94/009.htm>

###### 

###### References

**All material presented in this document was drawn from local, state,
and federal websites pertaining to drinking water.**