Stage 1 Disinfectants and Disinfection

Byproducts Rule: Laboratory Quick

Reference Guide

Overview of the Rule

Title

Stage 1 Disinfectants and Disinfection Byproducts Rule (Stage 1 DBPR)

63 FR 69390 - 69476, December 16, 1998, Vol. 63, No. 241

Revisions to the Interim Enhanced Surface Water Treatment Rule (IESWTR), the Stage 1

Disinfectants and Disinfection Byproducts Rule (Stage 1 DBPR), and Revisions to State Primacy

Requirements to Implement the Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA) Amendments

66 FR 3770, January 16, 2001, Vol. 66, No. 29

Purpose

Improve public health protection by reducing exposure to disinfection byproducts. Some

disinfectants and disinfection byproducts (DBPs) have been shown to cause cancer and

reproductive effects in lab animals and are suspected to cause bladder cancer and reproductive

effects in humans.

General

Description

The Stage 1 DBPR is the first of a staged set of rules that will reduce the allowable levels of

DBPs in drinking water. The new rule establishes seven new standards and a treatment

technique of enhanced coagulation or enhanced softening to further reduce DBP exposure. The

rule is designed to limit capital investments and avoid major shifts in disinfection technologies

until additional information is available on the occurrence and health effects of DBPs.

Critical Deadlines and Requirements

January 1, 2002 Surface water systems and ground water systems under the direct influence of

surface water (GWUDI) serving 3 10,000 people must comply with the Stage 1

DBPR requirements.

January 1, 2004 Surface water systems and GWUDI serving < 10,000, and all ground water systems

must comply with the Stage 1 DBPR requirements.

Routine Monitoring Requirements

Regulated

Contaminants/

Disinfectants

Coverage Monitoring Frequency

TTHM/HAA5 Surface and GWUDI serving 3 10,000 4/plant/quarter

Surface and GWUDI serving 500 - 9,999 1/plant/quarter

Surface and GWUDI serving < 500 1/plant/year in month of warmest water

temperature*

Ground water serving 3 10,000 1/plant/quarter

Ground water serving < 10,000 1/plant/year in month of warmest water

temperature*

Bromate† Ozone plants Monthly at entrance to distribution system

Chlorite Chlorine dioxide plants Daily at entrance to distribution system;

monthly in distribution system

Chlorine/Chloramines All systems Same location and frequency as Total

Coliform Rule sampling

Chlorine dioxide Chlorine dioxide plants Daily at entrance to distribution system

DBP precursors

(TOC/Alkalinty/SUVA) Conventional filtration systems Monthly for total organic carbon andalkalinity or the SUVA alternative

* System must increase monitoring to 1 sample per plant per quarter if an MCL is exceeded.

†

 Reduced Bromate monitoring may be available based on results of optional Bromide monitoring - See Stage 1 DBPR.

Laboratory Considerations

4 Obtain certification (or state approval) to perform new analyses.

4 Become familiar with new monitoring requirements.

4 Prepare for increased number of samples (e.g., storage, supplies, staff).

4 Schedule to accommodate large number of samples, holding times, and demands on instrumentation.

For additional information

on the Stage 1 DBPR

Call the Safe Drinking Water

Hotline at 1-800-426-4791;

visit the EPA web site at

www.epa.gov/safewater; or

contact your State drinking

water representative.

Additional material is available

at www.epa.gov/safewater/

mdbp/implement.html.
Routine Monitoring Requirements

Regulated

Contaminants/

Disinfectants

MCL

(mg/L)

MRDL

(mg/L)

Analytical Method Preservative/Quenching Agent

Holdin

Sample/

TTHM *

(Sum of:

chloroform

bromodichloromethane

dibromochloromethane

bromoform)

0.080

EPA 502.2 Sodium thiosulfate (immediately acidify to pH<2 with HCl, if VOCs are

included in analysis), OR ascorbic acid and immediate acidification to pH<2

with HCl. Samples must be dechlorinated prior to acidification.

14 days at 4o

EPA 524.2

EPA 551.1

Sodium sulfite or ammonium chloride with a phosphate buffer (pH = 4.5 -

5.5).

14 days at 4o

at <-10oC

HAA5 *

(Sum of:

monochloroacetic acid

dichloroacetic acid

trichloroacetic acid

monobromoacetic acid

dibromoacetic acid)

0.060

EPA 552.1 Ammonium chloride

28 days at 4o

from light/48 

EPA 552.2 Ammonium chloride

14 days at 4o

from light/7 d

or 14 days at 

SM 6251B Ammonium chloride

9 days at 4oC

-11oC

Bromate * 0.010 EPA 300.1 Ethylenediamine 28 days 

Bromide +

EPA 300.0

EPA 300.1

Ethylenediamine 28 days 

Chlorite +

(Daily at entrance to

distribution system)

1.0

SM 4500-ClO2 E None Immediately 

EPA 300.0

EPA 300.1

Ethylenediamine

14 days at 4o

from light

Chlorite *

(Monthly in distribution

system)

1.0

EPA 300.0

EPA 300.1

Ethylenediamine

14 days at 4o

from light

Chlorine + 4.0 as Cl

2

Free - 4500-Cl D, F, G, H

None Immediately Combined - 4500-Cl D, F, G

Total - 4500-Cl D, E, F, G, I

Chloramines + 4.0 as Cl

2

4500-Cl D, E, F, G, I None Immediately 

Chlorine Dioxide + 0.8 as ClO2

4500-ClO2 D, E None Immediately 

pH +

EPA 150.1, 150.2, 4500 H+ B,

or ASTM D1293-95

None Immediately 

DBP Precursors +

(TOC/Alkalinity/SUVA)

Treatment Technique:

Enhanced coagulation/

enhanced softening to

improve removal of DBP

precursors for suface

water systems using

conventional filtration

treatment or lime

softening.

SM 5310 B, C and D for TOC

or DOC portion of SUVA

Acidify TOC samples to pH < 2.

Filter DOC sample through 0.45 μm pore diameter filter as soon as possible

after collection (£ 48 hours) and then acidify same as TOC.

28 days store

and protecte

SM 5910 B for UV254 portion of

SUVA

Filter through 0.45 μm pore diameter filter as soon as possible after

collection (£ 48 hours).

£ 48 hours st

and protecte

ASTM D1067-92B or SM 2320

B or I-1030-85 for alkalinity

None

14 days store

and protecte

1 - Note the sample volumes specified in this table are estimates. The actual sample container volumes should be specified by the laboratory(s) performing the analyses.

+ - Indicates the analysis must be performed by a party approved by the state.

* - Indicates the laboratory must be certified to analyze the sample.

Office of Water (4606) EPA 816-F-02-021 www.epa.gov/safewater December 2002 rev.