Document ID: EPA-R08-OW-2019-0404-0047
Agency: epa
Document Type: Notice
Title: Agency Information Collection Activities; Proposals, Submissions, and Approvals: Filter Adoption Survey
Posted Date: 2023-02-17T05:00Z

[Federal Register Volume 88, Number 33 (Friday, February 17, 2023)]
[Notices]
[Pages 10325-10330]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2023-03434]

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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[EPA-R08-OW-2019-0404; FRL-10648-01-R8]

Proposed Information Collection Request; Comment Request; Filter 
Adoption Survey Renewal

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The Environmental Protection Agency is planning to submit an 
information collection request (ICR) ``Filter Adoption Survey'' (EPA 
ICR No. 2615.02, OMB Control No. 2008-0003) to the Office of Management 
and Budget (OMB) for review and approval in accordance with the 
Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA). Before doing so, EPA is soliciting 
public comments on specific aspects of the proposed information 
collection as described below. This is a proposed extension of the ICR 
which is currently set to expire on 9/30/23. An Agency may not conduct 
or sponsor and a person is not required to respond to a collection of 
information unless it displays a currently valid OMB control number.

DATES: Comments must be submitted on or before April 18, 2023.

ADDRESSES: Submit your comments, identified by Docket ID No. EPA-R08-
OW-2019-0404, to the Federal Rulemaking Portal: https://www.regulations.gov. Follow the online instructions for submitting 
comments. Once submitted, comments cannot be edited or removed from 
www.regulations.gov. The EPA may publish any comment received to its 
public docket. Do not submit electronically any information you 
consider to be Confidential Business Information (CBI) or other 
information whose disclosure is restricted by statute. Multimedia 
submissions (audio, video, etc.) must be accompanied by a written 
comment. The written comment is considered the official comment and 
should include discussion of all points you wish to make. The EPA will 
generally not consider comments or comment contents located outside of 
the primary submission (i.e., on the web, cloud, or other file sharing 
system). For additional submission methods, the full EPA public comment 
policy, information about CBI or multimedia submissions, and general 
guidance on making effective comments, please visit www2.epa.gov/dockets/commenting-epa-dockets. Docket: All documents in the docket are 
listed in the www.regulations.gov index. Although listed in the index, 
some information is not publicly available, e.g., CBI or other 
information whose disclosure is restricted by statute. Certain other 
material, such as copyrighted material, will be publicly available only 
in hard copy. Publicly available docket materials are available either 
electronically in www.regulations.gov or in hard copy at the Air and 
Radiation Division, Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Region 8, 
1595 Wynkoop Street, Denver, Colorado 80202-1129. The EPA requests that 
if at all possible, you contact the individual listed in the FOR 
FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT section to view the hard copy of the 
docket. You may view the hard copy of the docket Monday through Friday, 
8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., excluding federal holidays.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Robert Parker, Section Chief, Drinking 
Water Section B, Water Division, 8WD-SDB, Environmental Protection 
Agency Region 8, 1595 Wynkoop Street, Denver, Colorado 80202-1129 
telephone number: (303) 312-6664; email address: [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Supporting documents which explain in detail 
the information that the EPA will be collecting are available in the 
public docket for this ICR. The docket can be viewed online at 
www.regulations.gov or in person at the EPA Docket Center, WJC West, 
Room 3334, 1301 Constitution Ave. NW, Washington, DC. The telephone 
number for the Docket Center is 202-566-1744. For additional 
information about EPA's public docket, visit https://www.epa.gov/dockets.
    Pursuant to section 3506(c)(2)(A) of the PRA, EPA is soliciting 
comments and information to enable it to: (i) evaluate whether the 
proposed collection of information is necessary for the proper 
performance of the functions of the Agency, including whether the 
information will have practical utility; (ii) evaluate the accuracy of 
the Agency's estimate of the burden of the proposed collection of 
information, including the validity of the methodology and assumptions 
used; (iii) enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the 
information to be collected; and (iv) minimize the burden of the 
collection of information on those who are to respond, including 
through the use of appropriate automated electronic, mechanical, or 
other technological collection techniques or other forms of information 
technology, e.g., permitting electronic submission of responses. EPA 
will consider the comments received and amend the ICR as appropriate. 
The final ICR package will then be submitted to OMB for review and 
approval. At that time, EPA will issue another Federal Register 
document to announce the submission of the ICR to OMB and the 
opportunity to submit additional comments to OMB.
    Abstract: Denver Water is a public water system which must comply 
with applicable requirements of the lead and copper rule (LCR). On 
September 6, 2019 Denver Water submitted to the U.S. Environmental 
Protection Agency Region 8 office a request for a variance from the 
optimal corrosion control treatment requirements under the Safe 
Drinking Water Act's LCR (2019 Variance). The request included a multi-
pronged approach to result in at least as efficient lead removal to 
orthophosphate, the designated optimal corrosion control treatment. 
Three of those prongs of the variance request are: pH and alkalinity 
adjustments to reduce corrosivity of the water; accelerated lead 
service line removal; and a filter program where Denver Water will 
distribute pitcher filters to consumers with confirmed, likely, and 
unlikely lead service lines. Under section 1415(a)(3) of the Safe 
Drinking Water Act, on December 16, 2019, the U.S. EPA granted Denver 
Water a variance from the definition of ``optimal corrosion control 
treatment'' in 40 CFR 141.2. The 2019 Variance contains requirements to 
determine the efficacy of the filter program. On November 30, 2022, EPA 
issued a new variance (Variance) because the 2019 Variance was set to 
expire in 2023. Denver Water, EPA and CDPHE agreed that a survey that 
would be conducted every two years (rather than annually) beginning in 
2025 would be sufficient to determine efficacy of the filter program. 
EPA will continue to use the 2025 survey results that Denver Water 
collects, to determine the consumer filter adoption rate, and to 
confirm whether customers are using and maintaining the filters 
correctly, and per manufacturer's instructions. Every second year, the 
filter adoption survey will be sent by Denver Water via postal mail to 
an estimated 20,000 statistically representative number of consumers 
that have confirmed, likely, and unlikely lead service lines. Surveys 
will be sent via direct mailings and will

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include an online completion option (the survey questions are included 
below). Direct mailings will be sent with a unique QR code to track 
which addresses responses have been received from. Surveys will be sent 
out in both English and Spanish. Additionally, Denver Water will 
conduct, in-person surveys at a minimum of 50 locations in use by 
customers enrolled in the filter program every six months. Information 
being collected is information on if, and how, consumers use the filter 
(e.g., for drinking, cooking, or making infant-fed formula), whether 
the customers are using and maintain the filters correctly (e.g. 
washing, replacing the filters per manufacturer's instructions), as 
well as demographic information to inform filter adoption rate by 
neighborhood or demographic group so Denver Water's health equity and 
environmental justice principles set forth in their variance request 
can be evaluated.
    Form numbers: 6700-009.
    Respondents/affected entities: 2,000 people (estimated).
    Respondent's obligation to respond: Voluntary.
    Estimated number of respondents: 2,000 (estimated).
    Frequency of response: 2025 and every second year after that.
    Total estimated burden: 423 hours.
    Total estimated cost: $33,421 in 2025.
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    Dated: February 10, 2023.
Sarah Bahrman,
Chief, Safe Drinking Water Branch.
[FR Doc. 2023-03434 Filed 2-16-23; 8:45 am]
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