New Rule = Healthier Drinking Water

By Lynn Thorp, National Campaigns Director

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Yesterday's announcement by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) that it has finalized revision of the "Total Coliform Rule" is probably not going to grab a lot of headlines. But, it is significant in a number of ways. First, this revised rule takes an innovative approach to an old problem - how to keep pathogens (bacteria, for example) out of the drinking water delivered by Public Water Systems regulated under the Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA).  What's more, the details of this innovative approach were worked out by a diverse group of stakeholders who all came to agreement about the recommendations. Many of them are applauding EPA's announcement together. "Coliform" may sound like something bad, but the coliforms that we monitor in drinking water systems are just an indicator that there might be a pathway for contamination to enter the system. When EPA decided that the decades-old "Total Coliform Rule" needed to be revised, a Federal Advisory Committee was set up and a diverse group of stakeholders got to work. The group spent a lot of time figuring out how to modernize this rule, which is meant to catch problems and make sure treatment and distribution systems are working properly. After meeting for two days each month for 13 months, hearing from top drinking water experts and reviewing tons of data, the Committee was agreed on a detailed set of recommendations to EPA which are reflected in the rule revision announced yesterday.  The new program makes improvements by taking a "find and fix" approach to potential pathways for contamination by pathogens.  Public Water Systems and regulators will be looking even more closely at situations that might cause a problem and will take action to address those problems.  This may already happen all the time  at a modern drinking water treatment plant, but the rule codifies the common sense approach of spotting problems early and fixing them before there is a risk to public health. Clean Water Action was proud to participate in a process that led to an innovative new approach and that was agreed to by such a diverse set of people.  That's why we worked with colleagues at the Natural Resources Defense Council, the American Water Works Association, the Association of Metropolitan Water Agencies, the National Association of Water Companies and the National Rural Water Association to issue a joint press release today.