SWEP Meeting Chapter 109 Update

November 5, 2015

Chapter 109

• Original PA Safe Drinking Water Act: 1984

• Chapter 109 is the state regulation for Safe Drinking Water.

Chapter 109 Updates

• Earlier this year, a Revised Total Coliform Rule (RTCR) package made it through the regulation development process to the Environmental Quality Board (EQB)

Regulation Development Process

PROPOSED REGULATION

Request to Begin Reg Development

Prepare Draft Proposed Reg

Discuss Draft Proposed Reg with Policy &

Legal Counsel

Advisory Committee Review

Internal Review Draft Proposed Reg Presented to EQB

OGC, AG & Budget Office

Review

Legislative, IRRC &

LRB Review

Proposed Reg Published in PA

Bulletin

PUBLIC COMMENT

PERIOD

EQB: 20 Members • 11 Members from the Commonwealth

• e.g. Secretary of Health, Secretary of Ag

• 5 Members: Citizens Advisory Council • 4 Members: General Assembly

• e.g. Speaker of House of Representatives, House minority leader

EQB Meeting Split

• Revised Total Coliform Rule revisions split from all other revisions at April 21, 2015 EQB meeting

RTCR 109 Package

RTCR

Other Ch. 109

Revisions

• Revised Total Coliform Rule components allowed to proceed through reg process

Chapter 109 RTCR Package Split

• With a regulation update, frequently other updates are included

• The package included a new proposed minimum chlorine residual Currently, systems must

have a “detectable” residual

Industry wanted more time to consider and give input on a new minimum residual (TAC)

Disinfection Residual

Chapter 109 General Updates

• Disinfection revisions split from remaining Chapter 109 updates at the April 30, 2015 TAC Board meeting

RTCR 109 Package

RTCR

Other 109 Revisions

Disinfection Residual Package

• Disinfection Residual revisions taken back to Advisory Committee (TAC) in June

• Revisions were to be presented to EQB in October 2015 (Cancelled because of impasse)

– Will be brought to EQB within one month after budget passes

• Public comment period follows

RTCR

Other 109 Revisions

Disinfection Residual

Chapter 109 General Updates

• General Update Part 3 tentative plan to bring to TAC at December 17, 2015 meeting

• Plans for bringing to EQB are unknown

• Updates for filter plants – membranes; new source sampling

RTCR

Other 109 Revisions

Disinfection Residual

Revised Total Coliform Rule

• Approved at EQB meeting April 21, 2015 (as part of split)

• Draft Reg. Published in the Pa Bulletin October 3, 2015

• 60 Day Public Comment Period

– 2 public hearings first week of November

RTCR

Other 109 Revisions

Disinfection Residual

Revised Total Coliform Rule

• Expected final publication date September 2016

Regulation Development Process

Prepare Draft Final Reg

Advisory Committee Review

Internal Review

OGC, AG & Budget Offices Review

Draft Final Reg Presented to EQB

Legislative, IRRC, & LRB Review

IRRC Public Meeting

AG Review Final Reg

Published in PA Bulletin

FINAL REGULATION

Total Coliform Rule

East town

Monitor for coliforms Monitor distribution for coliforms

Coliforms: Indicator Organisms

14

Total Coliforms

Coliforms are widespread in nature: • Digestive tracts of warm-

blooded animals • Plant and soil material

Most coliform bacteria are not harmful. But, in a water system they indicate that there is a pathway of microbial contamination

protozoa

Indicator organism

RTCR – Main elements

• Coliform sample siting plans – all public water systems – Submit to DEP by 4/1/16 (based on a Federal Requirement)

RTCR: Assessments – “Find and Fix”

16

Possible microbial contamination

based on routine monitoring

Level 1 and Level 2 Assessments

Triggers assessment

• Characteristics make them prone to contamination

– Dewatered/Depressurized

– Or, stagnant water

• DEP-approved seasonal start-up plan

RTCR: Seasonal Systems

17

Source: dantri.com.vn

Early Implementation

RTCR Training Timeline

18

Federal RTCR

4/1/2016

Various Industry Conferences DCNR: June 2015 Staff Training: July-September Water Supplier: September 2015-Early 2016

RTCR Training Timeline

Federal RTCR

4/1/2016

Website

Check Pa DEP RTCR Website for more information and training schedule

www.depweb.state.pa.us

• A-Z “Water”

• Regulations

• RTCR

Upcoming

• Long Term-Lead and Copper Revisions

Bill McNamara, Supervisor, Training Section Bureau of Safe Drinking Water 717-705-6350 wmcnamara@pa.gov Dawn Hissner, Supervisor Operations Section (717) 772-2189 dhissner@pa.gov