Agency Schedules Meetings on Revised Total Coliform Rule

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is holding four public information meetings to provide information on the proposed revisions to the Total Coliform Rule (TCR).

The proposed revisions will require public water systems that are vulnerable to microbial contamination to identify and fix problems, and establish criteria for systems to qualify for and stay on reduced monitoring, thereby providing incentives for improved water system operation.

The proposed revisions are contained in the proposed Revised Total Coliform Rule (RTCR) which was published in the Federal Register on July 14 (pdf). During the public meetings, the agency will discuss the major provisions of the current TCR, the history of the development of the proposed RTCR, the core elements of the RTCR, the comparison between the two rules, and specific areas where EPA is requesting comment.

Additional topics include the cost and benefit information of the proposed rule and the planned guidance manuals that will be developed to support implementation of the final rule.

The first public meeting will be held on Aug. 3, from 8:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Eastern Time (EDT), at the EPA East Building, Room 1153, 1201 Constitution Ave. NW, Washington, DC 20460. To register, contact Cesar Cordero at 202.564.3716.

A meeting also will be held from 8:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Central Time on Aug. 6 at EPA's Region 5 headquarters in Chicago. For more information, contact Sean Conley or call him at 202.564.1781.

A third meeting is planned for 8:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. on Aug. 20 at EPA's Region 9 headquarters in San Francisco. To register for this meeting, contact Cesar Cordero.