3745-81-50 Revised total coliform rule - general monitoring requirements.  

  • Text Box: ACTION: Original Text Box: DATE: 01/15/2016 1:19 PM

     

     

     

     

    BEFORE THE

    OHIO ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

     

    January 15, 2016

    Public Notice: Proposed Rulemaking to Adopt U.S. EPA's Revised Total Coliform Rule.

     

    Notice is hereby given that the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency, Division of Drinking and Ground Waters (DDAGW) proposed new and amended rules in Chapters 3745-81 and 3745-96 of the Ohio Administrative Code (OAC). The proposed new rules and amendments are, in part, a result of the five-year rule review requirements of the Section 106.03 of the Revised Code.

    However, the rules have been drafted primarily to adopt U.S. EPA's Revised Total Coliform Rule.

     

    The new and amended content of these rules will adopt relevant portions of U.S. EPA's Revised Total Coliform Rule (RTCR) under the Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA), which will become effective on April 1, 2016. Adoption of regulations at least as stringent as the Federal rule is required for Ohio EPA to maintain primary enforcement authority for the SDWA. The RTCR is a major update to the existing framework for ensuring the microbiological safety of public drinking water supplies. It applies to every public water system and has the overall goal of improving public health protection by reducing fecal pathogens to minimal levels through a combination of strategies. Regular monitoring for total coliform will remain the primary means of warning of possible microbiological contamination. However, the rule changes will require public water systems to investigate conditions at systems more rapidly than in the past to look for and eliminate sources of contamination.

     

    Additional revisions to the rules include the following:

             Added a definition for a limited scope site visit (LSSV).

             Added clarifications to ensure seasonal systems triggered into monthly monitoring will remain on this schedule until a special monitoring evaluation can take place.

             Addressed consecutive surface water systems and routine monitoring, allowing these types of systems to monitor in accordance with the federal counterpart which is less stringent than what Ohio has traditionally required.

             Clarified in rule that public water systems are required to respond to written correspondence indicating the requirement to do so (e.g., an LSSV).

             Addressed several cross reference and typographical errors.

             Added clarification recommended by U.S. EPA.

     

     

     

     

     

     

    A public hearing pursuant to §106.03 of the Ohio Revised Code will be conducted on February 18, 2016, beginning at 1:30 p.m. in Conference Room A at the Ohio EPA, Lazarus Government Center, 50 West Town Street, Columbus, Ohio. All interested persons are entitled to attend or be represented and give their written or oral comments on this proposed rulemaking. A presiding officer will be present until all interested persons have been heard.

    To facilitate scheduling of oral presentations, persons intending to give testimony at the hearing should ensure that Ohio EPA receives notice of such intent by February 17, 2016, 5:00

    p.m. Persons who provide Ohio EPA with prior notice will be heard ahead of persons who register at the hearing. Oral testimony may be limited to five minutes depending on the number of persons testifying. All interested persons are entitled to attend or be represented and to present oral and/or written comments concerning the proposed rulemaking. All visitors to Ohio EPA must register at the Security desk in the lobby upon arrival. Please bring photo identification (such as a valid driver's license). For security reasons, visitors are required to wear their badge at all times while in the building. Please arrive early to complete these procedures. To provide notice of intent to give oral comments at the public hearing, contact Susan Kramer by mail at Ohio EPA, DDAGW, Lazarus Government Center, 50 West Town Street, Suite 700, Columbus, Ohio 43215, or by phone at (614) 644-2752.

    In order to ensure that written comments are considered as part of the official record of this hearing, written comments must be received by Ohio EPA by the close of business February 18, 2016. Written comments on the proposed rules may be given to the presiding officer during the hearing, sent by mail to Susan Kramer at the address above, or sent by email to the following address ddagw_rulecomments@epa.ohio.gov. All testimony received at the hearing or by the close of business on February 18, 2016, will be considered by Ohio EPA prior to final action on this rulemaking proposal.

    To obtain a copy of the proposed rules or for questions about this rules package, contact Susan Kramer at Ohio EPA at (614) 644-2752 or email at Susan.Kramer@epa.ohio.gov. Please request the "RTCR" and be sure to include your name, telephone number and complete mailing address. There is no charge for proposed rules. The proposed rules will be available on the Agency webpage until their adoption or withdrawal. They can be found at  http://epa.ohio.gov/ddagw/rules.aspx on the "Proposed Rules" tab.