EPA Proposes Stringent New Rules for Drinking Water Systems - Draft Policy and BMP Requirements - January 30, 1978

Oct 13, 2026

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EPA outlines a draft enforcement and program approach requiring water agencies to use BMPs to curb nonpoint pollution in drinking-water systems. The memo directs regional offices to evaluate sediment runoff potential, schedule construction to limit adverse impacts, and include erosion controls in operating manuals. It specifies carbon treatment targets for filtering synthetic organic substances, proposes trihalomethane standards for large systems, and estimates capital and operating costs. Draft guidance also emphasizes site-specific BMP selection, periodic assessment, and regulatory implementation.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryHealthcare

FormatPDF

Pages11

Reading Time28 min

AccessFree to download

EPA Proposes Stringent New Rules for Drinking Water Systems

Water agencies must use BMPs to curb nonpoint pollution

Carbon treatment and drinking water standards

Cost estimates and implementation guidance

Vol.16 No.5 January 30,1978 IN DRAFT PROPOSALS CIRCULATED for internal review last December,EPA had also proposedmodifying the offset policy to exempt an increased number of coal converting facilities from offsetrequirements,but Berry said EPA will probably drop this idea.He added EPA may also proposeterminating the interpretative ruling after June 1979,and issue other guidance or rules to cover non-attainment regions after that time.Berry said the formal proposals should be made by the end ofFebruary. IN FEBRUARY,EPA IS ALSO expected to issue its“final”enforcement strategy for major violatingfacilities.In the most recent memo on the subject,EPA Assistant Administrator Marvin Durning in-formed regional administrators that EPA will not issue delayed compliance orders to sources “whichare appropriate candidates for civil penalties because of their past conduct,the seriousness of theirviolation,or other relevant factors.”EPA disapproval of state orders would be limited to criteriacontained in the Clean Air Act,but EPA could seek civil penalties for violations prior to state issu-ance of a DCO. PRESIDENT CARTER HAS PROPOSED eliminating the tax exempt status of newly issued pollutioncontrol bonds used to finance private abatement facilities.Carter said his proposal,part of his taxreform package,would save the Treasury $385-million in FY 1979.As a substitute to encouragepollution control spending,Carter recommended the full 10%investment tax credit be permitted forpollution control facilities if they are amortized over five years.Carter's proposal met immediatecriticism from Gov.John Milliken of Michigan.Speaking on behalf of the nation's governors,Milli-ken said elimination of the tax exemption would make financing more difficult. *Water Agencies Must Use BMPs To Curb Nonpoint Pollution,EPA Says … ……Page 42 *EPA Proposes Stringent New Drinking Water Rules-- … … …Page 42 *Carter Proposes Record Budget for Environmental Protection-… … …Page 43 *DOE To Become Lead Agency for Scrubber Research Under OMB Plan ……Page 45 SLANTS &TRENDS EPA APPEARS READY TO PROPOSE tightening its existing emissions offset policy established throughan interpretative ruling(A/WPR,Dec.27,1976,p.511).The policy applies to stationary sourceswith “potential”emissions of 100 or more tons per year of any pollutant,but EPA plans to proposedefining “potential”to mean the expected emission rate without control equipment,except where theequipment is needed for production purposes.This would increase the number of sources subject tothe policy.EPA's Kent Berry said last week that the agency would probably propose this definition of“potential”to bring it into line with the definition proposed for PSD areas(A/WPR,Nov.7,1977,p.443),but that EPA might change the“potential”definition for both areas after proposal. REPRESENTATIVES OF STATES,cities and counties also seemed less than thrilled last week at the“joint”EPA/DOT transportation planning process in nonattainment areas(A/WPR,Jan.23,1978,p.31).EPA Assistant Administrator David Hawkins said at a budget briefing,however,that EPA might seekadditional funds later this year to make the program more effective.Despite the seeming budgetary"tilt"towards EPA's Office of Mobile Source Enforcement in the ongoing “enforcement vs.certifica-tion”controversy(see p.43 and A/WPR,Dec.26,1977,p.513),an EPA spokesman said no decisionhas been made about consolidation. # EPA PROPOSES STRINGENT NEW RULESFOR DRINKING WATER SYSTEMS WATER AGENCIES MUST USE BMPs TO CURBNONPOINT POLLUTION,SAYS EPA DRAFT A memo to regional offices outlining program requirements says facility plans should evaluatethe potential of a project for sediment runoff and specify corrective measures.During the designphase,construction should be scheduled to minimize adverse impacts.Plans and specifications shouldbe provided for erosion control structures and control measures should be written in

FAQs

What drinking water standard does the draft propose for large systems?

The draft proposes a drinking water standard of 0.1 milligram per liter for the trihalomethane family or organic substances for large systems.

Oct 13, 2026

Upload by Kyle