[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 94 (Friday, May 15, 1998)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 27020-27021]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-13025]
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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
40 CFR Parts 141 and 142
[FRL-6014-2]
National Primary Drinking Water Regulations: Consumer Confidence
Reports
AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
ACTION: Notice of data availability; request for comments.
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SUMMARY: In February 1998, EPA proposed the Consumer Confidence Report
rule (62 FR 7606, Feb. 13, 1998). To test certain language that this
rule would mandate, EPA convened focus group sessions. These groups of
consumers provided comments on proposed definitions of regulatory terms
and health effects language, as well as general comments on the
consumer confidence reports. EPA will consider the input of the focus
groups when making decisions regarding the final rule. The report of
the focus group moderator, transcripts of the sessions, and supporting
documents are available for review. EPA requests comments on the
results of the focus group study.
DATES: Comments must be post-marked by midnight June 15, 1998.
ADDRESSES: Send written comments to CCR Docket Clerk (W-97-18); Water
Docket (MC-4101); U.S. Environmental Protection Agency; 401 M Street,
SW; Washington, DC 20460. Submit electronic comments to docket@epamail.epa.gov.
Please submit an original and three copies of your comments and
enclosures
[[Page 27021]]
(including references). Electronic comments must be submitted as a Word
Perfect 5.1 or 6.1 file, or as an ASCII file avoiding the use of
special characters. Comments will also be accepted on disks in
WordPerfect 5.1 or 6.1, or ASCII file format. Electronic comments on
this Notice may be filed online at many Federal Depository Libraries.
Commenters who want EPA to acknowledge receipt of their comments should
include a self-addressed, stamped envelope. No facsimiles (faxes) will
be accepted.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: The Safe Drinking Water Hotline (800-
426-4791) for general information about the proposed rule. The Safe
Drinking Water Hotline is open Monday through Friday, excluding Federal
holidays, from 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Eastern Time. For technical
inquiries, contact Francoise M. Brasier (202-260-5668) or Rob Allison
(202-260-9836).
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Consumer Confidence Report rule would
require community water systems to mail to each of their customers an
annual report on local drinking water quality. The report would include
such information as the source of local drinking water, the levels of
any contaminants detected in water delivered to consumers, violations
of drinking water regulations, and other information about local water
quality. The proposed rule sets few requirements for the format of the
reports, thereby allowing water suppliers to tailor their reports
around the information that they must present.
EPA proposed several brief definitions of regulatory terms (e.g.,
``maximum contaminant level'') that systems would have to include in
their reports. EPA also proposed brief health effects language for each
regulated contaminant. Water systems would have to include this
language in their reports whenever they detected a regulated
contaminant in excess of its legal limit. In the proposal's preamble,
EPA discussed options for both sets of language and requested comment
on which language would be most useful to consumers.
Availability of Data
The data to which this Notice refers is available for inspection
from 9 to 4 p.m. (Eastern Time), Monday through Friday, excluding legal
holidays, at the Water Docket, U.S. EPA Headquarters, 401 M. St., SW,
East Tower Basement, Washington, DC 20460. Please call 202-260-3027 to
schedule an appointment and refer to W-97-18. The Focus Group Report is
also available on the Internet at www.epa.gov/safewater/ccr/focus.html.
Regulated persons. Potentially regulated persons are community
water systems.
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Category Example of regulated entities
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Publicly-owned CWSs.................... Municipalities; County
Governments; Water districts;
Water and Sewer Authorities.
Privately-owned CWSs................... Private water utilities;
homeowners associations.
Ancillary CWSs......................... Persons who deliver drinking
water as an adjunct to their
primary business (e.g. trailer
parks, retirement homes).
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Dated: May 8, 1998.
Robert Perciasepe,
Assistant Administrator.
[FR Doc. 98-13025 Filed 5-14-98; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560-50-P
