National primary drinking water regulations: Long Term 1 Enhanced Surface Water Treatment Rule. Final rule

Abstract

In this document, EPA is finalizing the Long Term 1 Enhanced Surface Water Treatment Rule (LT1ESWTR). The purposes of the LT1ESWTR are to improve control of microbial pathogens, specifically the protozoan Cryptosporidium, in drinking water and address risk trade- offs with disinfection byproducts. The rule will require systems to meet strengthened filtration requirements as well as to calculate levels of microbial inactivation to ensure that microbial protection is not jeopardized if systems make changes to comply with disinfection requirements of the Stage 1 Disinfection and Disinfection Byproducts Rule (DBPR). The LT1ESWTR applies to public water systems that use surface water or ground water under the direct influence of surface water and serve fewer than 10,000 persons. The LT1ESWTR builds upon the framework established for systems serving a population of 10,000 or more in the Interim Enhanced Surface Water Treatment Rule (IESWTR). This rule was proposed in combination with the Filter Backwash Recycling Rule (FBRR) in April 2000.