M/DBP Stakeholder
Meeting: Information Collection Rule Data AnalysisM/DBP Stakeholder Meeting:
Information Collection Rule Data Analysis - February 19, 1998
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
M/DBP Stakeholder Meeting:
Information Collection Rule Data Analysis
February 19, 1998
In support of the Information Collection Rule (ICR) (61 FR 24354) EPA
held a stakeholder meeting on February 19, 1998, in Washington DC. The
ICR data will be evaluated in the context of the information needed for
evaluating the potential impacts from the Stage 2 Disinfectants/ Disinfection
Byproduct Rule (D/DBPR) and the Long Term 2 Enhanced Surface Water Treatment
Rule (LT2ESWTR). The objectives of the meeting were to update stakeholders
on the ICR data analysis database strategy technical work groups (TWGs)
activity, progress, and challenges and to receive stakeholder feedback.
The TWGs had been charged with identifying questions pertinent to ICR
data analysis that cover the range of analytical issues anticipated needing
to be addressed and identifying data elements and associated formats (e.g.
spreadsheet configuration needed) to answer these questions.
Background
The ICR was promulgated on May 14, 1996 and was intended to provide EPA
with information on the occurrence in drinking water of disinfection by-products
(DBPs) and pathogens as well as information on current treatment practices.
The primary goal of the ICR is to fill data gaps identified during the
regulatory negotiation process for the Stage 1 D/DBPR and Interim ESWTR.
The ICR data will specifically support the development of the Stage 2
D/DBPR and the LT2ESWTR.
The ICR requires all systems serving at least 100,000 people and ground
water systems serving at least 50,000 people to collect information on
the occurrence of DBPs and microbial pathogens in drinking water and treatment
information depending upon size and type of source water used. Additionally,
depending upon water quality conditions, systems are required to conduct
bench- and pilot-scale treatment studies to determine the effectiveness
of granular activated carbon (GAC) and membranes for reducing DBP precursors
(naturally occurring compounds that react with disinfectants to form DBPs).
Utilities began collecting ICR data in July 1997. The first six months
of QA/QC'ed data will be available in December 1998. The full 18 months
of QA/QC'ed data will be available in December 1999. The ICR treatment
study data will likely be available August 1999. The final Stage 2 D/DBPR
and the LT2ESWTR will be promulgated in May 2002.
Three TWGs were created to develop a database strategy for analyzing
the ICR data: microbial, DBPs, and modeling, with a steering committee
consisting of a subset of these TWGs. Each group consists of interested
stakeholders, EPA staff, and computer specialists. The microbial and DBP
TWGs worked in parallel with intermittent plenary sessions while the modeling
TWG reported to both groups.
Summary
EPA provided an update on the status of several M/DBP related issues.
These included a Lab Spiking study which will be used to determine if
an adjustment factor is appropriate for the ICR protozoan method. ICR
Supplemental Surveys will cover 40 plants each of large, medium, and small
systems and will monitor source water variables to determine how source
waters differ between different system sizes. These surveys will compare
Method 1622 to the ICR IFA method for protozoa. A future stakeholder meeting
on spiking and supplemental surveys was discussed. EPA also proposed providing
utility verification reports with cautionary language in response to anticipated
FOIA requests. EPA discussed the planned internet release of validated
aggregated data for the general public which will also include cautionary
language. A future stakeholder meeting on public access was discussed.
EPA also provided an update on the Cryptosporidium CT Workshop that took
place in January. The objective of this workshop was to discuss Crypto
inactivation and determine a common frame of reference for the variety
of existing studies.
In the current schedule for M/DBP activities, negotiations for Stage
2 D/DBP and LT2ESWTR are scheduled to begin in April 1999. EPA proposed
scheduling a FACA stakeholder meeting in December 1998 to charge a TWG
with technical questions, including ICR data analysis that need to be
answered before April 1999.
The DBP and microbial TWGs were charged with developing a database strategy
for analyzing the ICR data. The TWGs first developed lists of Stage 2
DBP and LT2ESWTR questions that the ICR data will be used to answer. These
included questions for both vertical (across all plants or a subset of
plants) and horizontal (individual through plant) analyses. Each group
then determined which data elements from the ICR database are needed to
answer these questions.
The microbial TWG approached the problem by first consolidating questions
for ICR analysis, then identifying data elements and relationships for
these questions. Finally, they evaluated the completeness and suitability
of these for detailed questions. The microbial TWG presented horizontal
organizational requirements needed to analyze treatment issues. The TWG
proposed a Global Template of Facility Layout as a means of organizing
multiple plant horizontal analyses.
The DBP TWG first created an extensive list of broad and detailed questions
for ICR analysis. The TWG then created sets of related data elements needed
to answer these questions. The TWG created a matrix of the questions and
data element sets to assign sets to specific questions. It was determined
that horizontal analyses would require a general way of organizing multiple
plant analyses such as the microbial group presented. The DBP group also
identified top priority data analysis issues.
The goal of the modeling TWG is to have a working version of the revised
Water Treatment Plant (WTP) Simulation program by September 1998. This
WTP model will be used to evaluated simultaneous compliance with Stage
2 DBPR and LT2ESWTR. The current model, which was used during the regulatory
negotiations for the Stage 1 DBPR and the Interim ESWTR, has a number
of limitations which the modeling group will improve. The modeling group
presented a standard form which will be used to propose model updates.
Comments on these proposals will be taken by the TWG.
Stakeholders felt that they could not respond immediately to the progress
of the TWGs because of the amount of information presented. Comments for
the JRP process must be received by March 15, 1998. Stakeholders were
also concerned about developing a plan to integrate the ICR data with
data from the ICR treatment studies, ICR supplemental surveys, the mini
ICR, research, etc.
A presentation on the ICR treatment studies provided an update on the
status of these studies and a request for volunteers for a TWG to assist
with the development of a data analysis plan. Those interested should
contact Steve Allgeier at: allgeier.steve@epamail.epa.gov.
EPA presented data analytic approaches for dealing with non detects (focusing
on protozoan monitoring data). EPA stressed the importance of stakeholder
involvement in determining how non-detects will be handled.
Next Steps
This stakeholder meeting and preceding TWG meetings were in preparation
for the first joint requirements planning (JRP) meeting on ICR data retrieval
and analysis, February 20, 1998. Another JRP will be held April 14-16,
leading to a JAD meeting in May. Development of the database extraction
software will begin in June. The projected date for a complete extraction
program is in September 1998.
|
