Regulatory Determinations for Priority Contaminants on the Second Drinking Water Contaminant Candidate List

On this page
- October 2008 Preliminary Regulatory Determination for Perchlorate
  - Federal Register Notice and fact sheet
- The Second CCL Regulatory Determinations Schedule
- July 2008 Final Regulatory Determinations for Priority Contaminants on the second Contaminant Candidate List

The Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA), as amended in 1996, directs the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to publish a list of contaminants (referred to as the Contaminant Candidate List, or CCL) to assist in priority-setting efforts. SDWA also directs the Agency to select five or more contaminants from the current CCL and determine whether to regulate these contaminants with a National Primary Drinking Water Regulation (NPDWR).

To regulate a contaminant SDWA requires that EPA determine whether:

The contaminant may have an adverse effect on the health of persons;
The contaminant is known to occur or there is a substantial likelihood the contaminant will occur in public water systems with a frequency and at levels of public health concern; and
In the sole judgment of the Administrator, regulation of the contaminant presents a meaningful opportunity for health risk reductions for persons served by public water systems.

EPA published the second CCL (CCL 2) in 2005. In May 2007, the Agency published a Federal Register (FR) notice announcing and requesting comment on its preliminary determinations for 11 of the 51 CCL 2 contaminants. As part of this May 2007 FR notice, EPA also described the available health effects and occurrence information for perchlorate and stated that additional information was needed to more fully characterize perchlorate exposure and determine whether there was a meaningful opportunity for health risk reduction from a perchlorate regulation. In July 2008, and after careful consideration of public comments, EPA published its final determination that no regulatory action is appropriate or necessary for the following eleven contaminants: boron: the dacthal mono- and di-acid degradates: 1,1-dichloro-2,2-bis(p-chlorophenyl)ethylene (DDE): 1,3-dichloropropene (Telone): 2,4-dinitrotoluene: 2,6-dinitrotoluene: s-ethyl propylthiocarbamate (EPTC): fonofos: terbacil: or 1,1,2,2-tetrachloroethane.

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October 2008 Preliminary Regulatory Determination for Perchlorate

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency conducted extensive review of scientific data related to the health effects of exposure to perchlorate from drinking water and other sources and found that in over 99% of public drinking water systems, perchlorate was not at levels of public health concern. Therefore, based on the Safe Water Drinking Act criteria, the Agency determined there is not a “meaningful opportunity for health risk reduction” through a national drinking water regulation.

The Agency is seeking comment on its preliminary determination not to regulate perchlorate in drinking water at a national level. EPA will make a final determination for perchlorate after considering information provided in the 30-day public comment period.

While fewer than 1% of the drinking water sources have perchlorate levels above the health reference level, EPA is committed to working with states and localities to ensure public health is protected. States have the right to establish and enforce drinking water standards and EPA encourages state-specific situations to be addressed at the local level. EPA intends to issue a health advisory at the time it issues its final regulatory determination for perchlorate, to assist states with their local response.

October 10, 2008 Federal Register Notice
HTML Version | PDF Version (21pp, 391K, About PDF)
- October 17, 2008 Correction to the October 10, 2008 Federal Register Notice
  HTML Version | PDF Version (47K, About PDF)
Fact sheet PDF (2pp, 43K, About PDF)
October 2008, EPA 815-F-08-009

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The Second CCL Regulatory Determinations Schedule
Date	Regulatory Determination
September 2004	Stakeholder meeting to provide a program update and to seek input from stakeholders on contaminants being considered for regulatory determinations.
May 2007	Announcement of Preliminary Regulatory Determinations for Priority Contaminants on the Second Drinking Water Contaminant Candidate List
May - June 2007	60 day public comment period
July 2008	Announcement of Final Regulatory Determinations for Priority Contaminants on the Second Drinking Water Contaminant Candidate List

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You will need Adobe Reader to view some of the files on this page. See EPA's PDF page to learn more.

July 2008 Final Regulatory Determinations for Priority Contaminants on the second Contaminant Candidate List

1,1,2,2-tetrachloroethane

Chapter 11: 1,1,2,2-Tetrachloroethane PDF (38pp, 973K)
Health Effects Support Document for 1,1,2,2-Tetrachloroethane PDF (144pp, 3M)
EPA 822-R-08-007
Health Advisory for 1,1,2,2-Tetrachloroethane PDF (50pp, 270K)
EPA 822-R-08-012
- Summary From the Health Advisory for 1,1,2,2-Tetrachloroethane PDF (50pp, 24K)
  EPA 822-S-08-001

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Regulatory Determinations for Priority Contaminants on the Second Drinking Water Contaminant Candidate List

October 2008 Preliminary Regulatory Determination for Perchlorate

July 2008 Final Regulatory Determinations for Priority Contaminants on the second Contaminant Candidate List

Federal Register Notices

Support Documents for Regulatory Determinations Notice

Boron

Dacthal mono- and di-acid degradates

DDE (1,1-dichloro-2,2-bis(p-chlorophenyl)ethylene)

Telone (1,3-dichloropropene)

2,4-dinitrotoluene, 2,6-dinitrotoluene

EPTC (s-ethyl propylthiocarbamate)

Fonofos

Terbacil

1,1,2,2-tetrachloroethane

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