Regulations 101

As the number of drinking water regulations has grown, EPA, states, and other organizations have committed to providing technical, managerial, and financial assistance to help your water system provide safe, high-quality drinking water.

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Essential Resources

The following resources provide important background information on how the Safe Drinking Water Act applies to small water systems, the most critical steps in protecting your water supply against contamination, and how to comply with your monitoring requirements.

Visit EPA’s Compliance Help page for more information on reviewing and selecting compliance options.

Small Systems Guide to Safe Drinking Water Act Regulations: The First STEP to Providing Safe and Reliable Drinking Water (PDF) (35 pp, 3.1MB)
(EPA 816-R-03-017, September 2003) A summary of SDWA regulations and how they apply to water systems like yours.
Interactive Drinking Water Sampling Guide (CD-ROM)
Comprehensive monitoring information, including regulatory requirements, proper sampling procedures, tips for shipping samples, and more. The Guide also includes a list of regulated drinking water contaminants and real-world examples of water systems that responded effectively to contamination.
Rule Wizard
A tool that helps determine federal monitoring requirements based on system and source water type, population served, and treatment.
Multiple Barrier Approach to Public Health Protection (PDF) (2 pp, 348K)
(EPA 816-K-06-005, September 2006) Learn how implementing barriers against contamination from source to tap can save money, extend the useful life of infrastructure, build relationships with customers and local decisionmakers, and protect public health.
Safe Drinking Water Tools
A one-stop CD-ROM resource containing the most important publications on drinking water issues.

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Regulations

Use the links below to access additional publications and other key information on the regulations that may apply to your water system. Note that your water system may not be required to comply with all of the regulations below, or may be subject to additional requirements.

Ground Water Rule (GWR) (October 11, 2006)
Ground Water Rule specifies the appropriate use of disinfection while addressing other components of ground water systems to ensure public health protection.

Complying with the Ground Water Rule: Small Entity Compliance Guide (PDF) (49 pp, 1.5MB)
(EPA 815-R-07-018, July 2007) Monitoring requirements, system responsibilities in responding to contamination and sanitary survey findings, and compliance and funding options.

Long Term 2 Enhanced Surface Water Treatment Rule (LT2) (December 15, 2005)
LT2 rule is to reduce illness linked with the contaminant Cryptosporidium and other disease-causing microorganisms in drinking water.

Complying with the Long Term 2 Enhanced Surface Water Treatment Rule: Small Entity Compliance Guide (PDF) (46 pp, 661K)
(EPA 815-R-07-015, February 2007) A guide to source water and Cryptosporidium monitoring requirements and how they apply to small systems, information on source water protection, and more.

Stage 2 Disinfectants and Disinfection Byproducts Rule (Stage 2 DBP) (December 15, 2005)
Stage 2 DBP rule builds upon earlier rules that addressed disinfection byproducts to improve your drinking water quality and provide additional public health protection from disinfection byproducts.

Complying with the Stage 2 Disinfectants and Disinfection Byproducts Rule: Small Entity Compliance Guide (PDF) (57 pp, 514K)
(EPA 815-R-07-014, February 2007) Rule requirements and how they relate to other regulations, step-by-step instructions for identifying compliance problems, and options for achieving compliance.

Long Term 1 Enhanced Surface Water Treatment Rule (LT1) (January 14, 2002)
The Long Term 1 Enhanced Surface Water Treatment Rule strengthens control of microbial contaminants, particularly Cryptosporidium, for small systems—those systems serving fewer than 10,000 people. It is the smaller system counterpart of the Interim Enhanced Surface Water Treatment Rule.

SWTR/LT1 Monitoring Requirement Placards
- Systems Serving Less than 10,000 People Using Conventional or Direct Filtration (PDF) (1 pg, 40K)
  (EPA 816-F-08-001, January 2008)
- Systems Serving Less Than 10,000 People Using Slow Sand, Diatomaceous Earth, or Alternative Filtration (PDF) (1 pg, 40K)
  (EPA 816-F-08-002, January 2008)
- Unfiltered Systems Serving Less than 10,000 people (PDF) (1 pg, 41K)
  (EPA 816-F-08-003, January 2008)

Arsenic Rule (January 22, 2001)
Establishes revised monitoring and reporting requirements and limits for arsenic in community and noncommunity water supplies.

Arsenic and Clarifications to Compliance and New Source Monitoring Rule: A Quick Reference Guide (PDF) (2 pp, 108K)
(EPA 816-F-01-004, January 2001) A summary of the impact of the changes implemented under the Rule, monitoring and reporting requirements, and key compliance deadlines.
Complying With the Revised Drinking Water Standard for Arsenic: Small Entity Compliance Guide - STEP Guide Series (PDF) (58 pp, 291K)
(EPA 816-R-02-008A, August 2002) Information on how the Arsenic Rule applies to your system, affordable non-treatment and treatment options for compliance, and treatment residual considerations.
Arsenic Virtual Trade Show
In-depth information on treatment technologies, compliance options and identifying and choosing a treatment vendor.

Lead and Copper Rule (June 7, 1991)
Establishes monitoring and reporting requirements and limits for lead and copper in community and noncommunity water system supplies.

Lead and Copper Rule: A Quick Reference Guide (PDF) (2 pp, 396K)
(EPA 816-F-04-009, March 2004) Summary of monitoring and reporting requirements, including necessary follow-up steps after an action level exceedance.

Radionuclides Rule (December 7, 2000)
Establishes monitoring and reporting requirements and limits for radioactive contaminants in community water system supplies.

Radionuclides Rule: A Quick Reference Guide (PDF) (2 pp, 113K)
(EPA 816-F-01-003, June 2001) A summary of monitoring and reporting requirements and key compliance deadlines.
Radionuclides in Drinking Water: A Small Entity Compliance Guide (PDF) (33 pp, 325K)
(EPA 816-R-02-001, February 2002) An overview of radiation in drinking water, the Rule requirements, and compliance calculations and options.

Public Notification Rule (May 4, 2000)
Sets requirements for the form, manner, and timing of public notice required under drinking water regulations.

The Public Notification Rule: Quick Reference Guide (PDF) (4 pp, 24K)
(EPA 816-F-00-023, May 2000) An overview of requirements for all levels of public notice and sample document.

Stage 1 Disinfectants and Disinfection Byproducts Rule (Stage 1 DBP) (December 16, 1998)
The Stage 1 Disinfectants and Disinfection Byproducts Rule reduces exposure to disinfection byproducts for customers of community water systems and non-transient non-community systems, including those serving fewer than 10,000 people, that add a disinfectant to the drinking water during any part of the treatment process.

Complying With the Stage 1 Disinfectants and Disinfection Byproducts Rule: Basic Guide (PDF) (77 pp, 6.1MB)
(EPA 816-B-05-004, March 2006) An introduction to sampling requirements for all systems subject to the Stage 1 DBPR, example compliance calculations, tracking worksheets and compliance options.
- Supplement A (PDF) (74 pp, 2.2MB)
  (EPA 816-B-05-005, March 2006) Additional requirements and worksheets for systems that use chlorine dioxide or ozone.
- Supplement B (PDF) (52 pp, 1.9MB)
  (EPA 816-B-05-006, March 2006) Additional requirements and worksheets for systems that use conventional filtration.

Consumer Confidence Report Rule (August 19, 1998)
Sets requirements for community water systems to develop and distribute annual water quality reports to all consumers.

Consumer Confidence Report Rule: A Quick Reference Guide (PDF) (2 pp, 580K)
(EPA 816-F-02-026, November 2002) A summary of the requirements and benefits of the CCR Rule.

Phase II/V Rules (1991/1992)
Establish monitoring and reporting requirements and limits for inorganic, volatile organic, and synthetic organic contaminants in community and noncommunity water supplies.

Nitrate Monitoring Requirement Placards:
- Community and Noncommunity Water Systems (PDF) (1 pg, 463K)
  (EPA 816-F-08-008, January 2008)
Standardized Monitoring Framework: A Quick Reference Guide (PDF) (3 pp, 119K)
(EPA 816-F-04-010, March 2004)

Surface Water Treatment Rule (SWT) (June 28, 1989)
The Surface Water Treatment Rule seeks to prevent waterborne diseases caused by viruses, Legionella, and Giardia lamblia. These disease-causing microbes are present at varying concentrations in most surface waters. The rule requires that water systems filter and disinfect water from surface water sources to reduce the occurrence of unsafe levels of these microbes.

Total Coliform Rule (June 29, 1989)
Establishes monitoring and reporting requirements and limits for the presence of total coliforms in all public water supplies.

Total Coliform Rule: A Quick Reference Guide (PDF) (2 pp, 114K)
(EPA 816-F-01-035, September 2001) An overview of the rule and its provisions.
A Small Systems Guide to the Total Coliform Rule (PDF) (64 pp, 5.6MB)
(EPA 816-R-01-017A, June 2001) Monitoring requirements for community water systems, the Rule’s importance in protecting public health, and worksheets for tracking and recording monitoring results.
Total Coliform Rule: A Handbook for Small Noncommunity Water Systems serving less than 3,300 persons: One of the Simple Tools for Effective Performance (STEP) Guide Series (PDF) (52 pp, 643K)
(EPA 816-B-06-001, July 2006) Monitoring requirements for noncommunity water systems, the Rule’s importance in protecting public health, and worksheets for tracking and recording monitoring results.
Monitoring Requirement Placards
- Community Water Systems Serving 1,001 - 10,000 People (PDF) (1 pg, 54K)
  (EPA 816-F-08-004, January 2008)
- Community Water Systems Serving 25 - 1,000 People (PDF) (1 pg, 53K)
  (EPA 816-F-08-005, January 2008)
- Noncommunity Water Systems Serving 1,001 - 10,000 People (PDF) (1 pg, 55K)
  (EPA 816-F-08-006, January 2008)
- Noncommunity Water Systems Serving 25 - 1,000 People (PDF) (1 pg, 53K)
  (EPA 816-F-08-007, January 2008)

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Training

Visit EPA’s Drinking Water Academy for information on upcoming EPA trainings and to download materials from past trainings and workshops.

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