vvEPA
United States
Environmental Protection
Agency
816F04010
For additional information:
Call the Safe Drinking Water
Hotline at 1 -800-426-4791; visit
the EPA web site at
www.epa.gov/safewater/
or contact your primacy
agency's drinking water
representatives.
See 40 CFR141.23 regarding
lOCs; 40 CFR 141.24
regarding VOCs and SOCs;
and 40 CFR 141.26 regarding
Radionuclides.
The Standardized Monitoring Framework:
A Quick Reference Guide
Overview of the Framework
Title
Purpose
General
Description
The Standardized Monitoring Framework (SMF), promulgated in the
Phase II Rule on January 30,1991 (56 FR 3526).
To standardize, simplify, and consolidate monitoring requirements
across contaminant groups. The SMF increases public health
protection by simplifying monitoring plans and synchronizing
monitoring schedules leading to increased compliance with
monitoring requirements.
The SMF reduces the variability within monitoring requirements for
chemical and radiological contaminants across system sizes and
types.
Additional Requirements
The SMF outlined on these pages summarizes existing systems' ongoing federal
monitoring requirements only. Primacy agencies have the flexibility to issue waivers,
with EPA approval, which take into account regional and state specific
characteristics and concerns. To determine exact monitoring requirements, the SMF
must be used in conjunction with any EPA approved waiver and additional
requirements as determined by the primacy agency.
New water systems may have different and additional requirements as determined by
the primacy agency.
SMF Benefits
Implementation of the SMF results in
Increased public health protection through monitoring consistency.
A reduction in the complexity of water quality monitoring from a technical and
managerial perspective for both primacy agencies and water systems.
Equalizing of resource expenditures for monitoring and vulnerability
assessments.
Increased water system compliance with monitoring requirements.
Regulated Contaminants (Utilities Covered
Inorganic
Contaminants
(lOCs)
Synthetic Organic
Contaminants (SOCs)
&
Volatile Organic
Contaminants (VOCs)
Radionuclides
Fifteen (15)
(Nitrate, Nitrite, total
Nitrate/Nitrite, and
Asbestos are
exceptions to SMF)
Fifty-One (51)
Four (4)
All PWSs
CWSs
NTNCWSs
Nitrate
Nitrite
IOCS
SOCs
VOCs
Radionuclides
IOCS
SOCs
VOCs
Office of Water (4606) EPA 816-F-04-010 www.epa.gov/safewater
March 2004
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STANDARDIZED MONITORING FRAMEWORK
IOCS, SOCs, VOCs
Second Cycle
1s1 Period 2nd Period 3rd Period 1st Period
Third Cycle
Period 3rd Period
Ground water (Below MCL)
Surface Water (Below MCL)
Ground water and Surface Water (Above MCL)3
Reliably and Consistently
MCL for Groundwater Systems
Reliably and Consistently <. MCL for Surface Water Systems
> MCL or Not Reliably and Consistently
< Detect and No Waiver
Reliably and Consistently < MCL
Detect or Not Reliably and Consistently < MCL
Groundwater (Below Detection Limit)
< Detect, Vulnerability Assessment, and Waiver5
Surface Water (Below Detection Limit)
< Detect, Vulnerability Assessment, and Waiver7
Above Detection Limit
Reliably and Consistently < MCL
Detect or Not Reliably and Consistently <. MCL
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STANDARDIZED MONITORING FRAMEWORK
EXCEPTIONS
Second Cycle
Third Cycle
1st Period
Period
3rd Period
1st Period
Period
3rd Period
w
w
S
ยป
trate
CWSs & NTNCWSs
Surface Water with 4 Quarters of Results < 1/2 MCL9
Groundwater Reliably and Consistently < MCL9
1/2 MCL
TNCWSs
Reliably and Consistently < MCL
1 /2 MC L or not Reliably and Consistently < MCL
< Detection Limit
> Detection Limit but * 1/2 MCL
>1/2 MCL but s MCL
Waiver
No Waiver, Reliably and Consistently < MCL, or vulnerable to
asbestos contamination10
>MCL
*
X
X
X
x I x | x
*
Legend
* = 1 sample at each entry point to distribution system
(EPTDS).
** = 2 quarterly samples at each EPTDS. Samples must be
taken during 1 calendar year during each 3-year compliance
period.
**** = 4 quarterly samples at each EPTDS within time frame
designated by the primacy agency.
X = No sampling required unless required by the primacy
agency
# = Systems must monitor at a frequency specified by the
primacy agency.
I = When allowed by the primacy agency, data collected
between June 2000 and December 8, 2003 may be
grandfathered to satisfy the initial monitoring requirements
due in 2004 for gross alpha, radium 226/228, and uranium.
'Until January 22, 2006 the maximum contaminant level (MCL) for arsenic is 50 ug/L; on January 23, 2006 the MCL for arsenic becomes 10 ug/L.
2Based on 3 rounds of monitoring at each EPTDS with all analytical results below the MCL. Waivers are not permitted under the current arsenic
requirements, however systems are eligible for arsenic waivers after January 23, 2006.
3A system with a sampling point result above the MCL must collect quarterly samples, at that sampling point, until the system is determined by the
primacy agency to be reliably and consistently below the MCL. ______________________________
'Samples must be taken during the quarter which previously resulted in the highest analytical result. Systems can apply for a waiver after 3
consecutive annual sampling results are below the detection limit.
5Groundwater systems must update their vulnerability assessments during the time the waiver is effective. Primacy agencies must re-confirm that
the system is non-vulnerable within 3 years of the initial determination or the system must return to annual sampling
6lf all monitoring results during initial quarterly monitoring are less than the detection limit, the system can take annual samples. If after a minimum
of 3 years of annual sampling with all analytical results less than the detection limit, the primacy agency can allow a system to take 1 sample
during each compliance period. Systems are also eligible lor a waiver.
'Primacy agencies must determine that a surface water system is non-vulnerable based on a vulnerability assessment during each compliance
period or; the system must return to annual sampling.
slf all monitoring results during initial quarterly monitoring are less than the detection limit, the system can take annual samples. Systems are also
eligible for a waiver. ^
^Samples must be taken during the quarter which previously resulted in the highest analytical result
'"Systems are required to monitor for asbestos during the first 3-year compliance period of each 9-year compliance cycle. A system vulnerable to
asbestos contamination due solely to corrosion of asbestos-cement pipe must take 1 sample at a tap served by that pipe. A system vulnerable to
asbestos contamination at the source must sample at each EPTDS.
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