f/EPA
United States
Environmental Protection
Agency
                        The Third Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Rule (UCMR 3)
                                            Fact Sheet for Pre-Screen Testing (List 3 Contaminants)
 Overview of the Rule
 *J*  Title: Revisions to the Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Rule for Public Water Systems; 77 FR 26072, May 2, 2012.
 *J*  Purpose: To collect occurrence data for contaminants suspected to be present in drinking water but that do not have
    health-based standards set under the Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA). Pre-Screen Testing addresses contaminants that are
    analyzed with methods that utilize very new or specialized technology. The UCMR program is the primary source of drinking
    water contaminant occurrence data used by EPA in regulatory determinations.
 *J*  Description: UCMR 3 includes Pre-Screen Testing for two List 3 viruses (enterovirus and norovirus), using an analytical
    method with two detection assays. Monitoring will also include five pathogen indicators. List 3 contaminants are always
    associated with a Pre-Screen Testing sampling design. EPA will sample for public water systems (PWSs) subject to Pre-Screen
    Testing within a 12-month period during 2013 - 2015.
 *J*  Utilities Affected: A representative sample of 800 non-disinfecting ground water systems serving 1,000 or fewer retail
    customers, including community water systems (CWSs), non-transient non-community water systems (NTNCWSs) and
    transient systems are required to participate in Pre-Screen Testing. EPA will pay for all associated sampling and analysis
    costs.
 *  Occurrence Data: The analytical results from  UCMR 3 are stored in the National Contaminant Occurrence Database (NCOD). For
    a summary of the NCOD results, tips for querying NCOD, and health effects information (including reference concentrations)
    please refer to the UCMR 3 Data Summary document.

 Pre-Screen Testing (List 3 Contaminants)
Contaminant
enterovirus
norovirus
Detection
Assay
Cell
culture;
qPCR1
qPCR1
Transmission
Exposure to fecally- contaminated water or consumption
contaminated water
Exposure to fecally- contaminated water or consumption
contaminated water

of food exposed to the
of food exposed to the
   1.  qPCR - quantitative polymerase chain reaction
 Indicators
    Indicator Monitoring: Systems selected for Pre-Screen Testing will also be subject to monitoring for microbial
    indicators. This monitoring will be conducted in conjunction with the virus monitoring to gain a better understanding of
    pathogen indicator and viral co-occurrence and to gain more exposure and health risk information on viruses and
    indicators in undisinfected ground water systems. The pathogen indicators are:
Total coliforms
E. coli
Enterococci
Bacteriophage
Aerobic spores
Office of Water (MS-140)
                      EPA815-F-16-001
May 2016

-------
Pre-Screen Testing Monitoring
*J*  Time frame: One consecutive 12-month period during January 2013 - December 2015 (monitoring can span more than
    one calendar year, as long as conducted during a consecutive 12-month period).
*J*  Frequency: Monitoring will occur twice in a consecutive 12-month period; sample events must occur 5-7 months apart.
*J*  Location: Entry point to the distribution system (EPTDS) for all contaminants.
*J*  Laboratories: If any system is notified by EPA or its state that it has been selected for Pre-Screen Testing, the system
    must permit EPA to sample and analyze for List 3 contaminants and pathogen indicators. Monitoring and analyses are
    organized and paid for by EPA through direct contracts.

Data Elements
Public Water System
Identification (PWSID)
Code
Public Water System
Facility Identification
Code
Water Source Type
Sampling Point
Identification Code
Sampling Point Type
Code
Sample Collection
Date
Sample
Identification Code
Contaminant
Analytical Method
Code
Sample Analysis Type
Analytical Results-Sign
Analytical Result-Value
Laboratory
Identification Code
Sample Event Code

Additional Information
   The Public Notification Rule (40 CFR §141.207), published on May 4, 2000 (65 FR 25982) with amendments and corrections
   included in the Code of Federal Regulations for the Public Notification Rule published on July 1, 2006, requires PWSs to
   notify the public annually that the results of monitoring for unregulated contaminants are available. CWSs may include their
   public notice within their CCRs. Details on these reporting requirements can be found in the following documents: Revised
   Public Notification Handbook (EPA 816-R-09-013) and Public Notification Handbook for Transient Non-Community Water
   Systems (EPA 816-R-09-009).
  Under the Consumer Confidence Report (CCR) Rule, as specified in 40 CFR §141.153(d), CWSs must report the monitoring
  results whenever unregulated contaminants are detected. CCRs are to be delivered to all billing customers each year by July
  1. (The CCR Rule does not apply to non-community water systems). Details on these reporting requirements can be found on
  the CCR Home Page.
  For More Information
  * Safe Drinking Water Hotline: (800) 426 - 4791
  * CDX/SDWARS Help Desk: (888) 890-1995
  *?* UCMR Homepage
                                                                                                     Page 2 of 2

-------