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Fact Sheet: Announcement of Regulatory Determinations for
AWEPriority Contaminants on the Drinking Water Contaminant
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Candidate List
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What is Today's Action?
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is announcing Zn:i�n�ec
`etermination to not
develop National Primary Drinking Water Regulations (NPDWR) fntaminantsfrom
the Contaminant Candidate List (CCL). EPA published its prelimin regulatory
determination in the Federal Register on June 3, 2002 (67 FR 38222).
2. What is the Contaminant Candidate List?
The Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA), as amended in 1996, directs EPA to publish a list
(referred to as the Contaminant Candidate List, or CCL) of unregulated contaminants that
present a potential public health concern in drinking water. The CCL published in the Federal
Register on March 2, 1998 (63 FR 10273) contains 60 contaminants (50 chemicals and 10
microbes). The CCL was developed with considerable input from the scientific community and
stakeholders. The EPA uses the CCL to prioritize the Agency's research and data collection
efforts for potential drinking water contaminants. An updated CCL is expected to be published
during 2003.
What are CCL Regulatory Determinations?
SDWA also directs EPA to select at least five contaminants from the CCL every five
years (beginning in August 2001) to determine if regulating the contaminants as NPDWRs
would present a meaningful opportunity to reduce health risk. EPA must have adequate data to
evaluate when and where the contaminants occur, and the exposure and risk to public health.
For many of the contaminants, additional data is needed before a decision can be made. The
Agency sets occurrence and research priorities for contaminants with insufficient data to support
a regulatory determination.
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4. What contaminants from the CCL did EPA consider for regulation determinations?
The Agency has determined that the following nine contaminants have sufficient data and
information on which to base a regulatory determination.
• Acanthamoeba — microscopic amoeba commonly found in the environment
• Aldrin — banned insecticide, used primarily on corn and cotton
• Dieldrin — banned insecticide, used primarily on corn and cotton
• Hexachlorobutadiene — used primarily to make rubber compounds
• Manganese — essential nutrient, occurs naturally, and has a variety of uses
• Metribuzin — herbicide used primarily on soybeans, potatoes, and alfalfa
• Naphthalene — intermediary manufacturing product and moth repellent
• Sodium — essential nutrient, naturally occurring element
• Sulfate — present in the diet, naturally occurring element
Reports on the CCL website (http://www.epa.gov/safewater/ccl/cclregdetermine.html)
present scientific data and summaries of technical information prepared for, and used in, the
regulatory determination. Information regarding each contaminant's physical and chemical
properties, environmental fate, occurrence and exposure, health effects, analytical methods, and
treatment technologies are discussed.
5. What comments did EPA receive?
EPA received and reviewed 15 public comments on the June 3, 2002, Federal Register
notice, "Announcement of Preliminary Regulatory Determinations for Priority Contaminants on
the Drinking Water Contaminant Candidate List", (67 FR 38222). After careful consideration of
these public comments, EPA decided that regulatory action is not appropriate or necessary for
any of these nine CCL contaminants. The public comments, and EPA's response to each, can be
obtained through EPA's Water Docket at http://www.epa.gov/edocket/.
6. Additional Considerations
EPA is only making decisions on CCL contaminants that have sufficient information to
support a regulatory determination at this time. EPA continues to conduct research and/or to
collect occurrence information for the remaining 51 contaminants on the CCL.
EPA recognizes that stakeholders may have a particular interest in the timing of future
regulatory determinations for other contaminants on the CCL (e.g., perchlorate and methyl-t-
butyl ether (MTBE)). Stakeholders may be concerned that regulatory determinations for such
contaminants should not necessarily wait until the end of the next regulatory determination
cycle. In this regard, it is important to recognize that the EPA is not precluded from: (1) taking
action on CCL contaminants if information becomes available and may proceed with regulatory
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determinations prior to the end of the next regulatory determination cycle (i.e., August 2006); or
(2) monitoring, conducting research, developing guidance, or regulating contaminants not
included on the CCL to address an urgent threat to public health (see SDWA section
1412(b)(1)(D)).
7. Where can I find more information about drinking water standard development
and the CCL?
For additional information on the standard development process (including the CCL) and
more than 80 contaminants currently regulated by EPA, please visit the EPA Safewater Web site
at http://www.epa.gov/safewater or contact the Safe Drinking Water Hotline at 1-800-426-4791.
The Safe Drinking Water Hotline is open Monday through Friday, excluding Federal holidays,
from 9:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Eastern Time.
United States Environmental Protection Agency
Office of Water (4607M)
www.epa.gov/safewater
July 2003
EPA 815-F-03-007
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