[Federal Register Volume 59, Number 196 (Wednesday, October 12, 1994)]
[Unknown Section]
[Page 0]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 94-25202]


[[Page Unknown]]

[Federal Register: October 12, 1994]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
[FRL-5086-8]

 

Agency Information Collection Activities Under OMB Review

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: In compliance with the Paperwork Reduction Act (44 U.S.C. 3501 
et seq.), this notice announces that the Information Collection Request 
(ICR) abstracted below has been forwarded to the Office of Management 
and Budget (OMB) for review and comment. The ICR describes the nature 
of the information collection and its expected cost and burden.
DATES: Comments must be submitted on or before November 14, 1994.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For further information or to obtain a 
copy of this ICR, contact Sandy Farmer at EPA, (202) 260-2740.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Office of Research and Development

    Title: Evaluation of Mandated Drinking Water Filtration and its 
Effects on Community Health (EPA No. 1727.01).
    Abstract: This is a new collection of information to support 
setting Maximum Contaminant Levels (MCLs) in drinking water as required 
under the Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA). Under SDWA section 1442 
(a)(1)(D) the Administrator may conduct research studies to explore 
``improved methods...including improvements in water purification and 
distribution, and methods of assessing the health related hazards of 
drinking water.'' The purpose of this study is to gather information on 
the effects of water filtration on the presence of regulated (total 
coliform) and potentially regulated (Giardia, Cryptosporidium, and 
enteroviruses) microorganisms in drinking water; and to assess the 
level of disease associated with their presence in drinking water.
    This voluntary collection of information consists of: (1) A 
feasibility study to determine the appropriateness and willingness of 
utilities to participate in a large scale study, and subsequently; (2) 
a large scale environmental health study to compare health data from 
selected households with corresponding water monitoring data from 
selected water utilities prior to, and following, the installation of 
water filtration systems.
    For the feasibility study, questionnaires will be sent to a 
selected sample of water utilities and will request information on 
characteristics of the drinking water delivery system, water quality 
monitoring data, and existence of historical monitoring records. The 
questionnaire will also ask whether utilities will be willing to 
participate in the environmental health study.
    From the results of the feasibility study, three water utilities 
will be selected as sites for the environmental health study. The study 
will focus on gathering information from selected households serviced 
by these sites over a nine month period prior to, and following, the 
installation of drinking water filtration systems at these sites. An 
individual from each participating household will: (1) Provide general 
demographic and underlying health condition information; and (2) 
complete a monthly checklist indicating any respiratory and 
gastrointestinal symptoms experienced during the month for each 
household member.
    Burden Statement: Public reporting burden for this collection of 
information is estimated to average 1 hour per response for utilities 
and 8 hours for households annually, including time for reviewing the 
questions, gathering the data needed, and completing and reviewing the 
information.
    Respondents: Water utilities and selected households.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: 126 utilities, 900 households.
    Estimated Number of Responses per Respondent: 1.
    Frequency of Collection: One time.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden on Respondents: 140 hours for 
utilities, 7,290 hours for households.
    Send comments regarding the burden estimate, or any other aspect of 
this collection of information, including suggestions for reducing the 
burden, to:

Sandy Farmer, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Information Policy 
Branch (2136), 401 M Street, SW., Washington, DC 20460.

and

Matt Mitchell, Office of Management and Budget, Office of Information 
and Regulatory Affairs, 725 17th Street, NW., Washington, DC 20503.

    Dated: October 4, 1994.
Paul Lapsley,
Director, Regulatory Management Division.
[FR Doc. 94-25202 Filed 10-11-94; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560-50-F