[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 24 (Thursday, February 5, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Pages 5947-5949]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-2880]


=======================================================================
-----------------------------------------------------------------------

ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[FRL-5962-2]


Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection; 
Comment Request; Evaluation of the Burden of Waterborne Disease Within 
Communities in the United States

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION: Notice.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: In compliance with the Paperwork Reduction Act (44 U.S.C. 3501 
et seq.), this document announces that EPA is planning to submit the 
following continuing Information Collection Request (ICR) to the Office 
of Management and Budget (OMB):
    Evaluation of the burden of waterborne disease within communities 
in the United States. EPA ICR Number: 1727.02. OMB Control Number: 
2080-0050. Current expiration date: July 31, 1998. Before submitting 
the ICR to OMB for review and approval, EPA is soliciting comments on 
specific aspects of the proposed information collection as described 
below.

DATES: Comments must be submitted on or before April 6, 1998.

ADDRESSES: US EPA, National Health and Environmental Effects Research 
Laboratory, Human Studies Division, Epidemiology and Biomarkers Branch, 
Mail Drop 58-A, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina 27711.


[[Page 5948]]


FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Interested persons may obtain a copy 
of the ICR without charge by contacting: Dr. Elizabeth Hilborn at: 
(919) 966-0658--telephone, (919) 966-7584--fax, 
[email protected], or by mailing request (address 
above).

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
    Affected entities: Entities potentially affected by this action are 
those which are served by a community water system.
    Title: Evaluation of the burden of waterborne disease within 
communities in the United States. (OMB Control No. 2080-0050; EPA ICR 
No.:1727.02) expiring 7/31/98.
    Abstract: The proposed study will be conducted by the Epidemiology 
and Biomarkers Branch, Human Studies Division, National Health and 
Environmental Effects Research Laboratory, Office of Research and 
Development, US EPA. Participation in this collection of information is 
strictly voluntary. The Branch will conduct a feasibility study of 
water utilities and a health study of individuals served by targeted 
drinking water utilities.
    Drinking water utilities serving populations greater than 15,000 
will be asked to provide information on the utility and results of 
monitoring activities. The information will be used to assess the 
feasibility of conducting an environmental health study to evaluate the 
burden of water-borne disease in the community it serves. A utility 
representative will be interviewed to gather information on: miles of 
distribution pipe, storage capacity, quantity of source water, the 
availability of the previous year's monitoring records, and the 
utilities' willingness to participate. The water utility will provide 
annual reports describing the monthly mean and range: water 
temperature, turbidity, particle counts, pH, color, total and fecal 
coliforms, heterotrophic plate count, total organic carbon, chlorine 
residual (free and total), total organic halides, total 
trihalomethanes, total haloacetic acids, viruses, Giardia, and 
Cryptosporidium.
    In the health studies, approximately 1000 households will be 
randomly selected from each community. Eligibility for households to 
participate will include residence of one or more children between the 
ages of two and ten years as children are the most sensitive population 
for illnesses of interest. We expect that each household has, on the 
average 2.2 members for a total of approximately 2200 individuals 
participating in each study. Demographic information and a short health 
history will be requested from household members at the beginning of 
each study. A representative from each household will be asked to fill 
out a monthly health questionnaire for each family member for a total 
of eighteen months. The monthly health information requested includes a 
checklist for upper respiratory illness, gastrointestinal illness, 
fever, and severity of illness. Care will be taken to maintain 
participant confidentiality; this work is mandated by the Safe Drinking 
Water Act of 1996.
    The information will be used to estimate the burden of waterborne 
disease in communities within the United States (US). Health data 
obtained from the household checklists will be compared with the 
corresponding monitoring data at the water utility to determine whether 
any increase in symptoms is associated with higher levels of 
contaminants. Overall illness rates will be measured. Specific 
relationships between microorganisms and disease may be developed by 
linking microorganisms found in the water with those found in 
symptomatic people.
    The information is being collected as part of a research program to 
support the Office of Water in estimating the burden of waterborne 
disease in the US as mandated under the Safe Drinking Water Act 
Amendments of 1996, section 1458. This study will also provide 
information on the level of disease associated with microorganisms 
found in the drinking water. The information could potentially be used 
by other laboratories in the Office of Research and Development such as 
the National Risk Management Laboratory (Cincinnati) and the National 
Exposure Research Laboratory (Cincinnati). The information may also be 
used in comparison analyses by scientists in government or academia who 
are conducting similar types of studies. There is no maintenance of 
records required under this ICR.
    Burden Statement: Burden means the total time, effort, or financial 
resources expended by persons to generate, maintain, retain, or 
disclose or provide information to or for a Federal agency. This 
includes the time needed to review instructions; develop, acquire, 
install, and utilize technology and systems for the purposes of 
collecting, validating, and verifying information, processing and 
maintaining information, and disclosing and providing information; 
adjust the existing ways to comply with any previously applicable 
instructions and requirements; train personnel to be able to respond to 
a collection of information; search data sources; complete and review 
the collection of information; and transmit or otherwise disclose the 
information.
    Feasibility Study:

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                              Burden                            
                          Respondent activities                              hours @     Frequency      Costs   
                                                                            $25.00/hr                 (dollars) 
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1. Read questionnaire instructions.......................................         0.05            1         1.25
2. Gather information....................................................         0.50            1        12.50
3. Complete questionnaire................................................         0.50            1        12.50
4. Return questionnaire as requested.....................................         0.05            1         1.25
                                                                          --------------------------------------
      Total..............................................................         1.10            4        27.50
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Annual Reporting Burden: Hr. total (1.10)  x  No. of Respondents 
(400) = 440 hrs.
    Annual Cost: Cost total ($27.50)  x  No. of Respondents (400) = 
$11,000.00.
    No Annual Recordkeeping Burden:
    Health Study:

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                 Burden                                         
                    Respondent activities                       hours @     Frequency      Total        Costs   
                                                               $10.00/hr       hour                   (dollars) 
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1. Read questionnaire instruction...........................         0.10            9          0.9         9.00
2. Gather information from family members...................         0.25            9         2.25        22.50
3. Record information biweekly..............................         0.10           18         1.80        18.00

[[Page 5949]]

                                                                                                                
4. Return questionnaire monthly.............................         0.05            9         0.45         4.50
                                                             ---------------------------------------------------
      Total.................................................         0.50           45         5.40        54.00
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Annual Reporting Burden: Hr. total (5.4)  x  No. of Respondents 
(1000) = 5,400 hrs.
    Annual Cost: Cost total ($54.00)  x  No. of Respondents (1000) = 
$54,000.00.
    No Annual Recordkeeping Burden.
    An agency may not conduct or sponsor, and a person is not required 
to respond to, a collection of information unless it displays a 
currently valid OMB control number. The OMB control numbers for EPA's 
regulations are listed in 40 CFR part 9 and 48 CFR Chapter 15.
    The EPA would like to solicit comments to:
    (i) evaluate whether the proposed collection of information is 
necessary for the proper performance of the functions of the agency, 
including whether the information will have practical utility;
    (ii) evaluate the accuracy of the agency's estimate of the burden 
of the proposed collection of information, including the validity of 
the methodology and assumptions used;
    (iii) enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information 
to be collected; and
    (iv) minimize the burden of the collection of information on those 
who are to respond, including through the use of appropriate automated 
electronic, mechanical, or other technological collection techniques or 
other forms of information technology, e.g., permitting electronic 
submission of responses.

    Dated: January 16, 1998.
Hillel S. Koren,
Director, Human Studies Division, Office of Research and Development/
NHEERL.
[FR Doc. 98-2880 Filed 2-4-98; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560-50-P