[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 76 (Tuesday, April 21, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Pages 19724-19725]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-10514]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[No. W-98-14; FRL-6000-1]


Availability of Draft Water Conservation Plan Guidelines

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION: Notice of document availability.

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SUMMARY: EPA is making available for public comment a draft document 
entitled ``Water Conservation Plan Guidelines.'' The Safe Drinking 
Water Act Amendments of 1996 require the Agency to publish guidelines 
for water conservation plans for public water systems, taking into 
consideration such factors as system size, water availability

[[Page 19725]]

and climate. States may require water systems to submit a water 
conservation plan consistent with EPA's guidelines as a condition of 
receiving a loan from a State Drinking Water Loan Fund. The first part 
of the document introduces the guidelines and provides information to 
the States about their nature and possible use. The second part of the 
document provides three sets of water conservation plan guidelines--
Basic, Intermediate, and Advanced--which correspond generally to system 
size. Each set of guidelines follows nine steps, with variations for 
some steps under the Basic, Intermediate, and Advanced Guidelines: 
Conservation Planning Goals, Water System Profile, Demand Forecasting, 
Planned Improvements and Additions, Water Conservation Measures, 
Benefits and Costs, Selection of Measures, Integrated Resource Options, 
and Implementation and Evaluation of Plan.
    To meet the statutory schedule the final guidelines must be 
published by August 6, 1998. The draft document being made available 
today was developed by EPA in concert with a Subcommittee under the 
auspices of the Local Government Advisory Committee. Subcommittee 
membership includes State agencies, water utilities, environmental 
groups, and various industry and public interest groups. EPA invites 
interested members of the public to submit comments on the draft 
document. EPA will consider public comments and publish a final 
document by the August 6, 1998 statutory deadline.

DATES: Submit comments on or before May 21, 1998.

ADDRESSES: See SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION section for electronic access 
and filing addresses.
    Draft Guidelines: Paper copies of the draft guidelines may be 
obtained by writing to Valerie Martin, U.S. EPA, Office of Wastewater 
Management (Mail Code 4204), 401 M Street, S.W., Washington D.C. 20460.
    Public Comments: Address all comments concerning the draft 
guidelines to W-98-14 Comment Clerk, Water Docket (Mail Code 4101), 
U.S. EPA, 401 M Street, S.W., Washington, D.C. 20460.
    Docket: The administrative record for this notice is located in the 
Water Docket, East Tower Basement, U.S. EPA, 401 M Street, S.W., 
Washington, D.C. 20460.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: John E. Flowers, (202) 260-7288 or 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Draft Guidelines: The draft guidelines may 
also be viewed and downloaded from EPA's homepage, http://www.epa.gov/
OWM/genwave.htm.
    Public Comments: Please send an original and three copies of your 
comments and enclosures (including references). Commenters who want EPA 
to acknowledge receipt of their comments should enclose a self-
addressed, stamped envelope. No facsimiles (faxes) will be accepted. 
Comments may also be submitted electronically to ow-
[email protected]. Electronic comments must be submitted as an 
ASCII file avoiding the use of special characters and forms of 
encryption. Electronic comments must be identified by the docket number 
(W-98-14). Comments and data will also be accepted on disks in 
WordPerfect in 5.1, 6.1 or ASCII file format. Electronic comments on 
this notice may be filed online at many Federal Depository Libraries.
    Docket: The administrative record for this notice has been 
established under docket number W-98-14, and includes supporting 
documentation as well as printed, paper versions of electronic 
comments. The record is available for inspection from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., 
Monday through Friday, excluding legal holidays at the Water Docket, 
East Tower Basement, U.S. EPA, 401 M Street, Washington, D.C. For 
access to docket materials, please call (202) 260-3027 to schedule an 
appointment.

    Dated: April 14, 1998.
Michael B. Cook,
Director, Office of Wastewater Management.
[FR Doc. 98-10514 Filed 4-20-98; 8:45 am]
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