[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 94 (Friday, May 15, 1998)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 27020-27021]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-13025]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

40 CFR Parts 141 and 142

[FRL-6014-2]


National Primary Drinking Water Regulations: Consumer Confidence 
Reports

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION: Notice of data availability; request for comments.

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SUMMARY: In February 1998, EPA proposed the Consumer Confidence Report 
rule (62 FR 7606, Feb. 13, 1998). To test certain language that this 
rule would mandate, EPA convened focus group sessions. These groups of 
consumers provided comments on proposed definitions of regulatory terms 
and health effects language, as well as general comments on the 
consumer confidence reports. EPA will consider the input of the focus 
groups when making decisions regarding the final rule. The report of 
the focus group moderator, transcripts of the sessions, and supporting 
documents are available for review. EPA requests comments on the 
results of the focus group study.

DATES: Comments must be post-marked by midnight June 15, 1998.

ADDRESSES: Send written comments to CCR Docket Clerk (W-97-18); Water 
Docket (MC-4101); U.S. Environmental Protection Agency; 401 M Street, 
SW; Washington, DC 20460. Submit electronic comments to ow-
[email protected].
    Please submit an original and three copies of your comments and 
enclosures

[[Page 27021]]

(including references). Electronic comments must be submitted as a Word 
Perfect 5.1 or 6.1 file, or as an ASCII file avoiding the use of 
special characters. Comments will also be accepted on disks in 
WordPerfect 5.1 or 6.1, or ASCII file format. Electronic comments on 
this Notice may be filed online at many Federal Depository Libraries. 
Commenters who want EPA to acknowledge receipt of their comments should 
include a self-addressed, stamped envelope. No facsimiles (faxes) will 
be accepted.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: The Safe Drinking Water Hotline (800-
426-4791) for general information about the proposed rule. The Safe 
Drinking Water Hotline is open Monday through Friday, excluding Federal 
holidays, from 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Eastern Time. For technical 
inquiries, contact Francoise M. Brasier (202-260-5668) or Rob Allison 
(202-260-9836).

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Consumer Confidence Report rule would 
require community water systems to mail to each of their customers an 
annual report on local drinking water quality. The report would include 
such information as the source of local drinking water, the levels of 
any contaminants detected in water delivered to consumers, violations 
of drinking water regulations, and other information about local water 
quality. The proposed rule sets few requirements for the format of the 
reports, thereby allowing water suppliers to tailor their reports 
around the information that they must present.
    EPA proposed several brief definitions of regulatory terms (e.g., 
``maximum contaminant level'') that systems would have to include in 
their reports. EPA also proposed brief health effects language for each 
regulated contaminant. Water systems would have to include this 
language in their reports whenever they detected a regulated 
contaminant in excess of its legal limit. In the proposal's preamble, 
EPA discussed options for both sets of language and requested comment 
on which language would be most useful to consumers.

Availability of Data

    The data to which this Notice refers is available for inspection 
from 9 to 4 p.m. (Eastern Time), Monday through Friday, excluding legal 
holidays, at the Water Docket, U.S. EPA Headquarters, 401 M. St., SW, 
East Tower Basement, Washington, DC 20460. Please call 202-260-3027 to 
schedule an appointment and refer to W-97-18. The Focus Group Report is 
also available on the Internet at www.epa.gov/safewater/ccr/focus.html.
    Regulated persons. Potentially regulated persons are community 
water systems.

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                Category                  Example of regulated entities 
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Publicly-owned CWSs....................  Municipalities; County         
                                          Governments; Water districts; 
                                          Water and Sewer Authorities.  
Privately-owned CWSs...................  Private water utilities;       
                                          homeowners associations.      
Ancillary CWSs.........................  Persons who deliver drinking   
                                          water as an adjunct to their  
                                          primary business (e.g. trailer
                                          parks, retirement homes).     
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    Dated: May 8, 1998.
Robert Perciasepe,
Assistant Administrator.
[FR Doc. 98-13025 Filed 5-14-98; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560-50-P