[Federal Register Volume 65, Number 31 (Tuesday, February 15, 2000)]
[Notices]
[Pages 7544-7545]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 00-3604]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[FRL-6536-4]


Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection; 
Comment Request; Community Water System Survey

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 document announces that EPA is planning to submit the 
following proposed Information Collection Request (ICR) to the Office 
of Management and Budget (OMB): Information Collection Request for the 
Community Water System Survey, EPA ICR 1946.01. Before submitting the 
ICR to OMB for review and approval, EPA is soliciting comments on 
specific

[[Page 7545]]

aspects of the proposed information collection as described below.

DATES: Comments must be submitted on or before April 17, 2000.

ADDRESSES: Public comments shall be submitted to: Brian Rourke (Mail 
Code 4607), Office of Ground Water and Drinking Water, U.S. 
Environmental Protection Agency, 401 M St. SW., Washington, DC 20460. 
Public comments may also be sent electronically to: 
[email protected]. Interested persons may obtain a copy of 
the draft ICR without charge by contacting the individual named below.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Brian Rourke, Telephone (202) 260-
7785, Facsimile Number (202) 260-3762, E-mail: 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:   
    Affected entities: Entities potentially affected by this action are 
Community Water Systems. A Community Water System is one which supplies 
drinking water to 25 or more year-round residents or has at least 15 
service connections.
    Title: Community Water System Survey (EPA ICR No. 1946.01).
    Abstract: Last conducted in 1995, the Community Water System Survey 
is usually conducted every five years to gather information on the 
operating and financial characteristics of a nationally representative 
sample of community water systems. The Agency conducts the survey to 
get a clear picture of current conditions in these water systems in 
order to calculate the impact of any proposed regulations with which 
these systems would be expected to comply. Specifically, the Agency 
uses the data provided by this survey to meet its Regulatory Impact 
Analysis (RIA) obligations under Executive Order 12866 and its 
obligation to assess and mitigate regulatory impacts on small entities 
under the Regulatory Flexibility Act and the Small Business Regulatory 
Enforcement Fairness Act. As effective analyses must begin with an 
assessment of the baseline situation, it is essential that the Agency 
have access to the current financial and operating conditions at water 
systems. Cost impacts of proposed regulations can only be estimated 
when something is known about the baseline costs of those bearing the 
burden.
    But financial data is only part of the picture. The Agency must 
also gather information on the operating characteristics of the 
treatment systems, storage facilities and distribution systems. This 
data is critical in estimating the need for new facilities as a 
consequence of any new Agency regulations. For example, water systems 
that have already installed treatment processes to treat one sort of 
contaminant might well not have to install any additional treatment to 
comply with regulations effecting a similar type of contaminant or one 
susceptible to the same type of treatment. Thus, all of the Agency's 
estimates of regulatory impacts can be no more accurate than the 
baseline information gathered through this survey. Because of the 
magnitude of potential cost impacts of the regulations, even small 
changes in water system characteristics can produce significant 
differences in impacts. Hence, it is critical that the Agency use the 
most up-to-date information available.
    Also, under section 1412(b) of the 1996 Safe Drinking Water Act, 
the Agency must consider the affordability of the treatment 
technologies that will meet the proposed regulatory requirements. To 
determine affordability, the Agency must consider both the new, 
incremental costs that would result from any proposed regulation 
together with the costs already borne by the water system. Clearly, 
this means that the Agency must have an accurate picture of current 
costs.
    This is a one-time collection effort, and responses to this ICR are 
voluntary. 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.

    Burden Statement: It is estimated that the burden on small water 
systems (those serving under 3,300 people) will be one half-hour per 
water system, or 279 hours for the 557 small system representatives 
expected to respond to the survey questionnaire. At an hourly rate of 
$14.50, the total cost to small systems is expected to be $4,038.25. It 
is also estimated that the survey will sample 609 medium to large size 
systems serving between 3,301 and 500,000 people, requiring one hour 
per water system, or 609 hours for all systems in this size category. 
At an hourly rate of $28.00, the total cost to these systems is 
expected to be $17,052. The total costs to questionnaire respondents is 
expected to be $21,090.25. The total cost to the government, including 
the cost of government contractors administering the questionnaire, is 
estimated to be $2,170,246.
    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.

    Dated: February 9, 2000.
Cynthia Dougherty,
Director, Office of Ground Water and Drinking Water.
[FR Doc. 00-3604 Filed 2-14-00; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560-50-P