DAR File No. 40031

Environmental Quality, Drinking Water

Section R309-105-4

General

Notice of Proposed Rule

(Amendment)

DAR File No.: 40031
Filed: 12/29/2015 01:56:26 PM

RULE ANALYSIS

Purpose of the rule or reason for the change:

The purpose of this rule change is to adopt the revisions to the federal Total Coliform Rule as required by the federal regulations to maintain primary enforcement authority (primacy) for the rule.

Summary of the rule or change:

The Revised Total Coliform Rule (RTCR) requires changes to many of the Division's rules; therefore, the information and comments provided in this form will be applicable to the necessary changes to Rules R309-105, R309-110, R309-200, R309-210, R309-211, R309-215, R309-220, and R309-225 in aggregate. In this specific rule, R309-105, the changes made address using certified laboratories. (DAR NOTE: The proposed amendment to Rule R309-105 is under DAR No. 40031, the proposed amendment to Rule R309-110 is under DAR No. 40032, the proposed amendment to Rule R309-200 is under DAR No. 40033, the proposed amendment to Rule R309-210 is under DAR No. 40034, the proposed new Rule R309-211 is under DAR No. 40035, the proposed amendment to Rule R309-215 is under DAR No. 40036, the proposed amendment to Rule R309-220 is under DAR No. 40037, and the proposed amendment to Rule R309-225 is under DAR No. 40038 in this issue, January 15, 2016, of the Bulletin.)

State statutory or constitutional authorization for this rule:

• Section 19-4-104

Anticipated cost or savings to:

the state budget:

Along with the final rule language, EPA presented the estimated increase in annual cost nationwide with the new requirements. They estimate nationwide there will be an increase of $30,000,000. With an implementation plan of monthly monitoring, it would be $30,000,000 nationwide. Utah is a 1% state. As such, the increase projected from the national estimate for Utah would be $300,000, respectively. The costs are estimated to be incurred 90% by public water systems and 10% by the state primacy programs; therefore, the estimated impact to the state budget based on EPA's cost analysis would be $30,000 per year. It is important to note this cost estimate also includes the cost of fixing sanitary defects (significant deficiencies) found in the system infra-structure which would be independently required to be fixed upon discovery during a sanitary survey.

local governments:

For local governments, the cost will not change. Base monitoring will stay the same, and for small communities, the follow-up monitoring requirements have been slightly reduced.

small businesses:

For small businesses that have their own public water system, there will be a cost impact. Base monitoring will switch from one sample per calendar quarter to one sample per month. For routine monitoring, the requirements will increase the samples from 4 per year to 12 per year. The increase in routine sample costs for just the laboratory analysis will be approximately $250 per year. This estimate does not include the transport of the sample to a certified lab. The transportation cost will vary greatly and will likely be mitigated by other required business near certified labs.

persons other than small businesses, businesses, or local governmental entities:

The rule will impact USFS campgrounds and kids camps. Base monitoring will switch from one sample per calendar quarter to one sample per month of operation. Most of these systems operate only part of the year (May through September). For routine monitoring, the requirements will increase the samples from two to three per year to one sample for each month of operation. The increase in routine sample costs for just the laboratory analysis will be approximately $100 to $150 per year. This estimate does not include the transport of the sample to a certified lab. The transportation cost will vary greatly and will likely be mitigated by other required business near certified labs.

Compliance costs for affected persons:

The rule impacts every public water system and every person in the state. It is unlikely the rule will independently impact the water rate structure of any community water system. The relatively small cost impact on transient and non-transient system (recreational type facilities and industrial type facilities) should not independently affect consumer costs.

Comments by the department head on the fiscal impact the rule may have on businesses:

The Executive Director agrees with the fiscal impacts detailed above.

Alan Matheson, Executive Director

The full text of this rule may be inspected, during regular business hours, at the Division of Administrative Rules, or at:

Environmental Quality
Drinking WaterRoom Third Floor
195 N 1950 W
SALT LAKE CITY, UT 84116-3085

Direct questions regarding this rule to:

• Patti Fauver at the above address, by phone at 801-536-4196, by FAX at 801-536-4211, or by Internet E-mail at pfauver@utah.gov
• Jennifer Yee at the above address, by phone at 801-536-4216, by FAX at 801-536-4211, or by Internet E-mail at jyee@utah.gov

Interested persons may present their views on this rule by submitting written comments to the address above no later than 5:00 p.m. on:

02/16/2016

Interested persons may attend a public hearing regarding this rule:

• 01/20/2016 01:00 PM, MSOB, 195 N 1950 W, DEQ Board Room 1015, Salt Lake City, UT

This rule may become effective on:

02/23/2016

Authorized by:

Ken Bousfield, Director

R309. Environmental Quality, Drinking Water.

R309-105. Administration: General Responsibilities of Public Water Systems.

R309-105-4. General.

(1) Water suppliers are responsible for the quality of water delivered to their customers. In order to give the public reasonable assurance that the water which they are consuming is satisfactory, the Board has established rules for the design, construction, water quality, water treatment, contaminant monitoring, source protection, operation and maintenance of public water supplies.

(2) For compliance monitoring required by R309-200 through 215, public water systems must use a laboratory certified by the Utah Public Health Department in accordance with R444-14-4. The Federal Safe Drinking Water Act requires each analyte to be analyzed by a specific method. These methods are described in the July 1, 1992 through 2015, editions of 40 CFR Parts 141, 142, and 143 (Safe Drinking Water Act).

 

KEY: drinking water, watershed management

Date of Enactment or Last Substantive Amendment: [October 12, 2013]2016

Notice of Continuation: March 13, 2015

Authorizing, and Implemented or Interpreted Law: 19-4-104