Once adopted, numerical groundwater standards become the criteria for protecting public health, and are used in the regulation of:
- Solid and hazardous wastes
- Spills and remediation sites
- Wastewater and water quality
- Septic tanks
- Salt storage
- Fertilizer and pesticides, etc.
7. Summary and preliminary comparison with any existing or proposed federal regulation that is intended to address the activities to be regulated by the proposed rule:
There are no federal groundwater standards, and there is no parallel process for regulating groundwater contaminants at the federal level.
The EPA establishes health based drinking water maximum contaminant levels (MCLs). Federal MCLs, applicable at public water supply systems, are established based on scientific risk assessments and, in some cases, economic and technological considerations. As noted above, EPA’s Revised Total Coliform Rule includes a maximum contaminant level for E. coli, but not for total coliform. Rather, it uses total coliform bacteria as an indicator of possible microbial pathways into a public drinking water system that triggers additional testing for E. coli bacteria.
8. Anticipated economic impact of implementing the rule (note if the rule is likely to have a significant economic impact on small businesses):
The department will examine the economic impact of the proposed rule when the rule is developed. At this time, anticipated economic impact of this rule is expected to be minimal, given that bacteria is already regulated and this rule will cause minimal or no changes to the regulatory regimes that rely on groundwater standards. Because E. coli bacteria are a subgroup of coliform bacteria there are no cases where the proposed E. coli bacteria standards would be exceeded where existing total coliform bacteria standards are not already being exceeded. Similarly, the specific economic impact to small businesses is indeterminant, but anticipated to be minimal.
State groundwater quality standards protect both public health and welfare. There are significant cost savings to establishing groundwater quality standards for E. coli bacteria, a more specific indicator of fecal contamination, and the potential for pathogens to be present in drinking water, than total coliform bacteria. Standards for a more specific indicator of the potential for pathogens to be present in drinking water will reduce exposure to bacteria which are known to cause acute (short-term) gastrointestinal illnesses causing diarrhea, abdominal discomfort, nausea, and vomiting and in some cases chronic (long-term) illness and kidney failure, hepatitis, and bloody diarrhea. Infants and young children, the elderly, and people with compromised immune systems are at the highest risk for illness from pathogens in water.
Human health impacts and drinking water treatment system costs to remove contamination may be avoided when groundwater pollution is reduced or eliminated. Adoption of groundwater quality rules and regulations by state regulatory programs minimizes the concentrations of polluting substances in groundwater, minimizes water treatment system costs and health care costs, while safeguarding public health and welfare.
9. Anticipated number, month and locations of public hearings:
The department anticipates holding one public hearing in the month of September, 2022. The hearing will be held by videoconference. The department will hold the hearing to gather stakeholder input on a rule package that is used widely statewide.
Contact Person: Bruce Rheineck
(608) 266-2104
