Pennsylvania Water Regulations to be Amended

In the February 20, 2016 Pennsylvania Bulletin, Pennsylvania’s Environmental Quality Board (“Board”) published a proposed amendment to Chapter 109 of the Pennsylvania Code (relating to safe drinking water), which proposal is intended to “strengthen water system requirements relating to microbial protection and disinfection requirements.” According to the notice, the proposed amendment “will protect public health through a multiple barrier approach designed to guard against microbial contamination by ensuring the adequacy of treatment designed to inactivate microbial pathogens and the integrity of drinking water distribution systems.” The disinfectant residual requirements in the distribution system will apply to over 2,800 public water systems, serving a population of 10.6 million people. An analysis of this proposal will be forthcoming, but you should be aware that the deadline for those interested in submitting public comments regarding the proposed rulemaking is April 19, 2016. Although any comments on the proposal may be submitted, the Board is specifically interested in several issues, including whether capital improvements are needed to meet the proposed regulatory requirements. There will also be three public hearings in which public comments will be accepted: March 28, 2016 at DEP’s South Central Regional Office in Harrisburg; April 5, 2016 at DEP’s Southeast Regional Office in Norristown; and, April 7, 2016 at DEP’s Southwest Regional Office in Pittsburgh.