Water Regulations

On this page, you will find:

• U.S. drinking water and wastewater regulations
• European Union Water Framework Directive
• Regulatory agencies

The U.S. Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA) regulates the drinking water and requires the U. S. EPA to set the National Primary Drinking Water Regulations (NPDWR)  and National Secondary Drinking Water Regulations (PSDWR). The U.S. Clean Water Act (CWA) regulates the discharge of pollutants into U.S. surface waters and sets quality standards for surface waters. Under the CWA, the U.S. EPA has implemented pollution control programs that include wastewater standards for industry and water quality standards for all contaminants in surface waters. To protect water resources and guarantee a safe supply of drinking water, both drinking water standards and effluent (wastewater) discharge standards  must be enforced.

Variety of approved analytical methods are required to used for analysis of contaminants in water, such as the EPA methods, ASTM methods, Standard Methods, and others. These methods have been continually been updated with newer technologies and higher sensitivities to meet the needs of new and stricter regulatory standards. Meanwhile, Alternate Test Procedures (ATP) have been approved by the EPA for contaminant analysis. Stay current with alternative technologies and methodologies approved for compliance monitoring through the EPA’s Alternative Test Procedures (ATP) program.

• EPA approval for Nitrate Reductase nitrate-nitrogen analysis as an alternative to Cd Reduction methods
  “That is, the performance of this method is substantially similar to methods listed at 40 CFR Part 136 for measurement of nitrate and combined nitrate-nitrite in wastewater.”
• EPA approval for capillary IC
  "Although Method 300.1 gives the example of 2 mm or 4 mm columns in section 6.1.2, capillary columns are acceptable as long as all of the quality control parameters of the method are met. This flexibility is already built into the methods and does not require additional approval."
• EPA approval for methods 300.0 and 300.1 using hydroxide eluent
  "...the use of hydroxide eluents (either manually prepared or electrolytically generated) falls within the method flexibility allowed in EPA methods 300.0 and 300.1 for determining inorganic anions."
• EPA approval for use of Reagent-Free™ IC (RFIC™) with eluent regeneration
  "... the use of chromatographic systems that employ eluent regeneration are acceptable for use in EPA methods 300.0 and 300.1 when operated according to the manufacturer’s instructions."
• EPA approval for hydroxide eluent with methods 317.0 and 326.0
  "...the use of electrolytically generated hydroxide eluents and associated hydroxide-selective analytical columns are acceptable for use in EPA methods 317.0 and 326.0."
• EPA approval for quadratic fit
  "MWH [Laboratories] analytical methods ML300.0, ML300.1 and ML317.0 [revision dates 11/20/07] are acceptable versions of EPA Methods 300.0, 300.1, and 317.0 respectively."
• Dionex IonPac Columns for U.S. EPA Methods 300.0 (B) and 300.1 (B) for Compliance Monitoring of Oxyhalides in Drinking Water
• Guidance on use of a surrogate when used with EPA 300.1

Although the directive acts at the whole EU level, member states can choose to apply an environmental quality standard (EQS) for an alternative matrix or, where relevant, an alternative biota taxon. In addition, the new directive encourages the development of novel monitoring methods such as passive sampling and other tools.

• View videos for EU WFD solutions from the experts

CIP 2 UK regulations investigates the occurrence, sources and removal of trace substances in waste water treatment facility effluent. This regulation helps to establish priorities for remediative action to ensure surface waters meet new Environmental Quality Standards (EQS).

• The CIP 1 program was managed by UK Water Industry Research (UKWIR) and implemented from 2010-2013.
• The CIP 2 program is a follow up program of sampling and analysis to be implemented between 2014 and 2020.

The primary objective of CIP 2 is to identify and characterize sites where EQS levels are breached. In the program 70 priority substances were determined from 162 sewage treatment works (STW) effluents. 11 pharmaceuticals were also identified as priority monitoring candidates. It is important to note that EQS is defined for only 3 pharmaceutical compounds Diclofenac, E2, and EE2. All substances selected for monitoring analysis were detected previously in wastewater effluent samples. The determined environmental concentrations of many priority substances in effluent exceeded EQS.

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