Policy for Reporting Maximum Contaminant Level Exceedances
IN REPLY REFER TO:
WGS-Mail Stop 412 APR 23 1990
WATER RESOURCES DIVISION MEMORANDUM NO. 90.38
SUBJECT:PROGRAMS AND PLANS--Policy for Reporting Maximum
Contaminant Level Exceedances
POLICY
It is the policy of the Water Resources Division (WRD) to
promptly notify agencies that have a need to know when
constituents in water samples collected by or for the U.S.
Geological Survey (USGS) exceed Maximum Contaminant Levels
(MCL's) specified in the National Primary Drinking Water
Regulations. (See attachment 1 for background.)
RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE OFFICE OF WATER QUALITY
The Office of Water Quality (OWQ) will:
1. Ensure that MCL's in the National Water Information
System (NWIS) are those currently specified by the U.S.
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The NWIS automatically
flags National Water Quality Laboratory (NWQL) data values that
exceed the MCL's.
2. Ensure that all WRD offices have a continually updated
list of MCL's.
RESPONSIBILITIES OF PROJECT OFFICES AND NATIONAL RESEARCH
PROGRAM PERSONNEL
A significant portion of currently collected water-quality data
is analyzed with new or provisional methods. Therefore, EPA
parameter codes may not be available for entering these data
into the NWIS and WATSTORE. Only data stored in NWIS and
WATSTORE are automatically screened for MCL exceedances.
It is the responsibility of Project Offices, National Research
Program (NRP) personnel, and other persons collecting and
analyzing samples by new or provisional methods to:
1. Visually screen data to determine if constituent
concentrations exceed the MCL's.
2. Verify data values that exceed MCL's prior to
acceptance and reporting.
3. Report verified MCL exceedances to the District Chief
for the area in which they are working.
RESPONSIBILITIES OF DISTRICT CHIEFS
District Chiefs will:
1. Canvass agencies that have a need to know when MCL's
are exceeded in drinking water or potential drinking-water
sources. Using attachment 2, they will determine:
a. Whether each canvassed agency wants to be
informed when MCL's are exceeded, and
b. Which sampling sites are to be included.
2. Assure that attachment 2 is signed by each agency
contacted, whether or not the agency wishes to be informed.
Copies of all responses are to be kept on file in District
offices.
3. Screen data received directly from cooperator and
contract laboratories for MCL exceedances. Screening can be
accomplished using the following NWIS programs: QWINPUT,
QWENTER, and QWEDIT.
4. Verify data values that exceed MCL1s prior to
acceptance and reporting. This verification step will be
applied to exceedances on data delivered to Districts by:
a. The NWQL, through the NWIS, and
b. Cooperator and contract laboratories.
5. Notify appropriate agencies of MCL exceedances within 2 weeks of:
a. Verification of an MCL exceedance by the
District, and
b. Reporting of verified MCL exceedances to the
District Chief by Project Offices and NRP personnel.
Philip Cohen
Chief Hydrologist
2 Attachments
This memorandum supersedes WRD Memorandum Nos. 77.148 and 77.158.
Distribution: A, B, S, FO, P0 Attachment 1
BACKGROUND ON THE POLICY FOR REPORTING MAXIMUM CONTAMINANT LEVEL
EXCEEDANCES
Water Resources Division (WRD) Memorandum No. 77.148 requested
that each District Chief contact State, Federal, and local
regulatory agencies within the District jurisdiction to inform
the agencies that the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) was
developing a program to "assure prompt reporting of apparent
water-quality problems to the proper regulatory agencies." The
agencies were to be asked whether they wished to be included in
an Alert Program (now referred to as the Water-Quality Alert
System implemented within the National Water Information System
(NWIS) and to indicate the constituents of interest chosen from
an interim list prepared by the Quality of Water Branch using
"the most stringent criteria" available for the several water
uses.
WRD Memorandum No. 77.158 provided the list of constituents and
their respective limiting values. The selection of each
constituent was based on "the maximum contaminant level
established under the Safe Drinking Water Act, and criteria
recommended by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in
1976."
From inception until 1988, the Alert System was not updated as
criteria were changed and expanded. During November 1988, the
constituent list was examined, and current Maximum Contaminant
Levels (MCL's) specified by the EPA for National Primary
Drinking Water Regulations were entered into the Alert System.
The Office of Water Quality investigated the possibility of also
including criteria for aquatic life and recreational uses of
water. These variable criteria are established primarily at the
State and local level and cannot be properly accommodated by the
current NWIS which can only flag national level exceedances.
When the next version of NWIS becomes operational, the Division
will have greatly expanded capability for alerts, including
simultaneous use of numerous national, State, and local criteria
lists.
Attachment 2
U.S. Geological Survey Water Resources Division
(Local Address)
Agency Address
Dear Sir:
The Water Resources Division of the U.S. Geological Survey
routinely collects water-quality data as part of its nationwide
program. These data are collected for a wide variety of
purposes and become public information after verification and
acceptance by our staff. As a routine measure, we have an Alert
System built into our computer data files that automatically
flags data that exceed the National Primary Drinking Water
Regulations Maximum Contaminant Levels (MCL's) specified by the
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
Because of the responsibilities of your agency, you may wish to
receive a copy of the data that exceed any of these standards
prior to public release. Signing and returning the attached
form will document your desire to receive the data and specify
the particular data you wish to receive. We respectfully
request that a representative from your agency sign and return
this form whether or not you choose to be notified.
Sincerely,
District Chief
Request for Pre-Release of Water-Quality Data
The (Agency name) ______________________________________ does/
does not (circle one) want to receive copies of U.S. Geological
Survey water-quality data that are flagged as exceeding the
Maximum Contaminant Levels (MCL's) specified in the National
Primary Drinking Water Regulations by the U.S. Environmental
Protection Agency. I understand that the data provided will
include information describing the sample location and identify
the specific values that exceed the MCL's. Constituents to be
reported include major ions, nutrients, trace elements,
radiochemical elements, pesticide residues, and other organic
compounds.
Sampling locations Yes No
All surface-water sites ___ ___
All ground-water sites ___ ___
Selected surface-water sites
Attach sheet to specify sites
Selected ground-water sites
Please send the data to the following address:
Signature of
requester______________________________Date___________
Title of requester_______________________________