{"abstract":"The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA or the Agency) is finalizing revisions to the 1989 Total Coliform Rule (TCR). The Revised Total Coliform Rule (RTCR) offers a meaningful opportunity for greater public health protection beyond the 1989 TCR. Under the RTCR there is no longer a monthly maximum contaminant level (MCL) violation for multiple total coliform detections. Instead, the revisions require systems that have an indication of coliform contamination in the distribution system to assess the problem and take corrective action that may reduce cases of illnesses and deaths due to potential fecal contamination and waterborne pathogen exposure. This final rule also updates provisions in other rules that reference analytical methods and other requirements in the 1989 TCR (e.g., Public Notification and Ground Water Rules). These revisions are in accordance with the 1996 Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA) Amendments, which require EPA to review and revise, as appropriate, each national primary drinking water regulation no less often than every six years. These revisions also conform with the SDWA provision that requires any revision to \"maintain, or provide for greater, protection of the health of persons.\" As with the 1989 TCR, the RTCR applies to all public water systems.","action":"Final rule.","agencies":[{"raw_name":"ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY","name":"Environmental Protection Agency","id":145,"url":"https://www.federalregister.gov/agencies/environmental-protection-agency","json_url":"https://www.federalregister.gov/api/v1/agencies/145","parent_id":null,"slug":"environmental-protection-agency"}],"body_html_url":"https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/full_text/html/2013/02/13/2012-31205.html","cfr_references":[{"chapter":null,"citation_url":null,"part":141,"title":40},{"chapter":null,"citation_url":null,"part":142,"title":40}],"citation":"78 FR 10270","comment_url":null,"comments_close_on":null,"correction_of":null,"corrections":[],"dates":"This final rule is effective on April 15, 2013. For judicial purposes, this final rule is promulgated as of February 13, 2013. The compliance date for the rule requirements is April 1, 2016. The incorporation by reference of certain publications listed in the rule is approved by the Director of the Federal Register (FR) as of April 15, 2013.","disposition_notes":null,"docket_ids":["EPA-HQ-OW-2008-0878","FRL-9684-8"],"dockets":[],"document_number":"2012-31205","effective_on":"2013-04-15","end_page":10365,"executive_order_notes":null,"executive_order_number":null,"full_text_xml_url":"https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/full_text/xml/2013/02/13/2012-31205.xml","html_url":"https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2013/02/13/2012-31205/national-primary-drinking-water-regulations-revisions-to-the-total-coliform-rule","images":{"ER13FE13.003":{"large":"https://img.federalregister.gov/ER13FE13.003/ER13FE13.003_large.png","medium":"https://img.federalregister.gov/ER13FE13.003/ER13FE13.003_medium.png","original_size":"https://img.federalregister.gov/ER13FE13.003/ER13FE13.003_original_size.png"},"ER13FE13.002":{"large":"https://img.federalregister.gov/ER13FE13.002/ER13FE13.002_large.png","medium":"https://img.federalregister.gov/ER13FE13.002/ER13FE13.002_medium.png","original_size":"https://img.federalregister.gov/ER13FE13.002/ER13FE13.002_original_size.png"},"ER13FE13.005":{"large":"https://img.federalregister.gov/ER13FE13.005/ER13FE13.005_large.png","medium":"https://img.federalregister.gov/ER13FE13.005/ER13FE13.005_medium.png","original_size":"https://img.federalregister.gov/ER13FE13.005/ER13FE13.005_original_size.png"},"ER13FE13.004":{"large":"https://img.federalregister.gov/ER13FE13.004/ER13FE13.004_large.png","medium":"https://img.federalregister.gov/ER13FE13.004/ER13FE13.004_medium.png","original_size":"https://img.federalregister.gov/ER13FE13.004/ER13FE13.004_original_size.png"},"ER13FE13.001":{"large":"https://img.federalregister.gov/ER13FE13.001/ER13FE13.001_large.png","medium":"https://img.federalregister.gov/ER13FE13.001/ER13FE13.001_medium.png","original_size":"https://img.federalregister.gov/ER13FE13.001/ER13FE13.001_original_size.png"},"ER13FE13.000":{"large":"https://img.federalregister.gov/ER13FE13.000/ER13FE13.000_large.png","medium":"https://img.federalregister.gov/ER13FE13.000/ER13FE13.000_medium.png","original_size":"https://img.federalregister.gov/ER13FE13.000/ER13FE13.000_original_size.png"},"ER13FE13.007":{"large":"https://img.federalregister.gov/ER13FE13.007/ER13FE13.007_large.png","medium":"https://img.federalregister.gov/ER13FE13.007/ER13FE13.007_medium.png","original_size":"https://img.federalregister.gov/ER13FE13.007/ER13FE13.007_original_size.png"},"ER13FE13.006":{"large":"https://img.federalregister.gov/ER13FE13.006/ER13FE13.006_large.png","medium":"https://img.federalregister.gov/ER13FE13.006/ER13FE13.006_medium.png","original_size":"https://img.federalregister.gov/ER13FE13.006/ER13FE13.006_original_size.png"}},"images_metadata":{"ER13FE13.003":{"large":{"identifier":"ER13FE13.003","content_type":"image/png","size":51033,"width":823,"sha":"b5e5451c95d567c2bb52e443bef5299c","url":"https://img.federalregister.gov/ER13FE13.003/ER13FE13.003_large.png","height":844},"medium":{"identifier":"ER13FE13.003","content_type":"image/png","size":27371,"width":513,"sha":"4db74a300fd3353963dd49ecbd3bafc1","url":"https://img.federalregister.gov/ER13FE13.003/ER13FE13.003_medium.png","height":526},"original_size":{"identifier":"ER13FE13.003","content_type":"image/png","size":115221,"width":3874,"sha":"42ec2ec4ef35f9e618df84639b5d97e9","url":"https://img.federalregister.gov/ER13FE13.003/ER13FE13.003_original_size.png","height":3973}},"ER13FE13.002":{"large":{"identifier":"ER13FE13.002","content_type":"image/png","size":60414,"width":822,"sha":"b38c73746cb831bb55a2af61559f6261","url":"https://img.federalregister.gov/ER13FE13.002/ER13FE13.002_large.png","height":907},"medium":{"identifier":"ER13FE13.002","content_type":"image/png","size":30116,"width":517,"sha":"6deac6fa3c396d7e56c3855727795978","url":"https://img.federalregister.gov/ER13FE13.002/ER13FE13.002_medium.png","height":570},"original_size":{"identifier":"ER13FE13.002","content_type":"image/png","size":148689,"width":3896,"sha":"11a39f6adfbb5bea95fbb6a66a10b0da","url":"https://img.federalregister.gov/ER13FE13.002/ER13FE13.002_original_size.png","height":4298}},"ER13FE13.005":{"large":{"identifier":"ER13FE13.005","content_type":"image/png","size":65671,"width":821,"sha":"5fa161a515e0504deaa2cdfd96132453","url":"https://img.federalregister.gov/ER13FE13.005/ER13FE13.005_large.png","height":895},"medium":{"identifier":"ER13FE13.005","content_type":"image/png","size":33296,"width":516,"sha":"32cb42ac975062bbdbbb00140d0dcc4b","url":"https://img.federalregister.gov/ER13FE13.005/ER13FE13.005_medium.png","height":562},"original_size":{"identifier":"ER13FE13.005","content_type":"image/png","size":163589,"width":3896,"sha":"94507055a2c94fc02bc8fb6c89bbf5ed","url":"https://img.federalregister.gov/ER13FE13.005/ER13FE13.005_original_size.png","height":4245}},"ER13FE13.004":{"large":{"identifier":"ER13FE13.004","content_type":"image/png","size":64994,"width":823,"sha":"767d6e9601be576bf50953466064dfaa","url":"https://img.federalregister.gov/ER13FE13.004/ER13FE13.004_large.png","height":893},"medium":{"identifier":"ER13FE13.004","content_type":"image/png","size":29002,"width":517,"sha":"f71a742f37a820f21eca076e076727b4","url":"https://img.federalregister.gov/ER13FE13.004/ER13FE13.004_medium.png","height":561},"original_size":{"identifier":"ER13FE13.004","content_type":"image/png","size":159471,"width":3901,"sha":"4b35a4e28b1008bbc3333a5ef4a637d8","url":"https://img.federalregister.gov/ER13FE13.004/ER13FE13.004_original_size.png","height":4234}},"ER13FE13.001":{"large":{"identifier":"ER13FE13.001","content_type":"image/png","size":61236,"width":823,"sha":"9480ee8796955d4ffca2a0a4a0b3f858","url":"https://img.federalregister.gov/ER13FE13.001/ER13FE13.001_large.png","height":896},"medium":{"identifier":"ER13FE13.001","content_type":"image/png","size":29426,"width":517,"sha":"9943fa51655967fc8b6eb612c08e8012","url":"https://img.federalregister.gov/ER13FE13.001/ER13FE13.001_medium.png","height":563},"original_size":{"identifier":"ER13FE13.001","content_type":"image/png","size":152996,"width":3901,"sha":"d6021da33d3092cb4584b11cf620c7ba","url":"https://img.federalregister.gov/ER13FE13.001/ER13FE13.001_original_size.png","height":4246}},"ER13FE13.000":{"large":{"identifier":"ER13FE13.000","content_type":"image/png","size":35825,"width":822,"sha":"2b0b5757f9fe4e6c239ec30e4dc638db","url":"https://img.federalregister.gov/ER13FE13.000/ER13FE13.000_large.png","height":700},"medium":{"identifier":"ER13FE13.000","content_type":"image/png","size":16155,"width":479,"sha":"dc87fa8b1c5d37a0892fcf2e9785e3bb","url":"https://img.federalregister.gov/ER13FE13.000/ER13FE13.000_medium.png","height":408},"original_size":{"identifier":"ER13FE13.000","content_type":"image/png","size":104826,"width":3623,"sha":"167d79ac88166ca4657bbc58f7d91569","url":"https://img.federalregister.gov/ER13FE13.000/ER13FE13.000_original_size.png","height":3086}},"ER13FE13.007":{"large":{"identifier":"ER13FE13.007","content_type":"image/png","size":39385,"width":823,"sha":"cdaf74b98c6858fcd2509d05ecb7b7f9","url":"https://img.federalregister.gov/ER13FE13.007/ER13FE13.007_large.png","height":726},"medium":{"identifier":"ER13FE13.007","content_type":"image/png","size":20057,"width":515,"sha":"b6a3d175c09ab43a0484de6d0d9c5448","url":"https://img.federalregister.gov/ER13FE13.007/ER13FE13.007_medium.png","height":454},"original_size":{"identifier":"ER13FE13.007","content_type":"image/png","size":76962,"width":3893,"sha":"818bd4ebb04020711bdfb8d8b2807b34","url":"https://img.federalregister.gov/ER13FE13.007/ER13FE13.007_original_size.png","height":3433}},"ER13FE13.006":{"large":{"identifier":"ER13FE13.006","content_type":"image/png","size":62086,"width":822,"sha":"8686362a9312d25e4d0322b6ae93718f","url":"https://img.federalregister.gov/ER13FE13.006/ER13FE13.006_large.png","height":888},"medium":{"identifier":"ER13FE13.006","content_type":"image/png","size":28802,"width":513,"sha":"de6e0a1bdfbc2af994074075810f4b70","url":"https://img.federalregister.gov/ER13FE13.006/ER13FE13.006_medium.png","height":554},"original_size":{"identifier":"ER13FE13.006","content_type":"image/png","size":146719,"width":3874,"sha":"f53a555ae647df2b804f5c799bade3a5","url":"https://img.federalregister.gov/ER13FE13.006/ER13FE13.006_original_size.png","height":4183}}},"json_url":"https://www.federalregister.gov/api/v1/documents/2012-31205?publication_date=2013-02-13","mods_url":"https://www.govinfo.gov/metadata/granule/FR-2013-02-13/2012-31205/mods.xml","not_received_for_publication":null,"page_length":96,"page_views":{"count":12779,"last_updated":"2026-09-20 10:15:04 -0400"},"pdf_url":"https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR-2013-02-13/pdf/2012-31205.pdf","presidential_document_number":null,"proclamation_number":null,"public_inspection_pdf_url":"https://public-inspection.federalregister.gov/2012-31205.pdf?1360677155","publication_date":"2013-02-13","raw_text_url":"https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/full_text/text/2013/02/13/2012-31205.txt","regulation_id_number_info":{"2040-AD94":{"issue":"201110","html_url":"https://www.federalregister.gov/regulations/2040-AD94/national-primary-drinking-water-regulations-revisions-to-the-total-coliform-rule","title":"National Primary Drinking Water Regulations: Revisions to the Total Coliform Rule","xml_url":"http://www.reginfo.gov/public/do/eAgendaViewRule?pubId=201110&RIN=2040-AD94&operation=OPERATION_EXPORT_XML","priority_category":"Other Significant"}},"regulation_id_numbers":["2040-AD94"],"regulations_dot_gov_info":{"supporting_documents":[{"title":"Final Priorities of the Distribution System Research and Information Collection Partnership","document_id":"EPA-HQ-OW-2008-0878-0320"},{"title":"2006 Community Water Systems Survey","document_id":"EPA-HQ-OW-2008-0878-0319"},{"title":"Finished Water Storage Facilities","document_id":"EPA-HQ-OW-2008-0878-0318"},{"title":"Guidance Manual for Conducting Sanitary Surveys of Public Water Systems; Surface Water and Ground Water Under the Direct Influence (GWUDI) [EPA 815-R-99-016]","document_id":"EPA-HQ-OW-2008-0878-0317"},{"title":"House flies (Musca domestica) as possible vectors of Campylobacter fetus subsp. jejuni","document_id":"EPA-HQ-OW-2008-0878-0316"},{"title":"Survival of Salmonella enterica in freshwater and sediments and transmission by the aquatic midge Chironomus tentans (Chironomidae: Diptera)","document_id":"EPA-HQ-OW-2008-0878-0315"},{"title":"Assessment of drinking water quality using indicator bacteria and bacteriophages","document_id":"EPA-HQ-OW-2008-0878-0314"},{"title":"The case for maintaining a disinfectant residual","document_id":"EPA-HQ-OW-2008-0878-0313"},{"title":"Coliform regrowth in drinking water: a review","document_id":"EPA-HQ-OW-2008-0878-0312"},{"title":"Waterborne Disease in Colorado: Three Years’ Surveillance and 18 Outbreaks","document_id":"EPA-HQ-OW-2008-0878-0311"}],"comments_url":"https://www.regulations.gov/docketBrowser?rpp=50&so=DESC&sb=postedDate&po=0&dct=PS&D=EPA-HQ-OW-2008-0878","supporting_documents_count":161,"docket_id":"EPA-HQ-OW-2008-0878","regulation_id_number":null,"title":"Revised Total Coliform Rule ","checked_regulationsdotgov_at":"2013-03-05T08:22:05Z"},"regulations_dot_gov_url":null,"significant":true,"signing_date":null,"start_page":10270,"subtype":null,"title":"National Primary Drinking Water Regulations: Revisions to the Total Coliform Rule","toc_doc":"Revisions to the Total Coliform Rule","toc_subject":"National Primary Drinking Water Regulations:","topics":["Administrative practice and procedure","Chemicals","Environmental protection","Incorporation by reference","Indians-lands","Intergovernmental relations","Radiation protection","Reporting and recordkeeping requirements","Water supply"],"type":"Rule","volume":78}