{"abstract":"Today, EPA is promulgating an information collection rule (ICR) which establishes monitoring and data reporting requirements for large public water systems (PWSs). This rule is intended to provide EPA with information on the occurrence in drinking water of (1) chemical byproducts that form when disinfectants used for microbial control react with chemicals already present in source water (disinfection byproducts (DBPs)) and (2) disease-causing microorganisms (pathogens), including Cryptosporidium. Also, EPA will collect engineering data on how PWSs currently control such contaminants. All data collected pursuant to this rule will be available to the public via the Internet. This information is being collected because a Regulatory Negotiation on disinfectants and DBPs concluded that additional information is needed to assess the potential health problem created by the presence of DBPs and pathogens in drinking water and to assess the extent and severity of risk in order to make sound regulatory and public health decisions. These contaminants may have adverse human health effects, including cancer, liver and kidney damage, and may cause microbial disease such as cryptosporidiosis and hepatitis. EPA will use information generated by this rule, along with concurrent research, to determine whether revisions need to be made to EPA's current drinking water filtration and disinfection rule and to determine the need for new regulations for disinfectants and DBPs. EPA has determined that the rule's objectives can be satisfied, and sufficient information collected, by requiring only large PWSs to collect the data. Surface water systems serving at least 100,000 people and ground water systems serving at least 50,000 must monitor. EPA will supplement this information with EPA-funded surveys that target smaller PWSs. The specific information required is based on the number of people served, the source of water (i.e., surface water or ground water), and the type(s) of treatment used. Although Cryptosporidium is an important drinking water pathogen, it poses difficult measurement challenges. To ensure quality of data, EPA has and will continue to take extraordinary steps. The first is to continue an extensive method analysis and possible improvements. The second is to establish stringent laboratory approval criteria to increase Cryptosporidium data quality for developing a national occurrence data base and conducting a national cost assessment of possible future rules. Finally, EPA will supplement the collection of Cryptosporidium data in this rule with a separate, EPA-funded survey. EPA believes this combination of data collection activities will produce the best data possible.","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/1996/05/14/96-11370.html","cfr_references":[{"chapter":null,"citation_url":null,"part":"141","title":40}],"citation":"61 FR 24354","comment_url":null,"comments_close_on":null,"correction_of":null,"corrections":[],"dates":"The effective date for this final rule is June 18, 1996. The incorporation by reference of certain publications listed in the rule is approved by the Director of the Federal Register as of June 18, 1996. This rule shall remain effective until December 31, 2000.","disposition_notes":null,"docket_ids":["WH-FRL-5501-1"],"dockets":[],"document_number":"96-11370","effective_on":"1996-06-18","end_page":24388,"executive_order_notes":null,"executive_order_number":null,"full_text_xml_url":null,"html_url":"https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/1996/05/14/96-11370/national-primary-drinking-water-regulations-monitoring-requirements-for-public-drinking-water","images":{},"images_metadata":{},"json_url":"https://www.federalregister.gov/api/v1/documents/96-11370?publication_date=1996-05-14","mods_url":"https://www.govinfo.gov/metadata/granule/FR-1996-05-14/96-11370/mods.xml","not_received_for_publication":null,"page_length":35,"page_views":{"count":184,"last_updated":"2026-08-25 12:15:05 -0400"},"pdf_url":"https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR-1996-05-14/pdf/96-11370.pdf","presidential_document_number":null,"proclamation_number":null,"public_inspection_pdf_url":null,"publication_date":"1996-05-14","raw_text_url":"https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/full_text/text/1996/05/14/96-11370.txt","regulation_id_number_info":{"2040-AC24":{"issue":"199604","html_url":"https://www.federalregister.gov/regulations/2040-AC24/drinking-water-microbial-and-disinfection-by-product-monitoring-rule-formerly-called-the-information","title":"Drinking Water Microbial and Disinfection By-Product Monitoring Rule (Formerly Called the \"Information Collection Disinfection By-Products Rule\")","xml_url":"http://www.reginfo.gov/public/do/eAgendaViewRule?pubId=199604&RIN=2040-AC24&operation=OPERATION_EXPORT_XML","priority_category":"Other Significant"}},"regulation_id_numbers":["2040-AC24"],"regulations_dot_gov_info":{"checked_regulationsdotgov_at":"2011-09-21T04:05:43Z"},"regulations_dot_gov_url":null,"significant":true,"signing_date":null,"start_page":24354,"subtype":null,"title":"National Primary Drinking Water Regulations: Monitoring Requirements for Public Drinking Water Supplies: Cryptosporidium, Giardia, Viruses, Disinfection Byproducts, Water Treatment Plant Data and Other Information Requirements","toc_doc":null,"toc_subject":null,"topics":[],"type":"Rule","volume":61}