Proposed changes to Indiana drinking water rules will better protect public health

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Region 5 seeks comments on its tentative decision to approve three changes to Indiana’s drinking water regulations that will enhance protection of public health. The changes are required under amendments to the federal Safe Drinking Water Act. As EPA adopts new drinking water regulations, states such as Indiana that administer their own programs must adopt rules at least as stringent.

Indiana plans to adopt:

The revised Arsenic and Clarifications to Compliance and New Source Monitoring Rule to reduce the public’s exposure to arsenic in drinking water, thereby reducing the frequency of cancers and non-carcinogenic diseases.
The revised Radionuclides Rule that reduces the public’s exposure to radionuclides in drinking water will reduce the risk of cancer.
The Long Term 1 Enhanced Surface Water Treatment Rule which will control microbial contaminants, particularly cryptosporidium.

If there is sufficient interest, EPA will hold a public hearing on the proposed changes. Requests for a hearing should be postmarked by June 29 and sent to EPA Region 5, Ground Water and Drinking Water Branch (WG-15J), 77 West Jackson Blvd., Chicago, IL 60604 or e-mailed to brown.alicia@epa.gov.

Documents on the proposed changes are available for review at the Indiana Department of Environmental Management, Drinking Water Branch, 100 N. Senate Ave., Indianapolis, Ind., and at EPA’s Chicago office.