Course info

The Regulation - GWR

 The Groundwater Rule (GWR) applies to more than 147,000 public water systems in the U.S. that use groundwater as of 2003.  The rule also applies to any system that mixes surface and groundwater if the groundwater is added directly to the distribution system, and provided to consumers without treatment equivalent to surface water treatment.  These types of systems provide water to an estimated 100 million consumers.

Public Health Benefits

 The Groundwater Rule is designed to reduce the public health risk from contaminated groundwater drinking water sources, especially in high-risk or high-priority systems. The GWR is estimated to reduce the average number of waterborne viral (rotavirus and echovirus) illnesses by nearly 42,000 each year from the current database estimate of approximately 185,000; i.e., a 23% reduction in total illnesses.  Additionally, non-quantified benefits from the rule resulting in illness reduction from other viruses and bacteria are expected to be significant.

 The Final Requirements

 1.         Periodic Sanitary Surveys of groundwater systems that require the evaluation of eight (8) critical elements, and the identification of significant  deficiencies; i.e., a well located near a leaking septic system.

 

            The eight (8) critical elements:

           ●          Source Water monitoring

            ●          Treatment

            ●          Distribution System

            ●          Finished water storage

            ●          Pumps, pump facilities and controls

            ●          Monitoring, reporting and data verification

            ●          System operations and maintenance

            ●          Operator Certification and compliance

2.  Source Water Monitoring to test for the presence of E. Coli

3.  Enterococci, or coliphage in the sample.