National Primary Drinking Water Regulations: Analytical Methods for Radionuclides

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is approving the use of 66 additional analytical methods for compliance with current radionuclide drinking water standards and monitoring requirements. The methods are applicable to gross alpha, gross beta, tritium, uranium, radium-226, radium-228, gamma emitters, and radioactive cesium, iodine and strontium. This rule is expected to satisfy public requests for approval of new analytical technologies for measuring contaminants in drinking water. This rule imposes no burden, because it does not withdraw approval of any previously approved method. Today's final rule follows the Proposed Notice of Rulemaking for Radionuclides in Drinking Water published on July 18, 1991. The 1991 rulemaking proposed to approve analytical methods and establish Maximum Contaminant Level Goals (MCLGs) and National Primary Drinking Water Regulations (NPDWRs) for several radionuclides. Today's final rule is limited to the approval of additional analytical methods. In addition, since EPA received comments suggesting approval of additional methods during the comments period, EPA is proceeding with direct final rule making on 12 of the suggested methods. EPA is inviting comments on these 12 methods elsewhere in today's rule.