A History of the Attempted Federal Regulation Requiring GAC Adsorption for Water Treatment

Abstract

The author traces the federal government's attempts to require certain water systems to use GAC adsorption treatment for the removal of synthetic organic contaminants present in source waters. The actions taken by opponents and proponents of the proposed rulemaking are discussed in chronological order, providing an overall perspective of the reasons for the rule's proposal, the reasons for objections to it, and the ultimate abandonment of the proposal. The confusion created by the almost simultaneous proposal for regulating trihalomethanes—a completely separate category of contaminants—is also discussed.