Trends in Health-Based Drinking Water Violations for Total Coliform Bacteria in the United States

Abstract

This research seeks to determine whether health-based drinking water violations for total coliforms have increased since the Revised Total Coliform Bacteria Rule (RTCR) established in 2013 by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) under the Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA); as well as to determine the geographic regions, states and territories with the highest number of health-based Total Coliform Rule (TCR) and RTCR violations. Data was obtained for drinking water violations involving total coliform bacteria from the Safe Drinking Water Information System (SDWIS) for 2000-2019 and trend analysis was performed by state, region, water source, violation type, month, and year This research seeks to determine whether health-based drinking water violations for total coliforms have increased since the Revised Total Coliform Bacteria Rule (RTCR) established in 2013 by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) under the Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA); as well as to determine the geographic regions, states, and territories with the highest number of health-based Total Coliform Rule (TCR) and RTCR violations. Data were obtained for drinking water violations involving total coliform bacteria from the Safe Drinking Water Information System (SDWIS) for 2000-2019 and trend analysis was performed by state, region, water source, violation type, month, and year. Out of total 587,983 reported TCR and RTCR violations, 124,977 were health-based. EPA Region 5, which is headquartered in Chicago had the highest number of health-based TCR and RTCR violations (n=27,030), followed by EPA Region 1, which is headquartered in Boston (n=17,771). Within EPA Region 5, Wisconsin had the highest number of TCR and RTCR violations (n=7,022). Frequent acute violations occurred in small water systems using primarily groundwater, serving primarily rural populations.Within EPA Region 5, Wisconsin had the highest number of TCR and RTCR violations (n=7,022). Frequent acute violations occurred in small water systems using primarily groundwater, serving primarily rural populations.