From CCL3 to CCL4

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is requesting nominations of chemical and microbial contaminants for possible inclusion in the fourth drinking water Contaminant Candidate List (CCL 4).

The EPA is also requesting supporting information that has been made available since the development of the third CCL (CCL 3), or existing information that was not considered for CCL 3, which shows that the nominated contaminant may have an adverse health effect on people and occurs or is likely to occur in public water systems.

This notice does not impose any requirements on anyone; it only requests drinking water contaminant candidate nominations.

What is the CCL?
The Contaminant Candidate List contains contaminants that are currently not subject to any proposed or promulgated national primary drinking water regulations. They are known, or anticipated, to occur in public water systems. According to the EPA, they may require regulation under the Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA).

The EPA uses this list of unregulated contaminants to help the agency determine whether it should regulate a specific contaminant and to prioritize research and data collection efforts. The SDWA requires that the EPA publish the CCL every five years. The EPA is also required to consult with the scientific community and provide notice and opportunity for public comment prior to publication of the CCL.

The SDWA also requires the EPA to determine whether to regulate at least five contaminants from the CCL every five years with a national primary drinking water regulation (NPDWR).

In making a determination to regulate a contaminant, SDWA specifies that three criteria must be met:

1. The contaminant may have an adverse effect on the health of persons;
2. The contaminant is known to occur or there is a substantial likelihood that the contaminant will occur in public water systems with a frequency and at levels of public health concern; and
3. In the sole judgment of the Administrator, regulation of such contaminant presents a meaningful opportunity for health risk reduction for persons served by public water systems.

Nominations must be received on or before June 22, 2012.
Submit your nominations by one of the following methods:

• Online:
  Go to the CCL 4 Nominations Web site. Follow the on-line instructions for submitting nominations.
• Mail:
  Water Docket, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
  Mailcode: 2822T
  1200 Pennsylvania Ave. NW
  Washington, DC 20460
  Identify your nominations by Docket ID No. EPA-HQ-OW-2012-0217.
• Hand Delivery:
  Water Docket, U.S. EPA Docket Center (EPA/DC).
  Such deliveries are only accepted during the Docket's normal hours of operation, and special arrangements should be made for deliveries of boxed information. The EPA Docket Center, Water Docket is located in Room 3334, 1301 Constitution Ave. NW., Washington, DC 20004. The telephone number for the Water Docket is (202) 566-2426.

For Further Information:
For general information contact the EPA Safe Drinking Water Hotline at (800) 426-4791 or email hotline-sdwa@epa.gov.