EPA Approves Alternative Testing Methods for Measuring Contaminants in Drinking Water

In an action published in the Federal Register on June 8, the U.S. EPA adopted a final rule allowing twelve alternative methods for testing drinking water contaminants.  

The new methods do not replace previously approved methods, but instead are added as additional methods considered equally effective.  Some of the new methods improve on existing ones in that they, among other things, eliminate some labor intensive sample preparation steps and reduce the need for solvents and potentially hazardous materials in the testing process.

The newly approved testing methods were developed by three different sources: the EPA, Voluntary Consensus Standard Bodies, and private vendors. 

The Safe Drinking Water Act authorizes EPA to approve the use of alternative testing methods through publication in the Federal Register, an expedited process.  According to the EPA, “A new method can be considered for approval using the expedited process, if it has performance characteristics that fall within the range of performance characteristics obtained by the methods listed in regulation for the same contaminant.”  The final rule was effective immediately upon its publication.

The Federal Register notice can be viewed here.