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Service Connection |
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Boil Water Order Reminder:Loss of water pressure in a water system requires a Boil Water Order. Go to the Drinking Water Order page for more information. |
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Last fall EPA officially published the final version of the Groundwater Rule. In a nutshell, the Groundwater Rule is intended as a way to evaluate public water supplies using groundwater for signs of fecal contamination. Systems now monitor for total coliform under the Total Coliform Rule. EPA has decided that total coliform alone is not an accurate or reliable indicator of fecal contamination.
The Groundwater Rule provides flexibility for states in several key areas, including the testing requirements placed on systems. The Drinking Water program has decided to use routine TCR monitoring as the main form of compliance testing for the Groundwater Rule. TCR positive tests will result in “triggered” Groundwater Rule testing for E. coli, Maine’s fecal indicator. That’s good news for systems as no new routine monitoring is planned.
The DWP will spend the rest of this year preparing to implement this rule. The first step is to update our Rules Relating to Drinking Water to reflect the changes that the Groundwater Rule requires. We will have these rule changes ready for formal rule making this summer as part of a regular updating of the regulations.
After rule making is complete, the DWP will prepare and submit a primacy package to EPA for federal review and approval. By fall 2008, we should be ready to begin full implementation.
Federal law requires implementation within three years of final rule announcement. We will begin implementation by December 1, 2009 and complete the first round of required sanitary surveys by 2012. That may seem like a lot of time but for us the “fun” has already begun.
We’ll keep you posted……
Carlton Gardner, Compliance and Enforcement Team Leader Total Coliform Bacteria Samples must be analyzed within 30 hours of collection.
In November, December, January and into February, there were serious issues with the U.S. Postal Service delivering water samples to the State Lab within the 30 hour hold time. The State Lab spent many hours working with the Post Office in an effort to resolve the delivery issues. The situation has improved greatly.
Normally, samples delivered to the State’s Health and Environmental Testing Lab (HETL) are run the same day that they are received.
Please remember there is no postal delivery to HETL on the weekends. The State Lab does analyze total coliform bacteria samples on Saturday if they are received in the drop box.
Call your compliance officer at the Drinking Water Program with questions.
Suggestions for mailing water samples
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All labs use chain of custody sheets to track samples. This information is very important. The sheets have a place for the date, time of collection, location, a telephone number, and the sampler’s name.
If there is no date and collection time, the lab has no way of knowing if the sample is too old. If there is no name or phone number, the lab cannot verify the date and collection time and the sample will be rejected. The Drinking Water Program has rejected finished water tests because of incomplete chain of custody sheets.
Please remember: All community and non-community water systems that add chlorine must collect and report chlorine residual at the same time and location as any total coliform bacteria compliance samples. This requirement includes re-samples, recheck samples and replacement samples. These chlorine residuals results must be submitted to the Drinking Water Program.
Amilyn Stillings has worked at the Drinking Water Program for the past two years as a Compliance Officer, with her main role being oversight of the Lead & Copper Rule.
Amilyn recently accepted the position of Inventory Coordinator within the Drinking Water Program. She started her new position on June 4 th . Amilyn’s new duties include:
Adam Spiotta is from Jay, Maine and is a senior at the University of Maine Farmington majoring in Geography. This summer he will be working as an intern at the Drinking Water Program. Adam will be collecting GPS points from over 100 well locations throughout the State.
The data becomes part of the DWP Geographic Information System and is used by water systems, agencies and land use planners to protect drinking water sources. This information is also used in emergency response planning and implementation, including flood response.
Andy Tolman , Water Resources Team Laeder After a year of review, a year of public process, and a couple of months of discussion and drafting with the Natural Resources Committee, LD 1888, An Act to Implement Recommendations of the Drinking Water Program regarding Public Water Supply Protection before the Standing Committee on Natural Resources, was considered. The bill would implement the three recommendations that came out of the review.
First, that all State agencies explicitly consider the impact of their actions and decisions on public water supplies. This provides leadership from the State and a framework for building sustainable supplies.
Secondly, the State should use this framework to encourage forestry, low intensity recreation and agricultural land use in water supply protection areas. Both national and local experience shows that these land uses provide better water quality, and help to maintain water quantity for both human and aquatic uses.
Finally, the area immediately around public water supplies will be declared a protected natural resource, and any new activities in the area will be reviewed for impact at the State level. Necessary water supply activities will not be subject to this requirement. This exception will provide a base level of protection for smaller supplies, and give larger systems a new tool to help them work with their neighbors.
LD 1888 amends three areas of statute to implement these recommendations:
The DWP and water systems with technical capacity will assist the DEP in reviewing activities proposed in these zones. The bill was reported out “ought to pass” on May 15.
Tera Pare, Enforcement and Rulemaking Coordinator The Drinking Water Program is getting ready for the next session of rule changes for the Rules Relating to Drinking Water (10-144 CMR 231). Drinking Water Program staff face a deadline of June 20, 2007, to submit suggested additions and deletions. After a review period, the Attorney General’s Office reviews the proposed rule changes. Then the DHHS Commissioner’s Office and the Maine CDC approve the changes.
We’re hoping to schedule a public hearing in July 2007 at the Key Bank Plaza in Augusta. An exact date will be advertised on the DWP website, along with the Portland Press Herald, Kennebec Journal, Morning Sentinel, Lewiston Sun Journal and Bangor Daily News.
If you have any questions about these rule changes, please contact Tera Pare at 287-5680, or tera.pare@maine.gov.
Bill Johnson, Security CoordinatorThe Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) provides online training for Incident Command System (ICS) and the National Incident Management System (NIMS). Why is this important to you? You may have an emergency at your water system that requires outside help. If the police and fire departments or other agencies respond to your emergency, then an ICS will be set up and you will become part of it. Also, to apply for money from the Dept. of Homeland Security, you must be trained in ICS and NIMS, and your local first responders must comply with NIMS requirements.
Most people complete the online training in less than three hours. Once you pass the exam at the end of each course, you will receive a certificate for 0.3 Continuing Education Units (or 3 TCH). The Board of Licensure will accept these hours toward your water operator license renewal.
Classroom training may be available from your county emergency management agency (EMA) instead of the online training. Your local fire chief can help you find your county EMA contact.
An easy way to learn about ICS and NIMS trainings is on the FEMA website. Go to training.fema.gov/EMIWEB/is/crslist.asp , and look for the IS-100 and IS-700 courses. The FEMA website is easy to use and the courses are self directed.
The following excerpt is from a March 19, 2007 press release from Dr. Dora Mills, Director, Maine CDC.
AUGUSTA - Representatives from 20 major Maine health, public health, and dental health organizations reiterated their support for fluoridation of community drinking water at a press conference Monday at the State House. “In light of recent concerns arising from misinformation about fluoride disseminated in some Maine communities, we stand here together to assert our long-standing support for what the U.S. CDC declared as one of 10 most successful public health achievements of the 20th Century – community water fluoridation,” announced Dora Anne Mills, MD, MPH, Director of the Maine CDC in the Department of Health and Human Services. “The single most effective way to prevent tooth decay is fluoridation of public water,” said Don Burgess, MD, FAAP, President of the Maine Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics. … Burgess said the tragedy is that with about half of Maine children suffering from dental disease, virtually all of this is preventable. …. Jonathan Shenkin, DDS, MPH, representing the Maine Dental Association [stated], “Fluoride in drinking water is effective because it supplies a low dose of fluoride to the surface of teeth that reduces tooth decay, along with incorporation into enamel during early tooth development.” Representative Lisa Miller (D-Somerville), who is also a public health professional, noted that all of Maine’s 16 counties deal with a shortage of dental health providers. “This means we in Maine especially need to rely on community prevention measures such as fluoridation.” …. “Indeed, if we don’t have good dental health, we’re not healthy and dental health begins with the basic, longstanding, proven public health measure of community water fluoridation,” concluded Dr. Mills. For more information [visit] www.mainepublichealth.gov …. |
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Teresa Trott, Operator Licensing and Environmental Review Coordinator The Board of Licensure of Water System Operators has revised the Rules Related to the Licensure of Water System Operators . The new rules are on the DWP website or you may call to request a paper copy. Changes to the Rules include:
The 50% allowance for safety training has been removed. All training must be relevant to treatment or distribution; this change will include relevant safety training.
Operator Exams
The exams have a new selection of questions for 2007. Many questions were re-written for clarity. This is the result of comments made by examinees, operator specialists and review teams of operators. The Board has reviewed all exam questions to ensure questions match system classifications. Visit the ABC website for exam information at www.abccertonline.org.
All operating decisions affecting quality or quantity must be made by the designated licensed operator. This includes, but is not limited to, well shocking, pump or pipe replacement, chemical addition and flow settings.
Licensed Operator Responsibility Reminders
Operators should not work outside of the qualifications of their license. Licenses do not apply to internal plumbing, installation of treatment in private homes, or decisions at water systems where you are not a designated operator.
Contract operators must notify the Drinking Water Program when no longer in responsible charge of a system. Your name is associated with the water system until DWP receives notification.
April Exam Results
Exam Level |
# Exams Passed |
VSWS |
16 |
Treatment I |
12 |
Distribution I |
17 |
Treatment II |
7 |
Distribution II |
15 |
Treatment III |
5 |
Distribution III |
9 |
Treatment IV |
2 |
Distribution IV |
8 |
In April 2007, the Legislature approved two bond packages for the voters to vote for in June 2007. Included was $3.4 million to provide State match for the 2007 and 2008 Drinking Water State Revolving Fund (DWSRF). On June 12 th, voters approved this bond package. Thanks to all who worked hard to make this possible.
The $3.4 million will provide the State match necessary to access $17 million in federal funds. These funds will be used to finance water system construction projects across the State. The following is a partial list of other activities that are funded by the DWSRF:
In July, the DWP will mail an information packet and application to all eligible water systems requesting project submittals for the 2008 construction season. Project submittals are due by September 14, 2007. Water systems eligible for the DWSRF program include all community water systems and all non-profit, non-community water systems. If you do not receive an application or have questions, please contact Roger Crouse at 287-5684 or roger.crouse@maine.gov.
Laboratory |
Town |
Phone |
A&L Laboratory |
Auburn |
207-784-5354 |
Acheron Inc. ( Clearwater Lab) |
Newport |
207-368-5786 |
AquaMaine Inc. |
Rockport |
207-236-8428 |
Bangor Water District |
Bangor |
207-947-4516 |
City of Brewer Water Department Water Testing Laboratory |
Eddington |
207-843-7182 |
Demers Testing Laboratory (Nelson’s Lab) |
Springvale |
207-324-2074 |
Health and Environmental Testing Laboratory |
Augusta |
207-287-2727 |
Katahdin Analytical Services |
Scarborough |
207-874-2400 |
Maine Environmental Laboratory |
Yarmouth |
207-846-6569 |
Micmac Environmental Laboratory |
Presque Isle |
207-764-7219 |
Northeast Laboratory Services |
Waterville |
207-873-7711 |
Northern Maine Water Testing Service |
Caribou |
207-492-2460 |
Paris Utility District |
South Paris |
207-743-5134 |
Sawyer Environmental Chemistry Research Laboratory |
Orono |
207-581-3239 |
Wright-Pierce Engineers |
Topsham |
207-725-8721 |
Stage 2 |
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|---|---|---|---|---|
| Surface Water, GUI, Groundwater | Submit Initial Distribution System Evaluation Plan |
Begin Monitoring |
Complete Monitoring |
Submit IDSE Report |
| Schedule 3 (systems serving 10,000 to 49,999 people, or part of a combined distribution system) | October 1, 2007 |
October 1, 2008 |
September 30, 2009 |
January 1, 2010 |
| Schedule 4 (systems serving <10,000 people) | April 1, 2008 |
April 1, 2009 |
March 31, 2010 |
July 1, 2010 |
| Long Term 2 Enhanced Surface Water Treatment Rule | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Surface Water and GUI only | Submit Source Water Monitoring Plan |
Begin Source Water Monitoring (Crypto or E. coli) |
Complete Source Source Water Monitoring |
Begin Crypto Monitoring (if required) |
| Schedule 3 (systems serving 10,000 to 49,999 people, or part of a combined distribution system) | January 1, 2008 |
April 8, 2008 |
March 31, 2010 |
N/A |
| Schedule 4 (systems serving <10,000 people) | July 1, 2008 |
October 1, 2008 |
September 30, 2009 |
January 1, 2010 |
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