The two reports included in the
Sample Cost Estimate Letter are the Monitoring Frequency Status
Report and the Chemical Sample Cost Estimate Report. This page
provides explanations of the contents of those reports:
This letter is sent to every public water system in Texas to
help with planning the annual sampling budget. This year’s
sample schedule and cost estimate, with your chemical monitoring
frequency for entry points and distribution, was mailed January 20,
2008. Please note that both monitoring frequency and laboratory
fees are subject to change.
Key to the Monitoring
Frequency Status Report
In the form
of a table, the Monitoring Frequency
Status Report shows your public water system’s monitoring
requirements, looking forward to future years, as of January of
this year. These requirements are based on a combination of these
factors:
- Public water system type
-
- community (C)
- nontransient noncommunity (NTNC)
- transient noncommunity (TNC)
- Population of the water system from the most recent
comprehensive compliance investigation (CCI or survey)
- Monitoring class (surface, ground, or purchased water)
- Source water assessments for regulated chemicals
- The level of chemicals in your water, based on previous
sampling
If one or more of these factors change in the upcoming year,
then the sampling required, the required monitoring frequency, or
both may also change. If you think the information we used to make
these determinations for this year is incorrect or incomplete, contact
us.
PWS ID Number
This is the ID number of your public water system in TCEQ
records. You can use this number to look up information about your
PWS in our Integrated
Water Utilities Database (iWUD).
Sample Site
This identifies a site in your system where sampling is to
occur:
- If the site is followed by a number, this location is an entry
point. Each of your PWS's entry points should appear in this table.
Just below it, all known sampling requirements for that entry point
will be listed.
- If the site is "Distribution," the information in the rows
below it indicates the distribution sampling requirements for your
PWS.
Location
This is a brief description of the sampling location that
represents the treated water going into distribution. The first
item designates the specific location of the sampling tap, such
as:
- GST (ground storage tank)
- SP (service pump)
- lab sink
"Need sample tap at plant" will appear if we do not have this
brief description in our records. The second item is the name of
the water treatment plant itself.
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Test Type
Each type of test that your PWS must carry out at this location
is listed. Some terms are abbreviated. The abbreviations and terms
that can appear here and their meaning are as follows:
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Monitoring
Type
This is a rule-based description of your chemical monitoring
requirements. Terms you may see here and their meaning are as
follows:
- EPA: Monitoring required under the Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Regulation
- Exception: Monitoring may be required as part
of approval of an exemption to one of the design and operating rules for public water systems.
- IDSE: Individual Distribution System
Evaluation for TTHM and HAA5. This sampling is required under the
Stage 2 Disinfection Byproducts Rule, which requires systems to
sample additional locations in their distribution system for one
year to find potential areas of high trihalomethanes and haloacetic
acids
- Increased: “Increased” monitoring
is scheduled at a system with a violation or exceedance of a
maximum contaminant level (MCL), susceptibility to contamination
from Source Water Assessments, or detections of regulated
contaminants (VOCs and SOC5).
- Initial/Routine: For an existing system, this
refers to normal, routine scheduling. For a new PWS, this refers to
the first sampling event for the system.
- Partially Vulnerable: see Vulnerable.
- Plastic Waiver: Specific for the lead and
copper program. PWS has certified that it is free of lead and
copper lines and fixtures and is made up of PVC pipe. There can be
no lead or copper exposure to children.
- Reduced: “Reduced” monitoring may
apply to all chemical groups except minerals and metals. This means
that your sampling frequency has been reduced from initial/routine
monitoring because your chemical sampling history shows that each
contaminant in the chemical group is at a level that is equal to
half the MCL or lower.
- Reduced Sites: Specific for the lead and
copper program. PWS has been through increased monitoring in
frequency and number of sites yet is now allowed to reduce the
number of sites that it monitors.
- Special: Monitoring required by the TCEQ as a
compliance check.
- Vulnerable: At this time,
“partially vulnerable” or “vulnerable”
status applies only to VOCs and SOC5s. All surface water systems
are considered “vulnerable” for VOCs and SOC5s, and
monitor more frequently. Source Water Assessments and chemical
result history determine the status and frequency for ground water
entry points..
- Waiver: TCEQ has adopted state-wide waivers
for all PWSs for certain contaminants in order to lessen the
sampling cost to systems. Currently, no Texas PWS must monitor for
endothall, diquat, glyphosphate, 2,3,7,8-TCDD (Dioxin), or
synthetic organic chemicals analyzed in the following chemical
methods/groups: SOC3 (EPA method 515), SOC4 (EPA method 531). These
waivers have saved Texas water systems millions of dollars in
sample collection, analysis, and processing.
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Next Sample Year and
Period
The next year and period are estimates, valid as of January of
this year, of the next time your system will be sampled for a given
chemical. The timing may change because of contaminant detections
or levels at your system, new rules, laboratory considerations, and
other unforeseen circumstances:
- Year:
This is the next year that we have planned to sample your PWS for
that chemical group. This is an estimate and is subject to change.
Changes will be reflected on the Sample Cost Estimate Letter you
receive in future years. If the year listed on your report is 2008,
samples will be collected this year, so a corresponding item should
appear in your Year 2008 Estimated Chemical Sampling Costs.
- Period: This is the monitoring
frequency or time for which the chemical group has been scheduled:
- 6 Year = once every six years
- 9 Year = once every nine years
- Annual = once per year
- Annual–1st Half = first half of
year
- Annual–2nd Half = second half of
year
- Bimonthly = one of six bimonthly periods of
the year
- M1-6 = first half of year
- Quarterly = once every calendar quarter
- Summer (SUM) = required to be collected during
warmer months (May–September) or entry point has only demand
sources (assume on in summer)
- Triennial = once every three years, tied to
the EPA-specified three-year monitoring periods: 2002–2004;
2005–2007; 2008–2010, etc.
- Waiver = no sampling
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Comments:
Any of a variety of information might appear here, such as:
- In certain special cases, a brief description of the reason for
sampling.
- An indication that this contaminant is being sampled for under
the Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring
Regulation.
- The location where your PWS has sampled for this contaminant in
the past, according to TCEQ records.
If you have questions about a comment in your report, contact
us.
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Key to Estimated Sampling
Costs
This table shows the sampling that your PWS should be carrying
out in this calendar year and an estimate of the cost for each
sample and its analysis.
YEAR 2008 ESTIMATED CHEMICAL SAMPLING
COSTS
|
|
YOUR PUBLIC WATER SYSTEM’S
NAME |
29-Jan-08 |
| Entry point:
001 |
Sample Tap Location at Plant |
| TCEQ
ID |
TEST
TYPE |
PERIOD |
Sample tap location at plant: PLANTNAME
WTP |
COST |
| 0840662 |
NO3 |
ANNUAL |
|
$25.00
|
| 0840663 |
SOC5 |
(M1-6) |
|
$300.00
|
| 0840664 |
VOC |
(3RDQ) |
|
$183.00
|
| Distribution |
|
| TCEQ
ID |
TEST
TYPE |
PERIOD |
DISTRIBUTION LOCATION
|
COST |
| --- |
COLIFORM |
MONTHLY |
24 MONITORING PLAN SITE(S) TIMES EST. $25 / SAMPL |
$7,200.00
|
| 0840675 |
HAA5 |
(1STQ) |
10100 CASSANDRA DR |
$230.00
|
| 0840678 |
HAA5 |
(2NDQ) |
10100 CASSANDRA DR |
$230.00
|
| 0840679 |
HAA5 |
(3RDQ) |
10100 CASSANDRA DR |
$230.00
|
| 0840684 |
HAA5 |
(4THQ) |
10100 CASSANDRA DR |
$230.00
|
PWS ID Number
This is the ID number of your public water system in TCEQ
records. You can use this number to look up information about your
PWS in our Integrated
Water Utilities Database (iWUD).
Location (Entry
Point or Distribution)
Each entry point in your water system and, in one entry, the
distribution system should appear in this table. In this sample
table, we have shown a portion of the information for this water
system's Entry Point 001 and one set of required distribution
samples.
TCEQ ID
This is the unique identification number assigned to the sample
by the TCEQ for tracking. If you have questions about a particular
sample, be sure to refer to this TCEQ ID number in any related
correspondence.
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Test Type
Each type of test that your PWS must carry out at this location
is listed. Some terms are abbreviated. The possible abbreviations
that can appear here and their meaning are as follows:
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Period
This indicates when this year this sample must be taken:
- 1st6th means in the first bimonthly period
(January or February). Other numbers follow accordingly:
- 2nd6th is March or April
- 3rd6th is May or June
- 4th6th is July or August
- 5th6th is September or October
- 6th6th is November or December
- 1stQ means in the first quarter of this year
(January–March), and:
- 2ndQ = second quarter (April–June)
- 3rdQ = third quarter
(July–September)
- 4thQ = fourth quarter
(October–December)
- Annual = once this year
- Annual–1st Half = first half of this
year (used for Pb/Cu samples)
- Annual–2nd Half = second half of this
year (used for Pb/Cu samples)
- M1-6 = first half of this year
- Summer (SUM) = during warmer months
(May–September), either because of requirements or because
this entry point has only demand sources (assume on in summer)
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Cost
This is the projected cost for sample analysis. Samples are
analyzed by laboratories at the Department of State Health
Services (DSHS) and the Lower
Colorado River Authority (LCRA). PWSs are responsible for all
laboratory analysis fees. Questions about billing and sample
results should be directed to the laboratories.
At the bottom of this column of the cost estimate table, you
will find the total estimated cost to your system of this year's
sampling.
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Monitoring for Lead and Copper in
Distribution
For the Pb/Cu (lead/copper) samples, the TCEQ, through a
contract with TEEX (Texas Engineering Extension Service), will be
providing you sample bottles with laboratory forms. When you
receive the sample bottles, your own customers will then collect
the samples according to instructions provided. If you have further
questions, please contact TEEX at
800-824-7303.
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Monitoring for Coliform in
Distribution
Correction to the January 20
letter: Coliform sampling procedures have not changed:
- Staff or contractors of the public water system will do this
sampling.
- PWS customers will not do this sampling.
- Delta Environmental Consultants, Inc., will
not do this sampling under its TCEQ contract.
The Sample Cost Estimate letter includes the number of routine
coliform samples that TCEQ requires you to collect each month. You
are required to collect these samples and have them analyzed at a
certified lab. We have estimated the cost of analysis to be
approximately $25, but your lab may charge more or less than that.
If you have further questions, read Coliform Sampling
for Public Water Systems (RG-421) or contact
us.
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Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring
Regulation (UCMR2)
A few systems in Texas (359 out of 6,700) have to do sampling
under the UCMR rule. For systems serving fewer than 10,000 people,
the EPA will pay the cost of analysis. The TCEQ’s sample
contractors will collect the samples at all systems with no cost to
the system. For more information, go to UCMR: Monitoring
Unregulated Contaminants in Drinking Water.
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Relevant Rules
In Texas, sampling requirements of the Safe Drinking Water Act
and its amendments are regulated through the TCEQ’s rules
found in Title 30 of the Texas Administrative Code (30 TAC),
Chapter 290, Subchapter F. Other operating rules for public water
systems in Texas are found in 30 TAC 290 Subchapter D. You may find
copies of these rules online at these locations:
You may also order hard copies of these items from our Publications Unit.
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Relevant Guidance
You can find these helpful guidance documents on our Web
site:
You may also order a
hard copy of these publications if you wish.
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About Chemical Sampling at
Public Water Systems
The TCEQ makes every effort to schedule the least sampling
permissible by law, while ensuring that the public’s health
is protected. New rules are increasing the number of samples you
must collect. For example, continuing in 2008,
water systems affected by the new Stage 2 Disinfection Byproduct
Rule will have to conduct additional sampling. The Public
Drinking Water Section will continue to make every effort to
ensure that you are aware of any changes as they occur. Please note
that this report covers only chemical sampling. PWSs are also
required to sample for bacteria, disinfectant levels, and treatment
techniques at surface plants.
More Questions? Contact
Us!
If you have questions that are not answered by the letter or by
this Web page, please contact
us. We want to help you understand the rules so that it is
easier for you to comply with them.
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