PREPROPOSAL STATEMENT OF INQUIRY
Subject of Possible Rule Making: Chapter 246-290 WAC, Group A public water systems, federal lead and copper rule short-term revisions.
Statutes Authorizing the Agency to Adopt Rules on this Subject: RCW 43.20.050.
Reasons Why Rules on this Subject may be Needed and What They Might Accomplish: The primacy agreement between the department of health and United States Environmental Protection Agency outlines a number of activities that the department must do in order to maintain primacy for Group A public water systems. One of those activities involves rule adoption so that state regulations are consistent with federal rules. The public health objective of the rule is to provide more effective protection by reducing exposure to lead in drinking water. The revisions clarify monitoring requirements, improve consumer awareness, and modify line replacement provisions as well as provide editorial changes to improve overall clarity and consistency with federal requirements.
Other Federal and State Agencies that Regulate this Subject and the Process Coordinating the Rule with These Agencies: None.
Process for Developing New Rule: The department will use a collaborative rule-making process and seek input from interested parties through the water supply advisory committee, the Washington Water Utility Council, local health partners, and other stakeholders. Outreach efforts will include providing information on our rule-making ListServ, e-mail, the quarterly newsletter Water Tap, and the office of drinking water's home page on the internet at http://www/doh/wa/gov/ehp/dw/our_main_pages/regula.htm.
Interested parties can participate in the decision to adopt the new rule and formulation of the proposed rule before publication by contacting Theresa Phillips, Office of Drinking Water, P.O. Box 47822, Olympia, WA 98504-7822, (360) 236-3147 or theresa.phillips@doh.wa.gov.
July 8, 2009
Mary C. Selecky
Secretary