Six new alternative methods available for testing regulated contaminants in drinking water

WASHINGTON, DC, Aug. 4, 2009 -- EPA has published a final action in the Federal Register that approves six analytical methods as optional alternatives to previously promulgated methods for analyses of regulated contaminants in drinking water under the Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA).

The alternative testing methods were evaluated and determined to be as effective as the promulgated methods for the same contaminants.

The methods include:
* 1 EPA method for 29 purgeable contaminants
* 3 vendor developed methods for turbidity
* 1 vendor developed method for nitrate and nitrite
* 1 vendor developed method for free cyanide

EPA is using the expedited method approval process under SDWA to approve the alternative methods, rather than using the notice-and-comment rulemaking process, so that these new, equally effective methods will be available to our stakeholders more quickly. Approval time has been cut from several years to less than a year.

For more information, go to EPA's Web site at http://epa.gov/safewater/methods/analyticalmethods_expedited.html or call Pat Fair (513) 569-7937.

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