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The U.S. EPA's Lead and Copper Rule Revisions (LCRR) mandates that all community water systems and non-transient non-community water systems complete and submit a comprehensive inventory of all service lines connected to the distribution system, including those not currently in use. Inventories must be submitted to the IDNR by October 16th, 2024.
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Submission Deadline: October 16th, 2024
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Required Information: Inventories must be developed using the DNR’s lead service line inventory template, available on the Iowa DNR Lead Service Line Inventories website: https://www.iowadnr.gov/Environmental-Protection/Water-Quality/Drinking-Water-Compliance/Lead-Service-Line-Inventories. Your inventory must include details on the ownership, material classification, and verification source for each service line.
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How to Submit: Upload your inventory using the new login feature of the Iowa Drinking Water Data Portal, which is now available for use by system operators and administrative staff: https://programs.iowadnr.gov/iowadrinkingwater. There is a detailed instructional video and a Data Checker tool for validation on the Iowa DNR Lead Service Line Inventories website (see above). Please attempt to utilize the portal for uploading your inventory, but if you are not able to submit your inventory online, you can email it to lcrr@dnr.iowa.gov.
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Public Availability: The inventory must be made publicly accessible, and systems service over 50,000 people must provide online access to the inventory.
Please ensure that your inventory is complete, accurate, and submitted by the deadline. Failure to comply may result in regulatory action by the EPA.
If your system contains lead service lines, galvanized requiring replacement (GRR) lines, or unknown materials, you will also need to notify the people served by these lines within 30 days after October 16, 2024. The Iowa DNR will provide public notice templates to assist with this requirement. We will post examples of these templates on the Iowa DNR Lead Service Line Inventories website as soon as they are available.
Contacts/Resources:
- Login/Okta assistance
- 1-(800)-532-1174 (Okta support desk)
- Service Line Inventory assistance hotline (Iowa Association of Municipal Utilities)
- Additional lead Service Line Inventory questions
- lcrr@dnr.iowa.gov
- Jim Warren (515) 443-4186 / Anne Lynam (515) 725-0280
- Or contact your permit writer
We appreciate your attention to this matter and your continued commitment to ensuring the safety of Iowa’s drinking water.
EPA recently issued regulations effective June 25, 2024, establishing MCLs, monitoring requirements, and suggested treatment techniques for Per and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) in drinking water. The initial monitoring requirements apply to community and nontransient noncommunity systems. Initial monitoring must be completed by April 26, 2027.
The DNR is conducting a voluntary program for systems with populations less than 10,000 to satisfy the initial monitoring requirements in the new regulation. By participating in the voluntary initial monitoring, a system may qualify for reduced triennial monitoring when the compliance monitoring period begins in 2027. Systems that do not meet the initial monitoring requirements will be assigned quarterly compliance monitoring. DNR will pay for the initial monitoring and shipping costs for water supplies that participate in the voluntary initial monitoring program. Each monitoring sample will cost a minimum of $370, and participation in the program will help reduce future sampling costs to systems.
Small water supplies were previously notified of this program in a Water Supply Operations listserv sent on August 23rd, or an email sent by Kathy Lee on September 3rd. These communications contained the link to sign up for the program.
The deadline to sign up for the voluntary initial monitoring is Friday, October 15th, 2024. DNR will be reaching out to the water supplies who haven't registered with another invitation in the next ten days.
EPA PFAS monitoring factsheet.
Initial Monitoring Cost Scenarios:
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PWS A participates in voluntary free initial monitoring and there are no detects in the samples. PWS A qualifies for reduced monitoring. The new monitoring frequency is once every three years.
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PWS B did not participate in free voluntary monitoring sampling, collected their own samples, and there are no detects in the samples. PWS B qualifies for reduced monitoring. The new monitoring frequency is once every three years.
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PWS C did not complete initial monitoring. PWS C is required to conduct quarterly monitoring. Although there are no detects in the samples, PWS C must still monitor annually for three years before it can go on reduced monitoring.
Initial Monitoring Costs - Various Scenarios
| YEAR |
PWS A |
PWS B |
PWS C |
| 2025 |
740* |
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| 2026 |
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740 |
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| 2027 |
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1480 |
| 2028 |
370 |
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370 |
| 2029 |
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370 |
370 |
| 2030 |
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370 |
| Total |
$370 |
$1110 |
$2590
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* paid for by DNR
Description: EPA’s Water Infrastructure and Cyber Resilience Division (WICRD) is offering a free virtual Cybersecurity Overview and Tabletop Exercise for Drinking Water and Wastewater Utilities in Iowa. This training provides an opportunity to learn about free cybersecurity resources, tools, and best practices to develop and maintain a strong cybersecurity program.
The Cybersecurity Overview will include:
- FBI Cybersecurity Threat Briefing
- Cybersecurity Presentations from EPA and CISA
- State-Level Cybersecurity Updates and Information
- Cybersecurity Incident Case Study
The Tabletop Exercise (TTX) is an interactive, scenario-driven discussion that allows utilities to understand how to respond to a major cyber incident. Utilities will:
- Practice and Assess Cybersecurity Response Procedures
- Identify Methods to Improve Cybersecurity Posture
- Engage with Cybersecurity Experts from EPA, CISA, and FBI and Learn Incident Response Best Practices
- Receive Resources to Improve or Develop Cybersecurity Incident Response and Recovery Plans
Continuing Education
This training is eligible for continuing education toward renewal of a valid Iowa Drinking Water or Wastewater Treatment Operator Certificate.
When: September 25th, 2024 9:00 am – 12:00 pm CT.
Register Here: https://gdit.zoomgov.com/meeting/register/vJItfuutqjIuGRr7Pxc0-gPXRvpa3iM2rEY#/registration
Questions
Additional questions concerning this training can be directed by email to Paige Bateman, GDIT (EPA Contractor) at Paige.Bateman@gdit.com.
The Regulatory Analyses for the proposed changes to the Water Quality Bureau (WQB) rules that are being made in accordance with Executive Order 10 (EO10) were published in the Iowa Administrative Bulletin on September 4, 2024. Twenty Regulatory Analyses were published for the WQB rules, covering Chapters 38-44, 50-55, 60, 62-64, 66-69, 81-83, and 90-93. More information on EO10 and all of the published Regulatory Analyses are available on the DNR's Water Quality Rulemaking webpage.
The WQB is hosting two virtual public hearings for these Regulatory Analyses where persons may present their views orally or in writing. Pre-registration is required, and the links below will take you to the meeting registration.
WQB EO10 Regulatory Analysis Hearing – Wells, Drinking Water, Wastewater (NPDES, Construction, and Onsite), Operator and Laboratory Certification, and SRF (Chapters 38-44, 60, 62-64, 66-69, 81-83, and 90-93)
WQB EO10 Regulatory Analysis Hearing – Water Allocation and Use (Chapters 50 - 55)
Written comments in response to these Regulatory Analyses must be received by the Department of Natural Resources no later than 4:30 p.m. on September 24th. Direct comments or questions about the hearings to the staff contacts on the Water Quality Rulemaking webpage.
Online and virtual training opportunities are being created and offered through community colleges, state industry associations, national industry associations, EPA, and other state industry partners. All operators should continue to monitor their emails and the Training Calendar on the Iowa DNR Operator Certification Database. Look at the calendar often, as there are new opportunities posted throughout the week.
Please contact the Operator Certification Program at OpCertCustomerSupport@dnr.iowa.gov with any questions concerning operator certification training.
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