1. Water & Wastewater Equipment Manufacturers Association March 22, 2017
Betsy Southerland
Office of Water
Office of Science and Technology
2/25/2019
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency

2. Office of Science and Technology (OST)
OST’s mission is to provide the best available science and innovative technologies for states and tribes so that they can assure clean and safe water for their communities
OST works with states, tribes, and other stakeholders to develop recommended safe water quality levels for toxics, nutrients, and pathogens to help ensure our nation’s waters can be used for fishing, swimming, and drinking water. OST also develops national economically and technologically achievable performance standards to address water pollution from industry
2/25/2019
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency

3. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
OST FY17 Priorities
Finalize Human Health Recreational Ambient Water Quality Criteria and/or Swimming Advisories for Microcystins and Cylindrospermopsin with implementation guidance
Propose Lake Numeric Nutrient Criteria with implementation guidance
Initiate National Study of Nutrient Removal and Secondary Technologies
2/25/2019
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency

4. Rationale for OST FY17 Priorities
Renewed Call to Action to Reduce Nutrient Pollution and Support for Incremental Actions to Protect Water Quality and Public Health
State Research Needs Survey
Bipartisan Congressional letter requesting robust funding for HAB-related work
Renewed Call to Action to Reduce Nutrient Pollution and Support for Incremental Actions to Protect Water Quality and Public Health:
September 22, 2016 Memo to State Environmental Commissioners and Water Directors
Prioritizing Watersheds and Setting Load Reduction Goals with financial assistance
State Research Needs Survey
2016 survey conducted by ERIS for EPA’s ORD
Highest priorities for water were nutrients and NPSI agriculture vs. groundwater/harmful algal blooms
Bipartisan Congressional letter requesting robust funding for HAB-related work
January 17, 2017 letter to President-elect Donald Trump
Signed by 43 representatives from 20 states and the District of Columbia
2/25/2019
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency

5. HABs Recreational Criteria/Swimming Advisories
Designed to protect children 5 to 11 years old
Microcystin (4 µg/L) and cylindrospermopsin (8 µg/L) based on incidental ingestion of water
If swimming advisory, not to be exceeded on any day
If criterion, not to exceed more than 10 percent of days per recreational season (up to 1 year)
Explored the relationship between cell density and health effects, but did not include as criteria
Public comment period ended on March 20, 2017
Designed to protect children 5 to 11 years old since they spent the longest time in water
Based on incidental ingestion of water, microcystin 4 µg/L and cylindrospermopsin 8 µg/L
If swimming advisory, not to be exceeded on any day
If criterion, not to exceed more than 10 percent of days per recreational season (up to 1 calendar year)
Explored the relationship between cell density and health effects, but did not include as criteria
Public comment period ended on March 20, 2017
2/25/2019
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency

6. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
HABs Recreational Criteria/Swimming Advisories: Implementation Support Materials
Swimming Advisory Materials (for swim season)
Public messaging and notification
Monitoring plans
Networking with key partners
Water Quality Criteria Materials
FAQs for assessment/listing/TMDLs/NPDES permits
Adoption and implementation flexibilities for criteria
2/25/2019
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency

7. Lake Numeric Nutrient Criteria
EPA’s National Lakes Assessment sampled 1,028 lakes representing 50,000 lakes in US larger than 10 acres
Cyanobacteria detected in almost all lakes
Potential microcystin producing species in 95% of samples
Potential cylindrospermopsin producing species in 67% of samples
Nutrients are key environmental drivers that influence:
Proportion of cyanobacteria in phytoplankton community
Cyanobacterial biovolume
Cyanotoxin production
Impact on ecosystem function and water quality
2/25/2019
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency

8. Lake Numeric Nutrient Criteria
Based on statistical analyses of EPA’s 2007 and 2012 National Lakes Assessment survey data
Used Bayesian statistics to develop the national model and criteria that can be refined with state data, where available
TN and TP concentrations for each lake class protective of three different designated uses (lakes classified based on depth, temperature, and geographic location):
Aquatic life
Primary recreation
Drinking water source
2/25/2019
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency

9. Lake Numeric Nutrient Criteria
Aquatic life protection based on hypoxia in hypolimnion for deep lakes; submerged macrophyte coverage for shallow lakes; and proportion of cyanobacteria for all lakes
Primary recreation protection based on microcystin recreational criteria
Drinking water source protection based on microcystin drinking water advisory
2/25/2019
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency

10. Lake Numeric Nutrient Criteria Implementation Support Materials
Adoption and Implementation Flexibilities for Criteria
FAQs for assessment/listing/TMDLs/NPDES permits
Anticipated schedule:
Fall 2017: Release draft lake numeric nutrient criteria
Fall 2017: Release draft implementation support materials
2/25/2019
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency

11. National Study of Nutrient Removal and Secondary Technologies
Two main goals:
Update information on current nutrient removal performance at POTWs in order to:
Incorporate process controls in use today
Reflect variable attributes such as differential plant loadings or temperature effects
Identify operational and maintenance practices to improve nutrient removal using existing treatment technologies
2/25/2019
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency

12. National Study of Nutrient Removal and Secondary Technologies
Three phase study:
Phase 1: Screener questionnaire conducted as a census of all POTWs
Phase 2: Survey distributed to a representative sample of secondary and equivalent POTWs
Phase 3: Monitoring conducted in parallel with Phase 2
Paired influent/effluent data from a sample of all types of POTWs
In-plant data from a sample of high performing secondary POTWs
2/25/2019
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency

13. National Study of Nutrient Removal and Secondary Technologies
Schedule:
For the screener, publish the second ICR notice in the federal register by the summer of 2017 and mail to POTWs by the end of the calendar year
Develop the Phase 2 questionnaire and survey design, based on the response to the screener survey, with hopes of publishing the first ICR notice by the end of calendar year 2018
2/25/2019
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency

14. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Looking Ahead
OST will wait for further direction on priorities once political leadership is in place under the new Administration
2/25/2019
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency