Overview
The Chapter 109 Safe Drinking Water regulations provide an option for public water systems (PWSs) to obtain a monitoring waiver for Inorganic Chemicals (IOCs) and Asbestos, Synthetic Organic Chemicals (SOCs) and Volatile Organic Chemicals (VOCs). Public water systems (PWS) must conduct the required monitoring or use the instruction and waiver application forms (apply online now) to request waivers.
IOC waivers are valid for one 9-year compliance cycle; SOC and VOC waivers are valid for one 3-year compliance period. The current 9-year compliance period is 2020 - 2028 and includes these 3-year compliance periods:
1st period: 2020-2022
2nd period: 2023-2025
3rd period: 2026-2028
Waiver requests must be made in writing for review and approval prior to the end of the applicable monitoring period. A separate application is required for each entry point waiver request. Entry Points at which treatment has been installed are not eligible for a monitoring waiver for the contaminant for which treatment has been installed.
Waivers may be renewed for subsequent compliance periods/cycles. Waiver renewal requests must also be made in writing for review and approval prior to the end of each subsequent monitoring period.
- If land use within Zone II has changed significantly, the appropriate modules as noted below will need to be completed and submitted as a revised waiver application.
- If land use within Zone II has not changed significantly, the water supplier may complete a submit a waiver renewal application. Click on the Submit Monitoring Waiver Revewal Request (3900-FM-BSDW0020g) for information on completing and submitting a waiver renewal application.
Until the waiver request or renewal is approved, the PWS is responsible for conducting all required monitoring. PWSs are responsible for submitting waiver requests to the department. Waiver requests must include all information needed for the department to act on the request and approve or deny the request.
The waiver application consists of
- Completeness Report (module 1) – required with all applications
- IOCs (module 2) – required only if IOC waiver requested
- VOCs (module 3) - required only if VOC waiver is requested
- SOCs (module 4) - required only if SOC waiver is requested
- Asbestos (module 5) - required only if Asbestos Waiver is requested
- Site Map and Land Use Inventory (module 7) – required with all applications
At a minimum, waiver requests must include the following
- Previous monitoring results
- Inventory of land uses within Zone II (a ½ mile radius around the source unless a more rigorous delineation has been completed) for a groundwater (or groundwater under direct SW influence) source or within a 10-mile semi-circular radius for surface water sources;
- Inventory of substances or products used for each land use;
- Site map showing the location of PWS sources and the distance to each land use.
Previous monitoring results may be available on the Drinking Water Reporting System (DWRS) site. Click here for instructions on searching DWRS.
Completed monitoring waiver applications should be submitted to the appropriate DEP District Office for the county in which the PWS is located. Questions on completing the application should also be directed to the appropriate DEP District Office. Click here to find the appropriate office contact and mailing information.