EPA Objectives and Status on EPA Objectives and Status on Recreational Criteria Activities Recreational Criteria Activities I SSC Executive Board I SSC Executive Board Manchester, NH Manchester, NH May 7, 2009 May 7, 2009 Bill Kramer Bill Kramer EPA Advisor to the ISSC EPA Advisor to the ISSC Office of Science and Technology/Office of Water Office of Science and Technology/Office of Water US EPA US EPA
EPA’ ’s Objective s Objective EPA • • New recreational water criteria for all waters by 2012 New recreational water criteria for all waters by 2012 – Including freshwater rivers, streams and lakes – Including freshwater rivers, streams and lakes • • Why? Why? – 2012 is Consent Decree deadline – 2012 is Consent Decree deadline – BEACH Act requires new criteria for coastal BEACH Act requires new criteria for coastal rec rec waters waters – – Incorporate new science Incorporate new science— —over 20 long years since 1986 criteria; over 20 long years since 1986 criteria; – CWA requires updates “ “from time to time from time to time” ” CWA requires updates – Improve scientific foundation and implementation based on what Improve scientific foundation and implementation based on what – we’ ’ve learned over the past 20 plus years ve learned over the past 20 plus years we – Ease implementation for BEACH Act states: no double standards Ease implementation for BEACH Act states: no double standards – – Makes providing protection for downstream Makes providing protection for downstream rec rec waters easier waters easier – 2 2
EPA’ ’s Major Research Areas per s Major Research Areas per EPA Critical Path Science Plan Critical Path Science Plan • Epidemiology Studies and Quantitative Microbial • Epidemiology Studies and Quantitative Microbial Risk Assessment (QMRA) Risk Assessment (QMRA) • Site Characterization: Sanitary Surveys • Site Characterization: Sanitary Surveys • Indicators/Methods Development and Validation • Indicators/Methods Development and Validation • Modeling • Modeling • Addressing Application to: • Addressing Application to: > Coastal (marine) waters > Coastal (marine) waters > Great Lakes > Great Lakes > Inland Waters- - rivers, streams, lakes rivers, streams, lakes > Inland Waters 3 3
EPA Epi Epi Studies So Far Studies So Far EPA • • 2002- -2004 Freshwater National Epidemiological and Environmental 2004 Freshwater National Epidemiological and Environmental 2002 Assessment of Recreational (NEEAR) Water Studies at four Great Lakes akes Assessment of Recreational (NEEAR) Water Studies at four Great L Beaches Beaches – Indicators/Methods studied: Enterococci (qPCR and culture), Bacteroides Bacteroides – Indicators/Methods studied: Enterococci (qPCR and culture), (qPCR), chemical indicators (qPCR), chemical indicators • • 2005 Marine NEEAR Study in Biloxi, MS (interrupted study) 2005 Marine NEEAR Study in Biloxi, MS (interrupted study) – Indicators/Methods studied: Enterococi Enterococi (qPCR and culture), (qPCR and culture), Bacteroides Bacteroides – Indicators/Methods studied: (qPCR), chemical indicators (qPCR), chemical indicators • • 2007 Marine NEEAR Studies in Goddard, RI and Fairhope, AL 2007 Marine NEEAR Studies in Goddard, RI and Fairhope, AL – Indicators/Methods studied: Enterococci (qPCR and culture), Bacteroides Bacteroides , , – Indicators/Methods studied: Enterococci (qPCR and culture), total and human- -specific (qPCR), specific (qPCR), E.coli E.coli (qPCR), (qPCR), Clostridium Clostridium spp. (qPCR), spp. (qPCR), total and human coliphage (antibody assay) (antibody assay) coliphage • • Avalon Marine Epi Epi Study 2007/2008 Study 2007/2008— —cooperative project with SCWWRP cooperative project with SCWWRP Avalon Marine 4 4
EPA- -Supported Supported Epi Epi Studies Studies EPA • • 2007 and 2008 SCCWRP Studies at Avalon Beach, CA 2007 and 2008 SCCWRP Studies at Avalon Beach, CA – Impacted by mixed sources of fecal contamination including bird – Impacted by mixed sources of fecal contamination including bird droppings, urban runoff, and leaking sanitary sewers (human droppings, urban runoff, and leaking sanitary sewers (human source) source) • • 2008 SCCWRP Continuation Study at Doheny Doheny Beach, CA Beach, CA 2008 SCCWRP Continuation Study at – Predominately a non Predominately a non- -human source (birds and runoff) human source (birds and runoff) – • • Technical support for future epi epi studies with SCCWRP studies with SCCWRP Technical support for future and University of PR and University of PR 5 5
EPA Epi Epi Studies Planned for 2009 Studies Planned for 2009 EPA • “ • “Urban runoff Urban runoff” ” impacted marine waters in impacted marine waters in a temperate region – – Surfside Beach, SC Surfside Beach, SC a temperate region • POTW • POTW- -impacted marine waters in a impacted marine waters in a tropical region - - Boquer Boqueró ón Beach, PR n Beach, PR tropical region 6 6
Urban Runoff Epi Epi Study Study Urban Runoff • Site Selection Criteria • Site Selection Criteria – Source predominantly from urban runoff (no Source predominantly from urban runoff (no POTWs POTWs, no , no – CSOs, no SSOs SSOs) ) CSOs, no – Minimum enterococci standard exceedance rate of 15% Minimum enterococci standard exceedance rate of 15% – – Subject to at least one rain event/month Subject to at least one rain event/month – – Swimming season > 90 days Swimming season > 90 days – – Attendance > 300 beachgoers per weekend day Attendance > 300 beachgoers per weekend day – – Beach located in a county with pop density > 100/sq mi Beach located in a county with pop density > 100/sq mi – – Available raw monitoring data for fecal coliform or Available raw monitoring data for fecal coliform or – enterococci for 2006 & 2007 enterococci for 2006 & 2007 – Urban coverage for the beach watershed > 70% Urban coverage for the beach watershed > 70% – 7 7
Tropical Epi Epi Study Study Tropical Site Selection Criteria • Officially designated recreational area near large population center • Large attendance (300 - 400 swimmers/day) • Broad age range (children, teenagers, and adults) • Generally meets applicable water quality standards with a range of concentrations • Contaminated by identified human source of pollution • Swimming season > 90 days • Located in a tropical region as defined in the Consent Decree 8 8
Site Selection Process Urban runoff • Narrowed list of potential beaches from 178 to 5 through a categorical process of elimination • Collected site characterization data - Fall/Winter 2008 • Considered logistic and other site-specific aspects to prioritize sites Tropical • Evaluated potential locations in Puerto Rico, Hawaii, Guam and South Florida • Focused efforts on finding a treated wastewater- impacted beach – Allows for comparison of health risks in tropical climate vs. temperate climate
Re- -analyzing 2002 analyzing 2002- -2004 2004 Epi Epi Water Water Re Quality Samples Quality Samples • Re • Re- -analyze NEEAR Water Study analyze NEEAR Water Study archived samples archived samples – E. coli E. coli by qPCR by qPCR – – Revised Revised Bacteroides Bacteroides by qPCR by qPCR – 10 10
Agricultural Animal QMRA Agricultural Animal QMRA • Conduct QMRA to estimate illness at a • Conduct QMRA to estimate illness at a freshwater location primarily impacted by freshwater location primarily impacted by agricultural animal sources (e.g., bovine, agricultural animal sources (e.g., bovine, swine, poultry) swine, poultry) • Data collection • Data collection – – Summer 2009 Summer 2009 • QMRA • QMRA – – Fall 2009 Fall 2009 11 11
EPA Inland Waters Efforts EPA Inland Waters Efforts • • Literature review to determine Literature review to determine – Fate and behavior of pathogens and indicators – Fate and behavior of pathogens and indicators – Microbial ecology and persistence Microbial ecology and persistence – – Indicator performance Indicator performance – ---- � � Note: EPA/OW synchronized chronized water skiing team water skiing team---- Note: EPA/OW syn • • Analyze samples from EPA’ ’s National Rivers s National Rivers Analyze samples from EPA & Streams Survey for additional indicators by & Streams Survey for additional indicators by molecular methods molecular methods – 2,200 sample locations – 2,200 sample locations • • Perform additional research if feasible based Perform additional research if feasible based upon input from WERF WERF’ ’s s Inland Waters Inland Waters upon input from Experts Workshop Experts Workshop 12 12
Schedule & Timing Schedule & Timing • All research must be complete by • All research must be complete by December 15, 2010 December 15, 2010 • New/revised criteria must be finalized by • New/revised criteria must be finalized by October 15, 2012 October 15, 2012 13 13
Recommend
More recommend
