In an action effective on Nov. 10, 2009, 15 methods contained in 10 ASTM standards are among 25 analytical methods that the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has approved for determining contaminant concentrations in samples collected under the Safe Drinking Water Act. The methods are under the jurisdiction of Subcommittee D19.05 on Inorganic Constituents in Water, part of ASTM Committee D19 on Water.

The SDWA authorizes the EPA to approve the use of alternative testing methods through publication in the Federal Register. According to the Federal Register entry announcing the ruling, “This expedited approach provides public water systems, laboratories and primacy agencies with more timely access to new measurement techniques and greater flexibility in the selection of analytical methods, thereby reducing monitoring costs while maintaining public health protection.”

The methods were approved as being equally effective relative to methods previously promulgated in the regulations. Through the Nov. 10, 2009, Federal Register notice, the following methods were added to Appendix A of CFR Part 141, Subpart C:

            D511-09, Test Methods for Calcium and Magnesium in Water (Methods A and B);

            D1688-07, Test Methods for Copper in Water (Methods A and C);

            D2972-08, Test Methods for Arsenic in Water (Methods B and C);

            D3559-08, Test Methods for Lead in Water (Method D);

            D3645-08, Test Methods for Beryllium in Water (Method B);

            D3859-08, Test Methods for Selenium in Water (Methods A and B);

            D1253-08, Test Method for Residual Chlorine in Water;

            D516-07, Test Method for Sulfate Ion in Water;

            D6581-08, Test Methods for Bromate, Bromide, Chlorate and Chlorite in Drinking Water

           by Suppressed Ion Chromatography (Methods A and B).

More information on the EPA’s expedited method approval process can be found at http://www.epa.gov/safewater/methods/analyticalmethods_expedited.html.

ASTM International standards can be purchased from Customer Service (phone: 610-832-9585; https://www.astm.org/contact/). ASTM International welcomes and encourages participation in the development of its standards. For more information on becoming an ASTM member, visit www.astm.org/JOIN.

 ASTM Committee D19 Next Meeting: Jan. 17-21, Cocoa Beach, Fla.

ASTM Staff Contact: Brynn Murphy, Phone: 610-832-9640; bmurphy@astm.org

Release #8452/Jan2010