# 2026-12427: EPA Seeks Comments on Routine Water Microbe Data Rules

2026-12427, Agency Information Collection Activities; Proposed Information Collection Request; Comment Request; Microbial Rules (Renewal), is a Federal Register notice from Environmental Protection Agency published 2026-06-22, effective Comments must be submitted on or before August 21, 2026.; PRIA reads it as touching household money (as of 2026-06-29).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/federal-register/2026-12427
- As of: 2026-06-29
- Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts.

## Facts
- Document number: 2026-12427
- Title: Agency Information Collection Activities; Proposed Information Collection Request; Comment Request; Microbial Rules (Renewal)
- Type: Notice
- Agencies: Environmental Protection Agency
- Citation: 91 FR 37109
- Published: 2026-06-22
- Effective: Comments must be submitted on or before August 21, 2026.
- Comments close: 2026-08-21
- Significant: no
- Touches household money: yes
- Regulation identifier numbers: none
- Last updated: 2026-06-29

## In one line

EPA Seeks Comments on Routine Water Microbe Data Rules

## Summary

The EPA wants to keep collecting info about microbes in water to keep us safe and is asking for your thoughts before renewing this paperwork. This affects water companies and anyone involved in water safety, with no new costs expected, just a continuation of current rules. You’ve got until August 21, 2026, to share your comments and help shape the future of clean water!

## Abstract

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is planning to submit an information collection request (ICR), Microbial Rules (Renewal) (EPA ICR Number 1895.12, OMB Control Number 2040-0205) to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and approval in accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act. Before doing so, EPA is soliciting public comments on specific aspects of the proposed information collection as described below. This is a proposed extension of the ICR, which is currently approved through October 30, 2026. This notice allows for 60 days for public comments.

## Effects PRIA read

- Renewal of Microbial Information Collection: cost, high. The EPA proposes to renew the Microbial Rules information collection (ICR No. 1895.12; OMB Control No. 2040-0205). The collection is currently approved through October 30, 2026, comments are due by August 21, 2026, and responding is mandatory to comply with 40 CFR parts 141 and 142.
- Estimated Annual Burden and Cost: cost, high. EPA estimates 144,273 respondents with a total annual burden of 15,020,711 hours and total annual costs of $1,378,226,000, including $174,800,000 in annualized capital or operation and maintenance costs. These are EPA's stated per-year estimates for the information collection covered by this ICR.
- Which Microbial Rules Are Covered: cost, low. The consolidated ICR covers recordkeeping and reporting for multiple microbial drinking water regulations, including the Surface Water Treatment Rule; Total Coliform Rule and Revised Total Coliform Rule; Interim Enhanced Surface Water Treatment Rule; Filter Backwash Recycling Rule; Long Term 1 and…
- Future Microbial Rulemakings Added to ICR: cost, low. EPA states that future microbial-related rulemakings will be added to this consolidated ICR after those regulations are promulgated and their initial, rule-specific ICRs expire. This means new microbial rules may later be folded into the same collection process.

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## Sources
- [2026-12427 on federalregister.gov](https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2026/06/22/2026-12427/agency-information-collection-activities-proposed-information-collection-request-comment-request)
- [2026-12427 as published (PDF)](https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR-2026-06-22/pdf/2026-12427.pdf)

## Related
- [Previous: 2026-12425, Notice Announcing Mutual Education and Cultural Exchange Program Competition](https://policyrisk.com/federal-register/2026-12425)
- [Next: 2026-12428, Proposed Revision of Information Collection; BLS Data Sharing Program](https://policyrisk.com/federal-register/2026-12428)
- [All Federal Register documents](https://policyrisk.com/federal-register)

Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/federal-register/2026-12427 (as of 2026-06-29).