EPA nods to Indiana, Illinois water rule tweaks
Published Date: 8/6/2026
Notice
Summary
Notice is hereby given that the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has approved the State of Indiana's revisions to its Public Water System Supervision (PWSS) Program under the federal Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA) for revisions to four National Primary Drinking Water Regulations (NPDWRs): the Ground Water Rule (GWR), Lead and Copper Rule--Short Term Revisions (LCR-STR), Long-Term 2 Enhanced Surface Water Treatment Rule (LT2 ESWTR), and the Stage 2 Disinfectants and Disinfection Byproducts Rule (Stage 2 D/DBPR). The EPA has determined that the State of Indiana's PWSS program regulations and the revisions thereto are no less stringent than the above corresponding federal regulations and thus give the Indiana Department of Environmental Management primary enforcement responsibility for the GWR, LCR-STR, LT2 ESWTR, and Stage 2 D/DBPR. Notice is also hereby given that the EPA has approved the State of Illinois' revisions to its PWSS program under SDWA for adoption of the Filter Backwash Recycling Rule (FBRR). The EPA has determined that the State of Illinois' PWSS Program regulations and the revisions thereto are no less stringent than the NPDWR and thus give the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency primary enforcement responsibility for the FBRR. These determinations on the Indiana and Illinois requests for approval of such primacy enforcement responsibility shall take effect in accordance with procedures described below, subject to timely substantial requests for public hearing. This approval action does not extend to public water systems in Indian Country. By approving this revision, the EPA does not intend to affect the rights of federally recognized Indian Tribes in either Indiana or Illinois, nor does it intend to limit existing rights of either the State of Indiana or the State of Illinois.
Analyzed Economic Effects
3 provisions identified: 0 benefits, 0 costs, 3 mixed.
Indiana Gets Primacy for Four Water Rules
The EPA approved Indiana’s Public Water System Supervision program revisions and gave the Indiana Department of Environmental Management primary enforcement responsibility for four federal drinking-water rules: the Ground Water Rule (GWR), Lead and Copper Rule—Short Term Revisions (LCR-STR), Long-Term 2 Enhanced Surface Water Treatment Rule (LT2 ESWTR), and the Stage 2 Disinfectants and Disinfection Byproducts Rule (Stage 2 D/DBPR). This approval becomes final and effective on September 8, 2026 unless a timely substantial request for public hearing is filed by September 8, 2026.
Illinois Gains Primacy for Filter Backwash Rule
The EPA approved Illinois’ adoption of the Filter Backwash Recycling Rule (FBRR) into its Public Water System Supervision program and gave the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency primary enforcement responsibility for the FBRR. This determination becomes final and effective on September 8, 2026 unless a timely substantial request for public hearing is filed by September 8, 2026.
Approval Does Not Cover Indian Country
The EPA’s approvals do not extend to public water systems in Indian Country; tribal public water systems in Indiana and Illinois are not covered by these state primacy approvals. The approvals do not change or intend to affect the rights of federally recognized Indian Tribes in either State.
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