[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 49 (Thursday, March 12, 2020)]
[Notices]
[Pages 14477-14478]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-05018]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
[EPA-R08-OW-2019-0404; FRL-10006-26-Region 8]
Proposed Information Collection Request; Comment Request; Filter
Adoption Survey
AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
ACTION: Notice.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: The Environmental Protection Agency is planning to submit an
information collection request (ICR), ``Filter Adoption Survey'' (EPA
ICR No. 2615.01, OMB Control No. 2008-New) 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 request for approval of a new collection. An
Agency may not conduct or sponsor and a person is not required to
respond to a collection of information unless it displays a currently
valid OMB control number.
DATES: Comments must be submitted on or before May 11, 2020.
ADDRESSES: Submit your comments, identified by Docket ID No. EPA-R08-
OW-2019-0404, to the Federal Rulemaking Portal: https://www.regulations.gov. Follow the online instructions for submitting
comments. Once submitted, comments cannot be edited or removed from
www.regulations.gov. The EPA may publish any comment received to its
public docket. Do not submit electronically any information you
consider to be Confidential Business Information (CBI) or other
information whose disclosure is restricted by statute. Multimedia
submissions (audio, video, etc.) must be accompanied by a written
comment. The written comment is considered the official comment and
should include discussion of all points you wish to make. The EPA will
generally not consider comments or comment contents located outside of
the primary submission (i.e., on the web, cloud, or other file sharing
system). For additional submission methods, the full EPA public comment
policy, information about CBI or multimedia submissions, and general
guidance on making effective comments, please visit http://www2.epa.gov/dockets/commenting-epa-dockets. Docket: All documents in
the docket are listed in the www.regulations.gov index. Although listed
in the index, some information is not publicly available, e.g., CBI or
other information whose disclosure is restricted by statute. Certain
other material, such as copyrighted material, will be publicly
available only in hard copy. Publicly available docket materials are
available either electronically in www.regulations.gov or in hard copy
at the Air and Radiation Division, Environmental Protection Agency
(EPA), Region 8, 1595 Wynkoop Street, Denver, Colorado 80202-1129. The
EPA requests that if at all possible, you contact the individual listed
in the FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT section to view the hard copy of
the docket. You may view the hard copy of the docket Monday through
Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., excluding federal holidays.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Angelique Diaz, Ph.D., P.E., Section
Chief, Drinking Water Section B, Water Division, 8WD-SDB, Environmental
Protection Agency Region 8, 1595 Wynkoop Street, Denver, Colorado
80202-1129 telephone number: (303) 312-6344; email address:
[email protected].
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Supporting documents which explain in detail
the information that the EPA will be collecting are available in the
public docket for this ICR. The docket can be viewed online at
www.regulations.gov or in person at the EPA Docket Center, WJC West,
Room 3334, 1301 Constitution Ave. NW, Washington, DC. The telephone
number for the Docket Center is 202-566-1744. For additional
information about EPA's public docket, visit http://www.epa.gov/dockets.
Pursuant to section 3506(c)(2)(A) of the PRA, EPA is soliciting
comments and information to enable it to: (i) Evaluate whether the
proposed collection of information is necessary for the proper
performance of the functions of the Agency, including whether the
information will have practical utility; (ii) evaluate the accuracy of
the Agency's estimate of the burden of the proposed collection of
information, including the validity of the methodology and assumptions
used; (iii) enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the
information to be collected; and (iv) minimize the burden of the
collection of information on those who are to respond, including
through the use of appropriate automated electronic, mechanical, or
other technological collection techniques or other forms of information
technology, e.g., permitting electronic submission of responses. EPA
will consider the comments received and amend the ICR as appropriate.
The final ICR package will then be submitted to OMB for review and
approval. At that time, EPA will issue another Federal Register
document to announce the submission of the ICR to OMB and the
opportunity to submit additional comments to OMB.
Abstract: Denver Water is a public water system which must comply
with applicable requirements of the lead and copper rule (LCR). On
September 6, 2019 Denver Water submitted to the U.S. Environmental
Protection Agency Region 8 office a request for a Variance from the
optimal corrosion control treatment requirements under the Safe
Drinking Water Act's LCR. The request included a multi-pronged approach
to result in at least as efficient lead removal to orthophosphate, the
designated optimal corrosion control treatment. Three of those prongs
of the variance request are: pH and alkalinity adjustments to reduce
corrosivity of the water; accelerated lead service line removal; and a
filter program where Denver Water will distribute pitcher filters to
consumers with known, suspected, and possible lead service lines. Under
section 1415(a)(3) of the Safe Drinking Water Act, on December 16,
2019, the U.S. EPA granted Denver Water a variance from the definition
of ``optimal corrosion control treatment'' in 40 CFR 141.2. The
Variance contains requirements to determine the efficacy the filter
program. EPA will use the survey results that Denver Water annually
distributes, to determine the consumer filter adoption rate, and to
confirm whether customers are using and maintaining the filters
correctly, and per manufacturer's instructions. Each year, the filter
adoption survey will be sent by Denver Water via postal mail to as many
as 20,000 consumers that have known, suspected, and possible lead
service lines. Surveys will be sent via direct mailings and will
include an online completion option (the survey questions are included
below). Direct mailings will be sent with a unique QR code to track
which addresses responses have been received from. Surveys will be sent
out in both English and Spanish. Additionally, Denver Water will
annually conduct, in-person surveys at a minimum of 50 locations in use
by customers enrolled in the filter program. Information being
collected is information on if, and how,
[[Page 14478]]
consumers use the filter (e.g., for drinking, cooking, or making
infant-fed formula), whether the customers are using and maintain the
filters correctly (e.g., washing, replacing the filters per
manufacturer's instructions), as well as demographic information to
inform filter adoption rate by neighborhood or demographic group so
Denver Water's health equity and environmental justice principles set
forth in their variance request can be evaluated.
Form numbers: 6700-009.
Respondents/affected entities: 2,000 people.
Respondent's obligation to respond: Voluntary.
Estimated number of respondents: 2,000.
Frequency of response: Annually for three years.
Total estimated burden: 1,284 hours per year.
Total estimated cost: $100,886 per year.
Filter Adoption Survey
1. Do you always, or most of the time, use your pitcher provided by
Denver Water for drinking water?
[middot] Yes.
[middot] No--I use unfiltered tap water.
[middot] No--I use bottled water or a different type of filtration
system certified to remove lead in accordance with NSF/ANSI 53
standards (e.g., fridge, under the sink filter, sink-mounted filter).
2. Do you always, or most of the time, use your pitcher when you
are cooking foods where water is a base ingredient (examples: making
rice, beans, soup)?
[middot] Yes
[middot] No
2a. If your answer to No. 2 above is no, why are you not using the
pitcher for cooking?
[middot] Prefer to use unfiltered tap water.
[middot] Prefer to use bottled water for cooking food.
[middot] Prefer to use a different type of filtration system certified
to remove lead in accordance with NSF/ANSI 53 standards (e.g., fridge
filter, under the sink filter, sink-mounted filter).
[middot] Do not cook.
Other------------------------------------------------------------------
3. Do you have a formula-fed infant (under 24 months of age) in
your household?
[middot] Yes
[middot] No
3a. If yes, what water do you always use to mix the formula (select
all that apply)?
[middot] Not applicable (I don't feed formula to my infant, or use pre-
mix/ready mix)
[middot] Water from the pitcher filter
[middot] Bottled water
[middot] Water filtered by an alternative filter device (fridge filter,
under the sink filter, sink-mounted filter or other filter) certified
to remove lead in accordance with NSF/ANSI 53 standards
[middot] Unfiltered tap water
4. Have you or will you be replacing the pitcher's filter with the
Denver Water provided replacement filters as recommended by the
manufacturer?
[middot] Yes
[middot] No
[cir] If no, why not? (please describe)
5. The filter manufacturer recommends hand-washing the pitcher with
a mild detergent. Are you cleaning your pitcher as recommended by the
manufacturer?
[middot] Yes
[middot] No
6. What would make you more likely to use the pitcher provided?
(Check all that apply)
[uml] Larger pitcher
[uml] Lighter pitcher
[uml] Pitcher that fits in the refrigerator
[uml] Pitcher that takes less time to fill
[uml] Pitcher that takes less effort to use
[uml] Not interested in filtering drinking water
[uml] Do not cook or use tap water for cooking
[uml] Other, please specify: (fill in the blank)
The questions below are optional. Denver Water will only use your
demographic information for research purposes and to better inform our
outreach and communication activities.
7a. Are you of Hispanic, Latino, or of Spanish origin?
Yes
No
7b. How would you describe yourself? (Check all that apply)
White
Black or African American
Native American or Alaska Native
Asian
Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander
Multi-racial
Other (specify)
I do not know
Prefer not to say
8. What is the age of the youngest person in your household?
Someone in the household is expecting
Under 2 years old
2-6 years old
7-17 years old
18-24 years old
25-34 years old
35-44 years old
45-54 years old
Over 55 years old
Prefer not to say
9. What is the primary language of your household? (Check all that
apply)
English
Spanish
Other (specify)
Prefer not to say
10. How much total combined money did all members of your household
earn in 2018 (gross income)?
>$0-$29,999
$30,000-49,999
$50,000-79,999
$80,000-99,999
$100,000 or more
Prefer not to say
11. What is the highest level of school you have completed, or the
highest degree you have received?
Less than high school degree
High school degree or equivalent (e.g., GED)
Some college but no degree
Associate degree
Bachelor's degree
Graduate degree
Prefer not to say
12. To which gender identity do you most identify?
Female
Male
Other
Prefer not to say
Dated: March 5, 2020.
Sarah Bahrman,
Chief, Safe Drinking Water Branch.
[FR Doc. 2020-05018 Filed 3-11-20; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560-50-P