Water Protection Program Rule Development

Public Drinking Water Branch | Water Pollution Control Branch

The following rule developments are being considered. The Regulatory Impact Report provides information on the rule development. Please provide comments in the time frames indicated. All comments received will be posted with responses prior to filing as a proposed rulemaking. Once filed and published in the Missouri Register, there will be another opportunity to comment during the proposed rulemaking open comment period and public hearing prior to adoption. Thank you for your interest and assistance in developing these rules.

MoDNR Regulatory Agenda

Public Drinking Water Branch

10 CSR 23-4.010 - 10 CSR 23-4.080--Definitions
The purpose of this rulemaking is to bring the monitoring well chapter of the Missouri Well Construction Rules in line with current industry technology. The current rules were promulgated in 1995 with no further amendments to allow for changes to the industry. A major change in push probe technology, which allows the use of a smaller riser pipe, lowers the cost of constructing monitoring wells and is used by a majority of the industry, however, this technology is not addressed in the current rules.

10 CSR 23-1.050--Qualifications
10 CSR 23-1.060--Applications for a Permit
This proposed rulemakings would require all persons applying to work as a well driller or pump installer under the Missouri Well Construction Rules to first work as an apprentice under the supervision of a permitted driller or pump installer. The proposal would eliminate the current requirement for an applicant to submit experience vouchers and would allow the program to track the actual work being completed by the applicant. This proposal would allow the program to verify the applicant’s experience instead of receiving the verification from others. This change would assure that all new well installation contractors receive supervised, on-the-job training. This change should increase overall competency of Missouri’s well installation contractors.

Comments on the above draft rulemakings can be submitted by e-mail to Sheri Fry or by mailing to:

Sheri Fry
Missouri Department of Natural Resources
Water Protection Program
P.O. Box 250
Rolla, MO 65402-0250

Water Pollution Control Branch

10 CSR 20-7.031 Water Quality Standards - Emergency Amendment
This emergency amendment provides immediate authority to the Department of Natural Resources to use an alternative numeric criteria for E. coli bacteria in waters of the state that have a Whole Body Contact Recreation Category B designated use. The present numeric criteria of 548 colony forming units per 100 milliliters, or cfu/100ml, was adopted from earlier epidemiological studies that have since been determined by the Environmental Protection Agency, or EPA, to be inadequate to support any standard above 206 cfu/100ml of water. EPA is objecting to any actions, which included water quality assessments or permits, based on a standard greater than 206 cfu/100ml. Therefore, the department is unable to fully protect the Whole Body Contact Recreation Category B Designated Use in the waters of the state. Missouri currently has approximately 20,000 miles of streams that have the WBCR Category B designated use assigned. The department is proposing to adopt the numeric criteria of 206 cfu/100ml to ensure adequate protection of the citizens of the state who may recreate in these streams.

Comments can be submitted by e-mail to Phil Schroeder. Comments may also be sent by mail to:
Phil Schroeder
Missouri Department of Natural Resources
Water Protection Program
P.O. Box 176-
Jefferson City, MO 65102-0176

10 CSR 20-7.031 Water Quality Standards
The department recently concluded its regular Triennial Review of the state's Water Quality Standards. During the review, the department identified several standards that were 1) inconsistent with federal guidance for water quality criteria, 2) the subject of a public request for revision for which information was provided in support of a revision, or 3) incomplete or unclear. To address these issues, the department prepared preliminary draft revisions to the standards involving the following criteria: copper and zinc, ammonia, identification of stream classification segments, recreation use designations, nutrients within lakes and reservoirs and site-specific dissolved oxygen.

Comments can be submitted by e-mail to Phil Schroeder. Comments may also be sent by mail to:
Phil Schroeder
Missouri Department of Natural Resources
Water Protection Program
P.O. Box 176
Jefferson City, MO 65102-0176