Region 3's Oversight of Safe Drinking Water Act Activities

EPA Office of Inspector General

Region 3's Oversight of Safe Drinking Water Act Activities

#6100310

Inspector General Division Conducting the Audit:

Mid-Atlantic Audit Division
Philadelphia, PA

Program Office(s) Involved:

Water Protection Division
Philadelphia, PA

TABLE OF CONTENTS

• EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
• CHAPTER 1

  INTRODUCTION

  PURPOSE

  BACKGROUND

  SCOPE AND METHODOLOGY

  PRIOR AUDIT COVERAGE

• CHAPTER 2

  DRINKING WATER VIOLATIONS PROLONGED

  States Did Not Tell EPA About Excessive Lead and Copper

  States Did Not Inform EPA About Violations Timely

  EPA's Inaction Precluded Enforcement

  EPA Lacked Data

  EPA Responsible For Enforcement But Lacked Data

  EPA Headquarters Also Concerned

  Day Care Centers & Schools Should Have Been Considered Priority 1

  Not All Enforcement Needs To Be Painful

  CONCLUSION

  RECOMMENDATIONS

• CHAPTER 3

  LCR TESTING PROCEDURES DISREGARDED

  SDWA Permits Special Sampling

  Make-up Samples Prohibited by the LCR

  Sample Invalidation Permitted Without Documentation

  RECOMMENDATION

• CHAPTER 4

  EPA REVIEWS DO NOT REQUIRE CORRECTIVE ACTION

  Ineffective Midyear Evaluations

  No Recommendations In Priority Audits

  Data Verification Audit Found Discrepancies

  RECOMMENDATIONS

• CHAPTER 5

  OTHER MATTERS

  Quarterly Grant Reports Vague and Late

  RECOMMENDATION

• APPENDIX A - REGION 3'S RESPONSE TO THE DRAFT REPORT

  (Available only on hard copy)

• APPENDIX B - DISTRIBUTION

• EPA OIG Home Page
• EPA Home Page

Created February 2, 1997

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