Table 1 to Paragraph (a) (5)-Trigger Levels for PFAS Contaminants
Contaminant | Trigger level |
Hazard Index PFAS (HFPO-DA, PFBS, PFHxS, PFNA) | 0.5 (unitless). |
HFPO-DA | 5 nanograms per liter (ng/l). |
PFHxS | 5 ng/l. |
PFNA | 5 ng/l. |
PFOA | 2.0 ng/l. |
PFOS | 2.0 ng/l. |
Table 2 to Paragraph (b)(1)(v) -Initial Monitoring Requirements
Type of system | Minimum monitoring frequency | Sample location |
Groundwater CWS and NTNCWS serving greater than 10,000 persons, all surface water CWS and NTNCWS, and all GWUDI systems | Four consecutive quarters of samples per entry point to the distribution system (EPTDS) within a 12-month period, unless the exception in paragraph (b)(1)(viii) of this section applies. Samples must be taken two to four months apart. | Sampling point for EPTDS. |
Groundwater CWS and NTNCWS serving 10,000 or fewer persons | Two consecutive samples per EPTDS within a 12-month period, unless the exception in paragraph (b)(1)(viii) of this section applies. Samples must be taken five to seven months apart. | Sampling point for EPTDS. |
Table 3 to paragraph (b)(2)(iv)-Compliance Monitoring Schedules and Requirements
Sampling frequency | Eligibility requirements 1 | Sample timing requirements |
Triennial | At an individual sampling point, either: (1) All initial monitoring results demonstrate concentrations of all regulated PFAS below trigger levels; (2) The most recent three consecutive annual monitoring results all demonstrated concentrations of all regulated PFAS below trigger levels; or (3) The previous triennial sample demonstrated all regulated PFAS concentrations below trigger levels. Note: After beginning compliance monitoring, a system may not transition directly from quarterly monitoring to triennial monitoring. | Sample must be collected at a time within the three-year period designated by the State, in the quarter that yielded the highest analytical result during the most recent round of quarterly sampling (or the most recent semi-annual sampling, if no quarterly sampling has occurred). |
Annual | A State makes a determination that all regulated PFAS concentrations at the sampling point are reliably and consistently below PFAS MCLs, after considering, at a minimum, 4 consecutive quarterly samples collected during the compliance monitoring period. | Sample must be collected at a time designated by the State, within the quarter that yielded the highest analytical result during the most recent round of quarterly sampling. |
Quarterly | At an individual sampling point, either: (1) Any regulated PFAS concentration meets or exceeds a trigger level during initial monitoring; (2) Sampling is occurring quarterly during compliance monitoring and a State has not made a determination that all levels of regulated PFAS at the sampling point are reliably and consistently below the regulated PFAS MCLs; or (3) A sample collected by a system required to conduct triennial monitoring contains regulated PFAS concentrations that meet or exceed trigger levels. The first of these samples meeting or exceeding the trigger level is considered the first quarterly sample. (4) A sample collected by a system required to conduct annual monitoring contains regulated PFAS concentrations that meet or exceed an MCL. The first of these samples meeting or exceeding the MCL is considered the first quarterly sample. | Samples must be collected in four consecutive quarters, on dates designated by the State. |
1 The monitoring frequency at a sampling point must be the same for all regulated PFAS and is determined based on the most frequent sampling required for any regulated PFAS detected at a level at or exceeding the trigger level.
40 C.F.R. §141.902