AWWA WQTC52956

The Information Collection Rule (ICR) required large water systems to monitormonthly from July 1997 until December 1998 for Giardia cysts and Cryptosporidiumoocysts in source water. Because no laboratory certification program existed forthese contaminants, the US Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) developed a laboratoryapproval program which included personnel and equipment requirements, on-siteevaluations, and performance evaluation (PE) samples. Once a laboratory wasapproved, analysts were required to analyze monthly PE samples for the durationof the ICR. This laboratory approval program ended with the end of monitoring;however, laboratories and utilities still wanted access to a protozoa PE program.This paper discusses the continued operation of the now voluntary laboratory PEprogram for Giardia and Cryptosporidium. Includes 4 references, tables, figures.