[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: 
diaz.angelique@epa.gov.

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


