Total Coliform Rule Compliance Help for Public Water Systems

EPA has developed the following materials for public water systems (for example, owners and operators) to assist in complying with the requirements of the Total Coliform Rule and Revised Total Coliform Rule. Please check and verify requirements with your state. State requirements may vary from the federal rule requirements as presented below.

For more information, please see the Revised Total Coliform Rule and Total Coliform Rule page.

• Revised Total Coliform Rule (RTCR) Placards: the RTCR Placards are a collection of six (6) e-fillable placards on the RTCR requirements. They are designed for primacy agencies to give to small PWSs that serve 1,000 or fewer persons.

• Revised Total Coliform Rule (RTCR) Sample Siting Plan with Template Manual: This ten page manual assists in selecting representative sample locations (i.e., routine & repeat samples), includes protocols, recommended instructions, and an e-fillable sample siting plan template.  It is designed for primacy agencies to give to small PWSs that serve 1,000 or fewer persons, including direct implementation program and tribal water systems.

• Public Notification Instructions and Templates for the Revised Total Coliform Rule (RTCR) This document aims to assist water systems with the Public Notification requirements of the Revised Total Coliform Rule (RTCR). 

• A Revised Total Coliform Rule Guide for Small Public Water Systems (PDF) This document aims to assist small water systems serving 1,000 persons with fewer in complying with the requirements of the Revised Total Coliform Rule (RTCR). 

• Revised Total Coliform Rule Assessments and Corrective Actions Guidance Manual, Interim Final EPA has developed this document for public water systems to assist in public water systems with the rule assessment and corrective actions.

• Cross-Connection Control: A Best Practices Guide (PDF)(4 pp, 177 K, About PDF) EPA 816-F-06-035, September 2006  This short guide provides information on the importance of controlling cross-connections and preventing backflow conditions into the distribution system.

• Cross-Connection Control Manual (PDF)(52 pp, 195 K, About PDF) EPA 816-R-03-002, February 2003 This Cross-Connection Control Manual has been designed as a tool for health officials, waterworks personnel, and plumbers. It is also relevant to any others involved directly or indirectly in water supply distribution systems.

• Distribution Systems: A Best Practices Guide (PDF)(2 pp, 166 K, About PDF) EPA 816-F-06-038, September 2006 This short guide provides information on the critical maintenance tasks that small systems should regularly practice to ensure the integrity of their distribution system.

• A Small Systems Guide to the Total Coliform Rule (PDF)(64 pp, 5.6 MB, About PDF) EPA 816-R-01-017A, June 2001 This guide provides information for community water systems (CWS) that serve fewer than 3,300 people.

• Total Coliform Rule: A Handbook for Small Non-Community Water Systems serving less than 3,300 persons: One of the Simple Tools for Effective Performance (STEP) Guide Series (PDF)(52 pp, 643 K, About PDF) EPA 816-B-06-001, 2006 This guide provides information for non-community water systems (NCWS) that serve fewer than 3,300 people.

• Small System Compliance Technology List for the Surface Water Treatment Rule and Total Coliform Rule (PDF)(58 pp, 188 K, About PDF) EPA 815-R-98-001, September 1998 This 1998 guidance describes various technologies that small public water systems can use to comply with the TCR.