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Revised Total Coliform Rule

filling up tube for water sample for bacteriological
Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy

Revised Total Coliform Rule

The federal Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA) requires that all public water systems (community and noncommunity) provide an adequate supply of safe drinking water to customers and consumers. The Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE) is responsible for implementing and managing the SDWA at the state level. One of the regulations is the 1989 Total Coliform Rule (TCR).

On April 1, 2016, the Revised Total Coliform Rule (RTCR) went into effect replacing the old regulations. The RTCR establishes a maximum contaminant level (MCL) for E. coli and uses E. coli and total coliforms to initiate a find and fix it approach to address potential avenues for the entrance into the distribution system.