Protocol for EPA Approval of Alternate Test Procedures for Organic and Inorganic Analytes in Wastewater and Drinking Water

As required by the Clean Water Act (CWA) and Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA), the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) promulgates guidelines establishing test procedures (analytical methods) for data gathering and compliance monitoring under National Pollution Discharge Elimination 

System (NPDES) permits and national primary drinking water regulations (NPDWRs).  These test procedures are approved at 40 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) part 136 for wastewater and 40 CFR part 141 for drinking water.  In addition, the guidelines at 40 CFR 136.4 and 136.5 and 40 CFR 141.27, allow entities to apply for Agency permission to use an alternate test procedure (ATP) in place of an approved method.  These guidelines are the basis for the Agency's alternate test procedure (ATP) program for water methods that is administered by the Office of Water, Office of Science and Technology, Analytical Methods Staff (AMS).