• Rule Summary
• Rule History
• Additional Resources
• Compliance

Rule Summary

The primary purpose of the Aircraft Drinking Water Rule (ADWR) is to ensure that safe and reliable drinking water is provided to aircraft passengers and crew.

Both the Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA) and the National Primary Drinking Water Regulations (NPDWRs) were designed for stationary public water systems. Using a collaborative rulemaking process, EPA developed ADWR to address aircraft public water systems. The ADWR establishes barriers of protection from disease-causing organisms targeted to the air carrier industry.

Drinking water safety on airlines is jointly regulated by:

• EPA,
• Food and Drug Administration (FDA),
• and Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).

EPA regulates systems that supply water to airports and onboard aircraft. FDA regulates water used in food and drink preparation and water supply lines for the aircraft.  FAA oversees airline operation and maintenance programs, including the potable water system.

The regulatory structure for all public water systems, including aircraft, relies upon self-monitoring and reporting of results to the primacy agency. The primacy agency for aircraft public water systems is EPA.

Quick Reference Guide:

Aircraft Drinking Water Rule: A Quick Reference Guide (PDF)(2 pp, 124 K, About PDF) EPA 816-F-10-077, October 2010 
This guide provides an overview of the ADWR, major provisions, critical deadlines and requirements, and public health benefits.

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Rule History

In 2004, EPA found all aircraft PWSs to be out of compliance with the National Primary Drinking Water Regulations (NPDWRs). The existing NPDWRs were designed for traditional, stationary public water systems, not mobile aircraft water systems that are operationally very different. 

For example:

• aircraft must maintain rigorous operating schedules
• they fly to multiple destinations throughout the course of any given day and may board drinking water at any of these destinations.
• aircraft board water from airport watering points via temporary connections
• aircraft drinking water safety depends on a number of factors including:
• the quality of the water that is boarded from these multiple sources,
• the care used to board the water and
• the operation and maintenance of the onboard water system and the water transfer equipment (such as water cabinets, trucks, carts and hoses).

These unique operational characteristics presented different challenges. Thus, prior to publication of the ADWR, EPA placed 45 air carriers under Administrative Orders on Consent (AOCs). Air carriers remained subject to NPDWRs or existing AOCs, where applicable, until ADWR became effective on November 18, 2011.

Press Releases

• October 6, 2009 – EPA Announces the Final Aircraft Drinking Water Rule
• March 28, 2008 – EPA Announces Proposed Aircraft Drinking Water Rule
• October 19, 2005 - EPA Announces Drinking Water Agreements with 24 Domestic Airlines

Workshop Notices

• Notice of a Second Workshop on the Development of Regulations for Aircraft Public Water Systems - March 8, 2007 (PDF) (2 pp, 177 K, About PDF)
• Notice of an Initial Scoping Workshop on the Development of Regulations for Aircraft Public Water Systems - December 28, 2005 (PDF)(2 pp, 177 K, About PDF)
• Notice of an Initial Scoping Workshop on the Development of Regulations for Aircraft Public Water Systems - June 1, 2005 (PDF) (2 pp, 177 K, About PDF)

Proposed Aircraft Drinking Water Rule (April 9, 2008)

• National Primary Drinking Water Regulations: Drinking Water Regulations for Aircraft Public Water Systems Proposed Rule (PDF)(29 pp, 291 K, About PDF)

In developing the Aircraft Drinking Water Rule (ADWR), EPA used a collaborative process to obtain a broad range of views including the airlines, flight attendants, passengers, pilots, airports, laboratories, public health officials and environmental organizations.

ADWR Public Meetings and Summaries

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Additional Resources

ADWR Contacts

The Aircraft Reporting and Compliance System (ARCS) is administered by US EPA Office of Water, Office of Ground Water and Drinking Water, Drinking Water Protection Division. Please send all questions or comments to adwr_admin@epa.gov or contact Edna Villanueva at 202-564-0815.

Regional ADWR Contacts

Enforcement website

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Compliance

EPA has developed guidance documents and a National Database System to help air carriers comply with ADWR. 

Aircraft Drinking Water Rule (ADWR) training Materials

Aircraft Drinking Water Fact Sheets

• Final Aircraft Drinking Water Rule Fact Sheet (TXT) (8 pp, 49 K) EPA-816-F09-011, October 2009. This fact sheet provides information on the basic requirements, the public health and environmental benefits, and estimated costs associated with the rule.

ADWR Guidance Manual

• Guidance Manual for the Aircraft Drinking Water Rule (ADWR) - Interim Final (PDF)(175 pp, 4 MB, About PDF) EPA 816-R-10-020, October 2010.
  This guidance manual will assist air carriers that are subject to the ADWR with implementation of the rule’s provisions.

Aircraft Reporting and Compliance System (ARCS) Reporting

US EPA has developed the Aircraft Reporting and Compliance System (ARCS) to facilitate the reporting of aircraft public water system (PWS) data. This is a requirement pursuant to the Aircraft Drinking Water Rule (ADWR) [40 CFR Part 141 Subpart X].  ARCS is a centralized web-based data collection and management system that provides accountability and regulatory oversight.

Air carriers subject to the ADWR must report to EPA and conduct, as appropriate, the following requirements in ARCS, unless an alternative reporting method has been approved:

• A complete inventory of aircraft PWS fleet;
• The date the Operations and Maintenance plan was developed;
• The date the Coliform Sampling plan was developed;
• The date the aircraft PWS Sampling plan(s) was incorporated into the aircraft water system Operations and Maintenance plan;
• The date the Operations and Maintenance plan(s) was incorporated into FAA- accepted air carrier Operation and Maintenance program;
• The frequency for routine disinfection and flushing, and the corresponding routine total coliform sampling frequency; and 
• The date for routine disinfection and flushing, routine coliform sampling dates and results, and corrective actions (when applicable).

How to submit data

To enter, transmit, and manage aircraft PWS data, air carriers and US EPA Regions must request a UserID and password by completing the following:

Access to ARCS (electronic process)

• Go to the Aircraft Reporting and Compliance System from any web browser
• Click on [Request User Account]
• Specify your Role (i.e., Primary, Secondary, Laboratory, or US EPA Region)
• As prompted, input your contact information and other relevant information

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