Pesticides Policy

The Pesticides Policy (PDF) outlines the standard operating procedure for the review and approval of a public water supply submittal whose scope of work pertains to or in part pertains to the control or elimination of biological concerns such as algae, bacteria and mollusks, for example, through their exposure to a pesticide or a device considered by the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to be a pesticide under the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA).

FIFRA Requirements

FIFRA requires that any product intended to kill or otherwise control pests (including microorganisms) cannot be sold or distributed in the United States unless it is registered (licensed) by the. Under FIFRA, the EPA's Office of Pesticide Programs (OPP) regulates the distribution, sale, and use of pesticides. Before EPA may register a pesticide under FIFRA, the applicant must show, among other things, that using the pesticide according to specifications "will not generally cause unreasonable adverse effects on the environment.''

Information pertaining to the drinking water requirements under FIFRA and the Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA) is provided by the EPA's Office of Ground Water and Drinking Water (OGWDW).

Approvals

The State of Kansas does not issue specific approvals for products, technologies or services. Therefore, approvals to proceed with construction apply to the submittal in general and are without specific reference to any aspect of the products, technologies and services that are associated with the project's scope of work. The KDHE does not maintain a "Kansas-approved" list of products, technologies and services. This ensures that all vendors will have equal access and opportunity to compete for business in Kansas, and ensures that the public water supply systems in Kansas will have maximum choice.