EPA Maximum Contaminant Level for Tritium

DOE-HDBK-1129-99

0.005 grams of tritium or other items that are not part of the facility accountable nuclear materials

inventory.

Quantities of tritium contained in waste may be part of the facility accountable nuclear materials

inventory until it is removed from the facility to a waste accumulation area for storage or to a waste

packaging area for packaging. Waste can also be put in a prescribed form, as specified in DOE

Order 5633.3B. Individual waste items that contain at least 0.005 grams of tritium are accountable

nuclear materials items and become part of the facility accountable nuclear materials inventory.

Tritium contained in water (H2O or D2O) used as a moderator in a nuclear reactor is not an

accountable material.

DOE requires that a tritium facility establish material control and accountability systems to provide

accurate nuclear materials inventory information. The facility tritium inventory and scrap levels of

tritium must be minimized consistent with the operational needs and safeguards practices of the

facility.

For each facility, a materials control and accountability program must be established for all nuclear

materials on inventory, including those designated as uneconomical to recover.

The facility materials control and accountability system should include the following:

Accounting System Database

Account Structure

Records and Reports

Periodic Physical Inventories

Special Inventories

Inventory Verification/Confirmation Measurements

Measurements and Measurement Control

Organization

Selection and Qualification of Measurement Methods

Training and Qualification of Measurement Personnel

Measurement Systems

Measurement Control

Material Transfers

External Transfers

Internal Transfers

Material Control Indicators

Shipper/Receiver Difference Assessment

Inventory Difference Evaluation

Evaluation of Other Inventory Adjustments

Documentation and Reporting Forms

Procedures and Requirements

3.1.2 EPA Maximum Contaminant Level for Tritium

The current National Primary Drinking Water Regulation (NPDWR) for beta- and photon-emitting

radionuclides is 4 millirem (mrem)/year. The regulatory compliance level for tritium, corresponding

to the 4 mrem/year level determined by EPA (40 CFR Part 141) is 20,000 pCi/L. By comparison,