62-555.340. Disinfection and Bacteriological Evaluation of Public Water System Components

This section addresses disinfection and bacteriological evaluation of the following public water system (PWS) components: treatment or storage facilities and water mains. These PWS components shall be disinfected to inactivate any microbiological contaminant that might have been introduced into the facilities or mains during construction, alteration, repair, or maintenance. For the purpose of this section, the phrase “water mains” shall mean mains, including treatment plant process piping, conveying either raw, partially treated, or finished drinking water; fire hydrant leads; and service lines that are under the control of a PWS and that have an inside diameter of three inches or greater. Disinfection of public water system wells and bacteriological surveys and evaluations of such wells are addressed in subsection 62-555.315(6), F.A.C.

(1) Before new or altered treatment or storage facilities, new or altered water mains, and treatment or storage facilities and water mains taken out of operation for repair or maintenance that might lead to contamination of water are placed into, or returned to, operation, they shall be properly disinfected in accordance with the applicable American Water Works Association (AWWA) standard (i.e., AWWA Standard C651, C652, or C653) as incorporated into Rule 62-555.330, F.A.C., except that bacteriological evaluations to verify proper disinfection shall be conducted in accordance with subsection (2) below. This subsection does not apply to, and disinfection and bacteriological evaluations are not required for, the following treatment or storage facilities and water mains:

(a) Treatment or storage facilities and water mains that normally are treating, storing, or conveying surface water, or ground water under the direct influence of surface water, and that are located upstream of all filtration and disinfection treatment facilities;

(b) Disinfectant storage, feed, or application facilities;

(c) Treatment facilities handling residuals that are not recycled to the drinking water treatment train; and

(d) Water mains that are repaired with clamping devices while remaining full of pressurized water.

(2) Bacteriological evaluations to verify proper disinfection of treatment or storage facilities and water mains shall be conducted as set forth in paragraphs (a) through (c) below. The total residual chlorine measurements required under paragraph (a) may be performed by any authorized representative of the supplier of water or person constructing or altering the treatment or storage facilities or water mains but shall be performed following the appropriate procedures in the Department of Environmental Protection Standard Operating Procedures for Field Activities, DEP-SOP-001/01, as incorporated into Rule 62-160.800, F.A.C. The total coliform analyses required under paragraph (a) shall be performed by a laboratory of the Department of Health (DOH) or a laboratory certified by the DOH to perform bacteriological analyses of drinking water and shall be performed using an appropriate method referenced in subsection 62-550.550(1), F.A.C.

(a) After reducing the total chlorine residual in the facilities or mains to no more than four milligrams per liter, a total of at least two samples – each taken on a separate day and taken at least six hours apart from the other sample(s) – shall be collected at each of the locations indicated in the applicable AWWA standard referenced in subsection (1) above, and the samples shall be analyzed for total residual chlorine and for the presence of total coliform.

(b) If any sample contains more than four milligrams per liter of total chlorine, the sample shall be considered invalid. If any sample shows the presence of total coliform, the facilities or mains shall be redisinfected as necessary in accordance with subsection (1) above and resampled in accordance with paragraph (a) above until two consecutive samples at each sampling location show the absence of total coliform.

(c) Bacteriological test results shall be considered unacceptable if the tests were completed more than 60 days before the Department received the results.

(3) Except as allowed under subsections (4) and (5) below and except as allowed under special construction permit conditions established in accordance with paragraph 62-555.533(2)(f), F.A.C., no disinfected treatment or storage facilities or water mains shall be placed into, or returned to, operation until a bacteriological evaluation has been satisfactorily completed in accordance with subsection (2) above, results of the evaluation have been submitted to the appropriate Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) District Office or Approved County Health Department (ACHD), and said DEP District Office or ACHD has approved the facilities or mains for operation.

(4) When constructing or altering treatment or storage facilities, or water mains, for which a public water system construction permit is not required per subsection 62-555.520(1), F.A.C., and when taking treatment or storage facilities or water mains out of operation for repair or maintenance that might lead to contamination of water, the facilities or mains may be placed into, or returned to, operation without the Department’s approval after disinfection and satisfactory completion of a bacteriological evaluation in accordance with subsection (2) above. The results of the bacteriological evaluation shall be submitted to the appropriate Department of Environmental Protection District Office or Approved County Health Department along with the next monthly operation report(s) required under paragraph 62-555.350(12)(b), F.A.C., or if no monthly operation report is required under paragraph 62-555.350(12)(b), F.A.C., within ten days after the end of the month during which the bacteriological evaluation was completed.

(5) When taking water mains out of operation for repair or rehabilitation that might lead to contamination of water, the mains may be returned to operation without the Department’s approval after disinfection and before completion of a bacteriological evaluation in order to minimize the time customers are without water. An advisory or a precautionary “boil water” notice shall be issued if deemed necessary by the supplier of water or if recommended in the Department of Health’s “Guidelines for the Issuance of Precautionary Boil Water Notices” as adopted in Rule 62-555.335, F.A.C. A bacteriological evaluation still must be satisfactorily completed in accordance with subsection (2) above after the mains are returned to operation. If any bacteriological sample shows the presence of total coliform, the supplier of water shall telephone, and speak directly to a person at, the appropriate Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) District Office or Approved County Health Department (ACHD) as soon as possible, but never later than noon of the next business day. Otherwise, the results of the bacteriological evaluation shall be submitted to the appropriate DEP District Office or ACHD along with the next monthly operation report(s) required under paragraph 62-555.350(12)(b), F.A.C., or if no monthly operation report is required under paragraph 62-555.350(12)(b), F.A.C., within ten days after the end of the month during which the bacteriological evaluation was completed.

Specific Authority 403.861(9) FS. Law Implemented 403.852(12), (13), 403.853(1), (3) FS. History–New 11-19-87, Formerly 17-22.640, Amended 1-18-89, Formerly 17-555.340, Amended 8-28-03.