40 CFR § 141.804 - Aircraft water system operations and maintenance plan.

(a) Each air carrier must develop and implement an aircraft water system operations and maintenance plan for each aircraft water system that it owns or operates. This plan must be included in a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA)-accepted air carrier operations and maintenance program (14 CFR part 43, 14 CFR part 91, 14 CFR part 121).

(b) Each aircraft water system operations and maintenance plan must include the following:

(1) Watering point selection requirement. All watering points must be selected in accordance with Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regulations (21 CFR part 1240, subpart E).

(2) Procedures for disinfection and flushing. The plan must include the following requirements for procedures for disinfection and flushing of aircraft water system.

(i) The air carrier must conduct disinfection and flushing of the aircraft water system in accordance with, or is consistent with, the water system manufacturer's recommendations. The air carrier may conduct disinfection and flushing more frequently, but not less frequently, than the manufacturer recommends.

(ii) The operations and maintenance plan must identify the disinfection frequency, type of disinfecting agent, disinfectant concentration to be used, and the disinfectant contact time, and flushing volume or flushing time.

(iii) In cases where a recommended routine disinfection and flushing frequency is not specified by the aircraft water system manufacturer, the air carrier must choose a disinfection and flushing, and corresponding monitoring frequency specified in § 141.803(b)(3).

(3) Follow-up sampling. The plan must include the procedures for follow-up sampling in accordance with § 141.803(e).

(4) Training requirements. Training for all personnel involved with the aircraft water system operation and maintenance provisions of this regulation must include, but is not limited to the following:

(i) Boarding water procedures;

(ii) Sample collection procedures;

(iii) Disinfection and flushing procedures;

(iv) Public health and safety reasons for the requirements of this subpart.

(5) Procedures for conducting self-inspections of the aircraft water system. Procedures must include, but are not limited to, inspection of storage tank, distribution system, supplemental treatment, fixtures, valves, and backflow prevention devices.

(6) Procedures for boarding water. The plan must include the following requirements and procedures for boarding water:

(i) Within the United States, the air carrier must board water from watering points in accordance with Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regulations (21 CFR part 1240, subpart E).

(ii) A description of how the water will be transferred from the watering point to the aircraft in a manner that ensures it will not become contaminated during the transfer.

(iii) A description of how the carrier will ensure that water boarded outside the United States is safe for human consumption.

(iv) A description of emergency procedures that meet the requirements in § 141.803(h) and (i) that must be used in the event that the air carrier becomes aware that water was boarded to operate essential systems, such as toilets, but was boarded from a watering point not in accordance with FDA regulations, does not meet NPDWRs applicable to transient non-community water systems (§§ 141.62 and 141.63, as applied to TNCWSs), or is otherwise unsafe.

(7) Coliform sampling plan. The air carrier must include the coliform sampling plan prepared in accordance with § 141.802.

(8) Aircraft water system disconnect/shut-off, or prevent flow of water through the tap(s) statement. An explanation of whether the aircraft water system can be physically disconnected/shut-off, or the flow of water otherwise prevented through the tap(s) to the crew and passengers.

(c) For existing aircraft, the air carrier must develop the water system operations and maintenance plan required by this section by April 19, 2011;

(d) For new aircraft, the air carrier must develop the operations and maintenance plan required in this section within the first calendar quarter of initial operation of the aircraft.

(e) Any changes to the aircraft water system operations and maintenance plan must be included in the FAA-accepted air carrier operations and maintenance program.