Ohio Admin. Code 3745-81-51 - Revised total coliform rule - routine monitoring requirements
(A)
Subject to the provisions of paragraph (A) of rule
3745-81-50 of the Administrative Code, all
All public water systems shall conduct routine total
coliform monitoring in accordance with this rule beginning April 1, 2016.
(1) Following any total coliform-positive
sample collected in accordance with paragraph (B), (C), (D) or (E) of this
rule, public water systems shall comply with the repeat monitoring requirements
and Escherichia coli (E. coli) analytical requirements in rule
3745-81-52 of the Administrative
Code.
(2) Once all monitoring
required by paragraph (B), (C), (D) or (E) of this rule and rule
3745-81-52 of the Administrative
Code for a calendar month has been completed, public water systems shall
determine whether any coliform treatment technique triggers have been exceeded
in accordance with rule
3745-81-53 of the Administrative
Code. If any triggers have been exceeded, public water systems shall complete
the assessments as required in rule
3745-81-53 of the Administrative
Code.
(B) Noncommunity
public water systems using only source water designated as ground water in
accordance with rule
3745-81-76 of the Administrative
Code and serving not more than one thousand persons shall conduct routine total
coliform monitoring as follows:
(1)
Monitoring for total coliforms shall be conducted at a minimum frequency of one
sample each calendar quarter that the system provides water to the public,
except as required by paragraphs (B)(3) to (B)(6) of this rule.
(2)
Beginning
April 1, 2016, the
The director shall
perform a detailed monitoring evaluation during each sanitary survey to
determine whether the system is on an appropriate routine total coliform
monitoring schedule. The director shall consider system factors such as
pertinent water quality and compliance history, the establishment and
maintenance of contamination barriers, and other appropriate protections. Based
on the findings of each monitoring evaluation, the director may modify the
public water system 's routine total coliform monitoring schedule.
(3) Triggered increased routine monitoring. A
public water system on quarterly monitoring that experiences any of the events
identified in this paragraph shall begin monthly monitoring during the month
following the event. The system shall continue monthly monitoring until the
director reduces the monitoring frequency after the requirements of paragraph
(B)(4) of this rule are met. A system on monthly monitoring for reasons other
than those identified as follows, including seasonal systems, is not considered
to be on increased monitoring for the purposes of paragraph (B)(4) of this
rule.
(a) The system triggers a level two
assessment or two level one assessments in a consecutive twelve-month period in
accordance with rule
3745-81-53 of the Administrative
Code.
(b) The system has an E. coli
maximum contaminant level violation in accordance with paragraph (A) of rule
3745-81-54 of the Administrative
Code.
(c) The system has a coliform
treatment technique violation in accordance with paragraph (B) of rule
3745-81-54 of the Administrative
Code.
(d) The system has two
monitoring violations in accordance with paragraph (C) of rule
3745-81-54 of the Administrative
Code, or has one monitoring violation in accordance with paragraph (C) of rule
3745-81-54 of the Administrative
Code and one level one assessment in a consecutive twelve-month
period.
(4) The director
may reduce the monitoring frequency for a public water system on monthly
monitoring triggered under paragraph (B)(3) of this rule to quarterly
monitoring if the system meets all of the following:
(a) Had a sanitary survey , site visit or
level two assessment conducted by a person approved by the director within the
previous twelve months.
(b) Had a
clean compliance history for a minimum of the previous twelve months.
(c) Is free of significant
deficiencies.
(d) Has a protected
water source .
(e) Holds a valid
license to operate, unless the system is exempt from being required to obtain a
license to operate under section
6109.21 of the Revised
Code.
(f) Has no outstanding
violations of any of the following:
(i)
Nitrate or nitrite MCL or monitoring requirements under rule
3745-81-11 or rule
3745-81-23 of the Administrative
Code, respectively.
(iv) Operational requirements
under 3745-83-01 of the Administrative Code with respect to disinfection and
monthly operating reports.
(5) Seasonal system requirements.
(a)
Beginning
April 1, 2016, all
All seasonal public
water systems, except for fully pressurized year-round
seasonal system s
as provided by paragraph
(B)(5)(d) of this rule, shall demonstrate completion of the start-up
procedure in the appendix to this rule, which shall include start-up total
coliform sampling prior to the first day of each
operating season .
to serving water to the
public.
(b)
The type of seasonal system will be determined by the
director through a detailed monitoring evaluation performed during a sanitary
survey or limited scope site visit . A depressurized seasonal system shall monitor for total
coliforms with a minimum of one sample per month during the system's operating
season . if, after the director performs a detailed
monitoring evaluation during a sanitary survey or limited scope site visit , it
is determined the system does not meet any of the exceptions as provided in
paragraph (B)(5)(c) or (B)(5)(d) of this rule.
(c) A partially-depressurized seasonal system
that operates a portion of the system for
maintenance or caretaker staff on a year round basis shall monitor for
total coliforms with a minimum of one sample per month during the system's
operating season and a minimum of one sample per quarter during the system's
off
closed
season. The director may reduce the monitoring
frequency for partially- depresurized systems that meet specific criteria in a
seasonal system monitoring evaluation in addition to demonstrating completion
of the start-up procedure.
(d) A fully-pressurized year-round seasonal system
that maintains a fully pressurized system throughout
the year, other than depressurizations resulting from maintenance or line
breaks, shall monitor for total coliforms with a minimum of one sample
per calendar quarter during the systems operating
season
. Monitoring must be conducted during the
time period specified for monitoring in accordance with paragraph (B)(1) of
rule 3745-81-50 of the Administrative
Code. These systems shall adjust the monitoring frequency or complete
elements of the start-up procedure in the appendix to this rule as required in
writing by the director based on the findings of a sanitary survey or detailed
monitoring evaluation. A simplified start-up procedure may be appropriate for
these systems due to the potential for deteriorated water quality during
extended periods of non-use.
(6) Public water systems collecting samples
on a quarterly frequency shall monitor with at least three routine samples
during the month following one or more total coliform-positive samples (with or
without a level one treatment technique trigger). Systems may either collect
samples at regular time intervals throughout the month or may collect all
required routine samples on a single day if samples are taken from different
sites. Systems shall use the results of additional routine samples in coliform
treatment technique trigger calculations under paragraph (A) of rule
3745-81-53 of the Administrative
Code.
(7) The director may postpone
the requirement in paragraph (B)(6) of this rule for a system to monitor with
at least three routine samples during the month following one or more total
coliform positive samples if all of the following criteria are met:
(a) The system collected all required repeat
samples.
(b) The director conducts
a site visit of the system and has determined the source of the bacterial
contamination within two weeks of receiving notification that the routine total
coliform positive sample was collected.
(c) The system has submitted an approvable
plan to eliminate the cause of the bacterial contamination, including all of
the following:
(i) Details on how the source
of bacterial contamination will be eliminated.
(ii) Who will perform the work.
(iii) A schedule for completing the work no
later than ninety days from the date of the total coliform routine
sample.
(d) An approvable
plan for corrective action required by rule
3745-81-61 of the Administrative
Code may also fulfill the requirements of paragraph (B)(7)(c) of this rule for
a plan to eliminate the cause of the bacterial
contamination.
(8) If the
director approves a postponement of the requirements of paragraph (B) (6) of
this rule, the public water system shall collect at least three routine total
coliform samples during the month after the work to eliminate the source of the
bacterial contamination has been completed.
(C) Routine monitoring requirements for
community water systems using only source water designated as ground water in
accordance with rule
3745-81-76 of the Administrative
Code and serving not more than one thousand persons.
(1) Monitoring for total coliforms shall be
conducted at a minimum frequency of one sample each month that the system
provides water to the public.
(2)
The director shall perform a detailed monitoring
evaluation during each sanitary survey to determine whether the system is on an
appropriate routine total coliform monitoring schedule. The director shall
consider system factors such as pertinent water quality and compliance history,
the establishment and maintenance of contamination barriers, and other
appropriate protections. Based on the findings of each monitoring evaluation,
the director may modify the public water system 's routine total coliform
monitoring schedule.
(2) Transition from the requirements
of rule 3745-81-21 of the Administrative Code:
(a) All systems subject to this
paragraph shall continue to
(b) Beginning April 1, 2016, the
(D) Routine monitoring requirements for
public water systems using a surface water source , in whole or in part, and
serving not more than four thousand one hundred persons.
(1) Monitoring for total coliforms shall be
conducted at a minimum frequency of four samples, taken at regular intervals,
during each month the system provides water to the public. Consecutive surface
water systems serving not more than one thousand persons shall monitor at a
minimum frequency of one sample per month that the system serves water to the
public.
(2) Seasonal system
start-up requirements.
(a)
Beginning April 1, 2016, seasonal
Seasonal public water systems subject to this
paragraph, except fully-pressurized year-round seasonal
system s
those that maintain a fully
pressurized system throughout the year, shall demonstrate completion
of the start-up procedure in the appendix to this rule, which shall include
start-up total coliform sampling prior to the first day
of operating season .
serving water to the
public.
(b) A
fully-pressurized year-round seasonal system
that maintains a fully pressurized system throughout
the year shall complete elements of the start-up procedure in the
appendix to this rule as required in writing by the director based on the
findings of a sanitary survey .
(E) Routine monitoring requirements for all
other public water systems serving more than one thousand persons.
(1) Seasonal system start-up requirements.
(a)
Beginning
April 1, 2016, seasonal
Seasonal public
water systems subject to this paragraph, except fully-pressurized year-round seasonal systems,
those that maintain a fully pressurized system
throughout the year, shall demonstrate completion of the start-up
procedure in the appendix to this rule, which shall include start-up total
coliform sampling prior to the first day of each
operating season
serving water to the
public.
(b) A
fully-pressurized year-round seasonal system
that maintains a fully pressurized system throughout
the year shall complete elements of the start-up procedure in the
appendix to this rule as required in writing by the director based on the
findings of a sanitary survey .
(2) The monitoring frequency for total
coliforms for ground water systems and consecutive surface water systems
serving more than one thousand persons and surface water systems serving more
than four thousand one hundred persons is based on the population served by the
system, as follows:
|
Population served |
Minimum number of samples per month |
|
1,001 to 2,500 ( |
2 |
|
2,501 to 3,300 ( |
3 |
|
3,301 to 4,100 ( |
4 |
|
4,101 to 4,900 |
5 |
|
4,901 to 5,800 |
6 |
|
5,801 to 6,700 |
7 |
|
6,701 to 7,600 |
8 |
|
7,601 to 8,500 |
9 |
|
8,501 to 12,900 |
10 |
|
12,901 to 17,200 |
15 |
|
17,201 to 21,500 |
20 |
|
21,501 to 25,000 |
25 |
|
25,001 to 33,000 |
30 |
|
33,001 to 41,000 |
40 |
|
41,001 to 50,000 |
50 |
|
50,001 to 59,000 |
60 |
|
59,001 to 70,000 |
70 |
|
70,001 to 83,000 |
80 |
|
83,001 to 96,000 |
90 |
|
96,001 to 130,000 |
100 |
|
130,001 to 220,000 |
120 |
|
220,001 to 320,000 |
150 |
|
320,001 to 450,000 |
180 |
|
450,001 to 600,000 |
210 |
|
600,001 to 780,000 |
240 |
|
780,001 to 970,000 |
270 |
|
970,001 to 1,230,000 |
300 |
|
1,230,001 to 1,520,000 |
330 |
|
1,520,001 to 1,850,000 |
360 |
|
1,850,001 to 2,270,000 |
390 |
|
2,270,001 to 3,020,000 |
420 |
|
3,020,001 to 3,960,000 |
450 |
|
3,960,001 or more |
480 |
(3)
Public water systems may not reduce monitoring, except for noncommunity public
water systems using only ground water (and not ground water under the direct
influence of surface water ) and serving more than one thousand persons in any
month. In months when more than one thousand persons are served, the systems
shall monitor at the frequency specified in paragraph (E) of this rule. In
months when no more than one thousand persons are served, the director may
reduce the monitoring frequency, in writing, to a frequency allowed under
paragraph (B) of this rule.
Notes
Promulgated Under: 119.03
Statutory Authority: 6109.04
Rule Amplifies: 6109.03, 6109.04
Prior Effective Dates: 04/01/2016
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