Overview of Requirements for Groundwater Systems

Presented By: Elston Johnson

Overview

• Getting Starting

• Monitoring Requirements

• Operational Requirements

• Other Requirements

Getting Started

• Approval Required

• Plans and Specifications

• Waterlines

• Wells

• Tanks

• Chemical treatment systems

• Pumps

Getting Started

• Cover letter with engineering report

• Submittal form

• TCEQ Core Data Form (for new systems)

• Sealed engineering plans and specifications

• Well completion data

Getting Started

• Requirements on our website

• http://www.tceq.texas.gov/drinkingwater/newsystems.html

• Checklist for Proposed Public Water System

• Contact Staff on Utilities Technical Review Team

Construction of PWS Wells

● 18 inch casing

● Sealing Block

● Sealed Well Head

● Screened Vents

● Sampling Tap

● Flow Meter

● Fenced or Housed

● All Weather Road

● Air Release Device

Sanitary Conditions of PWS Wells

● Protection from Flooding

● >50 feet: Livestock, Septic Tanks, Cemeteries, Sewers

● > 150 feet: Septic Tank Drainage Fields, UST, liquid pipeline

● >300 feet: Industrial Waste Drainage Ditch, Lift Stations

● > 500 feet: Sewage Treatment Plant, Landfill, Sewage Irrigated land, BFU Sites, Solid Waste Site

Monitoring

• Federal and State requirements

• Basis for the Federal Drinking Water Program

• Measures the amount of contaminants in water

Monitoring

• Bacteriological Monitoring

• Chemical Monitoring

Monitoring

• Bacterial Monitoring

• Total Coliform

• All systems

• Monthly Requirement

• Based on Population

Minimum Number of Samples Population Served per Month 1 to 1,000 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 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

Monitoring

• Bacterial Monitoring

• Groundwater Rule

• Requires Well Monitoring

• Required if Positive Total Coliform in distribution system

Monitoring

• Bacterial Monitoring

• Groundwater Rule

• Triggered source sampling

• Corrective actions

• 4-Log viral treatment

• Triggered Source Monitoring Plans

• System A collects 3 TC positive routine distribution samples

G4440001B

G4440001C

G4440001A

Well not in use

(-) (-) (-)

(-) (-) (-)

Monitoring

• Bacterial Monitoring

• Corrective actions

• TCEQ will require a Corrective Action when a fecal indicator is found in the groundwater source.

• There are 6 possible corrective actions.

Monitoring

Approved Corrective Actions:

1. Correct all significant deficiencies

2. Provide alternate source of water

3. Eliminate source of contamination

4. Provide 4-log viral treatment

5. Well disinfection in accordance with AWWA procedures

6. A state-specified period of source assessment monitoring

Corrective Action Timeline

Day 30 Day 0 Day 120 Day ?

Lab notifies

PWS of a raw

water fecal (+)

sample result,

PWS creates

PN

Communicate

with TCEQ

Complete corrective

action or in compliance

with a schedule

Notification to

TCEQ

Monitoring

• Chemical Monitoring

• Numerous Contaminants

• Systems type determines sampling frequency

• TCEQ conducts sampling

Monitoring

• Chemical Monitoring

• TCEQ determines sampling schedule

• Schedule can be found on TCEQ website

• “Drinking Water Watch,”

• http://dww.tceq.texas.gov/DWW/

Monitoring

• Compliance Determination

• Both microbial and chemical contaminants

have a limit set by “EPA” called a Maximum Contaminant Level (MCL)

• MCL based on evaluation of health risk data and cost to treat contaminant

• TCEQ staff in Public Drinking Water section do compliance determination

Monitoring

• Public Notice

• Public Notice is required when a sample is above the MCL or is not collected

• Schedule for public notice can differ per rule

• TCEQ staff in Public Drinking Water section in Austin can assist

Operating

• Operating a Public Water System:

• Capacity

• Recordkeeping

Operating

• Operation activities at Public Water System are evaluated by the TCEQ region offices

• Evaluation is conducted during Comprehensive Compliance Investigations (CCI)

Facility Notification

● Courtesy call approximately 1 to 2 weeks prior to

investigation, unless...

● TCEQ Region Office advises facility that ALL

Required Records must be available for review

at the time of the scheduled CCI

● Records checklist provided in advance, request it

What to Expect During the CCI

● File and Record Review

● Facility Evaluation

● Distribution Evaluation

● Exit Interview

Capacities

● Well Pumping Capacities

● Storage Tank Capacities

● Pressure Tank Capacities

● Service Pump

● Raw/Transfer Pumping Capacities

● Proprietary Treatment System Capacities

Capacities

Example:

System with >250 connections:

Two wells – 0.6 gpm/connection

Total storage of 200 gallons/connection

Two service pumps – 2.0 gpm/connection

Elevated Storage Tank - 200 gpm/connection

Apartment

Building with

16 Units

Retail Meters = 1

Retail Connections = 16

Water Meter

Required Records

● Certified Operators

● CSI Certificates

● Wholesale Water Contracts

● Monthly Operating Reports

● ANSI/NSF Certifications

● Plumbing Ordinance or Service

Agreements

● Well Plugging Reports

● Well Logs

Required Records

● Construction and Interim

Approval Letters

● Up-to-date Maps of the

Distribution System

● Tank Inspection Reports

● Back-Flow Prevention

Program

● Sanitary Control

Easements

● Variances or Exemptions

Two Year Retention Schedule

§290.46(f)(3)(A)

● Volume of water treated each day or each week

● Amount of chemicals used each day or each week

● Dates dead-end-mains are flushed

● Complaints received by the system (detailed)

● Dates storage tanks and facilities are cleaned

● Maintenance records for equipment and facilities

Three Year Retention Schedule

§290.46(f)(3)(B)

● NOV’s and Corrective Actions

● Copies of Public Notices issued by the system

● Disinfectant Residual Monitoring (Distribution)

● Calibration Records/Laboratory/Meters/Etc.

● Backflow Prevention Device Programs (initial

installs and annual calibrations)

Five Year Retention Schedule

§290.46(f)(3)(D)

● Microbiological Analyses

● Annual Inspections for Water Storage and

Pressure Tanks

● Inspections for Pressure Filters

Ten Year Retention Schedule

§290.46(f)(3)(E)

● Monthly Operating Reports

● Chemical Analyses

● Customer Service Inspections (CSI)

● Written Reports, Summaries, Communications

Inspections of the system conducted by the

system, private consultants, or the TCEQ

● GWR 4-Log Minimum Specified Residual

Monthly Operating Report (New)

Monitoring Plans and Operations Manual

§290.121and §290.42(l)

Monitoring Plan

● Identify all sampling locations and entry points

● Describe sampling frequency

● Procedures and labs used

● Can be updated at any time must work with

TCEQ Public Drinking Water to get approved

Operations Manual

● Operator routine maintenance and repair

procedures

● Protocols in the event of a natural or man-made

catastrophe

● Telephone numbers of personnel and agencies to

be contacted in the event of an emergency.

Calibration Requirements

§290.46(s)(1)

● CALIBRATE EVERY 3 Years

● Well Meters, Groundwater Production Meters

Flow Measuring Devices

Disinfectant Residual Analyzers

§290.46(s)

● Bench-top Accuracy Verification - 30 DAYS

(With known concentrations – Gel Standards)

● On-Line Calibration - 90 DAYS

● (With known concentrations)

● On-Line Calibration Check -MONTHLY

( With known concentrations OR comparing with

results of an approved bench-top, amperometric,

spectrophotometric, or titration method)

Storage Tanks

Ground and Elevated

● General Condition

● Inlet and Outlet

● Water Level Indicators

● Vents

● Hatches

● Overflows

● Ladders

● Fencing

Storage Tanks

Pressure

● General Condition

● Air-To-Water Volume Indicators

● Pressure Release Devices

● Pressure gauges

● Air Filters

Disinfection

● General Condition of Facilities, Equipment and

Housing, Scales

● Vents, Fans if necessary

● Injection Points

● NH3 bottle

● SCBA

● Capacity > 50%

Distribution

● Check your chlorine residual

● Pressure (measured at highest elevations)

● Leaks

● Exposed lines

Exit Interview

● Previous CCI issues

● Current Deficiencies

● 14-Day Area of Concern Notification

● Additional Issues

● Exit Interview Form

After Receiving the Letter

If Violations are Noted

● Respond in writing by the compliance due date

● Option to Contest Violations

(contact person on letter)

● Read and understand “Corrective Action”

● Call region office for technical assistance and for

time extensions

GUIDANCE MANUALS

Download these manuals from the TCEQ Website at

http://www.tceq.texas.gov

Just insert the document number in the subject search box

●RG-195: 30 TAC Chapter 290 Subchapter D

●RG-346: 30 TAC Chapter 290 Subchapter F

●RG-384: How to Develop a Monitoring Plan

●RG-407: Disinfectant Residual Reporting

Need Assistance

● Financial, Managerial and Technical (FMT)

assistance can be requested through Public

Drinking Water Section

● Small Business and Local Government

Assistance Hotline 1.800.447.2827

● Public Drinking Water Conference

August 7 – 8, 2012, Austin Texas

Elston Johnson

Water Supply Division

● TCEQ Headquarters - Austin, Texas

● Office: 512.239.0990

● Direct Line: 512-239-6266

● E-mail: Elston.Johnson@tceq.texas.gov