California Code of Regulations
Title 22 - Social Security
Division 4 - Environmental Health
Chapter 15 - Domestic Water Quality and Monitoring Regulations
Article 16 - Secondary Drinking Water Standards
Section 64449 - Secondary Maximum Contaminant Levels and Compliance

Universal Citation: 22 CA Code of Regs 64449

Current through Register 2024 Notice Reg. No. 38, September 20, 2024

(a) The secondary MCLs shown in Tables 64449-A and 64449-B shall not be exceeded in the water supplied to the public by community water systems.

Table 64449-A

Secondary Maximum Contaminant Levels "Consumer Acceptance Contaminant Levels"

Constituents Maximum Contaminant Levels/Units
Aluminum...................................... 0.2 mg/L
Color...................................... 15 Units
Copper...................................... 1.0 mg/L
Foaming Agents (MBAS) ...................................... 0.5 mg/L
Iron...................................... 0.3 mg/L
Manganese...................................... 0.05 mg/L
Methyl-tert -butyl ether (MTBE) ...................................... 0.005 mg/L
Odor -Threshold ...................................... 3 Units
Silver...................................... 0.1 mg/L
Thiobencarb ...................................... 0.001 mg/L
Turbidity...................................... 5 Units
Zinc...................................... 5.0 mg/L

Table 64449-B

Secondary Maximum Contaminant Levels -- "Consumer Acceptance Contaminant Level Ranges"

Maximum Contaminant Level Ranges
Constituent, Units Recommended Upper Short Term
Total Dissolved Solids, mg/L ...................................... 500 1,000 1,500
or
Specific Conductance, µS/cm ...................................... 900 1,600 2,200
Chloride, mg/L ...................................... 250 500 600
Sulfate, mg/L ...................................... 250 500 600

(b) Each community water system shall monitor its groundwater sources or distribution system entry points representative of the effluent of source treatment every three years and its approved surface water sources or distribution system entry points representative of the effluent of source treatment annually for the following:

(1) Secondary MCLs listed in Tables 64449-A and 64449-B; and

(2) Bicarbonate, carbonate, and hydroxide alkalinity, calcium, magnesium, sodium, pH, and total hardness.

(c) If the level of any constituent in Table 64449-A exceeds an MCL, the community water system shall proceed as follows:

(1) If monitoring quarterly, determine compliance by a running annual average of four quarterly samples;

(2) If monitoring less than quarterly, initiate quarterly monitoring and determine compliance on the basis of an average of the initial sample and the next three consecutive quarterly samples collected;

(3) If a violation has occurred (average of four consecutive quarterly samples exceeds an MCL), inform the State Board when reporting pursuant to Section 64469;

(4) After one year of quarterly monitoring during which all the results are below the MCL and the results do not indicate any trend toward exceeding the MCL, the system may request the State Board to allow a reduced monitoring frequency.

(d) For the constituents shown on Table 64449-B, no fixed consumer acceptance contaminant level has been established.

(1) Constituent concentrations lower than the recommended contaminant level are desirable for a higher degree of consumer acceptance.

(2) Constituent concentrations ranging to the upper contaminant level are acceptable if it is neither reasonable nor feasible to provide more suitable waters.

(3) Constituent concentrations ranging to the Short Term contaminant level are acceptable only for existing community water systems on a temporary basis pending construction of treatment facilities or development of acceptable new water sources.

(e) New services from community water systems serving water which carries constituent concentrations between the upper and short term contaminant levels shall be approved only:

(1) If adequate progress is being demonstrated toward providing water of improved mineral quality.

(2) For other compelling reasons approved by the State Board.

(f) A community water system may apply to the State Board for a waiver from the monitoring frequencies specified in subsection (b), if the system has conducted at least three rounds of monitoring (three periods for groundwater sources or three years for approved surface water sources) and these analytical results are less than the MCLs. The water system shall specify the basis for its request. A system with a waiver shall collect a minimum of one sample per source while the waiver is in effect and the term of the waiver shall not exceed one compliance cycle (i.e., nine years).

(g) Nontransient-noncommunity and transient-noncommunity water systems shall monitor their sources or distribution system entry points representative of the effluent of source treatment for bicarbonate, carbonate, and hydroxide alkalinity, calcium, iron, magnesium, manganese, pH, specific conductance, sodium, and total hardness at least once. In addition, nontransient-noncommunity water systems shall monitor for the constituents in Tables 64449-A and B at least once.

1. Renumbering and relocation of article 8 to article 16 and renumbering and amendment of former section 64473 to section 64449 filed 9-8-94 as an emergency; operative 9-8-94 (Register 94, No. 36). A Certificate of Compliance must be transmitted to OAL by 1-6-95 or emergency language will be repealed by operation of law on the following day.
2. Editorial correction of subsection (a) Thiobencarb (Register 94, No. 50).
3. Renumbering and relocation of article 8 to article 16 and renumbering and amendment of former section 64473 to section 64449 refiled 1-3-95 as an emergency; operative 1-3-95 (Register 95, No. 1). A Certificate of Compliance must be transmitted to OAL by 5-3-95 or emergency language will be repealed by operation of law on the following day.
4. Renumbering and relocation of former article 8 to article 16 and renumbering and amendment of former section 64473 to section 64449 refiled 4-26-95 as an emergency; operative 4-26-95 (Register 95, No. 17). A Certificate of Compliance must be transmitted to OAL by 8-24-95 or emergency language will be repealed by operation of law on the following day.
5. Certificate of Compliance as to 4-26-95 order including amendment of section transmitted to OAL 5-5-95 and filed 6-19-95 (Register 95, No. 25).
6. Amendment of Table 64449-A, subsections (h) and (i) and NOTE filed 12-8-98; operative 1-7-99 (Register 98, No. 50).
7. Amendment filed 8-28-2006; operative 9-27-2006 (Register 2006, No. 35).
8. Change without regulatory effect amending subsection (c)(3) filed 4-21-2011 pursuant to section 100, title 1, California Code of Regulations (Register 2011, No. 16).
9. Change without regulatory effect amending subsections (c)(3)-(4) and (e)(2)-(f) and amending NOTE filed 6-2-2015 pursuant to section 100, title 1, California Code of Regulations (Register 2015, No. 23).

Note: Authority cited: Sections 116271 and 116375, Health and Safety Code. Reference: Sections 116385, 116555 and 116610, Health and Safety Code.

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