Code of Colorado Regulations
1000 - Department of Public Health and Environment
1002 - Water Quality Control Commission (1002 Series)
5 CCR 1002-11 - REGULATION NO. 11 - COLORADO PRIMARY DRINKING WATER REGULATIONS
Section 5 CCR 1002-11.19 - INORGANIC CHEMICALS RULE

(i) For non-transient, non-community water systems, the supplier is required to comply with the sampling requirements for fluoride but is not required to comply with the fluoride MCL unless the Department determines that complying with the MCL is necessary to protect public health.

(ii) For transient, non-community water systems, the supplier may be required to comply with the fluoride MCL if the Department determines that complying with the MCL is necessary to protect public health.

1 This is the primary MCL for fluoride. Fluoride also has a secondary MCL of 2.0 mg/L.

2 Nickel has no MCL. The supplier must sample for nickel as specified in 11.19(3)(b).

(i) To determine compliance with the MCLs for inorganic chemicals, the supplier must comply with the sampling requirements specified in this section, 11.19(3).

(ii) The supplier may apply to the Department to sample more frequently than required.

(iii) The Department may:

(iv) If the system draws water from more than one source and the sources are combined before distribution, the supplier must sample during periods of normal operating conditions.

(i) To determine compliance with the MCLs for antimony, arsenic, barium, beryllium, cadmium, chromium, cyanide, fluoride, mercury, selenium and thallium, the supplier must comply with the sampling requirements specified in this section, 11.19(3)(b).

(ii) For new systems, new sources, or reclassified systems that now meet the applicability of this rule, the Department shall specify the initial sampling frequency at each entry point. The supplier must demonstrate compliance with the MCLs no later than one year after beginning supplying water to the public or one year after being reclassified.

(iii) After completing initial sampling, if the Department requires the supplier to sample at a routine frequency, the supplier must collect one sample at each entry point:

(iv) The Department may allow the supplier to reduce the sampling frequency based on all of the following information:

(v) If any sample result is greater than (>) the MCL, the supplier must collect a confirmation sample at that entry point as soon as possible, but no later than 14 days after the original sample was collected.

(vi) If the average of any sample result and its confirmation sample result is greater than (>) the MCL, the supplier must increase the sampling frequency to quarterly at that entry point.

(i) The supplier may apply to the Department or the Department may initiate a sampling waiver from antimony, arsenic, barium, beryllium, cadmium, chromium, cyanide, fluoride, mercury, nickel, selenium and thallium.

(ii) If the Department grants a waiver, the supplier is not required to sample at the frequencies specified in 11.19(3)(b).

(iii) The Department may grant a waiver to the supplier if all previous sample results are reliably and consistently below the MCL. To make that determination, the supplier must have collected:

(iv) For a cyanide waiver, the supplier must only demonstrate that the system is not vulnerable to cyanide based on the lack of any industrial source of cyanide.

(v) If the supplier is granted a waiver, the waiver will be effective for no more than one nine-year compliance cycle. The supplier must collect at least one sample while the waiver is effective.

(vi) When the supplier submits new sample results, or when other relevant data are available, the Department may revise the required sampling frequency.

(i) To determine compliance with the MCL for asbestos, the supplier must comply with the sampling requirements specified in this section, 11.19(3)(d).

(ii) For new systems, new sources, or reclassified systems that now meet the applicability of this rule, the supplier must begin sampling at a routine frequency when the new system or source begins supplying water to the public or when the system is reclassified.

(iii) For routine sampling, the supplier must collect one sample during the first three-year compliance period of each nine-year compliance cycle at the following locations:

(iv) If any sample result is greater than (>) the MCL, the supplier must collect a confirmation sample at that sampling location no later than 14 days after the original sample was collected.

(v) If the average of any sample result and its confirmation sample result is greater than (>) the MCL, the supplier must increase the sampling frequency at that sampling location to quarterly.

(i) The supplier may apply to the Department for an asbestos waiver or the Department may initiate an asbestos waiver.

(ii) The Department may grant a waiver to the supplier if the system is not vulnerable to potential asbestos contamination based on all of the following information:

(iii) If the Department grants an asbestos waiver, the supplier is not required to sample for asbestos as specified in 11.19(3)(d).

(i) For consecutive systems, the Department may modify the inorganic chemical sampling requirements if the system meets all of the following criteria:

(ii) The supplier must comply with the Department-specified schedule.

(i) If a confirmation sample is required, the original sample result will be replaced with the average of the original sample result and the confirmation sample result when calculating the LRAA.

(ii) If a sample result is less than (<) the cited detection limit, the sample result will be given a value of zero when calculating the LRAA.

(i) If a confirmation sample is required, compliance is based on the average of the sample result and its confirmation sample result.

(ii) If the average of any sample result and its confirmation sample result is greater than (>) the MCL, the supplier must increase the sampling frequency to quarterly as specified in 11.19(3)(b)(vi). This average will count as the first quarter sample result and compliance with the MCL will be based on the LRAA.

(i) On a case-by-case basis, the Department may require the supplier to distribute the public notice sooner than 12 months.

(i) On a case-by-case basis, the Department may require the supplier to redistribute the notice more frequently than annually.

(i) This is an alert about your drinking water and a cosmetic dental problem that might affect children under nine years of age. At low levels, fluoride can help prevent cavities, but children drinking water containing more than 2 milligrams per liter (mg/L) of fluoride may develop cosmetic discoloration of their permanent teeth (dental fluorosis). The drinking water provided by your community water system [name] has a fluoride concentration of [value] mg/L.

Dental fluorosis, in its moderate or severe forms, may result in a brown staining and/or pitting of the permanent teeth. This problem occurs only in developing teeth, before they erupt from the gums. Children under nine years of age should be provided with alternate sources of drinking water or water that has been treated to remove the fluoride to avoid the possibility of staining and pitting of their permanent teeth. You may also want to contact your dentist about proper use by young children of fluoride-containing products. Older children and adults may safely drink the water.

Drinking water containing more than 4 mg/L of fluoride (the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment's drinking water standard) can increase your risk of developing bone disease. Your drinking water does not contain more than 4 mg/L of fluoride, but we're required to notify you when we discover that the fluoride levels in your drinking water exceed 2 mg/L because of this cosmetic dental problem.

For more information, please call [name of water system contact] of [name of community water system] at [phone number]. Some home water treatment units are also available to remove fluoride from drinking water. To learn more about available home water treatment units, you may call NSF International at 1-877-8 -NSF-HELP.