Compilation of Rules and Regulations of the State of Georgia
Department 391 - RULES OF GEORGIA DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES
Chapter 391-3 - ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION
Subject 391-3-5 - RULES FOR SAFE DRINKING WATER
Rule 391-3-5-.14 - Operation

(1) Compliance with Safe Drinking Water Rules. A supplier of water shall treat the water supplied so the water complies with the Safe Drinking Water rules of this Chapter. Public water systems shall not use bottled water to achieve compliance with a maximum contaminant level (MCL). Bottled water may be used on a temporary basis to avoid unreasonable risk to health. Community and non-transient non-community water systems shall not use point-of-use or point-of-entry treatment units to achieve compliance with an MCL or a treatment technique requirement.

(2) Continuous Chlorination. The supplier of water must continuously chlorinate the water to maintain a detectable residual of free chlorine in all parts of the distribution system in the recommended amount of at least 0.2 parts per million, and such additional amounts as may be determined necessary by the Division, unless other means of disinfection have been approved by the Director. If the residual disinfectant concentration is measured by approved analytical methods and not detected, the supplier may, upon approval by the Division, determine and report detectability by the use of heterotrophic plate count measurements as required by 40 CFR § 141.72 (1989) and other applicable paragraphs of 40 CFR Part 141.

(3) Disinfection Waiver. After consideration of the microbiological quality of the source of water supply, the local geology, the population served and the extent of the water distribution system, the disinfection treatment may be waived by the Director.

(4) Fluoridation Requirements. The supplier of water of a fluoridated public water system shall daily sample and analyze the fluoride concentration of the drinking water. Daily records of the analytical results shall be kept on forms provided by the Division or on forms acceptable to the Division and a copy of the result submitted to the Division in accordance with Rule 391-3-5-.30.

(5) Surface Water Source Certified Operator. A supplier having a surface water source must have a certified operator on duty and onsite at all times when the water plant is in operation. A supplier having a groundwater source under the direct influence of surface water must have a certified operator on duty and onsite at all times when the water plant is in operation, unless otherwise approved by the Division, depending upon the complexity of the water treatment processes, quality of the water sources, and the size of the system.

(6) Groundwater Source Certified Operator. A supplier having only ground water sources must have a certified operator to comply with the classification prescribed in Section 391-3-5-.39 of this Chapter. The Director may find that the availability of a certified operator to a system with only groundwater sources is sufficient to comply with Section 391-3-5-.39 of this Chapter and may so allow, but only if the Director determines that the complexity of the water treatment processes, quality of the water sources, and the size of the system so warrant.

(7) Record Maintenance. The supplier of water shall maintain daily records of the operation of the water treatment facility and water distribution system as may be required by the Division including the amount of water treated daily, results of the performance of daily tests pertinent to the control of the water treatment processes, disinfectant residuals, and tests performed in the water distribution system. Daily records shall be kept by the supplier on forms furnished by the Division and a copy of the record submitted to the Division in accordance with Rule 391-3-5-.30. Based on the complexity of the water treatment process, the quality of the water sources, and the size of the system, the Director may establish less frequent maintenance of record requirements for small groundwater systems.

(8) Microbiological Laboratory. All community water systems which have a surface water source with water treatment facilities and those public water systems having only a ground water source or only a water distribution system and serving a population of more than 12,900 must have, or have available, the services of a microbiological laboratory certified by the Division to perform the microbiological tests necessary for compliance with the maximum microbiological contaminant levels. The laboratory and equipment must be kept in good working order at all times.

(9) Summary Microbiological Analytical Results. A supplier of water required to have, or have available, a microbiological laboratory under paragraph (8) of Section 391-3-5-.14 shall collect and analyze drinking water samples in accordance with the minimum number specified in paragraph (1) of Section 391-3-5-.23 and such additional samples as may be required by the Director. The supplier shall furnish the Division, on forms provided by the Division, a monthly microbiological summary of the number of samples analyzed and the results in accordance with Section 391-3-5-.30.

(10) Routine Microbiological Samples. The supplier of water shall collect routine drinking water samples for microbiological analysis as follows:

(11) Certified Laboratories. For the purposes of determining compliance with Rules 391-3-5-.18, .19, .20, .21, .22, .23, .24, .25, .26, .27 samples may be considered only if they have been analyzed by a laboratory certified by the Division, except that measurements used solely for operational control, including but not limited to turbidity, free chlorine residual, fluoride residual, temperature, pH, conductivity, calcium, alkalinity, orthophosphate, chloramines, chlorine dioxide, chlorite and silica may be performed by any person acceptable to the Division.

(12) Operations and Maintenance Plan. All public surface water and ground water under the direct influence of surface water systems shall develop an Operations and Maintenance Plan (O & M Plan). The plan shall be prepared in accordance with the Division's "Operation and Maintenance Plan - Guidance Manual for Preparing Public Water Supply System O & M Plans", latest edition. The plan shall be updated at intervals determined by the Director. For public groundwater systems and systems that are using alternate treatment technologies, development of such a plan may be required by the Director when the complexity of the water treatment processes, quality of the water sources, and the size of the system so warrant.