Louisiana Administrative Code
Title 51 - PUBLIC HEALTH-SANITARY CODE
Part XII - Water Supplies
Chapter 1 - General
Section XII-101 - Definitions [formerly paragraph 12:001]

A. Unless otherwise specifically provided herein, the following words and terms used in this Part of the Sanitary Code, and all other Parts which are adopted or may be adopted, are defined for the purposes thereof as follows.

Abandoned Well- a water well that has been permanently discontinued; has had its pumping equipment permanently removed; is in such a state of disrepair that it cannot be used to supply water and/or has the potential for transmitting surface contaminants into the aquifer; poses potential health or safety hazards or the well is in such a condition that it cannot be placed in service.

Auxiliary Intake- any piping connection or other device whereby water may be secured from a source other than that normally used.

Average Daily Demand during the Month of Maximum Water Use-the largest volume of flow anticipated to occur during a calendar month, expressed as a daily average.

Back Siphonage- a form of backflow caused by negative or subatmospheric pressure within a water system.

Backflow-

Backflow Preventer- a device for a potable water supply pipe to prevent the backflow of water of questionable quality into the potable water supply system.

Boil Notice- an official order authorized by the state health officer to the owner/users of a specific water supply, directing that water from that supply be boiled according to directions, or otherwise disinfected prior to human consumption.

By-Pass- any system of piping or other arrangement whereby the water may be diverted around any part or portion of a water supply or treatment facility.

Category-a group of physical, chemical, or radiological parameters associated with drinking water for which laboratory certification is offered under the laboratory certification program.

Certification Fee- the annual charge assessed laboratories requesting certification from the Department of Health and Hospitals to provide the needed chemical (organic, inorganic and radiological) analytical support for the public water systems.

Certified Chemical Laboratory/Drinking Water-a laboratory me eting the requirements contained within the laboratory certification regulations and which has been officially certified by the state health officer to analyze and report compliance monitoring sample results for one or more physical, chemical, or radiological parameters associated with drinking water. Certification may be obtained on a parameter by parameter basis only.

Committee of Certification- the committee, created by R.S. 40:1141-1151, responsible for certification of waterworks operators and sewerage works operators.

Community Water Supply- a public water system which serves at least 15 service connections used by year-round residents or regularly serves at least 25 year-round residents.

Community Water System-community water supply.

Contaminant- any physical, chemical, biological, or radiological substance or matter in water.

Cross Connection-

Drain- any pipe which carries waste water or water-borne waste in a building drainage system.

Drainage System- (drainage piping) includes all the piping within public or private premises, which conveys sewage, rain water, or other liquid wastes to a point of disposal, but does not include the mains of a public sewer system or a private or public sewage treatment plant.

Engineer of Record-the Louisiana licensed professional engineer responsible for the submission of plans and specifications for an installation to be permitted by the state health officer under this Part.

Ground Water- subsurface water occupying the saturation zone from which wells and springs are fed. In a strict sense the term applies only to water below the water table.

Hospital-see LAC 51:XIX.101.

Human Consumption-the use of water by humans for drinking, cooking, bathing, showering, hand washing, dishwashing, or maintaining oral hygiene.

Interconnection- a physical connection between two water supply systems.

Laboratory Certification Manual- the reference book which contains the Department of Health and Hospitals' regulations governing laboratory certification and standards of performance for laboratories conducting drinking water analyses for public water supplies in the state of Louisiana.

Laboratory Certification Program-a program carried out by the Department of Health and Hospitals, Office of Public Health to certify commercially and publicly owned laboratories to perform compliance monitoring analyses for public water systems and other potable water supply systems in accordance with the National Primary Drinking Water Regulations and this Part. The cost of the program will be recouped from the laboratories requesting certification.

Laboratory Certification Regulations-the regulations which govern laboratory certification and standards of performance for laboratories conducting drinking water analyses for public water systems and other potable water supply systems in the state of Louisiana. Such regulations are housed in LAC 48:V.Chapter 80.

Laboratory Certification Program-a program carried out by the Department of Health and Hospitals, Office of Public Health to certify commercially and publicly owned laboratories to perform compliance monitoring analyses for public water systems and other potable water supply systems in accordance with the National Primary Drinking Water Regulations and this Part. The cost of the program will be recouped from the laboratories requesting certification.

Laboratory Requesting Certification- an uncertified laboratory which has submitted an acceptable application and appropriate fee(s) for the category in which it desires certification.

Lead Free-

Level 1 Assessment-an evaluation to identify the possible presence of sanitary defects, defects in distribution system coliform monitoring practices, and (when possible) the likely reason that the system triggered the assessment. Minimum elements include review and identification of atypical events that could affect distributed water quality or indicate that distributed water quality was impaired; changes in distribution system maintenance and operation that could affect distributed water quality (including water storage); source and treatment considerations that bear on distributed water quality, where appropriate; existing water quality monitoring data; and inadequacies in sample sites, sampling protocol, and sample processing. The system must conduct the assessment consistent with any State directives that tailor specific assessment elements with respect to the size and type of the system and the size, type, and characteristics of the distribution system.

Level 2 Assessment-an evaluation to identify the possible presence of sanitary defects, defects in distribution system coliform monitoring practices, and (when possible) the likely reason that the system triggered the assessment. A Level 2 assessment provides a more detailed examination of the system (including the system's monitoring and operational practices) than does a Level 1 assessment through the use of more comprehensive investigation and review of available information, additional internal and external resources, and other relevant practices. Minimum elements include review and identification of atypical events that could affect distributed water quality or indicate that distributed water quality was impaired; changes in distribution system maintenance and operation that could affect distributed water quality (including water storage); source and treatment considerations that bear on distributed water quality, where appropriate; existing water quality monitoring data; and inadequacies in sample sites, sampling protocol, and sample processing. The system must comply with any expedited actions or additional actions required by the State in the case of an E. coli MCL violation.

Listed-equipment or materials included in a list published by an approved nationally recognized testing laboratory, inspection agency or other organization concerned with product evaluation that maintains periodic inspection of production of listed equipment or materials, and whose listing states either that the equipment or material meets nationally recognized standards or has been tested and found suitable for use in a specified manner. The means for identifying listed equipment may vary for each testing laboratory, inspection agency, or other organization concerned with product evaluation, some of which do not recognize equipment as listed unless it is also labeled. The water supplier should utilize the system employed by the listing organization to identify a listed product.

Louisiana Water Well Rules, Regulations, and Standards- see LAC 56: I.

LSPC-Louisiana State Plumbing Code, i.e., Part XIV (Plumbing) of this Code (LAC 51:XIV) became null and void on January 1, 2016 per Act 836 of the 2014 Regular Legislative Session. See the Louisiana State Uniform Construction Code (LAC 17:I.Chapter 1) for state plumbing regulations.

Maximum Contaminant Level (MCL)- the highest permissible concentration of a substance allowed in drinking water as established by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

National Primary Drinking Water Regulations-

National Secondary Drinking Water Regulations (NSDWR)- regulations (40 CFR Part 143) promulgated by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency pursuant to applicable provisions of P.L. 99-339, the "Safe Drinking Water Act," and as published in the Federal Register of July 19, 1979, pages 42,195-42,202 and April 2, 1986, page 11,412.

Non-Community Water Supply- a public water system that does not meet the criteria for a community water supply and serves at least 25 individuals (combination of residents and transients) at least 60 days out of each year. A non-community water supply is either a transient non-commu nity water supply or a non-transient non -community water supply.

Non-Transient Non-Community Water Supply- a public water system that is not a community system and regularly serves at least 25 of the same persons (non-residents) over six months per year.

Op erator- the individual, as determined by the committee of certification, in attendance, onsite of a water supply system and whose performance, judgment and direction affects either the safety, sanitary quality or quantity of water treated or delivered.

Permit- a written document issued by the state health officer through the Office of Public Health which authorizes construction and operation of a new water supply or a modification of any existing supply.

Person-a natural person, his heirs, executors, administrators, or assigns; and includes a firm, partnership, or corporation, its or their successors or assigns, the state of Louisiana or any of its political subdivisions, the United States government or any of its political subdivisions and any officer, employee and agent of one of those entities. Singular includes plural; male includes female.

Potable Water-water having bacteriological, physical, radiological, and chemical qualities that make it safe and suitable for human consumption.

Potable Water Supply- a source of potable water, and the appurtenances that make it available for use.

Private Water Supply- a potable water supply that does not meet the criteria for a public water supply.

Public Water Supply- public water system.

Public Water System- a system for the provision to the public of water for potable water purposes through pipes or other constructed conveyances, if such system has at least 15 service connections or regularly serves an average of at least 25 individuals daily at least 60 days out of the year. (A public water system is either a community water supply or a non-community water supply.) Such term includes: