Nebraska Administrative Code
Topic - HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES SYSTEM
Title 179 - PUBLIC WATER SYSTEMS
Chapter 16 - DISINFECTANTS AND DISINFECTION BYPRODUCTS
Section 179-16-003 - GENERAL REQUIREMENTS
Current through September 17, 2024
003.01 The regulations in 179 NAC 16 establish criteria under which community water systems (CWSs) and non-transient, non-community water systems (NTNCWSs) which add a chemical disinfectant to the water in any part of the drinking water treatment process must modify their practices to meet maximum contaminant levels (MCLs) and MRDLs in 179 NAC 2-002.04E and 2-002.04F, and must meet the treatment technique requirements for disinfection byproduct precursors in 179 NAC 16-008.
003.02 The regulations in 179 NAC 16 establish criteria under which transient NCWSs that use chlorine dioxide as a disinfectant or oxidant must modify their practices to meet the MRDL for chlorine dioxide in 179 NAC 2-002.04F1.
003.03 The Department has established MCLs for Total Trihalomethanes (TTHMs) and HAA5 and treatment technique requirements for disinfection byproduct precursors to limit the levels of known and unknown disinfection byproducts which may have adverse health effects.These disinfection by products may include chloroform; bromodichloromethane; dibromochloromethane; bromoform; dichloroacetic acid; and trichloroacetic acid.
003.04 Each CWS and NTNCWS must be operated by a licensed water operator who meets the requirements specified by the Department for the level of licensure required in 179 NAC 10 and is included in a Department list of licensed operators.
003.05 Control of Disinfectant Residuals
Notwithstanding the MRDLs in 179 NAC 2-002.04F, systems may increase residual disinfectant levels in the distribution system of chlorine or chloramines (but not chlorine dioxide) to a level and for a time necessary to protect public health, to address specific microbiological contamination problems caused by circumstances such as, but not limited to, distribution line breaks, storm run-off events, source water contamination events, or cross-connection events.
