Current through Register Vol. 56, No. 6, March 18, 2024
(a) The depuration process shall be designed and constructed to provide sufficient water of adequate quantity and quality throughout the system in a manner which accomplishes effective purification.
(b) Hydraulic seawater system design and material requirements are as follows:
1. The seawater pumping system, including the intake structures, intake pumps, distribution or piping network, valves, filling and flow measuring devices, shall be maintained in good working order at all times and shall be of sufficient size and design to supply the system with process seawater to meet the requirement set forth in (c) below.
2. The distribution piping network shall be constructed in such a manner so that the entire system can be easily cleaned.
3. Accurate flow control devices shall be installed in the process seawater system to assure that the flow requirements are being met and maintained.
4. Electrical hydraulic equipment such as pumps, ultraviolet unit(s) and other electrical components of the seawater circulation system shall be protected from water splash and corrosion.
5. The seawater hydraulic system shall be constructed of materials which are inert, noncorrosive and nontoxic to man or clams.
6. A minimum of five mg/liter of dissolved oxygen shall be maintained throughout the depuration processing system. An aeration system shall be installed if the oxygen level is below five mg/liter. The aeration system shall not produce excessive foaming. Bubble type aeration systems are prohibited. Accurate dissolved oxygen meters to measure the dissolved oxygen of the process water shall be provided.
(c) The process tank(s) in which controlled depuration is carried out shall be constructed of suitable sturdy material which is smooth, free of breaks and open seams. Materials used in process tank construction shall, under use conditions, be corrosion resistant, nontoxic, and nonabsorbent. The tank(s) shall be maintained in good repair and shall be easily accessible for cleaning and inspection. The tank(s) shall be self-draining to facilitate tank cleaning. Tank design shall be approved by the Department prior to installation. Tank design shall insure that:
1. Uniform hydraulic flow is maintained throughout the tank(s);
2. The stacking system for shellfish process containers within the tanks will provide a satisfactory flow of process seawater;
3. Vibrations and tank disturbances are not present;
4. The flow and quality of treated seawater can be easily monitored. The volume flowing through each tank shall be at least one gallon per minute per U.S. bushel of clams;
5. The process tank(s) shall have the capacity to supply at least five cubic feet of seawater per U.S. bushel of clams at the overflow level for soft shell clams and at least eight cubic feet of seawater per U.S. bushel for hard shell clams.
6. The tank(s) shall be protected against chemical, microbiological, or other contamination;
7. A minimum space shall be provided to assure three inches between the bottom of the clam processing containers and the process tanks; and
8. Clam processing containers and the clams in the containers shall be submerged in the process water during the entire depuration process.
