New Mexico Administrative Code
Title 20 - ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION
Chapter 7 - WASTEWATER AND WATER SUPPLY FACILITIES
Part 10 - DRINKING WATER
Section 20.7.10.400 - GENERAL OPERATING REQUIREMENTS

Universal Citation: 20 NM Admin Code 20.7.10.400

Current through Register Vol. 35, No. 18, September 24, 2024

A. Protection of public water systems during maintenance or replacement of electrical or mechanical equipment. The owner or operator of a public water system shall prevent contamination of the water in the system while undergoing maintenance or replacement of electrical or mechanical equipment.

B. Security and protection of a public water system. Any part or component of a public water system including but not limited to spring junction boxes, well houses, storage reservoirs, collection devices, pump facilities, and treatment facilities shall be constructed, operated and maintained to prevent:

(1) unauthorized entry to the water supply;

(2) flooding of the water supply; and

(3) contamination of, the water supply.

C. Protection of a public water system well. A ground water supply well serving a public water system shall have a sanitary seal installed at the wellhead to protect against entry of storm water and other non-potable fluids or foreign materials and against access by insects, rodents, birds or other vermin. All vents installed in the well casing shall be protected against entrance of foreign material and flooding. If the well is completed in a subsurface vault, the casing shall extend above the potential flooding height. All cracks, joints or other openings at the wellhead and all penetrations to the casing at or near the ground surface shall be tightly sealed with an impermeable material.

D. Finished water storage facilities. A finished water storage facility shall be protected from flooding or infiltration of raw or non-potable water and from entry by birds, insects, rodents or other vermin. Overflow pipes and vents shall be screened with a corrosion-resistant material or be fitted with an acceptable flap valve. Access hatches or openings that are below the maximum operating water level shall be fitted with a watertight cover or appropriate seal or gasket. Roof hatches or other openings above the maximum operating water level shall be fitted with a watertight cover, appropriate seal or gasket, or framed above the surface of the tank at the opening. Framed hatches must be fitted with a solid cover that overlaps the framed opening and extends down around the frame. All framed hatches must restrict the entry of vermin or water.

E. Notice to the department. If the safety precautions or preventive measures required to be employed under this section fail to protect the public water system from unauthorized entry or contamination, or if the water supply is endangered for any reason, the supplier of water shall immediately notify the department and take appropriate action to protect the supply.

F. Disinfection following the completion of a public water system project requiring department approval. Any part or component of a public water system that has undergone construction or modification requiring department approval shall be flushed, disinfected and sampled for the presence of bacterial contaminants upon completion of the project and prior to providing water to the public. Disinfection and sampling shall be conducted in accordance with a plan submitted to and approved by the department pursuant to Paragraph (3) of Subsection B of 20.7.10.201 NMAC.

G. Disinfection following construction, modification or repair not requiring department approval. Any part or component of a public water system that has undergone repair, construction or modification not requiring department approval shall be flushed, disinfected and sampled in accordance with the current editions of the standards for disinfecting water mains, American water works association; standards for disinfection of wells, American water works association; standards for disinfection of water-storage facilities, American water works association; and standards for disinfection of water treatment plants, American water works association.

H. Disinfection of seasonally operated facilities. A public water system that operates on a seasonal basis shall be flushed and disinfected following the non-use period and shall conduct special sampling to demonstrate the absence of bacterial contaminants in the system prior to providing drinking water to the public. During the public water system's non-use period, the public water system shall be maintained to prevent unauthorized entry to, and contamination of, the water supply.

I. Maintenance and disinfection of storage structures. All materials used to re-coat or repair the interior of water storage structures must be suitable for potable water contact. After the interior of a storage structure has undergone maintenance or re-coating, the storage structure must be flushed and disinfected pursuant to Subsection G of this section.

J. Prohibition of iodine as a disinfectant. No public water system shall use iodine as a disinfectant.

K. Standards for additives, materials and equipment - direct additives. Each product added directly to water during production or treatment, including treatment in storage and distribution, shall conform to American national standards institute (ANSI) or national sanitation foundation international (NSF) Standard 60. Products covered by this subsection may include but are not limited to:

(1) coagulation and flocculation chemicals;

(2) chemicals for corrosion and scale control;

(3) chemicals for softening, precipitation, sequestering, and pH adjustment;

(4) disinfection and oxidation chemicals;

(5) chemicals for fluoridation, defluoridation, algae control, and dechlorination;

(6) dyes and tracers;

(7) antifreezes, antifoamers, regenerants, and separation process scale inhibitors and cleaners;

(8) water well drilling and rehabilitation aids; and

(9) well pump lubricants and well sealants.

L. Standards for additives, materials and equipment - indirect additives. Except as identified in Subsections N and O, a material or product that comes into contact with water or water treatment chemical shall conform to ANSI/NSF Standard 61. Products and materials covered by this subsection may include but are not limited to:

(1) process media, such as carbon and sand;

(2) joining and sealing materials, such as solvents, cements, welding materials, and gaskets;

(3) mechanical plumbing devices;

(4) pipes and related products, such as pipe and fittings;

(5) mechanical devices used in treatment, transmission, or distribution systems such as tanks, valves, chlorinators, and separation membranes; and

(6) protective (barrier) materials such as coatings.

M. Standards for additives, materials and equipment - certification. The appearance on the product or product package of a seal of a certifying entity that is accredited by the ANSI/NSF to provide the certification or inclusion of the product in the NSF product and service listings shall be considered as proof that a product conforms to the requirement of this section.

N. Standards for additives, materials and equipment - alternative certification. In those instances where a chemical, additive or drinking water system component that comes into contact with drinking water is essential to the design, construction or operation of the drinking water system and has not been certified by the ANSI/NSF, the operator may utilize the alternatives given in this subsection:

(1) a water system owner or operator may submit evidence that a chemical not included in ANSI/NSF Standard 60, such as EPI-DMA polyamines, anhydrous monosodium phosphate, permanganates other than potassium permanganate and sodium fluorosilicate, meets standards consistent with NSF Standard 60;

(2) a water system owner or operator may submit evidence that a system is made entirely of components certified under ANSI/NSF Standard 61; or

(3) a water system owner or operator may submit evidence that a component meets standards consistent with ANSI/NSF Standard 61.

O. Standards for additives, materials and equipment - exemptions. The following materials and products are exempt from the requirement to conform to ANSI/NSF Standard 61.

(1) an uncoated concrete structure, tank or treatment basin that is constructed onsite if the structure, tank, or basin is not normally coated or sealed and the construction materials used in the concrete are consistent with Subsection N;

(2) an earthen reservoir or canal located upstream of water treatment; and

(3) a water treatment plant that is comprised of components that comply with Subsections L or N.

P. Cross-connections. Cross-connections to a public water system or within a public water system shall be prohibited, unless the public water system is protected by a method acceptable to the department using either a device listed in the American society of sanitary engineering "prevention rather than cure" seal authorization booklet or a device acceptable to the department to prevent the back flow of water.

Q. Operator certification. Public water systems shall comply with the utility operator certification requirements in the Utility Operator Certification Act, NMSA 1978, 61-33-1 et seq. as amended, and in regulations and program requirements adopted pursuant to the Safe Drinking Water Act.

Disclaimer: These regulations may not be the most recent version. New Mexico may have more current or accurate information. We make no warranties or guarantees about the accuracy, completeness, or adequacy of the information contained on this site or the information linked to on the state site. Please check official sources.
This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.