Current through Register Vol. 46, No. 52, December 24, 2024
(a)
By September 1, 2016, and thereafter prior to initial start-up of a newly
installed cooling tower, the owner shall obtain or update a maintenance program
and plan for each cooling tower, developed in accordance with section 7.2 of
Legionellosis: Risk Management for Building Water Systems (ANSI/ASHRAE
188-2015), 2015 edition with final approval date of June 26, 2015, at
pages 7-8, incorporated herein by reference. The latest edition of
ASHRAE 188-2015 may be purchased from the ASHRAE website
(www.ashrae.org) or from ASHRAE Customer
Service, 1791 Tullie Circle, NE, Atlanta, GA 30329-2305. E-mail:
orders@ashrae.org. Fax: 678-539-2129. Telephone: 404-636-8400, or toll free
1-800-527-4723. Copies are available for inspection and copying at: Center for
Environmental Health, Corning Tower Room 1619, Empire State Plaza, Albany, NY
12237.
(b) In addition, the
maintenance program and plan shall include the following elements:
(1) a schedule for routine bacteriological
culture sampling and analysis to assess microbiological activity at intervals
not to exceed 30 days while the cooling tower is in use, and that requires
additional bacteriological culture sampling and analysis, as needed, to
validate process adjustments;
(2) a
schedule for routine Legionella culture sampling and analysis within 14 days of
seasonal start-up and, thereafter, at intervals not to exceed 90 days while the
cooling tower is in use. Cooling towers in use year-round must sample at
intervals not to exceed 90 days, and within two weeks after start-up following
maintenance;
(3) in addition to the
routine Legionella culture sampling and analysis required by paragraph (2) of
this subdivision, conditions that require immediate Legionella culture sampling
and analysis, which shall include, but are not limited to:
(i) power failure of sufficient duration to
allow for the growth of bacteria;
(ii) loss of biocide treatment of sufficient
duration to allow for the growth of bacteria;
(iii) failure of conductivity control, or any
other control methods, to maintain proper cycles of concentration;
(iv) a determination by the department or
local health department that one or more cases of legionellosis is or may be
associated with the cooling tower, based upon epidemiologic data or laboratory
testing; and
(v) any other
conditions specified by the department or local health department.
(4) provisions requiring immediate
and appropriate action, including remedial action, in response to
bacteriological and Legionella culture analyses. For Legionella culture
analyses, such provisions shall include, but not be limited to, taking all
responsive actions required by Appendix 4-A of this Title, including contacting
the local health department within 24 hours pursuant to the conditions
specified in section
4-1.6 of this Subpart;
(5) provisions requiring that any and all
Legionella culture analyses must be performed in accordance with section
4-1.5 of this Subpart;
(6) a shutdown and disinfection plan for
removing or permanently discontinuing use of a cooling tower;
(7) provisions requiring treatment and manual
or automated flushing of any piping, basin, sump, or wetted surface during idle
conditions; and
(8) provisions
requiring cleaning and disinfection prior to startup of a stagnant cooling
tower that has been shut down without treatment and recirculation for more than
five consecutive days.
