Utah Administrative Code
Topic - Environmental Quality
Title R309 - Drinking Water
Rule R309-535 - Facility Design and Operation: Miscellaneous Treatment Methods
Section R309-535-5 - Fluoridation
Universal Citation: UT Admin Code R 309-535-5
Current through Bulletin 2024-18, September 15, 2024
(1) This section does not require the addition of fluoride to drinking water by a public water system. However, a public water system that adds fluoride to drinking water shall comply with the fluoridation facility design and construction requirements of this section.
(2) General Requirements for all Fluoridation Installations.
The following requirements apply to all types of fluoridation.
(a) Chemicals and
Materials.
(i) All chemicals used for
fluoridation shall be certified to comply with ANSI/NSF Standard 60.
(ii) Materials used for fluoridation
equipment shall be compatible with chemicals used in the fluoridation
process.
(iii) Metal parts used in
fluoridation equipment and present in the fluoridation room shall be corrosion
resistant.
(iv) Lead weights shall
not be used in fluoride chemical solutions to keep pump suction lines at the
bottom of a day or bulk storage tank.
(b) Chemical Storage.
(i) Fluoride chemicals shall be stored in
covered or sealed containers, inside a building, and away from direct sunlight
and a source of heat.
(ii) Fluoride
chemicals shall not be stored with incompatible chemicals.
(iii) Bags or other containers for dry
materials shall be stored on pallets.
(iv) Containers for dry materials shall be
kept closed to keep out moisture.
(v) A solution tank shall be labeled to
identify the contents of the tank.
(c) Secondary Containment.
(i) Secondary containment shall be provided
for tanks containing corrosive fluoride solutions.
(ii) Secondary containment shall be sized to
contain the maximum volume of solution handled.
(iii) Secondary containment shall be designed
to be acid resistant.
(d) Means to Measure.
(i) A means to measure the flow of treated
water shall be provided.
(ii) A
means shall be provided to measure the solution level in a tank and the
quantity of the chemical used.
(iii) A sampling point shall be provided
downstream of the fluoridation facility for measuring the fluoride level of
treated water.
(e)
Fluoride Feed Pump.
(i) Sizing of fluoride
feed pumps shall consider prevention of fluoride overfeed and operation
efficiency.
(ii) A fluoride feed
pump shall have an anti-siphon device.
(f) Electrical Outlet for Fluoride Feed Pump.
The electrical outlet used for a fluoride feed pump shall have interlock protection by being wired with the well or service pump, such that the feed pump is only activated when the well or service pump is on.
The fluoride feed pump shall not be plugged into a continuously active ("hot") electrical outlet.
(g) Fluoride Injection.
(i) The fluoride injection line shall enter
at a point in the lower one-third of the water line, and the end of the
injection line shall be in the lower half of the water line.
(ii) The fluoride injection point shall allow
adequate mixing.
(iii) The fluoride
injection point shall not be located upstream of lime softening, ion exchange,
or other processes that affect the fluoride level.
(iv) Each injector shall be selected based on
the quantity of fluoride to be added, water flow, back pressure, and injector
operating pressure.
(v) If
injecting fluoride under pressure, a corporation stop shall be used at the
fluoride injection point.
(vi) An
anti-siphon device shall be provided for all fluoride feed lines at the
injection point.
(h)
Minimize Fluoride Overfeed.
(i) In addition
to the feed pump control, a secondary control mechanism shall be provided to
minimize the possibility of fluoride overfeed. It may be a day tank, liquid
level sensor, SCADA control, flow switch, etc.
(ii) For fluoridation facilities that do not
have operators on site, a day tank is required to minimize fluoride overfeed,
unless two alternative secondary controls are provided.
(i) Housing. Fluoridation equipment shall be
housed in a secure building that is adequately sized for handling and storing
fluoride chemicals.
(j) Heating,
Lighting, Ventilation.
(i) The fluoridation
building shall be heated, lighted and ventilated to assure proper operation of
the equipment and safety of the operator.
(ii) The ventilation in the fluoride
operating area shall provide at least six complete room-air changes per
hour.
(iii) The fluoride operating
area shall be vented to outside atmosphere and away from air intakes.
(iv) Separate switches for fans and lights in
the fluoride operating area shall be provided. The switches shall be located
outside or near the entrance to the fluoride operating area, and shall be
protected from vandalism.
(k) Cross Connection Control. Cross
connection control shall be provided by an air gap or an approved and properly
operating backflow prevention assembly.
(3) Additional Requirements for Fluorosilicic Acid Installations.
(a) Fluorosilicic acid
shall not be diluted manually on site before injection.
(b) Solution Tank Vents.
(i) A bulk tank shall be vented.
(ii) Tank venting shall be to the outside,
above grade, away from air intakes, and where least susceptible to
contamination (e.g., precipitation, dust, etc.).
(iii) A bulk tank shall not share a vent with
a day tank if there is a risk of solution overflow from the bulk tank to the
day tank.
(iv) A non-corrodible
fine mesh (No. 14 or finer) screen shall be placed over the discharge end of a
vent.
(c) If separate
rooms are provided in a fluoridation facility constructed after January 1,
2017, the design shall include a view window between the control room and the
fluorosilicic acid operating area.
(d) Emergency eyewash stations and showers
shall be provided.
(e) A
neutralizing chemical shall be available on site to handle small quantity
accidental acid spills.
(f) The use
of personal protective equipment (PPE) is required when handling fluorosilicic
acid, and shall include the following:
(i)
Full-face shield and splash-proof safety goggles
(ii) Long gauntlet acid-resistant rubber or
neoprene gloves with cuffs
(iii)
Acid-resistant rubber or neoprene aprons
(iv) Rubber boots
(4) Additional Requirements for Fluoride Saturator Installations.
(a) A water
meter shall be provided on the make-up water line for a saturator to determine
the amount of fluoride solution being fed.
(b) The minimum depth of undissolved fluoride
chemical required to maintain a saturated solution shall be marked on the
outside of the saturator tank.
(c)
The saturator shall not be operated in a manner that undissolved chemical is
drawn into the pump suction line.
(d) The make-up water supply line shall
terminate at least two pipe diameters above the solution tank or have backflow
protection.
(e) Make-up Water
Softening.
(i) The make-up water used for
sodium fluoride saturators shall be softened whenever the hardness exceeds 75
mg/L.
(ii) A sediment filter (20
mesh) shall be installed in the make-up water line going to the saturator. The
filter shall be placed between the softener and the water meter.
(f) Dust Control. Creation of
fluoride dust shall be minimized during the transfer of dry fluoride compounds;
when disposing of empty bags, drums, or barrels; and while cleaning.
(g) Emergency eyewash shall be
provided.
(h) The use of personal
protective equipment (PPE) is required when handling dry chemicals and shall
include the following:
(i) National Institute
for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) approved particulate respirator with
a soft rubber face-to-mask seal and replaceable cartridges
(ii) Chemical dust-resistant safety
goggles
(iii) Acid-resistant
gloves
(iv) Acid-resistant rubber
or neoprene aprons
(v) Rubber
boots
(5) Additional Requirements for Fluoride Dry Feed Installations.
(a) Volumetric and gravimetric dry feeders
shall include a solution tank.
(b)
A mechanical mixer shall be installed in the solution tank.
(c) Dust Control.
(i) Creation of fluoride dust shall be
minimized during the transfer of dry fluoride compounds; when disposing of
empty bags, drums, or barrels; and while cleaning.
(ii) If a hopper is provided, it shall be
equipped with a dust filter and an exhaust fan that places the hopper under
negative pressure.
(iii) Air
exhausted from fluoride handling equipment shall discharge through a dust
filter to the atmosphere outside of the building.
(d) Emergency eyewash shall be
provided.
(e) The use of personal
protective equipment (PPE) is required when handling dry chemicals and shall
include the following:
(i) National Institute
for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) approved particulate respirator with
a soft rubber face-to-mask seal and replaceable cartridges
(ii) Chemical dust-resistant safety
goggles
(iii) Acid-resistant
gloves
(iv) Acid-resistant rubber
or neoprene aprons
(v) Rubber
boots
Disclaimer: These regulations may not be the most recent version. Utah 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.
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