Section 18.80.405. Routine monitoring.

	(a)  The operator of a community water system, non-transient non-community water system, or transient non-community water system shall collect total coliform samples at sites that are representative of water throughout the distribution system according to a written sample siting plan that complies with 18 AAC 80.410. Special monitoring and reporting provisions for consecutive public water systems will be determined by the department as necessary to serve the interests of public health.  
	(b)  The monitoring frequency for total coliforms required for a community water system or non-transient non-community water system is based on the population expected to be served daily by the system, as set out in Table C in this subsection.  
                                   TABLE C.
                     TOTAL COLIFORM MONITORING FREQUENCY
          FOR COMMUNITY OR NON-TRANSIENT NON-COMMUNITY WATER SYSTEMS
             Population expected to                Minimum number of
                 be served daily                  samples per month*
                25  to 1,000a                             1b
             1,001  to 2,500                              2b
             2,501  to 3,300                              3b
             3,301  to 4,100                              4b
             4,101  to 4,900                               5
             4,901  to 5,800                               6
             5,801  to 6,700                               7
             6,701  to 7,600                               8
             7,601  to 8,500                               9
             8,501  to 12,900                             10
            12,901  to 17,200                             15
            17,201  to 21,500                             20
            21,501  to 25,000                             25
            25,001  to 33,000                             30
            33,001  to 41,000                             40
            41,001  to 50,000                             50
            50,001  to 59,000                             60
            59,001  to 70,000                             70
            70,001  to 83,000                             80
            83,001  to 96,000                             90
            96,001  to 130,000                            100
           130,001  to 220,000                            120
           220,001  to 320,000                            150
           320,001  to 450,000                            180
           450,001  to 600,000                            210
           600,001  to 780,000                            240
           780,001  to 970,000                            270
           970,001  to 1,230,000                          300
         1,230,001  to 1,520,000                          330
         1,520,001  to 1,850,000                          360
         1,850,001  to 2,270,000                          390
         2,270,001  to 3,020,000                          420
         3,020,001  to 3,960,000                          450
         3,960,001  or more                               480
Notes to Table C:  
a If a community water system or non-transient non-community water system has at least 15 service connections, but serves fewer than 25 individuals, the minimum number of samples per month is the number for a system expected to serve 25 - 1,000 individuals daily.  
b This number is subject to the requirement for additional routine samples described in 18 AAC 80.410(d).  
* For seasonal operations that include partial months, the operator shall consider the first partial month of operation as an entire month of operation; the operator need not sample during the last partial month of operation.  
	(c)  Upon written request from the owner, the department will, in writing, reduce the monitoring frequency in Table C in (b) of this section for a community water system or non-transient non-community water system that is expected to serve 1,000 or fewer individuals daily if the system  
		(1) in the previous 12 months during which the system in its current configuration provided water to the public did not have a history of total coliform contamination or of total coliform monitoring violations;  
		(2) within five years before the request underwent a sanitary survey that showed the system to be free of sanitary defects;  
		(3) is supplied solely by a protected groundwater source; and  
		(4) has a final approval to operate issued by the department under 18 AAC 80.210(j).  
	(d)  The department will not reduce the monitoring frequency under (c) of this section to less than one sample per quarter.  
	(e)  The monitoring frequency for total coliforms for a transient non-community water system is as follows:  
		(1) the operator of a transient non-community water system that uses only groundwater and that is expected to serve 1,000 or fewer individuals daily shall monitor at least once each calendar quarter that the system provides water to the public;  
		(2) the operator of a transient non-community water system that uses only groundwater and that is expected to serve more than 1,000 individuals daily during any month shall monitor at the same frequency as a community water system or non-transient non-community water system expected to serve the same number of individuals, as specified in Table C in (b) of this section;  
		(3) the operator of a transient non-community water system using surface water, in whole or in part, shall monitor at the same frequency as a community water system or non-transient non-community water system expected to serve the same number of individuals, as specified in Table C in (b) of this section;  
		(4) the owner of a transient non-community water system using GWUDISW, in whole or in part, shall ensure monitoring at the same frequency as a community water system or non-transient non-community water system expected to serve the same number of individuals, as specified in Table C in (b) of this section; the owner shall ensure that monitoring begins at that frequency beginning six months after the department determines that the groundwater is under the direct influence of surface water.  
	(f)  The operator of a community water system, non-transient non-community water system, or transient non-community water system shall collect the samples required under (b) and (e) of this section at regular time intervals throughout the month. However, the operator of a system using only groundwater and expected to serve 4,900 or fewer individuals daily may collect all required samples on a single day if the samples are taken from different sites.  
	(g)  The operator of a community water system, non-transient non-community water system, or transient non-community water system that uses, in whole or in part, surface water or GWUDISW and that does not filter in accordance with 40 C.F.R. 141.73, adopted by reference in 18 AAC 80.010(a), and 18 AAC 80.600 - 18 AAC 80.699 shall collect at least one sample for total coliform analysis near the first service connection each day that the turbidity level of the source water, measured as specified in 40 C.F.R. 141.74(b)(2), adopted by reference in 18 AAC 80.010(a), exceeds one NTU. If one or more turbidity measurements in any day exceed one NTU, the operator of the system shall collect this coliform sample within 24 hours after the first measurement unless the department finds, as set out in (h) and (i) of this section, that the operator, for logistical reasons outside the operator's control, cannot have the sample analyzed within 30 hours after collection, or within 48 hours after collection for an area described in 18 AAC 80.350(a).  The department will not grant a waiver described in this subsection due to a lack of sampling containers.  Sample results from this coliform monitoring must be included in determining compliance with the MCL for total coliforms in 40 C.F.R. 141.63(a) - (b), adopted by reference in 18 AAC 80.010(a).  
	(h)  The department will grant a waiver described in (g) of this section if  
		(1) the laboratories available to the public water system cannot analyze the sample within 30 hours after collection, or within 48 hours after collection for an area described in 18 AAC 80.350(a), because of limited days of operation or limited laboratory capacity;  
		(2) weather conditions prevent shipment of the sample to the laboratory and analysis within 30 hours after collection, or within 48 hours after collection for an area described in 18 AAC 80.350(a);  
		(3) shipping services available to the public water system are limited so that the sample cannot be shipped and analyzed within 30 hours after collection, or within 48 hours after collection for an area described in 18 AAC 80.350(a); or  
		(4) another unusual or unpredictable situation, such as a landslide closing the road or knocking out a transmission line, makes it impossible for the public water system to meet the 30-hour or the 48-hour requirement.  
	(i)  After it has been established under (h) of this section that the public water system is unable to meet the 30-hour or the 48-hour  requirement, the department will grant a waiver to the owner. The waiver is a written record of telephone communication with the owner describing the logistical problem. The record of the waiver will be placed in the department's water system file. If the logistical problems are likely to persist, the department will grant a standing waiver that will remain in effect until the department rescinds or revises it.  

Authorities

46.03.020;46.03.050;46.03.070;46.03.710;46.03.720

Notes

Reference

18 AAC 80.1220
18 AAC 80.1990
18 AAC 80.425

Authority

AS 46.03.020 AS 46.03.050 AS 46.03.070 AS 46.03.710 AS 46.03.720

History

Eff. 10/1/99, Register 151; am 4/24/2009, Register 190