PDFWAC 246-262-050
Water quality standards, analysis, and sample collection.
(1) Owners shall maintain waters free from harmful levels of disease-producing organisms, toxic chemicals, or adverse physical conditions.
(2) Owners shall maintain RWCF waters to meet standards of bacteriological quality. Standards include:
(a) Heterotrophic plate counts not to exceed a density of two hundred bacteria per milliliter in any series of tests; and
(b) Total coliform density not to exceed an average of one coliform bacteria per one hundred milliliters in any series of tests.
(3) Owners shall maintain continuous and effective methods of disinfection of RWCF waters at all times with use of:
(a) Chlorine or bromine as described in Table 1 of this section; and/or
(b) Alternate forms of disinfection which meet the following criteria:
(i) Registered with the environmental protection agency, if necessary;
(ii) Registered with the Washington state department of agriculture, if necessary;
(iii) Conformance with NSF standard 50 or equal when applicable; and
(iv) Adherence to guidelines established by the department.
(4) Owners shall maintain:
(a) Physical and chemical conditions within the ranges specified in Table 2 of this section; and
(b) Cleanliness by:
(i) Closing an affected area of the RWCF or affected portion when contaminated with feces, vomit, sewage, or other hazardous or unknown material until the area is clean, disinfected, and free of the hazardous material;
(ii) Daily removal of scum or floating material on the pool water surface; and
(iii) Continuous removal of scum or floating material by action of overflow of pool water with flotsom screened and filtered.
(5) Persons collecting water samples for laboratory analysis shall:
(a) Collect and transport samples for chemicals and micro-organisms based on the most recently published edition of standard methods for the examination of water and waste/water analysis published jointly by the American Public Health Association/Water Pollution Control Federation and American Waterworks Association; hereafter, it is referred to as "standard methods;"
(b) Have laboratory tests performed per "standard methods" at laboratories approved by the department to provide such analyses;
(c) Provide adequate data for completing analyses; and
(d) Use water sample bottles approved by the department for collection of samples.
(6) Persons shall use field test kits with a suitable range of accuracy for the parameters routinely measured as noted in Table 3 of this section.
(7) Owners shall require and ensure addition of chemicals or materials to RWCF water only when the use has been approved or recognized as acceptable by the department. Current lists of approved or acceptable materials are available from the department.
(8) Owners shall perform additional tests as directed by the department or local health officer.
TABLE 1 MINIMUM AND MAXIMUM LEVELS OF DISINFECTANTS | ||||||
Currently Recognized Disinfectants | Type of Residual Measured | pH Ranges 7.2-7.49; 7.5-7.79; 7.8-8.0 Minimum Residual Levels of Disinfectant in mg/1 | Maximum Residual Level in mg/1* | |||
1. Chlorine | Free available chlorine | 1.0 | 1.4 | 1.8 | 8 | |
2. Chlorinated cyanurate | Free available chlorine | 1.5 | 2.0 | 2.8 | 8 | |
3. Bromine | Total available bromine | 2.0 | 2.5 | 3.5 | 8 | |
Note: |
* | Maximum residual or manufacturer's recommendation (whichever is less). |
TABLE 2 ACCEPTABLE RANGES OF SELECTED PHYSICAL AND CHEMICAL WATER QUALITY CONSTITUENTS | |||
Chemical or Physical Constituent | Minimum | Maximum | |
1. | pH | 7.2 | 8.0 |
2. | Water Clarity (safety) | main drain visible at all times | — |
3. | Turbidity (shielding microorganisms from disinfection) | — | 0.5* T.U. |
4. | Cyanuric acid or its derivatives (if used) | 0 | 90 mg/1 |
5. | Temperature | 104°F. | |
Note: |
* | In peak use periods, turbity may increase to 1.0 T.U. provided it returns to 0.5 T.U. within a six-hour period after peak use. Turbidity is not a required routine analysis which must be performed by the RWCF. Turbidity monitoring may be required by the department or local health officer if special conditions warrant it. |
TABLE 3 RANGE OF ACCEPTABLE TESTING LEVELS* | ||||
Chemical Test | Minimum Range | Minimum Accuracy | ||
1. | Free available chlorine | 0.3 to 3.0 mg/1 | 0.2 mg/1 | |
2. | Total chlorine | 0.3 to 3.0 mg/1 | 0.2 mg/1 | |
3. | Total bromine | 0.3 to 3.0 mg/1 | 0.2 mg/1 | |
4. | pH | 7.0 to 8.2 | 0.2 | |
5. | Cyanuric acid | 0 to 100 mg/1 | 5 mg/1 | |
6. | Alkalinity | 0 to 300 mg/1 | 15 mg/1 | |
Note: |
* | Do not make determinations of chemical conditions based on readings at the extreme measurable limits of the scale. |