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TITLE 30ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY
PART 1TEXAS COMMISSION ON ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY
CHAPTER 290PUBLIC DRINKING WATER
SUBCHAPTER DRULES AND REGULATIONS FOR PUBLIC WATER SYSTEMS
RULE §290.38Definitions

The following words and terms, when used in this chapter shall have the following meanings, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. If a word or term used in this chapter is not contained in the following list, its definition shall be as shown in 40 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) §141.2. Other technical terms used shall have the meanings or definitions listed in the latest edition of The Water Dictionary: A Comprehensive Reference of Water Terminology, prepared by the American Water Works Association.

  (1) Accredited laboratory - A laboratory accredited by the executive director to analyze drinking water samples to determine compliance with maximum contaminant levels, action levels, and microbial contaminants in accordance with §290.119 of this title (relating to Analytical Procedures).

  (2) Adverse Weather Conditions - Any significant temperature, wind velocity, accumulation of precipitation including drought, or other weather pattern that may trigger the issuance of a national weather service watch, advisory, or warning.

  (3) Affected utility -

    (A) A retail public utility (§291.3 of this title (relating to Definitions of Terms)), exempt utility (§291.103 of this title (relating to Certificates Not Required)), or provider or conveyor of potable or raw water service that furnishes water service to more than one customer is an affected utility as defined in TWC §13.1394; or

    (B) A retail public utility (§291.3 of this title (relating to Definitions of Terms)), exempt utility (§291.103 of this title (relating to Certificates Not Required)), or provider or conveyor of potable or raw water service that furnishes water service to more than one customer is an affected utility, as defined in TWC §13.1395, in a county with a population of:

      (i) 3.3 million or more; or

      (ii) 550,000 or more adjacent to a county with a population of 3.3 million or more.

  (4) Air gap--The unobstructed vertical distance through the free atmosphere between the lowest opening from any pipe or faucet conveying water to a tank, fixture, receptor, sink, or other assembly and the flood level rim of the receptacle. The vertical, physical separation must be at least twice the diameter of the water supply outlet, but never less than 1.0 inch.

  (5) American National Standards Institute (ANSI) standards--The standards of the American National Standards Institute, Inc.

  (6) American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) standards--The standards of the ASME.

  (7) American Water Works Association (AWWA) standards--The latest edition of the applicable standards as approved and published by the AWWA.

  (8) Approved laboratory--A laboratory approved by the executive director to analyze water samples to determine their compliance with treatment technique requirements and maximum or minimum allowable constituent levels in accordance with §290.119 of this title (relating to Analytical Procedures).

  (9) ASTM International standards--The standards of ASTM International (formerly known as the American Society for Testing and Materials).

  (10) Auxiliary power--Either mechanical power or electric generators which can enable the system to provide water under pressure to the distribution system in the event of a local power failure. With the approval of the executive director, dual primary electric service may be considered as auxiliary power in areas which are not subject to large scale power outages due to natural disasters.

  (11) Bag filter--Pressure-driven separation device that removes particulate matter larger than 1 micrometer using an engineered porous filtration media. They are typically constructed of a non-rigid, fabric filtration media housed in a pressure vessel in which the direction of flow is from the inside of the bag to the outside.

  (12) Baseline performance--In reference to a membrane treatment facility, the detailed assessment of observed operational conditions at the time the membrane facility is placed in service for the purpose of tracking changes over time and determining when maintenance or service is required. Examples of parameters where baseline performance data is collected include: net driving pressure, normalized permeate flow, salt rejection, and salt passage.

  (13) Cartridge filter--Pressure-driven separation device that removes particulate matter larger than 1 micrometer using an engineered porous filtration media. They are typically constructed as rigid or semi-rigid, self-supporting filter elements housed in pressure vessels in which flow is from the outside of the cartridge to the inside.

  (14) Certified laboratory--A laboratory certified by the commission to analyze water samples to determine their compliance with maximum allowable constituent levels. After June 30, 2008, laboratories must be accredited, not certified, in order to perform sample analyses previously performed by certified laboratories.

  (15) Challenge test--A study conducted to determine the removal efficiency (log removal value) of a device for a particular organism, particulate, or surrogate.

  (16) Chemical disinfectant--Any oxidant, including but not limited to chlorine, chlorine dioxide, chloramines, and ozone added to the water in any part of the treatment or distribution process, that is intended to kill or inactivate pathogenic microorganisms.

  (17) Community water system--A public water system which has a potential to serve at least 15 residential service connections on a year-round basis or serves at least 25 residents on a year-round basis.

  (18) Connection--A single family residential unit or each commercial or industrial establishment to which drinking water is supplied from the system. As an example, the number of service connections in an apartment complex would be equal to the number of individual apartment units. When enough data is not available to accurately determine the number of connections to be served or being served, the population served divided by three will be used as the number of connections for calculating system capacity requirements. Conversely, if only the number of connections is known, the connection total multiplied by three will be the number used for population served. For the purposes of this definition, a dwelling or business which is connected to a system that delivers water by a constructed conveyance other than a pipe shall not be considered a connection if:

    (A) the water is used exclusively for purposes other than those defined as human consumption (see human consumption);

    (B) the executive director determines that alternative water to achieve the equivalent level of public health protection provided by the drinking water standards is provided for residential or similar human consumption, including, but not limited to, drinking and cooking; or

    (C) the executive director determines that the water provided for residential or similar human consumption is centrally treated or is treated at the point of entry by a provider, a pass through entity, or the user to achieve the equivalent level of protection provided by the drinking water standards.

  (19) Contamination--The presence of any foreign substance (organic, inorganic, radiological, or biological) in water which tends to degrade its quality so as to constitute a health hazard or impair the usefulness of the water.

  (20) Cross-connection--A physical connection between a public water system and either another supply of unknown or questionable quality, any source which may contain contaminating or polluting substances, or any source of water treated to a lesser degree in the treatment process.

  (21) Direct integrity test--A physical test applied to a membrane unit in order to identify and isolate integrity breaches/leaks that could result in contamination of the filtrate.

  (22) Disinfectant--A chemical or a treatment which is intended to kill or inactivate pathogenic microorganisms in water.

  (23) Disinfection--A process which inactivates pathogenic organisms in the water by chemical oxidants or equivalent agents.

  (24) Distribution system--A system of pipes that conveys potable water from a treatment plant to the consumers. The term includes pump stations, ground and elevated storage tanks, potable water mains, and potable water service lines and all associated valves, fittings, and meters, but excludes potable water customer service lines.

  (25) Drinking water--All water distributed by any agency or individual, public or private, for the purpose of human consumption or which may be used in the preparation of foods or beverages or for the cleaning of any utensil or article used in the course of preparation or consumption of food or beverages for human beings. The term "drinking water" shall also include all water supplied for human consumption or used by any institution catering to the public.

Cont'd...

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