<<Prev Rule

Texas Administrative Code

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

  (63) Plumbing inspector--Any person employed by a political subdivision for the purpose of inspecting plumbing work and installations in connection with health and safety laws and ordinances, who has no financial or advisory interest in any plumbing company, and who has successfully fulfilled the examinations and requirements of the Texas State Board of Plumbing Examiners.

  (64) Plumbing ordinance--A set of rules governing plumbing practices which is at least as stringent and comprehensive as one of the following nationally recognized codes:

    (A) the International Plumbing Code; or

    (B) the Uniform Plumbing Code.

  (65) Potable water customer service line--The sections of potable water pipe between the customer's meter and the customer's point of use.

  (66) Potable water main--A pipe or enclosed constructed conveyance operated by a public water system which is used for the transmission or distribution of drinking water to a potable water service line.

  (67) Potable water service line--The section of pipe between the potable water main and the customer's side of the water meter. In cases where no customer water meter exists, it is the section of pipe that is under the ownership and control of the public water system.

  (68) Potential contamination hazard--A condition which, by its location, piping or configuration, has a reasonable probability of being used incorrectly, through carelessness, ignorance, or negligence, to create or cause to be created a backflow condition by which contamination can be introduced into the water supply. Examples of potential contamination hazards are:

    (A) bypass arrangements;

    (B) jumper connections;

    (C) removable sections or spools; and

    (D) swivel or changeover assemblies.

  (69) Process control duties--Activities that directly affect the potability of public drinking water, including: making decisions regarding the day-to-day operations and maintenance of public water system production and distribution; maintaining system pressures; determining the adequacy of disinfection and disinfection procedures; taking routine microbiological samples; taking chlorine residuals and microbiological samples after repairs or installation of lines or appurtenances; and operating chemical feed systems, filtration, disinfection, or pressure maintenance equipment; or performing other duties approved by the executive director.

  (70) psi--Pounds per square inch.

  (71) Public drinking water program--Agency staff designated by the executive director to administer the Safe Drinking Water Act and state statutes related to the regulation of public drinking water. Any report required to be submitted in this chapter to the executive director must be submitted to the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, Water Supply Division, MC 155, P.O. Box 13087, Austin, Texas 78711-3087.

  (72) Public health engineering practices--Requirements in this chapter or guidelines promulgated by the executive director.

  (73) Public water system--A system for the provision to the public of water for human consumption through pipes or other constructed conveyances, which includes all uses described under the definition for drinking water. Such a system must have at least 15 service connections or serve at least 25 individuals at least 60 days out of the year. This term includes: any collection, treatment, storage, and distribution facilities under the control of the operator of such system and used primarily in connection with such system, and any collection or pretreatment storage facilities not under such control which are used primarily in connection with such system. Two or more systems with each having a potential to serve less than 15 connections or less than 25 individuals but owned by the same person, firm, or corporation and located on adjacent land will be considered a public water system when the total potential service connections in the combined systems are 15 or greater or if the total number of individuals served by the combined systems total 25 or greater at least 60 days out of the year. Without excluding other meanings of the terms "individual" or "served," an individual shall be deemed to be served by a water system if he lives in, uses as his place of employment, or works in a place to which drinking water is supplied from the system.

  (74) Quality Control Release Value (QCRV)--A minimum quality standard of a non-destructive performance test established by the manufacturer for membrane module production that ensures that the module will attain the targeted log removal value demonstrated during challenge testing.

  (75) Reactor Validation Testing--A process by which a full-scale ultraviolet (UV) reactor's disinfection performance is determined relative to operating parameters that can be monitored. These parameters include flow rate, UV intensity as measured by a UV sensor and the UV lamp status.

  (76) Resolution--The size of the smallest integrity breach that contributes to a response from a direct integrity test in membranes used to treat surface water or groundwater under the direct influence of surface water.

  (77) Sanitary control easement--A legally binding document securing all land, within 150 feet of a public water supply well location, from pollution hazards. This document must fully describe the location of the well and surrounding lands and must be filed in the county records to be legally binding. For an example, see commission Form 20698.

  (78) Sanitary survey--An onsite review of a public water system's adequacy for producing and distributing safe drinking water by evaluating the following elements: water source; treatment; distribution system; finished water storage; pump, pump facilities, and controls; monitoring, reporting, and data verification; system management, operation and maintenance; and operator compliance.

  (79) Sensitivity--The maximum log removal value (LRV) that can be reliably verified by a direct integrity test in membranes used to treat surface water or groundwater under the direct influence of surface water; also applies to some continuous indirect integrity monitoring methods.

  (80) Service line--A pipe connecting the utility service provider's main and the water meter, or for wastewater, connecting the main and the point at which the customer's service line is connected, generally at the customer's property line.

  (81) Service pump--Any pump that takes treated water from storage and discharges to the distribution system.

  (82) Significant deficiency--Significant deficiencies cause, or have the potential to cause, the introduction of contamination into water delivered to customers. This may include defects in design, operation, or maintenance of the source, treatment, storage, or distribution systems.

  (83) Stage--In reference to a reverse osmosis or nanofiltration membrane system, a set of pressure vessels installed in parallel.

  (84) System--Public water system as defined in this section unless otherwise modified (i.e., distribution system).

  (85) Transfer pump--Any pump which conveys water from one point to another within the treatment process or which conveys water to storage facilities prior to distribution.

  (86) Transient, noncommunity water system--A public water system that is not a community water system and serves at least 25 persons at least 60 days out of the year, yet by its characteristics, does not meet the definition of a nontransient, noncommunity water system.

  (87) Vessel--In reference to a reverse osmosis or nanofiltration membrane system, a cylindrical housing unit where membrane modules are placed in a series to form one unit.

  (88) Wastewater lateral--Any pipe or constructed conveyance carrying wastewater, running laterally down a street, alley, or easement, and receiving flow only from the abutting properties.

  (89) Wastewater main--Any pipe or constructed conveyance which receives flow from one or more wastewater laterals.

  (90) Water system--Public water system as defined in this section unless otherwise modified (i.e., distribution system).


Source Note: The provisions of this §290.38 adopted to be effective October 1, 1992, 17 TexReg 6455; amended to be effective November 3, 1995, 20 TexReg 8620; amended to be effective February 4, 1999, 24 TexReg 731; amended to be effective September 13, 2000, 25 TexReg 8880; amended to be effective May 16, 2002, 27 TexReg 4127; amended to be effective February 19, 2004, 29 TexReg 1373; amended to be effective January 9, 2008, 33 TexReg 198; amended to be effective December 10, 2009, 34 TexReg 8744; amended to be effective May 15, 2011, 36 TexReg 2860; amended to be effective November 8, 2012, 37 TexReg 8849; amended to be effective July30,2015, 40 TexReg 4769; amended to be effective March 30, 2017, 42 TexReg 1466; amended to be effective January 3, 2019, 43 TexReg 8615; amended to be effective December 21, 2023, 48 TexReg 7585

Previous Page

Link to Texas Secretary of State Home Page | link to Texas Register home page | link to Texas Administrative Code home page | link to Open Meetings home page