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TITLE 30ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY
PART 1TEXAS COMMISSION ON ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY
CHAPTER 290PUBLIC DRINKING WATER
SUBCHAPTER FDRINKING WATER STANDARDS GOVERNING DRINKING WATER QUALITY AND REPORTING REQUIREMENTS FOR PUBLIC WATER SYSTEMS
RULE §290.117Regulation of Lead and Copper

  (3) WQP monitoring after installation of corrosion control treatment. Any system that installs optimal corrosion control treatment as required by subsection (f) of this section shall measure the list of WQPs at the locations and frequencies as specified in Figure: 30 TAC §290.117(e)(3). Any system serving more than 50,000 people that installs optimal corrosion control treatment shall monitor once during each six-month period. Any system serving 50,000 or fewer people that installs corrosion control treatment shall monitor during each six-month monitoring period specified in which the system exceeds the lead or copper action level.

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    (A) Frequency of WQP monitoring after installation of corrosion control treatment. After a system installs corrosion control treatment, it must collect least one sample every two weeks (biweekly) at every entry point to the distribution system, except as provided under paragraph (6) of this subsection.

    (B) Documentation for WQP sample locations after installation of corrosion control treatment. Prior to the starting date of the monitoring period for any monitoring under this paragraph, the system shall provide the executive director with an updated list of entry points and their sources, a list of distribution sites, and information on seasonal variability of water usage to demonstrate that the sites are representative of water quality and treatment conditions throughout the system. The system shall submit this information to the executive director upon request or when circumstances change and retain a copy of the submittal and approval with the system's monitoring plan.

    (C) Additional monitoring when determining optimal corrosion control treatment. The executive director may require the system to conduct additional WQP monitoring in to assist in evaluating the system's sample sites.

  (4) WQP monitoring after designation of OWQP ranges. After the executive director approves OWQP ranges, systems shall measure the list of WQPs at the frequency and locations as described in Figure: 30 TAC §290.117(e)(4).

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    (A) After the executive director approves OWQP ranges, systems serving more than 50,000 people shall measure the WQPs listed in this paragraph and determine compliance with the OWQP ranges quarterly starting with the first six-month period after the executive director specifies the OWQPs beginning on either January 1 or July 1, whichever comes first.

    (B) Any system serving 50,000 or fewer people shall conduct WQP monitoring during each six-month period specified in this paragraph in which the system exceeds the lead or copper action level. If the system is eligible for reduced lead and copper tap sampling, the system shall collect WQPs during the same monitoring periods that it collects lead and copper tap samples.

    (C) The system shall complete follow-up sampling within 36 months after the executive director designates optimal corrosion control treatment.

    (D) Systems shall measure WQPs at every entry point to the distribution system, except as allowed under paragraph (6) of this subsection.

  (5) Reduced WQP monitoring. The executive director may reduce monitoring for systems that demonstrate a low risk of corrosion of lead and copper into the drinking water. Water systems on reduced schedules shall monitor the list of WQPs at the locations and frequency given in the table entitled "Reduced Water Quality Parameter (WQP) Entry Point and Distribution Monitoring."

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    (A) Reduced quarterly WQP distribution monitoring. A system that operates within approved OWQP ranges in all samples taken during two consecutive six-month initial or routine monitoring periods under paragraph (2) of this subsection may collect tap samples for applicable WQPs from the reduced number of sites quarterly. A water system sampling quarterly shall collect samples evenly throughout the year so as to reflect seasonal variability.

    (B) Reduced annual WQP distribution monitoring. Any water system that operates within approved OWQP ranges during three consecutive years of quarterly monitoring may reduce the frequency with which it collects distribution WQP samples to annually. Annual WQP sampling shall begin during the calendar year immediately following the end of the monitoring period in which the third consecutive year of quarterly monitoring occurs. A water system sampling annually shall collect samples evenly throughout the year so as to reflect seasonal variability.

    (C) Reduced triennial WQP distribution monitoring. The executive director may reduce the WQP monitoring frequency to once every three years if a system meets the criteria of this subparagraph. Triennial monitoring shall be done no later than every third calendar year.

      (i) A system that operates within approved OWQP ranges during three consecutive years of annual monitoring is eligible to reduce the frequency of distribution WQP monitoring to once in every third year. This sampling shall begin no later than the third calendar year following the end of the monitoring period in which the third consecutive year of monitoring occurs.

      (ii) A system that demonstrates during two consecutive six-month periods that the entry point 90th percentile lead level is less than or equal to the PQL for lead in subsection (b)(3) of this section, and that operates within approved OWQP ranges during that time may reduce the frequency of distribution monitoring to once every third year. This sampling shall begin no later than the third calendar year following the end of the year in which the second consecutive six-month period occurs.

    (D) Return to routine WQP monitoring. The executive director may return a system to monitoring at the routine frequency and routine number of sample sites. Any water system on reduced monitoring that fails to operate within the approved OWQP range for more than nine days in any six-month monitoring period shall resume routine WQP distribution system sampling in accordance with the number and frequency requirements in paragraph (2) of this subsection. Any system required to return to routine frequency for lead and copper tap sampling under subsection (c)(2)(A)(ii) of this section shall also return to routine WQP monitoring.

    (E) Entry point WQP monitoring. Systems on reduced WQP monitoring shall measure WQPs at every entry point to the distribution system, except as provided under paragraph (6) of this subsection.

  (6) Distribution system sampling for systems using only groundwater. The executive director may allow a system using only groundwater to perform WQP sampling required by paragraph (3), (4), or (5) of this subsection to sample only at representative distribution system sites, and to forego sampling at entry points. Prior to foregoing entry point monitoring, the system shall provide written information identifying the selected entry points and documentation, including information on seasonal variability, sufficient to demonstrate that the sites are representative of water quality and treatment conditions throughout the system to the executive director for approval.

(f) Corrosion control. Systems may be required to perform corrosion control studies to determine whether treatment is necessary to reduce the corrosivity of the water. Systems may be required to install optimal corrosion control treatment in order to control corrosion in the system. The executive director may modify the designated corrosion control treatment or parameters. A system's request for changes and executive director response pursuant to modification shall be in writing.

  (1) Corrosion control studies. Systems may be required to perform corrosion control studies to determine whether treatment is necessary to reduce the corrosivity of the water.

    (A) Corrosion control studies applicability. Systems that meet the conditions in this subparagraph are required to perform corrosion control studies.

      (i) Corrosion control studies for systems serving more than 50,000 people. Systems serving more than 50,000 people are required to conduct corrosion control studies unless the executive director has determined that the system is currently deemed to have optimized corrosion control, as defined in subsection (b)(5) of this section.

        (I) Systems serving more than 50,000 people that exceed either the lead or copper action level during any a reduced tap sampling monitoring round must perform a corrosion control study within six months.

        (II) Systems serving more than 50,000 people that have not been deemed at any previous time that exceed lead or copper action levels must conduct a demonstration study as described in subparagraph (C) of this paragraph.

        (III) The corrosion control study must be conducted and submitted within 12 months after the end of the monitoring period in which the system exceeded the action level.

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