Compilation of Rules and Regulations of the State of Georgia › Department 391 - RULES OF GEORGIA DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES › Chapter 391-3 - ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION › Subject 391-3-5 - RULES FOR SAFE DRINKING WATER › Rule 391-3-5-.22 - Organic Chemical Sampling and Analytical Requirements

Current
				through Rules and Regulations filed through June 27, 2024
(1)
Organic Monitoring.
Beginning on January 1, 1993, analysis of the contaminants listed in Rule
				391-3-5-.18(2)(b)1
				-21 for the purpose of determining compliance with the maximum contaminant
				level shall be conducted as follows:
(a)
				Groundwater systems shall take a minimum of one sample at every entry point to
				the distribution system which is representative of each well after treatment
				(hereafter called a sampling point). Each sample must be taken at the same
				sampling point unless conditions make another sampling point more
				representative of each source, treatment plant, or within the distribution
				system.
(b) Surface water systems
				(or combined surface/ground) shall take a minimum of one sample at points in
				the distribution system that are representative of each source or at each entry
				point to the distribution system after treatment (hereafter called a sampling
				point). Each sample must be taken at the same sampling point unless conditions
				make another sampling point more representative of each source, treatment
				plant, or within the distribution system.
(c) If the system draws water from more than
				one source and the sources are combined before distribution, the system must
				sample at an entry point to the distribution system during periods of normal
				operating conditions (i.e., when water representative of all sources is being
				used).
(d) Each community and
				non-transient non-community water system shall take four consecutive quarterly
				samples for each contaminant listed in Rule
				391-3-5-.18(2)(b)2
				-21 during each compliance period.
(e) If the initial monitoring for
				contaminants listed in Rule
				391-3-5-.18(2)(b)1
				-8 and the monitoring for the contaminants listed in Rule
				391-3-5-.18(2)(b)9
				-21 as allowed in paragraph (1)(q) has been completed by December 31, 1992 and
				the system did not detect any contaminant listed in Rule
				391-3-5-.18(2)(b)1
				-21, then each ground and surface water system shall take one sample
				annually.
(f) After a minimum of
				three years of annual sampling, the Division may allow groundwater systems with
				no previous detection of any contaminant listed in Rule
				391-3-5-.18(2)(b)
				to take one sample during each compliance period.
(g) Each community and non-transient
				groundwater system which does not detect a contaminant listed in Rule
				391-3-5-.18(2)(b)1
				-21 may apply to the Division for a waiver from the requirement of paragraph
				(1)(e) and (1)(f) after completing the initial monitoring. (For the purposes of
				paragraph (1), detection is defined as 0.0005 mg/L.) A waiver shall be
				effective for no more than six years (two compliance periods). The Division may
				also issue waivers to small systems for the initial round of monitoring for
				1,2,4-trichlorobenzene.
(h) The
				Division may grant a waiver after evaluating the factors in accordance with 40
				CFR, Part 141.24(f)(8-9).
(i) Each
				community and non-transient surface water system which does not detect a
				contaminant listed in Rule
				391-3-5-.18(2)(b)1
				-21 may apply to the Division for a waiver from the requirements of paragraph
				(1)(e) after completing the initial monitoring. Composite samples from a
				maximum of five sampling points are allowed, provided that the detection limit
				of the method used for analysis is less than one-fifth of the MCL. Systems
				meeting this criteria must be determined by the Division to be non-vulnerable
				based on a vulnerability assessment during each compliance period. Each system
				receiving a waiver shall sample at the frequency specified by the Division (if
				any).
(j) If a contaminant listed
				in Rule 391-3-5-.18(2)(b)2
				-21 is detected at a level exceeding 0.0005 mg/L in any sample, then:
1. The system must monitor quarterly at each
				sampling point which resulted in a detection.
2. The Division may decrease the quarterly
				monitoring requirements specified in paragraph (1)(j)(1); provided it has
				determined that the system is reliably and consistently below the maximum
				contaminant level. In no case shall the Division make this determination unless
				a groundwater system takes a minimum of two quarterly samples and a surface
				water system takes a minimum of four quarterly samples.
3. If the Division determines that the system
				is reliably and consistently below the MCL, the Division may allow the system
				to monitor annually. Systems which monitor annually must monitor during the
				quarter(s) which previously yielded the highest analytical result.
4. Systems which have three consecutive
				annual samples with no detection of a contaminant may apply to the Division for
				a waiver as specified in paragraph (1)(g).
5. Groundwater systems which have detected
				one or more of the following two-carbon organic compounds: trichloroethylene,
				tetrachloroethylene, 1,2-dichloroethane, 1,1,1-trichloroethane,
				cis-1,2-dichloroethylene, trans-1,2-dichloroethylene, or 1,1-dichloroethylene
				shall monitor quarterly for vinyl chloride. A vinyl chloride sample shall be
				taken at each sampling point at which one or more of the two-carbon organic
				compounds was detected. If the results of the first analysis do not detect
				vinyl chloride, the Division may reduce the quarterly monitoring frequency of
				vinyl chloride monitoring to one sample during each compliance period. Surface
				water systems are required to monitor for vinyl chloride as specified by the
				Division.
(k) Systems
				which violate the requirements of Rule
				391-3-5-.18(2)(b)1
				-21 as determined by paragraph (l)(n) must monitor quarterly. After a minimum
				of four quarterly samples which show the system is in compliance as specified
				in paragraph (l)(n), and the Division determines that the system is reliably
				and consistently below the maximum contaminant level, the system may monitor at
				the frequency and time specified in paragraph (l)(j)3.
(l) The Division may require a confirmation
				sample for positive or negative results. If a confirmation sample is required
				by the Division, the result must be averaged with the first sampling result and
				the average is used for the compliance determination as specified by paragraph
				(l)(n). The Division has the discretion to delete results of obvious sampling
				errors from this calculation.
(m)
				The Division may reduce the total number of samples a system must analyze by
				allowing the use of compositing. Composite sampling and their analysis shall be
				in accordance with 40 CFR, Part 141.24(f)(14).
(n) Compliance with Rule
				391-3-5-.18(2)(b)1
				-21 shall be determined based on the analytical results obtained at each
				sampling point.
1. For systems which are
				conducting monitoring at a frequency greater than annual, compliance is
				determined by a running annual average of all samples taken at each sampling
				point. If the annual average of any sampling point is greater than the MCL,
				then the system is out of compliance. If the initial sample or a subsequent
				sample would cause the annual average to be exceeded, then the system is out of
				compliance immediately.
2. If
				monitoring is conducted annually, or less frequently, the system is out of
				compliance if the level of a contaminant at any sampling point is greater than
				the MCL. If a confirmation sample is required by the Division, the
				determination of compliance will be based on the average of two
				samples.
3. If a public water
				system has a distribution system separable from other parts of the distribution
				system with no interconnections, the Division may allow the system to give
				public notice to only that area served by that portion of the system which is
				out of compliance.
4. If a system
				fails to collect the required number of samples, compliance will be based on
				the total number of samples collected.
(o) Analysis for the contaminants listed in
				Rule 391-3-5-.18(2)(b)1
				-21 shall be conducted in accordance with 40 CFR, Part 141.24(f)(17) . These
				methods are contained in Methods for the Determination of Organic Compounds in
				Drinking Water, EPA/600/4-88/039, December 1988 and are available from the
				National Technical Information Service (NTIS) NTIS PB91-231480 and PB91-146027,
				U.S. Department of Commerce, 5285 Port Royal Road, Springfield, Virginia
				22161.
(p) Analysis under paragraph
				(1) shall only be conducted by laboratories certified by the Division or
				laboratories certified by EPA in accordance with conditions listed in 40 CFR,
				Part 141.24(f)(17).
(q) The
				Division may allow the use of monitoring data collected after January 1, 1998
				required under section 1445 of the Public Health Service Act, as amended by the
				Federal Safe Drinking Water Act, Public Law 93-523, for purposes of initial
				monitoring compliance. If the data are generally consistent with the other
				requirements in this rule, the Division may use these data (i.e., a single
				sample rather than four quarterly samples) to satisfy the initial monitoring
				requirement of paragraph (l)(d). Systems which use grandfathered samples and
				did not detect any contaminant listed in Rule
				391-3-5-.18(2)(b)2
				-21 shall begin monitoring annually in accordance with paragraph
				1(e).
(r) The Division may increase
				required monitoring where necessary to detect variations within the
				system.
(s) Each certified
				laboratory must determine the method detection limit (MDL), as defined in 40
				CFR, Part 136 appendix B, at which it is capable of detecting VOCs. The
				acceptable MDL is 0.0005 mg/L. This concentration is the detection
				concentration for purposes of paragraph (1).
(t) Each public water system shall monitor at
				the time designated by the Division within each compliance period.