Nebraska Administrative Code › Topic - HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES SYSTEM › Title 179 - PUBLIC WATER SYSTEMS › Chapter 3 - MONITORING AND ANALYTICAL REQUIREMENTS › Section 179-3-004 - COLIFORM SAMPLING

Current through June 17, 2024
The provisions of 179 NAC 3-004.01 and 3-004.04 are
				  applicable through March 31, 2016. The provisions of 179 NAC 3-004.02,
				  3-004.03, 3-004.05, 3-004.06, and 3-004.07 are applicable until all required
				  repeat monitoring under 179 NAC 3-004.02 and fecal coliform or E. coli testing
				  under 179 NAC 3-004.05 that was initiated by a total coliform-positive sample
				  taken before April 1, 2016 is completed, as well as analytical method,
				  reporting, recordkeeping, public notification, and consumer confidence report
				  requirements associated with that monitoring and testing. Beginning April 1,
				  2016, the provisions of 179 NAC 26 are applicable, with systems required to
				  begin regular monitoring at the same frequency as the system-specific frequency
				  required on March 31, 2016.
004.01
				Routine Monitoring
3-004.01A The owners of
				public water systems must collect total coliform samples at sites which are
				representative of water throughout the distribution systems according to a
				written sample site plan. These plans are subject to review and revision by the
				Director. All biological samples must be mailed to the assigned laboratory
				through the U.S. Postal Service, with the owner paying the postage, unless the
				Director authorizes other means of transportation. The sample site plan must
				consist of sampling points at sites scattered throughout various zones of the
				distribution system. Each plan must provide for at least five sampling sites in
				each zone and there must be as many zones as the number of routine total
				coliform samples required each month up to 16 zones. Systems which are required
				to collect more than 16 samples per month may elect to have more than 16 zones,
				but it is not required. A map of the area served by the public water system,
				showing the distribution system and the boundaries of the various zones,
				labeled numerically, must be included in the plan. A list of all sampling
				sites, by name and address (or by a readily identifiable location) for each
				zone must be included with the map and, except for supplies having only one
				zone, the location of the sites need not be indicated on the map. All zones
				must be sampled monthly. The actual sites used within each zone must be varied
				on a scheduled rotation basis. Both the zone number and the site location must
				be noted on the laboratory report form by the person taking the sample. The
				owner of each community water systems (CWS) must update the system's sample
				site plan annually. The Director, at any time, may require a plan be modified
				as a result of population or system changes which may have rendered an existing
				plan non-representative.
3-004.01B
				The owner of a community water system must take total coliform samples at
				regular time intervals established by the Director. The number of samples
				required must in no instance be less than as set forth below:
Population Served
Number of Sampling Zones
Minimum # or Samples per Month
Population Served
Minimum # of Sampling Zones
Minimum # of Samples per Month
25-1,000
1
1
33, 001-41,000
16
40
1, 001-2,500
2
2
41, 001-50,000
16
50
2, 501-3,300
3
3
50, 001-59,000
16
60
3, 301-4,100
4
4
59, 001-70,000
16
70
4, 101-4,900
5
5
70, 001-83,000
16
80
4, 901-5,800
6
6
83, 001-96,000
16
90
5, 801-6,700
7
7
96, 001-130,000
16
100
6, 701-7,600
8
8
130, 001-220,000
16
120
7, 601-8,500
9
9
220, 001-320,000
16
150
8, 501-12,900
10
10
320, 001-450,000
16
180
12, 901-17,200
15
15
450, 001-600,000
16
210
17, 201-21,500
16*
20
600, 001-780,000
16
240
21, 501-25,000
16*
25
780, 001-970,000
16
270
25, 001-33,000
16*
30
970, 001-1,230,000
16
300
* Minimum Number of Sampling Zones
3-004.01C The owner of a non-community water
				system must take samples for total coliforms according to a frequency as
				follows:
1. A non-community water system
				using only ground water (except ground water under the direct influence of
				surface water) and serving 1,000 individuals or fewer must sample each calendar
				quarter that the system provides water to the public.
2. A non-community water system using only
				ground water (except ground water under the direct influence of surface water)
				and serving more than 1,000 individuals during any month must sample at the
				same frequency as a like-sized community water system, as specified in 179 NAC
				3-004.01B.
3. The owner of a
				non-community water system using surface water, in total or in part, must
				sample at the same frequency as a like-sized community water system, as
				specified in 179 NAC
				3-004.01B,
				regardless of the number of individuals it serves.
4. The owner of a non-community water system
				using ground water under the direct influence of surface water, must sample at
				the same frequency as a like-sized community water system, as specified in 179
				NAC
				3-004.01B. The
				owner must sample at this frequency beginning six months after the Director
				determines that the ground water is under the direct influence of surface
				water.
3-004.01D The
				owner of a public water system must collect samples at regular time intervals
				throughout the month.
3-004.01E The
				owner of a public water system that uses surface water or ground water under
				the direct influence of surface water and does not practice filtration in
				compliance with 179 NAC 13 must collect at least one sample near the first
				service connection each day the turbidity level of the source water, measured
				as specified in 179 NAC
				13-007.02B
				exceeds 1 NTU. The owner must collect this coliform sample within 24 hours of
				the first exceedance. Sample results from this coliform monitoring must be
				included in determining compliance with the maximum contaminant level (MCL) for
				total coliforms in 179 NAC
				2-002.04C.
3-004.01F Special purpose samples, such as
				those taken to determine whether disinfection practices are sufficient
				following pipe placement, replacement, or repair, must not be used to determine
				compliance with the MCL for total coliforms in 179 NAC
				2-002.04C. Repeat
				samples taken pursuant to 179 NAC 3-004.02 are not considered special purpose
				samples, and must be used to determine compliance with the MCL for total
				coliforms in 179 NAC
				2-002.04C.