Ohio Administrative Code › Title 3745 - Ohio Environmental Protection Agency › Chapter 3745-90 - Harmful Algal Blooms › Section 3745-90-03 - Harmful algal blooms - monitoring

Current through all regulations passed and filed through July 1, 2024
This rule applies to all surface water systems and consecutive
				water systems receiving water from a surface water source. Seasonal systems
				shall monitor in accordance with this rule during the system's operating
				season.
(A) Surface water systems.
(1) Cyanobacteria screening.
Surface water systems shall monitor with a minimum of one
				sample 
				at least once every two weeks for cyanobacteria screening
				during harmful algal bloom season.
(2) Routine microcystins monitoring.
(a)
										Requirements during harmful algal
			 bloom season (June through November).
(i)
											Surface
			 water systems shall monitor for microcystins
			 analysis with a minimum of one sample from each raw water sampling point
			 
											once every two weeks and on the alternate week of
			 cyanobacteria screening sample.
(ii) If
			 microcystins are detected at a raw water sampling point, weekly monitoring at
			 that raw water sampling point and the finished water sampling point shall be
			 conducted beginning no later than twenty-four hours following the detection.
			 When microcystins are not detected in at least two consecutive weekly samples
			 from both the raw water sampling point and the finished water sampling point,
			 then monitoring once every two weeks may resume in accordance with paragraph
			 (A)(2)(a)(i) of this rule.
(iii)
											If
			 cyanobacteria screening results indicate microcystin production genes greater
			 than five gene copies per microliter and concurrent weekly data for
			 microcystins are not available for raw or finished water samples, the water
			 system must collect a sample at the finished water sampling point within
			 twenty-four hours of notification of the detection for microcystins analysis.
			 If microcystins are not detected in raw and/or finished water samples, then
			 monitoring once every two weeks may resume in accordance with paragraph
			 (A)(2)(a)(i) of this rule.
(b)
										.Requirements during off-season
			 (December through May).
Surface water systems shall monitor
				with a minimum of one sample from each finished water sampling point at least
				once every two weeks for microcystins analysis.
(3) Revised
			 cyanobacteria screening or routine microcystins monitoring
			 .
The required cyanobacteria
				screening or routine microcystins monitoring  may be revised (decreased, increased or
				discontinued) at the discretion of the director. When establishing the revised
				schedule, the director may consider cyanobacteria screening data collected in
				accordance with this rule, microcystins data, and other information provided by
				the public water system including data from other screening tools (such as
				phycocyanin sensors or phytoplankton enumeration) and treatment information.
				Surface water systems shall monitor in accordance with the revised
				cyanobacteria screening or 
				microcystins monitoring schedule established by the director.
(4) Response to microcystins action level
			 exceedance.
If microcystins exceed an action level established in paragraph
				(A)(1) or (A) (2) of rule
				3745-90-02
				of the Administrative Code in routine samples collected at the finished water
				sampling point, the public water system shall do the following:
(a) As soon as possible, but no later than
			 twenty-four hours after receiving the results of the initial action level
			 exceedance, collect one resample from each raw water sampling point and one
			 resample from each finished water sampling point. Analysis of resamples must be
			 completed within twenty-four hours of collection. These resamples satisfy the
			 requirement for increased microcystins monitoring samples as set forth
			 in paragraph (A)(4)(d) of this rule.
(b) Within twenty-four hours of collecting
			 the resamples, collect one repeat sample from each raw water sampling point and
			 one repeat sample from each finished water sampling point. Analysis of repeat
			 samples must be completed within twenty-four hours of collection. These repeat
			 samples satisfy the requirement for 
										increased monitoring samples as set forth in
			 paragraph (A)(4)(d) of this rule.
(c) If the microcystins concentration exceeds
			 the action level in the resample or repeat sample collected at any finished
			 water sampling point in accordance with paragraph (A)(4)(a) or (A)(4)(b) of
			 this rule, as soon as practical but no later than three hours after receiving
			 the resample or repeat sample results, the surface water system shall notify
			 all consecutive systems served by the water system. If a water
			 system collects samples at representative distribution
			 sampling points in accordance with procedures developed
			 as part of the contingency plan required by rule
			 3745-85-01 of
			 the Administrative Code,
			 the director may
			 allow the system to limit distribution of the public notice in accordance with
			 rule
			 3745-85-01 of
			 the Administrative Code. Distribution system
			 monitoring may be required by the director based on sampling results and other
			 relevant circumstances.
(d)
			 Conduct 
										increased mycrocystins monitoring
			 of three times per week
										.
The frequency of microcystins
				monitoring shall be one day per week at raw water sampling points and increased
				to three days per week at finished water sampling points. Increased monitoring
				(three days per week) shall include analysis within twenty-four hours of sample
				collection. The resample and repeat samples collected in accordance with
				paragraphs (A)(4)(a) and (A)(4)(b) of this rule satisfy the requirement for
				increased monitoring.
Routine microcystins monitoring may
				resume in accordance with paragraphs (A)(2)(a) and (A)(2)(b) of this rule, once
				microcystins are not detected in finished water in two consecutive samples
				collected on separate calendar days.
(e)
										Conduct public
			 notification in accordance with rule
			 3745-90-06
			 of the Administrative Code.