Washington Administrative Code › Title 246 - Health, Department of › WATER SYSTEMS › Chapter 246-290 - Group A public water supplies › Part 5 - WATER SYSTEM OPERATIONS › Section 246-290-420 - Reliability and emergency response

Current through Register Vol. 24-14, July 15, 2024
(1)
				  All public water systems shall provide an adequate quantity and quality of
				  water in a reliable manner at all times consistent with the requirements of
				  this chapter.
(2) During normal
				  operating conditions, for both average and peak demand periods, water pressure
				  at the consumer's service meter, or property line if a meter is not used, shall
				  be maintained at the approved design pressure, but in no case be less than 20
				  psi (140 kPa). Water quality shall be maintained as required in Part 4 and Part
				  6 of this chapter.
(3) When fire
				  flow is required, 20 psi (140 kPa) at the operating hydrant and at least
				  positive pressure shall be maintained throughout the system under fire flow
				  conditions.
(4) The purveyor shall
				  address abnormal operating conditions, such as those associated with fires,
				  floods, unscheduled power outages, facility failures, and system maintenance,
				  by using measures consistent with applicable regulations and industry standards
				  to ensure the system is constructed, maintained, and operated to protect
				  against the risk of contamination by cross-connections as a result of loss of
				  system pressure.
(5) For operations
				  during abnormal conditions, the purveyor shall establish the level of
				  reliability, in accordance with consumer expectations, to ensure prevention of
				  loss of pressure or prompt restoration of pressure when a loss of pressure has
				  occurred. Consumer expectations may be established by a simple majority of the
				  affected consumers within the system's service area, or within specific,
				  definable pressure zones when different levels of service may be encountered. A
				  simple majority of consumers can be associated with either a vote of the
				  consumers for privately owned and operated systems, or of the system's
				  governing body, such as council, board, or commission, for publicly governed
				  systems. Consumer expectations shall not be used by a purveyor to justify a
				  failure to address routine or repeated loss of pressure within the system, or
				  within specific, definable pressure zones, because of the purveyor's failure to
				  properly construct, maintain, or operate the system. The level of reliability
				  established under this subsection, and measures for achieving such reliability,
				  shall be identified in the operations and maintenance program and incorporated
				  into the water system design, and shall be approved by the department. The
				  level of reliability shall not affect the purveyor's obligations under
				  subsections (1) through (4) of this section.
(6) The purveyor shall implement all
				  appropriate measures necessary to meet the identified level of reliability for
				  normal and abnormal operating conditions. Procedures for system operation
				  during normal and abnormal operating conditions shall be documented in an
				  operations and maintenance and emergency response program in accordance with
				  WAC 246-290-415 and shall be
				  implemented in a timely and reasonable manner.
(7) If a purveyor is unable to satisfactorily
				  address departmental concerns or consumer complaints regarding the level of
				  reliability associated with normal or abnormal operating conditions, the
				  purveyor may be required to prepare a project report pursuant to WAC
				  246-290-110 that addresses an
				  evaluation of the problem, impacts on affected consumers, and recommended
				  corrective action. Unless the department determines that public health
				  protection requires otherwise, improvements related to abnormal operating
				  conditions described under subsection (5) of this section will be required
				  commensurate with the established level of reliability for abnormal operating
				  conditions.
(8) Restrictions on
				  designed, or historically documented, normal water uses shall not be allowed
				  except under the following conditions:
(a)
				  Whenever there is clear evidence that, unless limitations are imposed, water
				  use at normal levels will lead to a relatively rapid depletion of water source
				  reserves, such as in drought situations or when significant facility failures
				  occur;
(b) Whenever a water system
				  observes that demands for water exceed the available supply, as a result of
				  such events as miscalculated planning, inattentive operation, or unforeseen
				  problems with sources and that limitations would be necessary to insure basic
				  levels of service while additional sources were being sought or developed, or
				  the situation was being otherwise remedied; or
(c) Whenever the water system institutes
				  restrictions as part of a water use efficiency program which has been accepted
				  by the system consumers through appropriate public decision-making processes
				  within existing governance mechanisms, or has been mandated under state
				  regulatory authority.