La. Admin. Code tit. 51 § VII-925

Current through Register Vol. 50, No. 11, November 20, 2024

Section VII-925 - Water Supply

A. The water supply shall comply with Part XII of this Code.

B. Potable water supplies for dairy plants shall comply with the following:

1. Water for dairy plant purposes shall be from supplies approved by the state health officer and properly located, protected and operated. It shall be accessible and of a safe, sanitary quality.

2. There shall be no cross-connection between the safe water supply and any unsafe or questionable water supply, or any source of pollution through which the safe water supply might become contaminated. A connection between the water supply piping and a make-up tank (such as for cooling or condensing), unless protected by an air gap or effective back-flow preventer, constitutes a violation of this requirement.

3. New individual water supplies and water supply systems which have been installed, repaired or otherwise become contaminated shall be disinfected before being placed in use. The supply or water supply system shall be made free of the disinfectant (or lowered until the disinfectant residual is equal to the normal disinfectant residual coming from the existing water supply system) by pumping to waste before any sample for bacteriological testing shall be collected.

4. Samples for bacteriological testing of individual water supplies and water supply systems shall be taken by the state health officer upon the initial approval of the physical structure, each six months thereafter and when any repair or alteration of the individual water supply or water supply system has been made. Samples shall be taken by the state health officer and examinations shall be conducted in an official laboratory. To determine if water samples have been taken at the frequency established in this section, the interval shall include the designated six-month period plus the remaining days of the month in which the sample is due.

5. Besides meeting bacteriological standards of Appendix G, Section I of the PMO, of potable water supplied by individual water supplies shall also comply with applicable chemical, physical, and radiological standards. Samples for same shall be submitted by the milk or dairy facility to a certified chemical laboratory/drinking water (as defined in Part XII of this Code) every five years. The state health officer shall determine which chemical, physical, or radiological contaminants or parameters the water should be tested for. Copies of the laboratory results of samples shall be submitted to the state health officer by the milk or dairy facility.

6. The water samples shall be tested in a laboratory, approved by the state health officer using the methodology prescribed by Appendix G of the PMO. The state health officer shall take appropriate regulatory action on violative water samples in accordance with the requirements of the PMO.

7. Current records of water test results shall be retained on file by the state health officer and by the plant.

C. Any potable water system associated with a milk or dairy facility which has at least 15 service connections or regularly serves an average of 25 individuals daily for at least 60 days out of the year is considered a public water system and must also be regulated under provisions applicable to public water systems as required in Part XII of this Code. If a potable water system meets this criteria and the source of supply of such system is from a water well, such water well shall be constructed in accord with public water system standards. With the exception of achieving and maintaining potable water quality standards as specified in other Paragraphs of this Section, compliance with other provisions under Part XII of this Code which are applicable only to public water systems shall not be required if the public water system meets all of the following conditions:

1. consists only of distribution and storage facilities (and does not have any collection and treatment facilities);

2. obtains all of its water from, but is not owned or operated by, a public water system to which such regulations apply;

3. does not sell water to any person; and,

4. is not a carrier which conveys passengers in interstate commerce.

La. Admin. Code tit. 51, § VII-925

Promulgated by the Department of Health and Hospitals, Office of Public Health, LR 37:2674 (September 2011).

AUTHORITY NOTE: Promulgated in accordance with the provisions of R.S. 40:4(A)(1)(a). Also see R.S. 40:5(2)(3)(5)(7)(15)(17) and R.S. 40:922.