A. Definitions. As used in this chapter, the following words, terms, and abbreviations shall have meanings respectively set forth unless the context clearly requires a different meaning:

"Action level" or "AL" means the concentration of lead or copper in water specified in 12VAC5-590-385, which determines, in some cases, the treatment requirements contained in 12VAC5-590-405 that an owner is required to complete.

"Administrative Process Act" or "APA" means Chapter 40 (§ 2.2-4000 et seq.) of Title 2.2 of the Code of Virginia. The APA is the basic law conferring authority on agencies either to make regulations or case decisions as well as to standardize court review thereof.

"Air gap separation" means the unobstructed vertical distance through the free atmosphere between the lowest point of the potable water outlet and the flood rim of the receiving vessel.

"ANSI" means the American National Standards Institute.

"Applied water" means water that is ready for filtration.

"ASME" means the American Society of Mechanical Engineers.

"ASSE" means the American Society of Sanitary Engineering.

"ASTM" means the American Society for Testing and Materials.

"Auxiliary water system" means any water supply or system on or available to the premises of the consumer other than the waterworks. These may be polluted or contaminated, objectionable, or of questionable quality and constitute an unapproved water supply or system over which the waterworks owner does not have control.

"AWWA" means the American Water Works Association.

"Backflow" means the undesirable reversal of flow of water or mixtures of water and other liquids, gases, or other substances into a waterworks.

"Backflow elimination method" means the air gap separation or physical disconnection that will eliminate the cross-connection.

"Backflow prevention assembly" means a mechanical unit, designed to control various cross-connections and stop the reversal of flow that includes an inlet and outlet shutoff valve and test cocks to facilitate testing of the assembly. Backflow prevention assemblies include the reduced pressure principle backflow prevention assembly, the double check valve assembly, and the pressure vacuum breaker assembly.

"Backflow prevention device" means a mechanical unit designed to control cross-connections and stop the reversal of flow that is not testable because it does not have inlet and outlet shutoff valves or test cocks. A backflow prevention device is not generally designed or constructed to withstand continuous pressure over 12 hours, or to control high hazards. A backflow prevention device generally includes the atmospheric type vacuum breakers and the dual check valve type devices.

"Backpressure backflow" means backflow caused by pressure in the downstream piping that is superior to the supply pressure at the point of consideration.

"Backsiphonage" means backflow caused by a reduction in pressure that causes a partial vacuum, creating a siphon effect.

"Bag filters" means pressure-driven separation devices that remove particulate matter larger than one micrometer using an engineered porous filtration media. Bag filters are typically constructed of a nonrigid, fabric filtration media housed in a pressure vessel in which the direction of flow is from the inside of the bag to outside.

"Bank filtration" means a water treatment process that uses a well to recover surface water that has naturally infiltrated into groundwater through a river bed or bank. Infiltration is typically enhanced by the hydraulic gradient imposed by a nearby pumping water supply or other well.

"Best available technology" or "BAT" means the best practicable technology, treatment techniques, or other means that the department finds, after examination for efficacy under field conditions and not solely under laboratory conditions, that are available (taking cost into consideration).

"Board" means the State Board of Health.

"Boil water advisory" and "boil water notice" mean a statement that informs consumers that drinking water is or may be contaminated and that the water should be boiled before being used for human consumption.

"BSSP" means a bacteriological sample siting plan.

"CAP" means a corrective action plan.

"Cartridge filters" means pressure-driven separation devices that remove particulate matter larger than one micrometer using an engineered porous filtration media. Cartridge filters are typically constructed as rigid or semi-rigid, self-supporting filter elements housed in pressure vessels in which flow is from the outside of the cartridge to the inside.

"Case decision" means an agency determination as defined in § 2.2-4001 of the Code of Virginia.

"CCCP" means a cross-connection control program.

"CCR" means consumer confidence report.

"CDC" means the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

"CFE" means the combined filter effluent.

"CFR" means the Code of Federal Regulations.

"Clean compliance history" means a record of no PMCL violations for microbiological contaminants, no monitoring violations under 12VAC5-590-370, and no coliform treatment technique trigger exceedances or treatment technique violations under 12VAC5-590-392.

"Coagulation" means a process using coagulant chemicals and mixing by which colloidal and suspended materials are destabilized and agglomerated into floc.

"Combined distribution system" means the interconnected distribution system consisting of the distribution systems of wholesale waterworks and of the consecutive waterworks that receive finished water.

"Commissioner" means the State Health Commissioner, who is the executive officer of the board.

"Community waterworks" means a waterworks that serves at least 15 service connections used by year-round residents or regularly serves at least 25 year-round residents.

"Compliance cycle" means the nine-year calendar year cycle during which a waterworks shall monitor. Each compliance cycle consists of three three-year compliance periods. The first calendar year cycle began January 1, 1993, and ended December 31, 2001, with subsequent compliance cycles continuing thereafter.

"Compliance period" means a three-year calendar year period within a compliance cycle. Each compliance cycle consists of three three-year compliance periods. The first compliance period began January 1, 1993, and ended December 31, 1995, with subsequent compliance periods continuing thereafter.

"Comprehensive business plan" means a plan detailing the technical, managerial, and financial commitments that the owner will make in order to assure that the waterworks will have the capability to provide water that complies with this chapter over the long term.

"Confirmation sample" means a sample to be collected by the owner within a specified time after the results of the initial sample are known to have exceeded a specified limit or standard in order to validate the initial result and to determine compliance.

"Confluent growth" means a continuous bacterial growth covering the entire filtration area of a membrane filter, or a portion thereof, in which bacterial colonies are not discrete.

"Consecutive waterworks" means a waterworks that receives some or all of its finished water from one or more waterworks. Consecutive waterworks may provide additional treatment to finished water. Delivery may be through a direct connection or through the distribution system of one or more consecutive waterworks.

"Consolidated" means rock made from sedimentary, igneous, or metamorphic materials that have been metamorphosed or cemented together forming strata or bodies of rock.

"Consumer" means any person receiving water for human consumption from a waterworks.

"Consumer's water system" means any water system located on the consumer's premises, supplied by or in any manner connected to a waterworks.

"Containment" means the safeguard against backflow into a waterworks from a consumer's water system by installing an appropriate backflow prevention assembly, backflow prevention device, or backflow elimination method at the service connection or downstream of the service connection but before any unprotected takeoffs.

"Contaminant" means any objectionable or hazardous physical, chemical, biological, or radiological substance or matter in water.

"Contaminant release" means an unplanned or uncontrolled release by a waterworks of a chemical contaminant or petroleum or synthetic oil into the water that is treated by or distributed from the waterworks to customers. "Contaminant release" includes any such release at treatment facilities and raw or finished water pump stations.

"Conventional filtration treatment" means a series of processes including coagulation, flocculation, sedimentation, and filtration resulting in substantial particulate removal.

"Corrosion inhibitor" means a substance capable of reducing the corrosivity of water toward metal plumbing materials, especially lead and copper, by forming a protective film on the interior surface of those materials.

"Critical equipment failure or malfunction" means any equipment failure or malfunction that has significant potential for serious adverse effects on human health as a result of short-term exposure or to cause a widespread disruption of water service.

"Cross-connection" means any actual or potential link, connection, or physical arrangement, direct or indirect, between used water, an auxiliary water system, or other source of contamination or pollution to the waterworks through which backflow can occur.

"DBPPs" means disinfection byproduct precursors.

"DBPs" means disinfection byproducts.

"DCLS" means the Virginia Department of General Services, Division of Consolidated Laboratory Services.

"Department" means the Virginia Department of Health.

"DEQ" means the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality.

"Diatomaceous earth filtration" means a process resulting in substantial particulate removal in which (i) a precoat cake of diatomaceous earth filter media is deposited on a support membrane (septum), and (ii) while the water is filtered by passing through the cake on the septum, additional filter media known as body feed is continuously added to the feed water to maintain the permeability of the filter cake.

"Direct filtration" means a series of processes including coagulation and filtration but excluding sedimentation resulting in substantial particulate removal.

"Disinfectant" means any chemical and physical agents, including chlorine, chlorine dioxide, chloramines, ozone, and UV light, added to water in any part of the treatment or distribution process for the purpose of killing or inactivating pathogenic organisms.

"Disinfection" means a process that inactivates or destroys pathogenic organisms in water by use of a disinfectant.

"Disinfection profile" means a summary of Giardia lamblia or virus inactivation through the water treatment plant.

"Distribution main" means a water pipeline whose primary purpose is to convey drinking water to service connections.

"Distribution system" means a network of pipelines and appurtenances by which a waterworks delivers drinking water to its consumers.

"DOC" means the dissolved organic carbon in a water sample.

"Double check valve assembly" or "double check detector backflow assembly" means a backflow prevention assembly composed of two single independently acting check valves including tightly closing shutoff valves located at each end of the assembly and test cocks to facilitate testing of the assembly, used for low hazard situations.

"DPOR" means the Virginia Department of Professional and Occupational Regulation.

"Drawdown" means the difference, measured vertically, between the static water level in the well and the water level during pumping.

"Dual sample set" means a set of two samples collected at the same time and same location, with one sample analyzed for TTHM and the other sample analyzed for HAA5.

"Enhanced coagulation" means the addition of sufficient coagulant for improved removal of disinfection byproduct precursors by conventional filtration treatment.

"Enhanced softening" means the improved removal of disinfection byproduct precursors by precipitative softening.

"Entry point" means the place where water from the source after application of any treatment is delivered to the distribution system. Where two or more sources are combined before distribution, the entry point is the location that is representative of the blended water following all treatment.

"EPA" means the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

"Equipment failure" means an unplanned condition when the equipment cannot perform or is unable to perform as designed because of a problem with such equipment. "Equipment failure" does not mean a planned (i) removal from service, (ii) repair, or (iii) maintenance.

"Equipment malfunction" means an unplanned condition during which the equipment cannot perform or is unable to perform as designed due to a problem originating from outside the waterworks rather than a problem associated or originating with the equipment itself, including an issue with third-party provided gas or electric power feeds or a cyberattack.

"Exemption" means allowing a waterworks that satisfies the criteria in 12VAC5-590-150 to deviate from a specific PMCL or treatment technique requirement that is granted to the waterworks for a limited period of time.

"Filter profile" means a graphical representation of individual filter performance, based on continuous turbidity measurements or total particle counts versus time for an entire filter run, from start-up to backwash inclusively, that includes an assessment of filter performance while another filter is being backwashed.

"Filtration" means a process for removing particulate matter from water by passage through porous media.

"Finished water" means water that is introduced into the distribution system of a waterworks and is intended for distribution and consumption without further treatment, except as treatment is necessary to maintain water quality in the distribution system (e.g., booster disinfection).

"Flocculation" means a process to enhance agglomeration or collection of smaller floc particles into larger, more easily settleable particles through gentle stirring by hydraulic or mechanical means.

"Flowing stream" means a course of running water flowing in a definite channel.

"Free available chlorine" means that portion of the total chlorine residual remaining in water at the end of a specified contact period that will react chemically and biologically as hypochlorous acid or hypochlorite ion.

"GAC" means granular activated carbon.

"Gross alpha particle activity" means the total radioactivity due to alpha particle emission as inferred from measurements on a dry sample.

"Gross beta particle activity" means the total radioactivity due to beta particle emission as inferred from measurements on a dry sample.

"Groundwater" means all water obtained from sources not classified as surface water.

"Groundwater system" means any waterworks that uses groundwater as its source of supply; however, a waterworks that combines all its groundwater with surface water or with groundwater under the direct influence of surface water before treatment is not a groundwater system. Groundwater systems include consecutive waterworks that receive potable water from another groundwater source.

"Groundwater under the direct influence of surface water" or "GUDI" means any water beneath the surface of the ground with (i) significant occurrence of insects or other macroorganisms, algae, or large-diameter pathogens such as Giardia lamblia or Cryptosporidium or (ii) significant and relatively rapid shifts in water characteristics such as turbidity, temperature, conductivity, or pH that closely correlate to climatological or surface water conditions. GUDI source determinations shall be made by the department in accordance with 12VAC5-590-430.

"GWMA" means the groundwater management area designation by the State Water Control Board.

"Haloacetic acids (five)" or "HAA5" means the sum of the concentrations of the haloacetic acids, expressed in milligrams per liter (mg/L) as rounded to two significant figures. For the purpose of this chapter the HAA5 shall mean monochloroacetic acid, dichloroacetic acid, trichloroacetic acid, monobromoacetic acid, and dibromoacetic acid.

"Halogen" means one of the chemical elements chlorine, bromine, fluorine, astatine, or iodine.

"Health hazard" means any condition, device, or practice in a waterworks or its operation that creates, or may create, a danger to the health and well-being of the water consumer.

"HPC" means the heterotrophic plate count of a bacterial population.

"Human consumption" means drinking, food preparation, dishwashing, bathing, showering, hand washing, teeth brushing, and maintaining oral hygiene.

"Hypochlorite" means the ionic component from the disassociation of hypochlorous acid that performs the function of disinfection. It is the available active ingredient in liquid hypochlorite disinfectants such as sodium and calcium hypochlorite.

"Initial compliance period" means the compliance period in which chemical and radiological monitoring began, and it is represented by the first full three-year compliance period beginning at least 18 months after rule promulgation. It applies to inorganic, organic, and radionuclide contaminants listed in Tables 340.1, 340.2, and 340.4, respectively.

"Isolation" means the safeguard against backflow into a waterworks from a consumer's water system by installing an appropriate backflow prevention assembly or device or by installing a backflow elimination method at the sources of potential contamination in the consumer's water system. This is also called point-of-use isolation.

"Karst geology" means an area predominantly underlain by limestone, dolomite, or gypsum and characterized by rapid underground drainage. These areas often feature sinkholes, caverns, and sinking or disappearing creeks.

"Lake or reservoir" means a natural or man-made basin or hollow on the Earth's surface in which water collects or is stored that may or may not have a current or single direction of flow.

"Lead free" means the following: (i) when used with respect to solders and flux, refers to solders and flux containing not more than 0.2% lead; and (ii) when used with respect to pipes, pipe fittings, plumbing fittings, and plumbing fixtures, refers to the weighted average of wetted surfaces of pipes, pipe fittings, plumbing fittings, and plumbing fixtures containing not more than 0.25% lead.

"Lead service line" means a pipeline made of lead that connects the distribution main to the building inlet and any lead pigtail, gooseneck, or other fitting that is connected to the lead pipeline.

"Leakage" means the loss of potable water from the distribution system, up to the points of service connections, through breaks or defects in piping and piping appurtenances.

"Legionella" means a genus of bacteria, some species of which cause a type of pneumonia called Legionnaires disease.

"Level 1 assessment" means an evaluation to identify the possible presence of sanitary defects, defects in distribution system coliform monitoring practices, and, when possible, the likely reason that the waterworks triggered the assessment.

"Level 2 assessment" means an evaluation to identify the possible presence of sanitary defects, defects in distribution system coliform monitoring practices, and, when possible, the likely reason that the waterworks triggered the assessment in a more comprehensive investigation than a Level 1 assessment.

"Locational running annual average" or "LRAA" means the average of sample analytical results for samples taken at a particular monitoring location during the previous four calendar quarters.

"Log inactivation" means the inactivation of organisms expressed on a logarithmic scale. For example, a 99.9% inactivation is a 3-log inactivation; whereas a 99.99% inactivation is a 4-log inactivation.

"Log removal" means the removal of organisms expressed on a logarithmic scale. For example, a 99.9% is a 3-log removal; whereas a 99.99% removal is a 4-log removal.

"Maximum contaminant level" or "MCL" means the maximum permissible level of a contaminant in potable water that is delivered to any consumer of a waterworks. MCLs are set as close to the MCLGs as feasible using the BAT. MCLs may be either "primary" (PMCL), meaning based on health considerations, or "secondary" (SMCL), meaning based on aesthetic considerations.

"Maximum contaminant level goal" or "MCLG" means the maximum level of a contaminant in drinking water at which no known or anticipated adverse effect on the health of persons would occur and that allows an adequate margin of safety. Maximum contaminant level goals are nonenforceable health goals.

"Maximum residual disinfectant level" or "MRDL" means a level of a disinfectant added for water treatment that may not be exceeded at the consumer's tap without an unacceptable possibility of adverse health effects.

"Maximum residual disinfectant level goal" or "MRDLG" means the maximum level of a disinfectant added for water treatment at which no known or anticipated adverse effect on the health of persons would occur, and that allows an adequate margin of safety. MRDLGs are nonenforceable health goals and do not reflect the benefit of the addition of the chemical for control of waterborne microbial contaminants.

"Maximum total trihalomethane potential" or "MTP" means the maximum concentration of total trihalomethanes (TTHMs) produced in a given water containing a residual disinfectant after seven days at a temperature of 25°C or above.

"Membrane filtration" means a pressure or vacuum-driven separation process in which particulate matter larger than one micrometer is rejected by an engineered barrier, primarily through a size exclusion mechanism, and that has a measurable removal efficiency of a target organism that can be verified through the application of a direct integrity test. Included in this definition are the common membrane classifications of microfiltration (MF), ultrafiltration (UF), nanofiltration (NF), and reverse osmosis (RO).

"Membrane module" means the smallest component of a membrane unit in which a specific membrane surface area is housed in a device with a filtrate outlet.

"Membrane technology" means a process that uses a permeable membrane to remove ions, molecules, or particles from the process stream, such as MF, UF, NF, RO, and electrodialysis reversal (EDR).

"Membrane unit" means a group of membrane modules that share common valving that allows the unit to be isolated from the rest of the system for the purpose of integrity testing or other maintenance.

"Method detection limit" or "MDL" means the minimum concentration of a substance that can be measured and reported with 99% confidence that the analyte concentration is greater than zero and is determined from analysis of a sample in a given matrix containing the analyte.

"Microfiltration" or "MF" means a pressure-driven membrane technology that separates particles, based on the pore-size rating of the membrane, from a feed stream by using a sieving mechanism. Typically, MF can remove particles down to 0.1 micrometer in size.

"Monthly operating report" or "MOR" means the report submitted by a waterworks to the office at least once each month that describes the waterworks' operational status and compliance with applicable laws, regulations, and policies, as directed by the department.

"Most probable number" or "MPN" means the density or number of organisms per unit volume most likely to be present in a water sample and obtained from method-specific statistical MPN tables.

"MPA" means the microscopic particulate analysis method approved by EPA for use in the determination of whether a groundwater is under the influence of surface water.

"Nanofiltration" or "NF" means a pressure-driven membrane technology designed to remove multivalent ions ("softening") and other constituents based on the pore size, which ranges from one to 10 nanometers. Nanofiltration membranes typically operate under a pressure range of 600 to 1100 psi.

"Noncommunity waterworks" means a waterworks that is not a community waterworks, but operates at least 60 days out of the year.

"Noncritical equipment failure or malfunction" means an equipment failure or malfunction that is not a critical equipment failure or malfunction, regardless of whether such anomaly is noticeable to customers of the waterworks.

"Nonpotable water" means water not classified as pure water.

"Nontransient noncommunity waterworks" or "NTNC" means a waterworks that is not a community waterworks and that regularly serves at least 25 of the same persons over six months out of the year. When used in the context of an NTNC, "regularly serves" means four or more hours per day, for four or more days per week, for 26 or more weeks per year.

"NSF" means NSF International, formerly known as the National Sanitation Foundation. NSF collaborates with ANSI and Canadian authorities on drinking water standards development (NSF/ANSI/CAN).

"Office" means the department's Office of Drinking Water.

"One hundred year flood elevation" or "100-year flood elevation" means flood elevation that has a 1.0% probability of being equaled or exceeded in any given year.

"Operating staff" means individuals employed or appointed by an owner to work at a waterworks. Included in this definition are operators, whether or not the operator's license is appropriate for the classification and category of the waterworks, and unlicensed individuals.

"Operator" means any individual with the requisite skills, employed or appointed by any owner, who is designated by the owner to be the person having full responsibility for the waterworks operations and any subordinate operating staff. The individual may be a supervisor, a shift operator, or a substitute in charge, and have duties including testing or evaluation to control waterworks operations. Not included in this definition are superintendents or directors of public works, city engineers, or other municipal or industrial officials whose duties do not include the actual operation or direct supervision of waterworks.

"Optimal corrosion control treatment" means the corrosion control treatment that minimizes the lead and copper concentrations at consumers' taps while ensuring that the treatment does not cause the waterworks to violate any other section of this chapter.

"Optimum fluoride ion concentration" means that fluoride ion concentration recommended by the U.S. Public Health Service for protection from dental caries.

"Owner" means an individual, group of individuals, partnership, firm, association, institution, corporation, governmental entity, or the federal government that supplies or proposes to supply water to any person within the Commonwealth from or by means of any waterworks.

"PAC" means powdered activated carbon.

"PCBs" means polychlorinated biphenyls.

"PER" means a preliminary engineering report.

"Permit" means an authorization granted by the commissioner to construct or operate a waterworks.

"Permitted capacity" means the limiting hydraulic capability of the waterworks, taking into consideration the source water capacity, treatment facilities, finished water storage, delivery, and distribution system.

"Person" means any individual, corporation, partnership, association, cooperative, limited liability company, trust, joint venture, government, political subdivision, or any other legal or commercial entity and any successor, representative, agent, or instrumentality thereof.

"pH" means the negative logarithm of the hydrogen ion concentration of an aqueous solution.

"Physical disconnection" means the removal or absence of pipes, fittings, or fixtures that connect a waterworks directly or indirectly to any other water system.

"Picocurie" or "pCi" means that quantity of radioactive material producing 2.22 nuclear transformations per minute.

"PMCL" means the primary maximum contaminant level of a contaminant based on health considerations.

"Point of disinfectant application" means the point where the disinfectant is applied and water downstream of that point is not subject to recontamination by surface runoff.

"Point-of-entry device" or "POE device" means a treatment device applied to the water entering a house or building for the purpose of reducing contaminants in the water distributed throughout the house or building.

"Point-of-use device" or "POU device" means a treatment device applied to a single tap for the purpose of reducing contaminants in the water at that one tap.

"Pollution" means the presence of any foreign substance (chemical, physical, radiological, or biological) in water that tends to degrade its quality so as to constitute an unnecessary risk to human health or impair the usefulness of the water.

"Potable water" means the same as "pure water."

"Practical quantitation level" or "PQL" means the lowest level that can be reliably measured within specified limits of precision and accuracy during routine laboratory conditions.

"Prechlorination" means the application of chlorine to water before filtration.

"Presedimentation" means a preliminary treatment process used to remove gravel, sand, and other particulate material from the source water through settling before the water enters the primary clarification and filtration processes in a water treatment plant.

"Pressure vacuum breaker assembly" means a backflow prevention assembly (i) designed to prevent backsiphonage and used for high hazard or low hazard situations; (ii) composed of an independently operating spring-loaded check valve, an independently operating spring-loaded air-inlet valve, and tightly closing shutoff valves located at each end of the assembly; and (iii) fitted with properly located test cocks to facilitate testing of the assembly.

"Primary disinfection" means disinfection to achieve a desired level of inactivation of targeted pathogenic organisms in water by chemical or physical agents as an integral part of the treatment process.

"Process fluids" means any fluid or solution that may be chemically, biologically, or otherwise contaminated or polluted that would constitute a health, environmental, or system hazard if introduced into the waterworks. This includes (i) polluted or contaminated water; (ii) used waters; (iii) cooling waters; (iv) contaminated natural waters taken from wells, lakes or reservoirs, streams, or irrigation systems; (v) chemicals in solution or suspension; or (vi) oils, gases, acids, alkalis, and other liquid and gaseous fluid used in industrial or other processes.

"Process water" means water used for dissolving dry chemicals; diluting liquid chemicals; and operating chemical feeders, treatment facilities, or equipment.

"Project documents" means the engineer's report, design criteria, preliminary and final plans, specifications, and procurement documents for the construction of new waterworks or modifications to existing waterworks.

"Pure water" means water fit for human consumption that is (i) sanitary and normally free of minerals, organic substances, and toxic agents in excess of reasonable amounts and (ii) adequate in quantity and quality for the minimum health requirements of the persons served.

"QCRV" means the quality control release value used in challenge tests of microfiltration (MF) and ultrafiltration (UF) membrane filters.

"RAA" means running annual average.

"Reduced pressure principle backflow prevention assembly" or "reduced pressure zone backflow prevention assembly" or "RPZ assembly" means an assembly designed to prevent backsiphonage or backpressure backflow and used for high or low hazard situations, composed of two independently operating spring-loaded check valves together with an independent, hydraulically operating pressure differential relief valve located between the two check valves. During normal flow and at the cessation of normal flow, the pressure between these two checks shall be less than the supply pressure. The assembly shall include tightly closing shutoff valves located at each end of the RPZ assembly and shall be fitted with properly located test cocks to facilitate testing of the assembly.

"REM" means the unit of dose equivalent from ionizing radiation to the total body or any internal organ or organ system. A millirem (mrem) is 1/1000 of an REM.

"Repeat compliance period" means any subsequent compliance period after the initial compliance period.

"Residual disinfectant concentration" means the concentration of disinfectant measured in mg/L in a representative sample of water.

"Reverse osmosis" or "RO" means a membrane technology designed to remove salts, low-molecular weight solutes, and all other constituents up to 0.0001 micron in size by applying a pressure in excess of osmotic pressure to force water through a semi-permeable membrane from a region of high solution concentration to a region of lower solution concentration.

"Sanitary defect" means a defect that could provide a pathway of entry for microbial contamination into the distribution system or that is indicative of a failure or imminent failure in a protective barrier that is already in place.

"Sanitary survey" means an evaluation conducted by the department of a waterworks' water supply, facilities, equipment, operation, maintenance, monitoring records, and overall management to ensure the provision of potable water.

"SDWA" means the Safe Drinking Water Act (42 USC § 300f et seq.) and its amendments.

"Seasonal waterworks" means a noncommunity waterworks that is not operated as a waterworks on a year-round basis, and starts up and shuts down at the beginning and end of each operating season.

"Secondary disinfection" means disinfection by chemical oxidants or equivalent agents applied at the entry point or in the distribution system to provide a residual disinfectant in water to maintain water quality and safeguard against chance contamination from permeation, leaching, intrusion, regrowth, or biofilms.

"Sedimentation" means a process for removal of solids before filtration by gravity or separation.

"Service connection" means the point of delivery of finished water from a waterworks to a consumer's water system, fire protection system, irrigation system, and to all other points where finished water is delivered through the distribution system to a consumer. Generally, the service connection occurs at the water meter, or at the distribution main if no water meter is installed, or in the case of an owner of both the waterworks and the building supplied, the point of entry into the building. Service connections may be permanent, temporary, or emergency.

"Service line" means the pipeline or service pipe between the service connection and the building connection.

"Sewer" means any pipe or conduit used to convey sanitary sewage, stormwater, or industrial waste streams. Combined sewers convey both stormwater and sanitary sewage.

"Significant deficiency" means any defect in a waterworks' design, operation, maintenance, or administration, as well as the failure or malfunction of any waterworks component that may cause or has the potential to cause, an unacceptable risk to health or could affect the reliable delivery of potable water to consumers.

"Single-family structure" means, for the purpose of 12VAC5-590-375 B only, a building constructed as a single-family residence that is currently used as either a residence or a place of business.

"Site visit" means a tour of a waterworks by the department or other authorized persons for purposes including assessing and documenting its physical condition, operations, and compliance activities.

"Slow sand filtration" means a process involving passage of source water through a bed of sand at low velocity (generally less than 0.4 m/h), resulting in substantial particulate removal by physical and biological mechanisms.

"SMCL" means the secondary maximum contaminant level of a contaminant. SMCLs are based on aesthetic qualities related to the public acceptance of drinking water.

"SOP" means standard operating procedure.

"Source water" means water as it is pumped or otherwise withdrawn from a well, spring, stream, lake or reservoir, or any body of surface water (natural or impounded), and before any treatment.

"Supervisory control and data acquisition" or "SCADA" means a computer-controlled system used by a waterworks to monitor its operations. Typical design features may be specific to individual waterworks and include alarm, response, control, and data acquisition.

"Surface water" means all water open to the atmosphere and subject to surface runoff.

"SUVA" means specific ultraviolet absorption at 254 nanometers (nm), an indicator of the humic content of the water. It is a calculated parameter obtained by dividing a sample's ultraviolet absorption at a wavelength of 254 nm (UV₂₅₄) (in m^-1) by its concentration of DOC (in mg/L).

"Synthetic organic chemical" or "SOC" means a man-made organic compound, generally utilized for agriculture or industrial purposes. Table 340.2 lists SOCs regulated as contaminants.

"System hazard" means a condition posing an actual, or threat of, damage to the physical properties of the waterworks or a consumer's water system.

"TDS" means total dissolved solids.

"TMF" means the technical, managerial, and financial capabilities to operate and maintain a waterworks.

"Too numerous to count" or "TNTC" means that the total number of bacterial colonies exceeds 200 on a 47-mm diameter membrane filter used for coliform detection.

"Total organic carbon" or "TOC" means total organic carbon in milligrams per liter (mg/l) measured using heat, oxygen, ultraviolet irradiation, chemical oxidants, or combinations of these oxidants that convert organic carbon to carbon dioxide, rounded to two significant figures.

"Total trihalomethanes" or "TTHM" means the sum of the concentrations of the trihalomethanes (THMs) expressed in milligrams per liter (mg/L) and rounded to two significant figures. For the purpose of this chapter, TTHM shall mean trichloromethane (chloroform), dibromochloromethane, bromodichloromethane, and tribromomethane (bromoform).

"Transient noncommunity waterworks" or "TNC" means a noncommunity waterworks that is not a nontransient noncommunity waterworks (NTNC). A TNC serves at least 25 persons daily for at least 60 days out of the year.

"Treatment" means any process that changes the chemical, physical, radiological, or bacteriological quality of water.

"Treatment technique" or "TT" means a technology or process demonstrated to the satisfaction of the department to lead to a reduction in the level of a specific contaminant sufficient to comply with this chapter.

"Triggered source water monitoring" means monitoring required of any groundwater system as a result of a total coliform-positive sample in the distribution system.

"Trihalomethane" or "THM" means one of the family of organic compounds, named as derivatives of methane, wherein three of the four hydrogen atoms in methane are each substituted by a halogen atom in the molecular structure.

"Ultrafiltration" or "UF" means a membrane technology designed to remove particles up to 0.01 micron in size.

"Unconsolidated" means loose sediment that has not been compacted, cemented, lithified, or metamorphosed into rock. Sediment may be derived from a sedimentary-type, igneous-type, metamorphic-type rock, which includes clay, silt, sand, gravel, and mixtures of these particle types.

"Uncovered finished water storage facility" means a tank, reservoir, or other facility used to store water that will undergo no further treatment to reduce microbial pathogens (except residual disinfection) and is directly open to the atmosphere.

"Unregulated contaminant" or "UC" means a contaminant for which a monitoring requirement has been established, but for which no MCL or treatment technique requirement has been established.

"USBC" means the Uniform Statewide Building Code (13VAC5-63).

"Used water" means any water supplied by a waterworks to a consumer's water system after it has passed through the service connection and is no longer under the control of the owner.

"UV" means ultraviolet.

"Variance" means allowing a waterworks that satisfies the criteria in 12VAC5-590-140 to provide drinking water that does not fully comply with this chapter. A PMCL variance is a variance to a primary maximum contaminant level, or a treatment technique requirement. An operational variance is a variance to an operational regulation or a SMCL.

"Virus" means a virus of fecal origin that is infectious to humans by waterborne transmission and must be preemptively inactivated through disinfection before human consumption.

"Volatile organic chemical" or "VOC" means an organic compound generally characterized by its low molecular weight and its tendency to vaporize rapidly at relatively low temperatures and pressures. Table 340.2 lists VOCs regulated as contaminants.

"VOSH" means the Virginia Occupational Safety and Health program.

"Waiver" means permission from the department to deviate from the monitoring and reporting requirements in this chapter for a specific contaminant.

"Waterborne disease outbreak" means the significant occurrence of acute infectious illness, epidemiologically associated with the ingestion of water from a waterworks that is deficient in treatment, as determined by the commissioner or the State Epidemiologist.

"Water supply" means the source of water taken into a waterworks including wells, streams, springs, lakes or reservoirs, and other bodies of surface waters (natural or impounded), and the tributaries thereto, and all impounded groundwater. The term "water supply" shall not include any waters above the point of intake of the waterworks.

"Water treatment plant" means that portion of a waterworks intended specifically for water treatment; it may include, among other operations, coagulation, sedimentation, filtration, and disinfection.

"Waterworks" means a system that serves piped water for human consumption to at least 15 service connections or 25 or more individuals for at least 60 days out of the year. "Waterworks" includes all structures, equipment, and appurtenances used in the storage, collection, purification, treatment, and distribution of potable water except the piping and fixtures inside the building where such water is delivered.

"Waterworks business operation plan" means the same as "comprehensive business plan."

"Wholesale waterworks" means a waterworks that treats source water as necessary to produce potable water and then delivers some or all of that potable water to another waterworks. Delivery may be through a direct connection or through the distribution system of one or more consecutive waterworks.

B. As used in this chapter, the following units of measurement shall use the abbreviations as shown in this subsection:

C – degrees Celsius

CU – color units

ft² – square feet of area

ft/min – feet per minute

ft/sec – feet per second

gpd – gallons per day

gpd/ft² – gallons per day per square foot

gpm – gallons per minute

gpm/ft – gallons per minute per foot

gpm/ft² – gallons per minute per square foot

in – inches

lb – pounds

lb/day – pounds per day

lb/ft² – pounds per square foot

MFL – million fibers per liter

MGD – million gallons per day

mg/L – milligrams per liter

min – minutes

mJ/cm² – millijoules per square centimeter

mrem – millirem

nm – nanometer (10^-9 meter)

NTU – nephelometric turbidity units

pCi – picocuries

pCi/L – picocuries per liter

ppb – parts per billion, or micrograms per liter (μg/L)

ppm – parts per million, or milligrams per liter (mg/L)

ppq – parts per quadrillion, or pictograms per liter (pq/L)

ppt – parts per trillion, or nanograms per liter (ng/L)

psi – pounds per square inch

psig – pounds per square inch gauge

scfm/ft² – standard cubic feet per minute per square foot

µm – micrometers (10^-6 meter or microns)

µg/L – micrograms per liter

µS/cm – microSiemens per centimeter

W/m² – Watts per square meter

A. Purpose and applicability.

1. The owner of a community waterworks shall deliver to the owner's customers an a annual report that contains information on the quality of the water delivered by the waterworks and characterizes the risks, if any, from exposure to contaminants detected in the drinking water specified in this section and shall include a summary as specified in subsection I of this section.

2. For the purpose of this section, customers are defined as billing units or service connections to which water is delivered by a community waterworks. For the purposes of this section, consumers are defined as people served by the water system, including customers and people that do not receive a bill.

3. For the purpose of this section, a contaminant is detected when the laboratory reports the contaminant level as a measured level and not as "non-detect," "not detected," "ND," or less than a certain level. These express that an analyte in a test sample cannot be reliably detected with the test equipment or laboratory instrumentation and the method used means: at or above the levels prescribed by 40 CFR § 141.23(a)(4) for inorganic contaminants, at or above the levels prescribed by 40 CFR §§ 141.24(f)(7) and 141.24(h)(18) for the contaminants listed in Table 340.2, at or above the levels prescribed by 40 CFR § 141.131(b)(2)(iv) for the contaminants or contaminant groups listed in Table 340.6, and at or above the levels prescribed by Table 378.1 for radioactive contaminants.

B. Effective dates.

1. The owner of an existing community waterworks shall deliver the report by July 1 annually. Each report delivered by July 1 must contain data collected during the previous calendar year or the most recent calendar year before the previous calendar year.

2. The owner of a new community waterworks shall deliver the first report by July 1 of the year after its first full calendar year in operation and annually thereafter.

3. The owner of a community waterworks that sells water to a consecutive waterworks shall deliver the applicable information necessary to comply with the requirements contained in this section to the consecutive waterworks:

a. by By April 1, 2027, and annually thereafter, or

b. on On a date mutually agreed upon by the seller and the purchaser and specifically included in a contract between the parties.; and

c. A community waterworks that sells water to another community waterworks that is required to provide reports biannually according to subsection H of this section must provide the applicable information required in subsection H of this section by October 1, 2027, to the buyer waterworks, and annually thereafter, or a date mutually agreed upon by the seller and the purchaser, included in a contract between the parties.

C. Content.

1. The owner of a community waterworks shall provide the owner's customers an a annual report that contains the information on the source of the water delivered and a summary as specified in subsection I of this section as follows:

a. The report shall identify the source of the water delivered by the community waterworks by providing information on:

(1) The type of the source water (e.g., surface water, ground water); and

(2) The commonly used name, if any, and location of the body of the source water.

b. Where a source water assessment has been completed, the report shall:

(1) Notify consumers of the availability of the assessment;

(2) The year it was completed or most recently updated;

(3) Describe the means to obtain the assessment; and

(3) (4) Include a brief summary of the waterworks' susceptibility to potential sources of contamination.

c. The owner is encouraged to highlight in the report significant sources of contamination in the source water area if the information is readily available.

2. For the purpose of compliance with this section, the report shall include the following definitions:

a. "Maximum contaminant level goal" or "MCLG" means the level of a contaminant in drinking water below which there is no known or expected risk to health. MCLGs allow for a margin of safety.

b. "Maximum contaminant level" or "MCL" means the highest level of a contaminant that is allowed in drinking water. MCLs are set as close to the MCLGs as feasible using the best available treatment technology.

c. The report for a community waterworks operating under a variance or an exemption issued by the commissioner under 12VAC5-590-140 and 12VAC5-590-150 shall include the following definition: "Variances and exemptions" means state or EPA permission not to meet an MCL or a treatment technique under certain conditions.

d. The report that contains data on contaminants that EPA regulates using any of the following terms shall include the applicable definitions:

(1) "Treatment technique" means a required process intended to reduce the level of a contaminant in drinking water.

(2) "Action level" means the concentration of a contaminant that, if exceeded, triggers treatment or other requirements that an owner shall follow.

(3) "Maximum residual disinfectant level goal" or "MRDLG" means the level of a drinking water disinfectant below which there is no known or expected risk to health. MRDLGs do not reflect the benefits of the use of disinfectants to control microbial contaminants.

(4) "Maximum residual disinfectant level" or "MRDL" means the highest level of a disinfectant allowed in drinking water. There is convincing evidence that addition of a disinfectant is necessary for the control of microbial contaminants.

(5) "Level 1 assessment" means a study of the waterworks to identify potential problems and determine, if possible, why total coliform bacteria have been found in waterworks.

(6) "Level 2 assessment" means a very detailed study of the waterworks to identify potential problems and determine, if possible, why an E. coli PMCL violation has occurred and why total coliform bacteria have been found in waterworks on multiple occasions.

(7) "Pesticide" means, generally, any substance or mixture of substances intended for preventing, destroying, repelling, or mitigating any pest.

(8) "Herbicide" means any chemical or chemicals used to control undesirable vegetation.

3. Information on detected contaminants.

a. This section specifies the requirements for information to be included in the report for contaminants subject to a PMCL, AL, MRDL, or treatment technique as specified in 12VAC5-590-340.

b. The data relating to these contaminants shall be presented in the reports in a manner that is clear and understandable for consumers. For example, the data may be displayed in one table or in several adjacent tables. Any additional monitoring results that an owner of a community waterworks chooses to include in the report shall be displayed separately.

c. The data shall be derived from data collected to comply with EPA and state monitoring and analytical requirements during the previous calendar year preceding the year the report is due, or the most recent calendar year before the previous calendar year except that where an owner is allowed to monitor for contaminants specified in subdivision C 3 a of this section less often than once a year, the table contaminant data section shall include the date and results of the most recent sampling, and the report shall include a brief statement indicating that the data presented in the report are from the most recent testing done in accordance with this chapter. No data older than five years need be included.

d. For each detected regulated contaminants contaminant subject to a PMCL, AL, MRDL, or treatment technique as listed in Tables 340.1 through 340.7 and 406.1, the tables contaminant data section(s) shall contain:

(1) The PMCL for that contaminant expressed as a number equal to or greater than 1.0 as provided in 12VAC5-590-546;

(2) The MCLG for that contaminant expressed in the same units as the PMCL as provided in 12VAC5-590-546;

(3) If there is no PMCL for a detected contaminant, then the tables contaminant data section(s) shall indicate that there is a treatment technique, or specify the AL, applicable to that contaminant, and the report shall include the definitions for treatment technique, AL, or both, as appropriate, specified in subdivision C 3 d of this section;

(4) For contaminants subject to a PMCL, except turbidity and E. coli, the contaminant data section(s) shall contain the highest contaminant level used to determine compliance and the range of detected levels is as follows:

(a) When compliance with the PMCL is determined annually or less frequently, the highest detected level at any sampling point and the range of detected levels expressed in the same units as the PMCL.

(b) When compliance with the PMCL is determined by calculating an RAA of all samples collected at a sampling point, the highest average of any of the sampling points and the range of all sampling points expressed in the same units as the PMCL. For the PMCLs for TTHM and HAA5, the owner shall include the highest LRAA for TTHM and HAA5 and the range of individual sample results for all sampling points expressed in the same units as the PMCL. If more than one location exceeds the TTHM or HAA5 PMCL, then the owner shall include the LRAAs for all locations that exceed the PMCL.

(c) When compliance with the PMCL is determined on a system-wide basis by calculating an RAA of all samples at all sampling points, the average and range of detection expressed in the same units as the PMCL. The range of detection for TTHM and HAA5 shall include the individual sample results for the purpose of establishing the monitoring locations for EPA's "Stage 2 Disinfectants and Disinfection Byproducts Rule" initial distribution system evaluation.

(5) For turbidity, the highest single measurement and the lowest monthly percentage of combined filter samples meeting the turbidity limits specified in 12VAC5-590-395 A 2 b for the filtration technology being used. The report should include an explanation of the reasons for measuring turbidity;

(6) For lead and copper, the 90th percentile value of the most recent round of sampling, and the number of sampling sites exceeding the AL and the range of tap sampling results;

(7) For E. coli analytical results under 12VAC5-590-370, the total number of positive samples; and

(8) The likely source or sources of the detected contaminants to the best of the owner’s knowledge. Specific information regarding contaminants may be available in sanitary surveys and source water assessments, and should be used when available to the owner. If the owner lacks specific information on the likely source, then the report shall include one or more of the typical sources for that contaminant listed in 12VAC5-590-546 that are most applicable to the system.

e. If the owner of a community waterworks distributes water to the owner's customers from multiple hydraulically independent distribution systems that are fed by different source waters, then:

(1) The table contaminant data section(s) shall contain a separate column for each service area and the report shall identify each separate distribution system; or

(2) The owner shall produce a separate report tailored to include data for each service area.

f. The table detected contaminant data sections(s) shall clearly identify any data indicating violations of PMCLs, MRDLs, or treatment techniques, and the report shall contain a clear and readily understandable explanation of the violation including:

(1) The length of the violation;

(2) The potential adverse health effects using the relevant language of 12VAC5-590-546; and

(3) Actions taken by the owner to address the violation.

g. For detected UCs for which monitoring is required, the reports must present the average and range at which the contaminant was detected. The report shall include a brief explanation of the reasons for monitoring for UCs such as:

(1) UC monitoring helps EPA to determine where certain contaminants occur and whether EPA should consider regulating those contaminants in the future.

(2) May use an alternative educational statement in the CCR if approved by the department.

h. For systems that exceeded the lead AL in 12VAC5-590-385 A, the detected contaminant data section shall clearly identify the exceedance if any corrective action has been required by the department during the monitoring period covered by the report. The report shall include a clear and readily understandable explanation of the exceedance, the steps consumers can take to reduce their exposure to lead in drinking water, and a description of any corrective actions the system has or will take to address the exceedance.

4. Information on Cryptosporidium, radon, and other contaminants:

a. If the owner has performed any monitoring for Cryptosporidium, which indicates that Cryptosporidium may be present in the source water or the finished water, then the report shall include:

(1) A summary of the results of the monitoring; and

(2) An explanation of the significance of the results.

b. If the owner has performed any monitoring for radon, which indicates that radon may be present in the finished water, then the report shall include:

(1) The results of the monitoring; and

(2) An explanation of the significance of the results.

c. If the owner has performed additional monitoring that indicates the presence of other contaminants in the finished water, then the report should include any results that may indicate a health concern, as determined by the commissioner or department. Detections above a proposed MCL or health advisory level may indicate possible health concerns. For these contaminants, the report should include:

(1) The results of the monitoring; and

(2) An explanation of the significance of the results noting the existence of a health advisory or a proposed regulation.

5. Compliance with other regulations. In addition to the requirements of subdivision C 3 f of this section, the report shall note any violation that occurred during the year covered by the report of a requirement listed in this subdivision 5 and include a clear and readily understandable explanation of the violation, any potential adverse health effects, and the steps the owner has taken to correct the violation:

a. Monitoring and reporting of compliance data;

b. Filtration and disinfection prescribed by 12VAC5-590-395. For an owner who has failed to install adequate filtration or disinfection equipment or processes or has had a failure of such equipment or processes that constitutes a violation, the report shall include the following language as part of the explanation of potential adverse health effects: "Inadequately treated water may contain disease-causing organisms. These organisms include bacteria, viruses, and parasites, which can cause symptoms such as nausea, cramps, diarrhea, and associated headaches";

c. Lead and copper control requirements prescribed by 12VAC5-590-375. For that fails to take one or more of the prescribed actions, the report shall include the applicable language of 12VAC5-590-546 for lead, copper, or both;

d. Treatment techniques for acrylamide and epichlorohydrin prescribed by 12VAC5-590-395 B. For an owner who violates the requirements of that section, the report shall include the relevant language from 12VAC5-590-546;

e. Recordkeeping of compliance data;

f. Special monitoring requirements for sodium; and

g. Violation of the terms of a variance, an exemption, or an administrative or judicial order.

6. Variances and exemptions. If a waterworks is operating under the terms of a variance or an exemption issued by the commissioner under 12VAC5-590-140 and 12VAC5-590-150, then the report shall contain:

a. An explanation of the reasons for the variance or exemption;

b. The date on which the variance or exemption was issued;

c. A brief status report on the steps the owner is taking to install treatment, find alternative sources of source water, or otherwise comply with the terms and schedules of the variance or exemption; and

d. A notice of any opportunity for public input in the evaluation or renewal of the variance or exemption.

7. Additional information.

a. The report shall contain a brief explanation regarding contaminants, which may reasonably be expected to be found in drinking water including bottled water. This explanation shall include the exact language of subdivisions 7 a (1), 7 a (2), and 7 a (3) of this subsection or the owner shall use comparable language following approval by the department. The report also shall include the exact language of subdivision 7 a (4) of this subsection.

(1) The sources of drinking water (both Both tap water and bottled water) include come from rivers, lakes or reservoirs, streams, ponds, reservoirs, springs, and wells. As water travels over the surface of the land or through the ground, it dissolves naturally occurring minerals and, in some cases, radioactive material, and can pick up and transport substances resulting from the presence of animals or from human activity. These substances are also called contaminants.

(2) Contaminants are any physical, chemical, biological, or radiological substance or matter in water. Contaminants that may be present in source water include:

(i a) microbial contaminants, such as viruses and bacteria, which may come from sewage treatment plants, septic systems, agricultural livestock operations, and wildlife;

(ii b) inorganic contaminants, such as salts and metals, which can be occur naturally occurring in the soil or groundwater or may result from urban stormwater runoff, industrial or domestic wastewater discharges, oil and gas production, mining, or farming;

(iii c) pesticides and herbicides, which may come from a variety of sources such as agriculture, urban stormwater runoff, and residential uses;

(iv d) organic chemical contaminants, including SOCs and VOCs, which are byproducts of industrial processes and petroleum production, and can also come from gas stations, urban stormwater runoff, and septic systems; and

(v e) radioactive contaminants, which can be occur naturally occurring or be the result of oil and gas production and mining activities.

(3) To ensure that tap water is safe to drink protect public health, EPA prescribes regulations that limit the amount of certain contaminants in the tap water provided by waterworks. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regulations establish limits for contaminants in bottled water which must provide the same protection for public health.

(4) Drinking water, including bottled water, may reasonably be expected to contain at least small amounts of some contaminants. The presence of contaminants does not necessarily indicate that water poses a health risk. More information about contaminants and potential health effects can be obtained by calling EPA's Safe Drinking Water Hotline (800-426-4791) or visiting EPA’s website, epa.gov/safewater.

b. The report shall include the telephone number of the owner, operator, or designee of the community waterworks as a source of additional information concerning the report. If the waterworks uses a website or social media to share additional information, the department recommends including information in the report about how to access such media platforms.

c. In communities with a large proportion of non-English-speaking residents consumers with limited English proficiency, as determined by the department, the report shall contain information in the appropriate language(s) regarding the importance of the report and either information where such consumers may obtain a translated copy of the report or contain a telephone number or address where the residents may contact the waterworks to obtain a translated copy of the report or assistance in the appropriate language(s), or the report shall be in the appropriate language(s).

d. The report shall include the following information about opportunities for public participation in decisions that may affect the quality of the drinking water. The owner should consider including the following additional relevant information:

(1) The time and place of regularly scheduled board meetings of the governing body that has authority over the waterworks; and

(2) If regularly scheduled board meetings are not held, then the name and telephone number of a waterworks representative who has operational or managerial authority over the waterworks.

e. The owner may include additional information as deemed necessary for public education consistent with, and not detracting from, the purpose of the report.

f. For a community groundwater system:

(1) Where there is a significant deficiency that is uncorrected at the time of the report or an a E. coli fecal indicator-positive source water sample that is not invalidated in accordance with 12VAC5-590-380 at the time of the report, the owner shall report the following:

(a) The nature of the significant deficiency or the source water, if the source is known, of the E. coli fecal contamination;

(b) The date the significant deficiency was identified by the department or the date or dates of the E. coli fecal indicator-positive source water samples;

(c) Whether the E. coli fecal contamination has been addressed in accordance with 12VAC5-590-421 and the date of the action;

(d) For each significant deficiency or fecal contamination in the ground water source that has not been addressed under 12VAC5-590-421, The the department-approved plan and schedule, including interim measures, progress to date, and which interim measures for correcting the significant deficiency or fecal contamination have been completed for correcting the significant deficiency or E. coli contamination; and

(e) The potential health effects language in 12VAC5-590-546 for If the waterworks receives notice of an a E. coli fecal indicator-positive source water sample that is not invalidated in accordance with 12VAC5-590-380 using the health effects language 12VAC5-590-546 B.

(2) If directed by the department, where there are significant deficiencies that have been corrected at the time of the report, then the owner shall report the significant deficiencies, how the deficiencies were corrected, and the date or dates of correction.

D. Additional health information.

1. All reports shall prominently display the following language: "Some people may be more vulnerable to contaminants in drinking water than the general population. Immuno-compromised persons such as persons with cancer who are undergoing chemotherapy, persons who have undergone organ transplants, people with HIV/AIDS or other immune system disorders, some elderly, and infants can be particularly at risk from infections. These people should seek advice about drinking water from their health care providers. EPA and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines on appropriate means to lessen the risk of infection by Cryptosporidium and other microbial contaminants are available from the Safe Drinking Water Hotline (800-426-4791) or on EPA’s website epa.gov/safewater."

2. The owner that detects arsenic at levels above 0.005 mg/L, but equal to or below the PMCL of 0.010 mg/L, shall include in the report the following informational statement about arsenic: "While your drinking water meets EPA's standard for arsenic, it does contain low levels of arsenic. EPA's standard balances the current understanding of arsenic's possible health effects against the cost of removing arsenic from drinking water. EPA continues to research the health effects of low levels of arsenic, which is a mineral known to cause cancer in humans at high concentrations and is linked to other health effects such as skin damage and circulatory problems Arsenic is known to cause cancer in humans. Arsenic also may cause other health effects such as skin damage and circulatory problems. [Name of Waterworks] meets the EPA arsenic drinking water standard, also known as a Maximum Contaminant Level (MCL). However, you should know that EPA's MCL for arsenic balances the scientific community's understanding of arsenic-related health effects and the cost of removing arsenic from drinking water. The highest concentration of arsenic found in [year] was [insert max arsenic level per 12VAC5-590-340] ppb."

Instead of the statement required in this subdivision, the owner may include the owner's educational statement after receiving approval from the department.

3. The owner that detects nitrate at levels above 5 mg/L, but below the PMCL, shall include in the report the following informational statement about the impacts of nitrate on children: "Nitrate in drinking water at levels above 10 ppm is a health risk for infants of less than six months of age. High nitrate levels in drinking water can cause blue baby syndrome. Nitrate levels may rise quickly for short periods of time because of rainfall or agricultural activity. If you are caring for an infant, then you should ask advice from your health care provider Even though [Name of Waterworks] meets the EPA nitrate drinking water standard, also known as a Maximum Contaminant Level (MCL), if you are caring for an infant and using tap water to prepare formula, you may want to use alternate sources of water or ask for advice from your health care provider. Nitrate levels above 10 ppm pose a particularly high health concern for infants under 6 months of age and can interfere with the capacity of the infant's blood to carry oxygen, resulting in a serious illness. Symptoms of serious illness include shortness of breath and blueness of the skin, known as "blue baby syndrome." Nitrate levels in drinking water can increase for short periods of time due to high levels of rainfall or agricultural activity, therefore we test for nitrate [insert applicable sampling frequency]. The highest level for nitrate found during [year] was [insert max nitrate level per 12VAC5-590-340] ppm."

Instead of the statement required in this subdivision, the owner may include the owner's own educational statement after receiving approval from the department.

4. All reports shall prominently display the following lead-specific language information: "If present, elevated levels of lead can cause serious health problems, especially for pregnant women and young children. Lead in drinking water is primarily from materials and components associated with service lines and home plumbing. (Name of Utility) is responsible for providing high quality drinking water, but cannot control the variety of materials used in plumbing components. When your water has been sitting for several hours, you can minimize the potential for lead exposure by flushing your tap for 30 seconds to two minutes before using water for drinking or cooking. If you are concerned about lead in your water, then you may wish to have your water tested. Information on lead in drinking water, testing methods, and steps you can take to minimize exposure is available from the Safe Drinking Water Hotline (800-426-4791) Lead can cause serious health problems, especially for pregnant women and young children. Lead in drinking water is primarily from materials and components associated with service lines and home plumbing. [Name of Waterworks] is responsible for providing high quality drinking water and removing lead pipes, but cannot control the variety of materials used in plumbing components in your home. You share the responsibility for protecting yourself and your family from the lead in your home plumbing. You can take responsibility by identifying and removing lead materials within your home plumbing and taking steps to reduce your family's risk. Before drinking tap water, flush your pipes for several minutes by running your tap, taking a shower, doing laundry or a load of dishes. You can also use a filter certified by an American National Standards Institute accredited certifier to reduce lead in drinking water. If you are concerned about lead in your water and wish to have your water tested, contact [Name of Waterworks and Contact Information]. Information on lead in drinking water, testing methods, and steps you can take to minimize exposure is available at http://www.epa.gov/safewater/lead."

Instead of the statement required in this subdivision, the owner may include the owner's educational statement after receiving approval from the department.

E. The owner of a community waterworks required to complete a Level 1 or a Level 2 assessment that is not due to an E. coli PMCL violation shall include in the report the text specified in subdivisions E 1, E 2, and E 3 of this section as appropriate, filling in the blanks accordingly, and shall include in the report the text specified in subdivision E 4 of this section, if appropriate.

1. "Coliforms are bacteria that are naturally present in the environment and are used as an indicator that other, potentially harmful, waterborne pathogens may be present or that a potential pathway exists through which contamination may enter the drinking water distribution system. We found coliforms indicating the need to look for potential problems in water treatment or distribution. When this occurs, we are required to conduct assessments to identify problems and to correct any problems that are found."

2. "During the past year Because we found coliforms during sampling, we were required to conduct (insert the number of Level 1 assessments) Level 1 assessments to identify possible sources of contamination. (insert the number of Level 1 assessments) Level 1 assessments were completed. In addition, we were required to take t (insert the number of corrective actions) corrective actions and we completed (insert the number of corrective actions) of these actions."

3. "During the past year Because we found coliforms during sampling, we were required to conduct (insert the number of Level 2 assessments) Level 2 detailed assessments were required to be completed for our waterworks to identify possible sources of contamination. (insert the number of Level 2 assessments) Level 2 assessments were completed. In addition, we were required to take (insert the number of corrective actions) corrective actions and we completed (insert the number of corrective actions) of these actions."

4. An owner that failed to complete all of the required assessments or correct all identified sanitary defects is in violation of the treatment technique requirement and shall also include one or both of the following statements, as appropriate:

a. "During the past year, we failed to conduct all of the required assessments."

b. "During the past year, we failed to correct all identified sanitary defects that were found during the assessments."

F. The owner of a community waterworks required to conduct Level 2 assessments due to an E. coli PMCL violation shall include in the report the text specified in subdivisions F 1 and F 2 of this section, filling in the blanks accordingly, and shall include in the report the text specified in subdivision F 3 of this section, if appropriate. An owner may use an alternative statement with equivalent information for subdivisions F 1-3, if approved by the department.

1. "E. coli are bacteria whose presence indicates that the water may be contaminated with human or animal wastes. Human pathogens in these wastes can cause short-term effects, such as diarrhea, cramps, nausea, headaches, or other symptoms. They may pose a greater health risk for infants, young children, the elderly, and people with severely compromised immune systems. We found E. coli bacteria, indicating the need to look for potential problems in water treatment or distribution. When this occurs, we are required to conduct assessments to identify problems and to correct any problems that are were found during those assessments."

2. "We were required to complete a Level 2 assessment because we found E. coli in our waterworks. In addition, we were required to take (insert number of corrective actions) corrective actions and we completed (insert number of corrective actions) of these actions."

3. Any owner that has failed to complete the required assessment or correct all identified sanitary defects is in violation of the treatment technique requirement and shall also include one or both of the following statements, as appropriate:

a. "We failed to conduct the required assessment."

b. "We failed to correct all sanitary defects that were identified during the assessment that we conducted."

4. If E. coli is detected in a waterworks and the E. coli PMCL is violated, in addition to completing the table as specified in subdivision C 3 d of this section, the owner shall include one or more of the following statements to describe any noncompliance, as applicable:

a. "We had an E. coli-positive repeat sample following a total coliform-positive routine sample."

b. "We had a total coliform-positive repeat sample following an E. coli-positive routine sample."

c. "We failed to collect all the required repeat samples following an E. coli-positive routine sample."

d. "We failed to test for E. coli when any repeat sample tested positive for total coliform."

5. If E. coli is detected in a waterworks and the E. coli PMCL is not violated, in addition to completing the table as specified in subdivision C 3 d of this section, the owner may include a statement that explains that although E. coli was detected, the owner is not in violation of the E. coli PMCL.

G. Waterworks required to comply with lead and copper control. Effective July 1, 2027:

1. The report shall notify consumers that complete lead tap sampling data are available for review and shall include information on how to access the data.

2. The report shall include a statement that a service line inventory (including inventories consisting only of a statement that there are no lead, galvanized requiring replacement, or lead status unknown service lines) has been prepared and include instructions to access the publicly available service line inventory. If the service line inventory is available online, the report must include the direct link to the inventory

3. The report shall contain a plainly worded explanation of the corrosion control efforts the system is taking in accordance with 12VAC5-590-375 and 12VAC5-590-405. Corrosion control efforts consist of treatment (e.g., pH adjustment, alkalinity adjustment, or corrosion inhibitor addition) and other efforts contributing to the control of the corrosivity of water, e.g., monitoring to assess the corrosivity of water. The owner may use one of the following templates or use their own explanation that includes equivalent information.

a. For a waterworks with department of EPA-designated Optimal Corrosion Control Treatment:

(1) "Corrosion of pipes, plumbing fittings and fixtures may cause lead and copper to enter drinking water. To assess corrosion of lead and copper, [name of waterworks] conducts tap sampling for lead and copper at selected sites [insert frequency at which system conducts tap sampling]. [Name of waterworks] treats water using [identify treatment method] to control corrosion, which was designated as the optimal corrosion control treatment by [the state or EPA, as applicable]. To ensure the treatment is operating effectively, [name of waterworks] monitors water quality parameters set by the [state or EPA, as applicable] [insert frequency at which waterworks conducts water quality parameter monitoring]."

(2) If applicable add: "[Name of waterworks] is currently conducting a study of corrosion control to determine if any changes to treatment methods are needed to minimize the corrosivity of the water."

b. For a waterworks without state or EPA designated Optimal Corrosion Control Treatment:

(1) "Corrosion of pipes, plumbing fittings and fixtures may cause metals, including lead and copper, to enter drinking water. To assess corrosion of lead and copper, [name of system] conducts tap sampling for lead and copper at selected sites [insert frequency at which waterworks conducts tap sampling]."

(2) If applicable, add: "[Name of waterworks] treats water using [identify treatment method] to control corrosion."

(3) If applicable add: "[Name of waterworks] is currently conducting a study of corrosion control to determine if any changes to treatment methods are needed to minimize the corrosivity of the water."

H. Report delivery, reporting, and recordkeeping.

1. Except as provided in subdivision 7 of this subsection, The the owner of a community waterworks shall mail or otherwise directly deliver one copy of the report to each customer,. except as follows:

a. The owner serving fewer than 10,000 persons shall have the option to either mail (or otherwise directly deliver) a copy of the report to each customer or publish the report in a local newspaper or newspapers of general circulation serving the area in which the waterworks is located by July 1 of each year; and An owner shall use at a minimum one of the following forms of delivery:

(1) Mail or hand deliver a paper copy of the report;

(2) Mail a notification that the report is available on a website via a direct link;

(3) Email a direct link or electronic version of the report; or

(4) Use another direct delivery method approved in writing by the department.

b. If the owner chooses to publish the report, then the owner shall inform customers, either in the newspaper in which the report is to be published or by other means approved by the department, that a copy of the report will not be mailed to them and that a copy of the report will be made available to the public upon request. An owner using electronic delivery methods in subdivision 1 a (2)-(4) of this subsection shall provide a copy of the report to any customer upon request. The notification method must prominently display directions for requesting such a copy.

c. An owner that chooses to electronically deliver a report by posting the report to a website and providing a notification either by mail or email:

(1) Shall make the report publicly available on the website at the time the notification is made;

(2) Shall prominently display the link and include an explanation of the nature of the link; and

(3) May use a web page to convey the information required in this section .

d. An owner that uses a publicly available website to provide a report must maintain public access to the report for no less than three years.

2. The owner of a community waterworks shall make a good faith effort to reach deliver the report to the consumers who are served by the waterworks but are not bill-paying customers do not get water bills, such as renters or workers, using means recommended by the department. This good faith effort shall include at least one, and preferably two or more, a mix of the following methods appropriate to the particular to reach the broadest range of persons served by the waterworks:

a. Posting the reports on the Internet;

b. Mailing to postal patrons in metropolitan areas the report or postcard with a link to the report to all service addresses and/or postal customers;

c. Using an opt in notification system to send emails and/or texts with links to the reports to interested consumers;

c d. Advertising the availability of the report in the news media;

d e. Publishing in a local newspaper or newsletter;

e f. Posting a copy of the report or notice of availability with links (or equivalents, such as Quick Response (QR) codes) in public places such as libraries, community centers, and cafeterias or lunch rooms of public buildings;

f g. Delivering multiple copies for distribution by single-biller customers such as apartment buildings or large private employers;

g h. Delivering to community organizations; or

h i. Using an opt-in notification system to send emails and/or texts with links to the reports to interested consumers;

I j. Holding a public meeting to educate consumers on the reports; or and

k. Other methods as approved by the department.

l. Where the owner is aware that the waterworks serves a substantial number of non-bill paying customers, the owner is encouraged to directly deliver the reports or notices of availability of the reports to service addresses.

m. Where the owner is aware of a substantial number of bill-paying consumers without access to electronic forms of the report, the owner should use at least one non-electronic form of delivery.

3. No later than July 1 of each year 10 days after the date the owner is required to distribute the report to the waterworks’ customers, the owner of a community waterworks shall provide a copy of the report to the department, followed within three months by and a certification that the report has been distributed to customers and that the information in the report is correct and consistent with the compliance monitoring data previously submitted to the department.

4. No later than July 1 of each year the date the owner is required to distribute the report to its customers, the owner of a community waterworks shall deliver the report to any other agency or clearinghouse identified by the department.

5. The owner of a community waterworks shall make its reports available to the public upon request. The owner should make a reasonable effort to provide the reports in an accessible format to anyone who requests an accommodation.

6. The owner of a community waterworks serving 100,000 50,000 or more persons shall post its current year’s report to a publicly-accessible site on the internet.

7. The Governor or their designee can waive the requirement of subdivision 1 of this subsection for community waterworks serving fewer than 10,000 persons.

a. The owner of such a waterworks shall:

(1) Publish the reports in one or more local newspapers or on one or more local online news sites serving the area in which the system is located;

(2) Inform the customers that the reports will not be mailed, either in the newspapers in which the reports are published or by other means approved by the department; and

(3) Make the reports available to the public upon request.

b. The owner of a waterworks serving 500 or fewer persons may forego the requirements of subdivisions 7 a (1) and (2) of this subsection if the owner provides notice that the report is available upon request at least once per year to the customers by mail, door-to-door delivery or by posting in one or more locations where persons served by the waterworks can reasonably be expected to see it.

7 8. The owner of a community waterworks shall retain copies of the report for no less than three years.

9. The owner of a waterworks serving 100,000 or more persons shall develop a plan for providing assistance to consumers with limited English proficiency. The owner shall evaluate the languages spoken by persons with limited English proficiency served by the waterworks, and the owner’s anticipated approach to address translation needs. The owner shall provide the first plan to the department with the first report in 2027. Plans shall be evaluated annually and updated as necessary and reported with the certification required in subdivision 3 of this subsection.

10. Delivery timing and biannual delivery:

a. Each owner of a community waterworks shall distribute reports by July 1 each year. Each report distributed by July 1 shall use data collected during, or prior to, the previous calendar year using methods described in subsection 1 of this section.

b. Beginning January 1, 2027, each owner of a community waterworks serving 10,000 or more persons shall distribute the report biannually, or twice per calendar year, by December 31 using methods described in subsection 1 of this section.

c. Beginning January 1, 2027, an owner required to comply with subdivision b of this subdivision, with a violation or action level exceedance that occurred between January 1 and June 30 of the current year or have received monitoring results from required monitoring under the Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Rule in 40 CFR§141.40, shall include a 6-month update with the second report with the following:

(1) A short description of the nature of the 6-month update and the biannual delivery.

(2) If a waterworks receives an MCL, MRDL, or treatment technique violation, the 6-month update shall include the applicable contaminant section information in subsection C 4 of this section, and a readily understandable explanation of the violation including: the length of the violation, the potential adverse health effects, actions taken by the system to address the violation, and timeframe the waterworks expects to complete those actions. To describe the potential health effects, the owner must use the relevant language of 12VAC5-590-546 B.

(3) If a waterworks receives any other violation, the 6-month update shall include the information in subdivision C 6 of this subsection.

(4) If a waterworks exceeded the lead action level following monitoring conducted between January 1 and June 30 of the current year, the owner shall include information identified in subdivision C 4 d (4) and C 8 of this subdivision.

(5) For a waterworks monitoring under the Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Rule in 40 CFR§141.40 that becomes aware of results for samples collected during the reporting year but were not included in the reports distributed by July 1, the owner shall include information as required by subdivision C 4 e of this subdivision.

I. Summary of report contents.

1. Each report shall include a summary displayed prominently at the beginning of the report, including a brief description of the nature of the report.

2. The owner shall include, at a minimum, the following information in the summary:

a. Summary of violations and compliance information included in the report required by subdivision C 6 of this subsection, 12VAC5-590-379 for groundwater systems, and 12VAC5-590-380.

b. Contact information for owner, operator, or designee of the community waterworks as a source of additional information concerning the report, per subdivision C 7 b of this section.

3. If applicable, the owner of a waterworks shall include the following in the summary:

a. For a waterworks using delivery methods in subsection 1 a of this section, the summary shall include directions for consumers to request a paper copy of the report, as described in subsection 1 b of this section.

b. For a waterworks subject to subdivision I 3 b of this subsection because it serves a large proportion of consumers with limited English proficiency, the summary shall include information where consumers may obtain a translated copy of the report, or get assistance in the appropriate language(s).

c. For a waterworks using the report to also meet the public notification requirements of 12VAC5-590-540, the summary shall specify that it is also serving to provide public notification of one or more violations or situations, provide a brief statement about the nature of the notice(s), and a brief description of how to locate the notice(s) in the report.

4. The summary should be written in plain language and may use infographics.

5. For a waterworks required to include a 6-month update with the second report under subdivision H 10 of this subsection, the summary should include a brief description of the nature of the report and update, noting the availability of new information for the current year (between January and June).

6. The report summary shall include the following standard language to encourage the distribution of the report to all persons served: "Please share this information with anyone who drinks this water (or their guardians), especially those who may not have received this report directly (for example, people in apartments, nursing homes, schools, and businesses). You can do this by posting this report in a public place or distributing copies by hand, mail, email, or another method.