WAC 246-260-111   Water quality standards, analysis, and sample collection.  (1) Contamination. Owners shall maintain water free from harmful levels of disease producing organisms, toxic chemicals, or adverse physical conditions.

     (2) Bacteriological standards. Owners shall maintain WRF pool waters to meet the following standards of bacteriological quality:

     (a) Heterotrophic plate counts may not exceed two hundred bacteria per milliliter in two consecutive tests;

     (b) Total coliform may not exceed an average of one coliform per sample of one hundred milliliters in two consecutive tests when using the membrane filter test; and

     (c) Total coliform may not exceed 2.2 bacteria per sample of one hundred milliliters of water in two consecutive samples when using the most probable number (MPN) method.

     (3) Disinfection.

     (a) Owners shall maintain continuous disinfection of WRF pool water at all times by using:

     (i) Chlorine or bromine concentrations specified in Table 111.1 of Appendix A;

     (ii) Ozone may be used as a supplement to primary disinfection, but not a replacement.

     (A) Minimum levels of primary disinfectant (chlorine or bromine) may not be less than required minimums.

     (B) Ozonator units must meet the requirements of NSF standard 50 and be listed by NSF or an equivalent laboratory testing to NSF standard 50 and providing readily available listing.

     (C) Maximum levels of ozone that can be produced by ozone generating device in the atmosphere above the pool water or the room where ozone is generated may not exceed 0.05 ppm.

     (iii) Copper or copper silver disinfection processes may be used as a supplement to primary disinfection, but not a replacement.

     (A) Minimum levels of primary disinfectant (chlorine or bromine) may not be less than required minimums.

     (B) Copper or copper/silver disinfection units must meet requirements of NSF standard 50 and be listed by NSF or an equivalent laboratory testing to NSF standard 50 and providing readily available listing.

     (C) Maximum levels of copper that can be produced in the pool water are 1.0 ppm copper and 0.05 ppm of silver; or

     (iv) An alternative disinfectant registered with EPA and WSDA.

     (b) Any primary or supplemental alternative disinfectant shall be used in conformance with guidelines established by the department and NSF standard 50.

     (c) Alternative disinfectants must be evaluated using EPA document "Guide Standard and Protocol for Testing Microbiological Water Purifiers" by Campt and Cotruvo, EPA, April, 1986.

     (4) Chemical and physical quality.

     (a) Owners shall maintain physical and chemical conditions in WRF pool water within the ranges specified under Table 111.2 of Appendix A;

     (b) Owners shall maintain cleanliness of WRF pool water by:

     (i) Closing an affected WRF pool when contaminated with feces, blood, vomit, sewage, or other hazardous or unknown material until the area is clean, disinfected, and free of the hazardous material;

     (ii) Daily removal of scum or floating material on the pool water surface;

     (iii) Continuous removal of scum or floating material by overflow action of pool water with flotsam screened and filtered; and

     (iv) Maintaining sanitary walking surfaces.

     (5) Laboratory sampling and testing. Water samples for laboratory analyses required by this chapter must be:

     (a) Analyzed in accordance with the twentieth edition of standard methods for the examination of water and waste/water analysis, published jointly by the American Public Health Association/Water Pollution Control Federation and AWWA;

     (b) Collected in bottles approved by the local health officer;

     (c) Collected and transported by procedures specified in standard methods listed in (a) of this subsection; and

     (d) Analyzed at a laboratory approved by the local health officer.

     (6) Field testing. Owners shall have and use field-testing equipment:

     (a) To measure disinfectant residuals, pH, alkalinity, cyanuric acid (when used in pool) and any other chemicals routinely used in the pool water;

     (b) To detect chlorine gas at pools where compressed chlorine gas is used, using commercial strength ammonia vapor; and

     (c) With accuracy in the ranges of measurements specified in Table 111.3 of Appendix A.

     (7) Chemicals in pool. Owners shall ensure addition of chemicals or materials to WRF pool waters occurs only when the use is accepted by the department or local health officer.

     (8) Additional tests. Owners shall perform any additional tests of WRF pool water or air required by the department or local health officer to assure public safety.



[Statutory Authority: Chapters 70.90 and 43.20 RCW. 04-18-096, § 246-260-111, filed 9/1/04, effective 10/31/04.]