Tap Line - Volume IV, Issue 1

Florida Department of Environmental Protection sent this bulletin at 01/19/2016 05:12 PM EST

Volume IV, Issue 1 January - June 2016

Happy New Year!

The New Year always brings changes and new beginnings. With that in mind, welcome to the new and improved Tap Line! Not only do we have a new banner/logo (special thanks to our own Ashley Livingston for the design), but we also have a new delivery method via GovDelivery.

Also, in November 2015 the brand new Northwest District Wastewater newsletter “Clarifier” debuted. If you are interested in receiving a copy of this newsletter, please sign up here.

What's due for your system in the 2016 Chemical Sampling Year?

Community Systems
Large and small community systems have a light year for sampling in 2016. All community systems will be required to monitor for Nitrate and Nitrite this year. All community systems with a population over 500 will be required to monitor for the Stage 2 Disinfection Byproducts in the summer months (July-August). If your system is on increased monitoring due to high levels, quarterly sampling will be required. Sampling should be done in accordance with an approved sampling plan. If you do not have an updated plan or cannot locate your plan, please contact Nicole Hetzel at Nicole.Hetzel@dep.state.fl.us or
(850) 595-0660. There are a few community systems that will be required to monitor for lead and copper in 2016. If you are not sure of your sampling schedule for lead and copper, please contact Karianne Pezdirtz at Karianne.Pezdirtz@dep.state.fl.us or
(850) 595-0632. Some systems may be on increased monitoring for certain chemicals and, if so, you will be advised in your Annual Monitoring Notice.

Non-transient Non-community (NTNC) Systems NTNCs have a full year for sampling in 2016. All NTNCs are required to monitor for the inorganic contaminants including nitrate and nitrite, volatile organic contaminants, synthetic organic contaminants and stage 2 disinfection byproducts. If you failed to monitor for the radiological contaminants during the grandfather period ending in 2015, you are required to take quarterly samples for gross alpha, radium 226/228 and uranium. If gross alpha is below 5 picocuries/Liter (pCi/L) you do not need to sample for radium 226 and if it is below 15 pCi/L you do not need to sample for uranium. Many of the NTNC systems will also be required to monitor for lead and copper. If you are not sure of your sampling schedule for lead and copper, please contact Karianne Pezdirtz at Karianne.Pezdirtz@dep.state.fl.us or
(850) 595-0632.

Transient Non-Community (TNCs) Systems TNCs are only required to monitor for Nitrate and Nitrite in 2016. TNCs are non-community systems that do not regularly serve at least 25 of the same persons over six months of the year (as long as they have fewer than 25 persons working six months or more per year.) TNCs include churches, convenience stores, parks, travel parks, restaurants, etc.

All systems will receive an Annual Monitoring Notice in early 2016 outlining your sampling requirements for 2016. If you have any questions about your chemical monitoring requirements, please contact Toni Touart at Toni.Touart-Rohlke@dep.state.fl.us or (850) 595-0658.

How many community public water systems are there in the United States?
How many households use private wells for their water supply?
How much water does an individual use daily?
How much of the human body is water?
How much of the Earth's water is made up of ocean or seas?

Northwest District's award winning Potable Water Systems and Wastewater Facilities!

The Northwest District had an outstanding presence at the Florida Rural Water Association (FRWA) Annual Conference in Daytona Beach in August 2015. Six of the ten FRWA Award Winners were from the Northwest District. We always knew our systems and the people running them were the best!

Congratulations on the following awards:

System Office Employee: Cheri Bills/Auburn Water System, Inc.;
Drinking Water Operator of the Year: Daryl Peek/Chumuckla Water System, Inc.;
Wastewater Operator of the Year: Robert Joe Fosdick/Destin Water Users, Inc.;
Distribution/Collection Operator of the Year: Robin Arnett/Alligator Point Water Resources;
Medium Wastewater System of the Year: Destin Water Users, Inc.; and
FRWA Special Recognition Award: John Pope/FDEP NW District.

In addition, Bristol, Gonzalez, Joyce E. Snare, Laurel Hill, Point Baker, East Milton, Sopchoppy and Westville water systems were recognized as 30-year members of the FRWA.

Bay North Homeowners Association, Milton, Okaloosa County Water & Sewer, and Santa Rosa County were recognized as 20-year members!

We are very proud of our Northwest District systems and personnel!

Don't Forget!

As a reminder, the Revised Total Coliform Rule (RTCR) goes into effect for all Florida public water systems April 1, 2016. The revisions authorize sampling reductions for some systems, changes to followup sampling after total coliform-positive (TC+) routine results for many systems, and the elimination of maximum contaminant level (MCL) violations for TC+ results (MCL violations will remain for E. coli + results.) Also, rather than incurring an MCL violation in response to excessive TC+ results, the RTCR will require instead Level 1 and Level 2 system assessments aimed at correction of problems that may have contributed to the positive results. As a result of these revisions, many systems will need to make changes to their Bacteriological Monitoring Plans.

Some areas of Florida’s RTCR rule implementation are still under review at this time; however, full details of the state’s final requirements will be presented at the next FRWA/FDEP Focus On Change Seminar in February. Questions should be addressed to Dave Hines at (850) 595-0593 or David.Hines@dep.state.fl.us.

For more information please see the following guidance from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency:

In the Spotlight!

Joey Whibbs

Joey is the newest addition to the Pensacola office’s potable water section. He started with us in 2014. He is a graduate of the University of West Florida with a degree in Environmental Science and a certificate in Geographic Information Systems (GIS.) Shortly after graduating in 2010, Joey joined the DEP in the Office of Emergency Response and supported the department's response efforts to the Deepwater Horizon oil spill. When the department's formal response phase ended, Joey transitioned to the Potable Water section and assumed the duties of monthly operating reports, boil water notices and inspections. Joey has proven to be an asset to our program and we are happy to have him on our team.

We are here to help.

Request assistance from DEP staff.

If you ever need help with something regarding DEP potable water regulations, please consider using our Public Outreach Request Form.

This form will help us connect you with the right person to assist you with a variety of regulatory topics such as chemical or bacteriological compliance, monthly operation reports, valve maintenance, consumer confidence reports and more. We can contact and correspond with you via email or phone, and even visit onsite if requested.

To request assistance, click here and select “Drinking Water Compliance Assistance Site Visit” from the dropdown menu.

Trivia Answers:

54,000
More than 13 million.
Over 100 gallons.
66%.
97%.

Source: EPA/govsafewater/kids/water_trivia_facts

Water Main Replacement and Relocation

We are pleased to inform you of an important change to the requirements for replacement and/or relocation of existing potable water mains. Rule 62-555.520(1)(c)2., Florida Administrative Code (F.A.C.), states a permit is not required for the replacement of any existing water main with a new main at the same location as the existing main, provided the new main will be either the same size as the existing main, no more than two sizes larger than the existing main, or no larger than the minimum size required or recommended in Recommended Standards for Water Works as incorporated into Rule 62-555.330, F.A.C. In the past, the department maintained that a permit was required to replace or relocate existing mains unless it was installed in the same trench. The “same trench” meant the same exact location which, in practicality, ruled out anything other than trenchless technology, otherwise known as pipe bursting, or excavation/removal of the existing main and installation of the new main in the same location as the removed main.

Recently, the department revised this replacement/relocation criteria for when a permit is required. “Same location” means within the same right-of-way, easement or site in which the existing main is located, provided the new main will be either the same size as the existing main, no more than two sizes larger than the existing main or no larger than the minimum size required or recommended in Recommended Standards for Water Works. In these cases, the utility will only need to notify the department in accordance with Rule 62-555.520(1)(c)2., F.A.C. Each notification shall be submitted to the appropriate DEP District Office and shall include the following:

Purpose for the replacement or relocation;
A description of the scope;
Location of the work or alterations;
Assurance that the work or alterations will comply with applicable requirements in Part III of Chapter 62-555, F.A.C., including applicable requirements in the engineering references listed in Rule 62-555.330, F.A.C; and
A site plan or sketch of the work to be completed.

Suppliers of water may begin such work or alterations 14 days after providing notification (email submittals are acceptable) to the department unless they are advised by the department that the notification is incomplete or that a construction permit is required because the work/alterations is/are not as described above. Please note that this new interpretation of “same location” for replacement/relocation criteria for potable water distribution permitting does not apply to the permitting of Collection Systems and Transmission Facilities pursuant to Rule 62-604.600(2)(a), F.A.C.

Permit determinations or questions regarding the replacement and/or relocation of wastewater collection systems and transmission facilities should be directed to Bill Evans, (850) 595-0584, or email Bill.Evans@dep.state.fl.us. Questions or electronic submittals of notification concerning the replacement and/or relocation of potable water mains should be directed to John Pope,
(850) 595-0633, or email John.Pope@dep.state.fl.us.

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