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Revised Total Coliform Rule goes into effect April 1

Announcement from Washington State Department of Health Office of Drinking Water.

To learn more, attend our Training Opportunity – Water Board “Bible” and Revised Coliform Rule April 16th 2016 at Heller Road Fire Station, 2720 SW Heller Road, Oak Harbor, WA 98277. Pre-register using the Training Opportunity Pre-Registration Form

RTCR Information for Group A Water Systems

 

Washington State

Department of Health

Office of Drinking Water

 

Please do not reply to this mailbox.

 

On April 1 the Revised Total Coliform Rule (RTCR) will go into effect.  The major changes include:

  • Systems serving 1,000 or fewer people will have to collect three (3) repeat samples (instead of 4) for every unsatisfactory routine sample result each month.
  • Systems serving 4,100 or fewer people will have to collect their normal number of routine samples (instead of 5) in a month following an unsatisfactory sample during the previous month.
  • A repeat sample can no longer be used to satisfy the Groundwater Rule’s triggered source sampling requirement. Collect an untreated (“raw”) water sample at each groundwater source in response to an unsatisfactory result and mark it “Raw – GWR” on your coliform lab slip.
  • All systems have greater flexibility in selecting repeat sampling locations. Call your regional office for more information.
  • All systems must conduct a Level 1 assessment within 30 days of any of the following events:
    • A failure to collect three repeat samples for each unsatisfactory routine sample
    • Two or more unsatisfactory coliform sample results are reported for the same month by systems that collect less than 40 routine samples in a month
    • Five percent or more unsatisfactory coliform sample results are reported for the same month by systems that collect 40 or more routine samples in a month
  • All systems must conduct a Level 2 assessment within 30 days of any of the following events:
    • Confirmation of E. coli contamination
    • Second failure in a 12-month period to collect three repeat samples for each unsatisfactory routine sample
    • Second time in a 12-month period that two or more unsatisfactory coliform sample results are reported in the same month for systems that collect less than 40 routine samples in a month
    • Second time in a 12-month period that five percent or more unsatisfactory coliform sample results are reported in the same month for systems that collect 40 or more routine samples in a month

For more RTCR information and to access the Level 1 and Level 2 assessment forms go to our RTCR web page.

 

Please do not reply to this mailbox. This mailbox is not monitored. If you have questions, call your regional Coliform Program Manager:

 

Northwest Regional Office, Kent

Coliform Program: 253-395-6775, Main Office: 253-395-6750

 

Southwest Regional Office, Tumwater

Coliform Program: 360-236-3044, Main Office: 360-236-3030

 

Eastern Regional Office, Spokane

Coliform Program: 509-329-2134, Main Office: 509-329-2100

 

 

Washington State Department of Health

PO Box 47820

Olympia, WA 98504-7820