Section 812.37. Water treatment.

 

(1)   Scope. This section applies to treatment of water for potable use in a private or noncommunity water system except for the disinfection treatment, batch chlorination, and acidification prescribed in ss. NR 812.22 and 812.41 .

(2)   General standards.

(a) Water treatment devices installed in a water system shall have a plumbing product approval in accordance with chs. SPS 382 and 384 .

(b) A water supply to be treated for health related contaminants or requiring approval under sub. (3) shall produce bacteriologically safe water prior to treatment, unless the department determines that a bacteriologically safe water supply is not available. The water system owner or operator shall assure that the water supply remains bacteriologically safe after installation of a water treatment device. Health related contaminants are those contaminants for which: primary drinking water standards are established in ch. NR 809 , public health groundwater quality standards are established in ch. NR 140 , and health advisories are established on a contaminant specific basis by the department.

(c) Water treatment devices shall be installed in accordance with the manufacturer's printed instructions, chs. SPS 382 and 384 , and, if specified, department written installation approval conditions. If there is a conflict between the manufacturer's instructions and the code requirements or approval conditions, the code requirements and approval conditions shall take precedence.

(d) Water treatment devices shall be installed by a:

1. DSPS licensed plumber if installed following the pressure tank;

2. Licensed pump installer if installed before the pressure tank; or

3. Property owner in a one family building owned and occupied by the owner as their home or farm building, except where a DSPS licensed plumber is required by local ordinance.

(e) Treatment for control of bacteriologically unsafe water in a private or noncommunity water system or for control of contaminant levels in excess of primary drinking water standards or health advisories in a noncommunity water system shall be considered only after constructing a new well or reconstructing an existing well in accordance with criteria specified by the department staff or after the department determines that an alternative safe water system is not available.

(f) The installation of a water treatment device shall supplement and not replace proper well location, construction and water supply protection.

(g) Unless otherwise stated in the department's installation approval, treatment devices requiring approval under sub. (3) shall be designed and installed to assure control of all water provided by the water system. The department's installation approval may exclude treatment of water being supplied for certain uses including, but not limited to, outside hose bibbs, fire protection systems, boilers used for space heating, turf sprinkler systems and non-food process water.

(h) Discharge or disposal of contaminated wastewater, filter media, or gases shall comply with applicable State and Federal regulations.

(i) All chemicals used for addition to a water system shall be certified by NSF according to NSF Standard No. 60 or shall be approved by the department.

(3)   Installation approval required. Department installation approval shall be obtained prior to installation if any of the following conditions apply:

(a) The water treatment device is intended to control bacteriologically unsafe water.

(b) The water treatment device is to be installed on or within the well or when water treatment occurs within the well.

(c) The water treatment device is intended to control contaminant levels in excess of primary drinking water standards in a private water system and the contaminant levels exceed the influent concentrations specified in the DSPS plumbing product approval letter.

(d) The water treatment device or treatment system is intended to control corrosion or to control, or remove or prevent contaminant levels in excess of primary drinking water standards, health advisories or action levels in a noncommunity water system.

(e) The department informs the water system owner or operator that the water system contamination is complex and department installation approval of a water treatment device is required. Complex contamination of a water system may include, but is not limited to the following:

1. Multiple contaminants;

2. Contaminants in excess of health advisory levels; or

3. Contaminants in excess of public health groundwater quality standards.

(f) The department has ordered the discontinued use of a water system.

(g) Fluoride treatment of a water system.

(h) The installation of a water treatment plant facility.

(4)   Application and approval conditions.

(a) In addition to the information required in s. NR 812.09 (2) , the department may require the applicant to describe the proposed water treatment device; provide a sketch of the proposed installation; include information on results of an analysis of coliform bacteria of a water sample taken from the water supply within 6 weeks of application and analysis of contaminants intended to be controlled by the water treatment device; and describe the proposed water quality monitoring, operating, and maintenance programs. Additional sampling and information may be requested depending on the nature of the contamination and other site specific conditions. Analysis of water samples for bacteria shall be performed by a laboratory certified by DATCP under ch. ATCP 77 or the Wisconsin state laboratory of hygiene.

(b) The department may require operational procedures including periodic sampling and analysis, device maintenance, and inspection provisions in its installation approval of a water treatment device.

(c) The department may require the owner to file a statement on the property deed regarding the need for a water treatment device.

(d) The department may require the water system owner or operator to shut off, by pass or disconnect a water treatment device installed upstream of the first sampling faucet after the well for a period of up to two weeks in order to obtain a sample of untreated water for purposes of analysis for coliform bacteria or other contaminants.

(e) At a minimum, fluoride treatment installations or corrosion control treatment system installations shall comply with the following standards:

1. The fluoride or the corrosion control chemical is added with a positive displacement-type feed pump;

2. A spring loaded check valve is installed between the positive displacement-type feed pump and the point of injection to prevent backflow of untreated water into the solution tank;

3. A spring loaded check valve is installed to prevent the siphoning of fluoride or corrosion control chemical into the water;

4. The feed pump and the well pump are electrically wired in interlock with a flow switch connected in series from the feed pump into the well pump and there are no water outlets upstream of the point of fluoride or corrosion control chemical injection;

5. The feed pump has a metering device for measuring fluoride or corrosion control chemical flow rates; and

6. The chemical storage tank is covered and installed at an elevation lower than the feed pump.

History: Cr. Register, January, 1991, No. 421 , eff. 2-1-91; am. (3) (d), (4) (e) (intro.), 1., 3. to 6., cr. (2) (i), (3) (h), Register, September, 1994, No. 465 , eff. 10-1-94; corrections in (2) (a) and (c) made under s. 13.93 (2m) (b) 7., Stats., Register, May, 2000, No. 533 ; correction in (2) (a), (c), (d) 1., 3. made under s. 13.92 (4) (b) 6., 7., Stats., Register December 2011 No. 672 ; CR 13-099 : am. (4) (a) Register September 2014 No. 705 , eff. 10-1-14.

Note

The department recommends that a bacteriologically safe water supply be used when any water treatment device is installed for removal of any contaminant for any purpose. Microsoft Windows NT 6.1.7601 Service Pack 1 - See PDF for diagram Figure 44. Pump installation for a well with a submersible pump and a buried pressure tank less than 1,000 gallons, middle drawing, or greater than 1,000 gallons, at right. Microsoft Windows NT 6.1.7601 Service Pack 1 The listed NSF standard is available for inspection at the department of natural resources, the secretary of state and the legislative reference bureau, and may be obtained for personal use from the National Sanitation Foundation Testing Laboratories, Inc.; P.O. Box 1468, Ann Arbor, MI 48106. Microsoft Windows NT 6.1.7601 Service Pack 1 - See PDF for diagram Figure 44a. Reservoir specifications. Microsoft Windows NT 6.1.7601 Service Pack 1 - See PDF for diagram Figure 45. Minimum requirements for approved new well pits. Microsoft Windows NT 6.1.7601 Service Pack 1 Primary drinking water standards are contained in ch. NR 809 . Microsoft Windows NT 6.1.7601 Service Pack 1 All owners or operators of water systems containing contaminants should consider the merits and availability of a naturally safe water system prior to considering the alternative of long-term water treatment device installation and use. If water treatment has been selected, then point-of-entry water treatment devices should be considered for those contaminants that may have dermal or inhalation exposure routes. Microsoft Windows NT 6.1.7601 Service Pack 1