Section 440. Analytical methods  


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  • All drinking water analyses for compliance purposes shall have been performed by analytical methods that are consistent with current U.S. Environmental Protection Agency regulations found at 40 CFR Part 141 and 40 CFR Part 143. Laboratories seeking certification to perform drinking water analyses shall comply with all applicable regulations promulgated by the Department of General Services, Division of Consolidated Laboratory Services.

    Testing for alkalinity, calcium, conductivity, disinfectant residual, orthophosphate, pH, silica, temperature, and turbidity for compliance purposes may be performed by any person or party acceptable to the commissioner.

    Table 2.2 ― Inorganic Chemicals.

    Substance

    Primary Maximum Contaminant Level (mg/L)

    Antimony

    0.006

    Arsenic (As)

    0.010***

    Asbestos

    7 Million Fibers/Liter (longer than 10 um)

    Barium (Ba)

    2

    Beryllium

    0.004

    Cadmium (Cd)

    0.005

    Chromium (Cr)

    0.1

    Cyanide (as free Cyanide)

    0.2

    Fluoride (F)

    4.0 #

    Mercury (Hg)

    0.002

    Nickel

    No Limits Designated

    Nitrate (as N)

    10**

    Nitrite (as N)

    1

    Total Nitrate and Nitrite (as N)

    10

    Selenium (Se)

    0.05

    Thallium

    0.002

    Substance

    Secondary Maximum Contaminant Level (mg/L)

    Chloride (Cl)

    250.0

    Copper (Cu)

    1.0

    Corrosivity

    Noncorrosive, See Appendix B

    Fluoride

    2.0

    Foaming Agents

    0.5*

    Iron (Fe)

    0.3

    Manganese (Mn)

    0.05

    Sodium (Na)

    No Limits Designated

    Sulfate (SO4)

    250.0

    Zinc (Zn)

    5.0

    Substance

    Action Level (mg/L)

    Lead (Pb)

    0.015

    Copper (Cu)

    1.3

    # Note. For artificially fluoridated waterworks the minimum concentration of fluoride should be 0.8 mg/L and the maximum should be 1.0 mg/L. The optimum control limit is 0.9 mg/L. (See Appendix B)

    *Note. Concentration reported in terms of Methylene Blue Active Substances.

    **Note. See Appendix B for Exception Regarding Noncommunity Waterworks.

    ***Note. The PMCL for arsenic is 0.010 mg/L for community and nontransient noncommunity waterworks effective January 23, 2006. Arsenic sampling results shall be reported to the nearest 0.001 mg/L.

    Table 2.3 ― Organic Chemicals.

    Substance

    Primary Maximum Contaminant Levels (mg/L)

    VOC

    1. Vinyl Chloride

    0.002

    2. Benzene

    0.005

    3. Carbon Tetrachloride

    0.005

    4. 1,2‑Dichloroethane

    0.005

    5. Trichloroethylene (TCE)

    0.005

    6. 1,1‑Dichloroethylene

    0.007

    7. 1,1,1‑Trichloroethane

    0.2

    8. para‑Dichlorobenzene

    0.075

    9. cis‑1,2‑Dichloroethylene

    0.07

    10. 1,2‑Dichloropropane

    0.005

    11. Ethylbenzene

    0.7

    12. Monochlorobenzene

    0.1

    13. o‑Dichlorobenznen

    0.6

    14. Styrene

    0.1

    15. Tetrachloroethylene

    0.005

    16. Toluene

    1

    17. trans‑1,2‑Dichloroethylene

    0.1

    18. Xylene (total)

    10

    19. Dichloromethane

    0.005

    20. 1,2,4‑Trichlorobenzene

    0.07

    21. 1,1,2‑Trichloroethane

    0.05

    SOC

    1. Alachlor

    0.002

    2. Atrazine

    0.003

    3. Carbofuran

    0.04

    4. Chlordane

    0.002

    5. Heptachlor

    0.0004

    6. Heptachlor epoxide

    0.0002

    7. Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs)

    0.0005

    8. Dibromochloropropane (DBCP)

    0.0002

    9. Ethylene dibromide (EDB)

    0.00005

    10. Lindane

    0.0002

    11. Methoxychlor

    0.04

    12. Toxaphene

    0.003

    13.4‑Dichlorophenoxyacetic Acid (2,4‑D)

    0.07

    14. 2,4,5‑Trichlorophenoxypropionic Acid (2,4,5‑TP or Silvex)

    0.05

    15. Reserved

    16. Reserved

    17. Reserved

    18. Pentachlorophenol

    0.001

    19. Benzo(a)pyrene

    0.0002

    20. Dalapon

    0.2

    21. Di(2‑ethylhexy)adipate

    0.4

    22. Di(2‑ethylhexy)phthalate

    0.006

    23. Dinoseb

    0.007

    24. Diquat

    0.02

    25. Endothall

    0.1

    26. Endrin

    0.002

    27. Glyphosate

    0.7

    28. Hexachlorobenzene

    0.001

    29. Hexachlorocyclopentadiene

    0.05

    30. Oxamyl (Vydate)

    0.2

    31. Picloram

    0.5

    32. Simazine

    0.004

    33. 2,3,7,8‑TCDD (Dioxin)

    3 X 10-8

    Table 2.4 ― Physical Quality.

    Parameter

    Maximum Contaminant Level

    Concentration

    Color

    Secondary

    15 Color Units

    Odor

    Secondary

    3 Threshold odor numbers

    pH

    Secondary

    6.5‑8.5

    Total Dissolved

    Secondary

    500 mg/L Solids (TDS)

    Turbidity

    Primary

    *1 Turbidity Unit

    * See Appendix B for operational requirements.

    Table 2.5 ― Radiological Quality.

    A. Maximum Contaminant Level Goals for Radionuclides

    Substance

    MCLG

    1. Combined radium-226 and radium-228

    Zero

    2. Gross alpha particle activity (excluding Radon and uranium)

    Zero

    3. Beta particle and photon radioactivity

    Zero

    4. Uranium

    Zero

    B. Primary Maximum Contaminant Levels for Radionuclides

    Substance

    Primary Maximum Contaminant Level

    1. Combined radium‑226 and radium‑228

    5 pCi/L

    2. Gross Alpha Activity (excluding Radon and Uranium)

    15 pCi/L

    3. Uranium

    30 μg/L

    Primary Maximum Contaminant Levels for Beta Particle and Photon Radioactivity from Man-Made Radionuclides

    1. The average annual concentration of Beta particle and Photon radioactivity from man-made radionuclides in drinking water shall not produce an annual dose equivalent to the total body or any internal organ greater than 4 millirem/year.

    2. Except for the radionuclides listed in Schedule I, the concentration of man-made radionuclides causing 4 MREM total body or organ dose equivalents shall be calculated on the basis of a 2 liter per day drinking water intake using the 168-hour data listed in "Maximum Permissible Body Burdens and Maximum Permissible Concentrations of Radionuclides in Air and Water for Occupational Exposure," MBS Handbook 69 as amended August 1963, U.S. Department of Commerce. If two or more radionuclides are present, the sum of their annual dose equivalent to the total body or to any organ exceed 4 millirem/year.

    Schedule 1

    Average annual concentrations assumed to produce a total body organ dose of 4 mrem/year.

    Radionuclide

    Critical Organ

    pCi/liter

    Tritium

    Total Body

    20,000

    Strontium‑90

    Bone Marrow

    8

    * See Appendix B

    Table 2.6 ― Unregulated Contaminant Organics to be Monitored.

    Group A

    1. Chloroform

    12. Chloromethane

    2. Bromodichloromethane

    13. Bromoethane

    3. Chlorodibromomethane

    14. 1,2,3‑Trichloropropane

    4. Bromoform

    15. 1,1,1,2-Tetrachloroethane

    5. Chlorobenzene

    16. Chloroethane

    6. m‑Dichlorobenzene

    17. 2,2‑Dichloropropane

    7. Dibromomethane

    18. o‑Chlorotoluene

    8. 1,1‑Dichloropropene

    19. p‑Chlorotoluene

    9. 1,1‑Dichloroethane

    20. Bromobenzene

    10. 1,1,2,2‑Tetrachloroethane

    21. 1,3‑Dichloropropene

    11. 1,3‑Dichloropropane

    Group B

    1. Aldrin

    8. Metoachlor

    2. Butachlor

    9. Metribuzin

    3. Carbaryl

    10. Propachlor

    4. Dicamba

    11. Aldicarb

    5. Dieldrin

    12. Aldicarb sulfone

    6. Methomyl

    13. Aldicarb sulfoxide

    7. 3‑Hyposycarbofuran

    Table 2.7 ― Reserved

    Table 2.8 ― Organic Chemical Monitoring Implementation Schedule.

    Number of Persons Served

    Monitoring to Begin During the Quarter that Begins

    Over 10,000

    January 1,1988

    3,300 to 10,000

    January 1,1989

    less than 3,300

    January 1,1991

    Table 2.9 ― PMCL Effective Dates.

    Table 2.3, Organics Chemicals, VOC 1 through 8 (Phase I)

    January 9, 1989

    Total Trihalomethanes and Fluoride

    July 1, 1991

    Table 2.3, Organics Chemicals, VOC 9 through 18 and SOC 1 through 14 (Phase II VOCs and SOCs)

    July 30, 1992

    Asbestos, Cadmium, Chromium, Mercury, Nitrate, Nitrite, Total Nitrate+Nitrite, Selenium (Phase II IOCs)

    July 30, 1992

    Table 2.3, Organics Chemicals, SOC 15 through 18 and Table 2.2, Inorganic Chemicals, Barium (Phase II SOCs and IOCs)

    January 1, 1993

    Table 2.3, Organics Chemicals, VOC 19 through 21, SOC 19 through 33 and Table 2.2, Inorganic Chemicals; antimony, beryllium, cyanide (as free cyanide), nickel, and thallium

    January 17, 1994

    Uranium

    December 8, 2003

    E. coli

    April 1, 2016

    Table 2.10 ― Maximum Contaminant Level Goals for Microbiological Contaminants.

    Contaminant

    MCLG

    Giardia lamblia

    Zero

    Viruses

    Zero

    Legionella

    Zero

    Cryptosporidium

    Zero

    Escherichia coli (E. coli)

    Zero

    Table 2.11 ― Maximum Contaminant Level Goals for Disinfection Byproducts.

    Disinfection byproduct

    MCLG (mg/L)

    Bromate

    Zero

    Bromodichloromethane

    Zero

    Bromoform

    Zero

    Chlorite

    0.8

    Chloroform

    0.07

    Dibromochloromethane

    0.06

    Dichloroacetic acid

    Zero

    Monochloroacetic acid

    0.07

    Trichloroacetic acid

    0.02

    Table 2.12 ― Maximum Residual Disinfectant Level Goals (MRDLG) and Maximum Residual Disinfectant Levels (MRDL) for Disinfectants

    Disinfectant residual

    MRDLG (mg/L)

    MRDL (mg/L)

    Chlorine

    4 (as Cl2)

    4.0 (as Cl2)

    Chloramines

    4 (as Cl2)

    4.0 (as Cl2)

    Chlorine dioxide

    0.8 (as ClO2)

    0.8 (as ClO2)

    Notwithstanding the MRDLs in Table 2.12, owners may increase residual disinfectant levels in the distribution system of chlorine or chloramines (but not chlorine dioxide) to a level and for a time necessary to protect public health, to address specific microbiological contamination problems caused by circumstances such as, but not limited to, distribution line breaks, storm run-off events, source water contamination events, or cross-connection events.

    Table 2.13 ― Primary Maximum Contaminant Levels (PMCL) for Disinfection Byproducts

    Disinfection byproduct

    PMCL (mg/L)

    Total trihalomethanes (TTHM)

    0.080

    Haloacetic Acids (five) (HAA5)

    0.060

    Bromate

    0.010

    Chlorite

    1.0

Historical Notes

Derived from VR355-18-004.11 § 2.11, eff. June 23, 1993; amended, Volume 12, Issue 02, eff. November 15, 1995; Volume 18, Issue 19, eff. July 3, 2002; Volume 19, Issue 17, eff. June 4, 2003; Volume 19, Issue 24, eff. September 10, 2003; Volume 22, Issue 15, eff. May 3, 2006; Volume 22, Issue 24, eff. September 6, 2006; Volume 25, Issue 05, eff. December 10, 2008; Volume 28, Issue 05, eff. December 7, 2011; Volume 33, Issue 03, eff. November 2, 2016.

Statutory Authority

§§ 32.1-12 and 32.1-170 of the Code of Virginia.