N.J. Admin. Code § 7:14A-7.7

Current through Register Vol. 56, No. 11, June 3, 2024

Section 7:14A-7.7 - Ground water sampling procedures and statistical analysis requirements

(a) The person responsible for conducting the Ground Water Protection Program established pursuant to 7:14A-7.6 shall conduct ground water sampling in accordance with the edition of the Department's Field Sampling Procedures Manual applicable at the time of sampling, an alternate method approved by the Department, or as set forth in the NJPDES-DGW permit.

(b) When statistical data evaluations are specified by the Department to implement the Ground Water Protection Program, the statistical test chosen shall be conducted separately for each specified constituent in each well, and one of the following statistical methods shall be used to evaluate ground-water monitoring data for each specified constituent:

1. A parametric analysis of variance (ANOVA) followed by multiple comparison procedures to identify statistically significant evidence of contamination. The method shall include estimation and testing of the contrasts between each compliance well's mean and the background water quality mean levels for each constituent;

2. An analysis of variance (ANOVA) based on ranks followed by multiple comparison procedures to identify statistically significant evidence of contamination. The method shall include estimation and testing of the contrasts between each compliance well's median and the background water quality median levels for each constituent;

3. A tolerance or prediction interval procedure in which an interval for each constituent is established from the distribution of the background water quality data, and the level of each constituent in each compliance well is compared to the upper tolerance or prediction limit;

4. A control chart approach that gives control limits for each constituent; or

5. Another statistical test method that meets the performance standards of (c) below, and has been approved by the Department in writing.

(c) Any statistical method chosen under this section shall comply with the following performance standards, as appropriate:

1. The statistical method used to evaluate ground-water monitoring data shall be appropriate for the distribution of parameters. If the distribution of the parameters is shown by the permittee to be inappropriate for a normal theory test, then the data must be transformed or a distribution free theory test used. If the distributions for the constituents differ, more than one statistical method may be needed.

2. If an individual well comparison procedure is used to compare an individual compliance well constituent concentration with background water quality constituent concentrations or a ground-water protection standard, the test shall be done at a type I error level no less than 0.01 for each testing period. If a multiple comparisons procedure is used, the type I experiment wise error rate for each testing period shall be no less than 0.05; however, the type I error of no less than 0.01 for individual well comparison shall be maintained. The performance standard does not apply to tolerance intervals, prediction intervals or control charts.

3. If a control chart approach is used to evaluate ground-water monitoring data, the specific type of control chart and its associated parameter values shall be protective of human health and the environment. The parameters shall be determined after considering the number of samples in the background water quality data base, the date distribution, and the range of the concentration values for each constituent of concern.

4. If a tolerance interval or a prediction interval is used to evaluate ground-water monitoring data, the levels of confidence and, for tolerance intervals, the percentage of the population that the interval shall contain shall be protective of human health and the environment. These parameters shall be determined after considering the number of samples in the background water quality data base, the data distribution, and the range of the concentration values for each constituent of concern.

5. The statistical method shall account for data below the limit of detection with one or more statistical procedures that are protective of human health and the environment. Any practical quantitation level (PQL) as defined in N.J.A.C. 7:9C that is used in the statistical method shall be the lowest concentration level that can be reliably achieved within specified limits of precision and accuracy during routine laboratory operating conditions that are available to the facility.

6. If necessary, the statistical method shall include procedures to control or correct for seasonal and spatial variability as well as temporal correlation in the data.

(d) When conducting a leak detection monitoring program, the permittee shall determine whether or not there is a statistically significant increase over background water quality values for each parameter or constituent required in the permit.

1. In determining whether a statistically significant increase has occurred, the permittee shall compare the ground water quality of each parameter or constituent at each compliance point monitoring well designated pursuant to the permit to the background water quality value of that constituent, according to the statistical procedures and performance standards specified under this section.

2. Within the period of time specified in the NJPDES discharge to ground water permit, and after completing sampling and analysis, the permittee shall determine whether there has been a statistically significant increase over background water quality at each monitoring well.

(e) When conducting an attenuation monitoring program, the permittee shall determine whether the discharge complies with the ground water constituent standards for the classification area established pursuant to N.J.A.C. 7:9C.

1. In determining whether the discharge complies with the ground water constituent standards for the classification area, the permittee shall compare the ground water quality of each parameter or constituent at each compliance point monitoring well designated pursuant to the permit to the background water quality value of that constituent, according to the statistical procedures and performance standards specified under this section.

2. Within the period of time specified in the NJPDES discharge to ground water permit, and after completing sampling and analysis, the permittee shall determine whether there has been a statistically significant contravention of the ground water quality standards.

N.J. Admin. Code § 7:14A-7.7

Administrative correction.
See: 37 N.J.R. 4245(a).
Amended by R.2009 d.7, effective 1/5/2009.
See: 40 N.J.R. 1478(a), 41 N.J.R. 142(a).
In the introductory paragraph of (e), updated the N.J.A.C. reference.