S.C. Code Regs. § § 61-58.5.C

Current through Register Vol. 48, 12, December 27, 2024

Section 61-58.5.C - Primary Inorganic Chemical Sampling and Analytical Requirements

(1) The monitoring requirements for inorganic contaminants specified in Section B (2)(b), (c), (d), (e), (g), (k), (l), (m), (n), and (o) above apply to community water systems and non-transient non-community water systems. The monitoring requirements for inorganic contaminants specified in Section B (2)(a) and (f) above only apply to community water systems. Beginning January 22, 2004, the monitoring requirements for the inorganic contaminant specified in Section B (2)(a) above will apply to community water systems and non-transient, non-community water systems. The monitoring required for inorganic contaminants specified in Section B (2)(h), (i) and (j) above apply to community, non-transient non-community and transient non-community water systems.

(2) Analytical methods used to comply with Section B above, shall be made using EPA-approved methods listed in 40 CFR 141. Analyses for the purpose of determining compliance with Section B above are required as follows:

(a) Analyses for all community water systems utilizing surface water sources, in whole or in part, shall be completed within one year following the effective date of this regulation. These analyses shall be repeated at yearly intervals.

(b) Analyses for all community water systems utilizing only groundwater sources shall be completed within two years following the effective date of this regulation. These analyses shall be repeated at three-year intervals.

(c) For non-community water systems, whether supplied by surface or groundwater sources, analyses for nitrate shall be completed within two years following the effective date of this regulation. These analyses shall be repeated at intervals determined by the Department.

(d) The Department shall have the authority to determine compliance or to initiate enforcement action based upon analytical results and other information compiled by the Department.

(3) If the result of an analysis made pursuant to subsection (2) above indicates that the level of any contaminant listed in Section B above exceeds the maximum contaminant level, the supplier of water shall report to the Department within seven days.

(4) When the maximum contaminant level for any contaminant listed in Section B above is exceeded as determined in accordance with subsection (15) below, the supplier of water shall notify the Department and give notice to the public pursuant to R.61-58.6, Reports, Record Retention, and Public Notification, Sections B and E. Monitoring after public notification shall be at a frequency designated by the Department and shall continue until the maximum contaminant level has not been exceeded in two successive samples or until a monitoring schedule as a condition to a variance, exemption, or enforcement action shall become effective.

(5) The provisions of subsections (3) and (4) above notwithstanding, compliance with the maximum contaminant level for nitrate and nitrite shall be determined in accordance with subsection (12)(b) below.

(6) For the initial analyses required by items (2)(a), (b), or (c) above, data for surface waters acquired within one year prior to the effective date and data for groundwaters acquired within three years prior to the effective date of this regulation may be substituted at the discretion of the Department. Analyses conducted to determine compliance with Section B above shall be made in accordance with the analytical methods adopted by the Department.

(7) Monitoring for the purpose of determining compliance with the maximum contaminant levels specified in Section B (2) above, shall be conducted as follows:

(a) Groundwater systems shall take a minimum of one sample at every entry point to the distribution system which is representative of each well after treatment (hereafter called a sampling point) beginning in the initial compliance period. The system shall take each sample at the same sampling point unless conditions make another sampling point more representative of each source or treatment plant.

(b) Surface water systems shall take a minimum of one sample at every entry point to the distribution system after any application of treatment or in the distribution system at a point which is representative of each source after treatment (hereafter called a sampling point) beginning in the initial compliance period. The system shall take each sample at the same sampling point unless conditions make another sampling point more representative of each source or treatment plant. [Note: For purposes of this paragraph, surface water systems include systems with a combination of surface and ground sources.]

(c) If a system draws water from more than one source and the sources are combined before distribution, the system must sample at an entry point to the distribution system during periods of normal operating conditions (i.e., when water is representative of all sources being used).

(d) The Department may reduce the total number of samples which must be analyzed by allowing the use of compositing. Composite samples from a maximum of five samples are allowed, provided that the detection limit of the method used for analysis is less than one-fifth of the MCL. Compositing of samples must be done in the laboratory.

(i) If the concentration in the composite sample is greater than or equal to one-fifth of the MCL of any inorganic chemical, then a follow-up sample must be taken within 14 days at each sampling point included in the composite. These samples must be analyzed for the contaminants which exceeded one-fifth of the MCL in the composite sample. Detection limits for each analytical method and inorganic contaminant shall be in accordance with those listed in 40 CFR 141.

DETECTION LIMITS FOR INORGANIC CONTAMINANTS
Contaminant	MCL(mg/l)	Methodology	Detection Limit(mg/l)
Antimony	0.006	Atomic Absorption; Furnace Atomic Absorption; Platform ICP-Mass Spectrometry Hydride-Atomic Absorption	0.003 0.00086 0.0004 0.001
Asbestos	7 MFL [FN2]	Transmission Electron Microscopy	0.01 MFL
Barium	2	Atomic Absorption; furnace technique Atomic Absorption; direct aspiration Inductively Coupled Plasma	0.002 0.1 0.002(0.001) [FN1]
Beryllium	0.004	Atomic Absorption; Furnace Atomic Absorption; Platform Inductively Coupled Plasma [FN3] ICP-Mass Spectrometry	0.0002 0.000026 0.0003 0.0003
Cadmium	0.005	Atomic Absorption; furnace technique Inductively Coupled Plasma	0.0001 0.001 [FN1]
Chromium	0.1	Atomic Absorption; furnace technique Inductively Coupled Plasma	0.001 0.007(0.001) [FN1]
Cyanide	0.2	Distillation, Spectrophotometric [FN4] Distillation, Automated, Spectrophotometric [FN4] Distillation, Selective Electrode [FN4] Distillation, Amenable, Spectrophotometric [FN5]	0.02 0.005 0.05 0.02
Mercury	0.002	Manual Cold Vapor Technique Automated Cold Vapor Technique	0.0002 0.0002
Nickel	0.1	Atomic Absorption; Furnace Atomic Absorption; Platform Inductively Coupled Plasma [FN3] ICP-Mass Spectrometry	0.001 0.0006 [FN5] 0.005 0.0005
Nitrate	10(as N)	Manual Cadmium Reduction Automated Hydrazine Reduction Automated Cadmium Reduction Ion Selective Electrode	0.01 0.01 0.05 1 0.01
Nitrite	1(as N)	Ion Chromatography Spectrophotometric Automated Cadmium Reduction Manual Cadmium Reduction Ion Chromatography	0.01 0.05 0.01 0.004
Selenium	0.05	Atomic Absorption; furnace Atomic Absorption; gaseous hydride	0.002 0.002
Thallium	0.002	Atomic Absorption; Furnace Atomic Absorption; Platform ICP-Mass Spectrometry	0.001 0.00076 0.0003
[FN1] MFL = million fibers per liter > 10m.
[FN2] Using a 2X preconcentration step as noted in method 200-7. Lower MDLs may be achieved when using a 4X preconcentration.
[FN3] Screening method for total cyanides.
[FN4] Measures "free" cyanides.
[FN5] Lower MDLs are reported using stabilized temperature graphite furnace atomic absorption.

(ii) If the population served by the system is greater than 3,300 persons, then compositing may only be permitted by the Department at sampling points within a single system. In systems serving 3,300 persons or less, the Department may permit compositing among different systems provided the 5-sample limit is maintained.

(iii) If duplicates of the original sample taken from each sampling point used in the composite are available, the system may use these instead of resampling. The duplicates must be analyzed and the results reported to the Department within 14 days of collection.

(e) The frequency of monitoring for asbestos shall be in accordance with paragraph (8) of this section; the frequency of monitoring for antimony, arsenic, barium, beryllium, cadmium, chromium, cyanide, fluoride, mercury, nickel, selenium and thallium shall be in accordance with paragraph (9) of this section; the frequency of monitoring for nitrate shall be in accordance with paragraph (10) of this section; and the frequency of monitoring for nitrite shall be in accordance with paragraph (11) of this section.

(8) The frequency of monitoring conducted to determine compliance with the maximum contaminant level for asbestos specified in Section B(2) above shall be conducted as follows:

(a) Each community and non-transient, non-community water system is required to monitor for asbestos during the first three-year compliance period of each nine-year compliance cycle beginning in the compliance period starting January 1, 1993.

(b) If the system believes it is not vulnerable to either asbestos contamination in its source water or due to corrosion of asbestos-cement pipe, or both, it may apply to the Department for a waiver of the monitoring requirement in paragraph (8)(a) of this section. If the Department grants the waiver, the system is not required to monitor.

(c) The Department may grant a waiver based on a consideration of the following factors:

(i) Potential asbestos contamination of the water source; and,

(ii) The use of asbestos-cement pipe for finished water distribution and the corrosive nature of the water.

(d) A waiver remains in effect until the completion of the three-year compliance period. Systems not receiving a waiver must monitor in accordance with the provisions of paragraph (8)(a) of this section.

(e) A system vulnerable to asbestos contamination due solely to corrosion of asbestos-cement pipe shall take one sample at a tap served by asbestos-cement pipe and under conditions where asbestos contamination is most likely to occur.

(f) A system vulnerable to asbestos contamination due solely to source water shall monitor in accordance with the provision of paragraph (7) of this section.

(g) A system vulnerable to asbestos contamination due both to its source water supply and corrosion of asbestos-cement pipe shall take one sample at a tap served by asbestos-cement pipe and under conditions where asbestos contamination is most likely to occur.

(h) A system which exceeds the maximum contaminant levels as determined in paragraph (15) of this section shall monitor quarterly beginning in the next quarter after the violation occurred.

(i) The Department may decrease the quarterly monitoring requirement to the frequency specified in paragraph (8)(a) of this section provided the Department has determined that the system is reliably and consistently below the maximum contaminant level. In no case can the Department make this determination unless a groundwater system takes a minimum of two quarterly samples and a surface (or combined surface/ground) water system takes a minimum of four quarterly samples.

(j) If monitoring data collected after January 1, 1990 are generally consistent with the requirements of paragraph (8) of this section, then the Department may allow systems to use that data to satisfy the monitoring requirement for the initial compliance period beginning January 1, 1993.

(9) The frequency of monitoring conducted to determine compliance with the maximum contaminant levels in Section B(2) above for antimony, arsenic, barium, beryllium, cadmium, chromium, cyanide, fluoride, mercury, nickel, selenium, and thallium shall be as follows:

(a) Groundwater systems shall take one sample at each sampling point beginning in the compliance period starting January 1, 1993 during each compliance period. Surface water systems (or combined surface/ground) shall take one sample annually at each sampling point.

(b) The system may apply to the Department for a waiver from the monitoring frequencies specified in paragraph (9)(a) of this section. The Department may grant a public water system a waiver for monitoring of cyanide, provided that the Department determines that the system is not vulnerable due to lack of any industrial source of cyanide.

(c) A condition of the waiver shall require that a system shall take a minimum of one sample while the waiver is effective. The term during which the waiver is effective shall not exceed one compliance cycle (i.e., nine years).

(d) The Department may grant a waiver provided surface water systems have monitored annually for at least three years and groundwater systems have conducted a minimum of three rounds of monitoring. (At least one sample shall have been taken since January 1, 1990.) Both surface and groundwater systems shall demonstrate that all previous analytical results were less than the maximum contaminant level. Systems that use a new water source are not eligible for a waiver until three rounds of monitoring from the new source have been completed.

(e) In determining the appropriate reduced monitoring frequency, the Department shall consider:

(i) Reported concentrations from all previous monitoring;

(ii) The degree of variation in reported concentrations; and

(iii) Other factors which may affect contaminant concentrations such as changes in groundwater pumping rates, changes in the system's configuration, changes in the system's operating procedures, or changes in stream flows or characteristics.

(f) A decision by the Department to grant a waiver shall be made in writing and shall set forth the basis for the determination. The determination may be initiated by the Department or upon an application by the public water system. The public water system shall specify the basis for its request. The Department shall review and, where appropriate, revise its determination of the appropriate monitoring frequency when the system submits new monitoring data or when other data relevant to the system's appropriate monitoring frequency become available.

(g) Systems which exceed the maximum contaminant levels as calculated in paragraph (15) of this section shall monitor quarterly beginning in the next quarter after the violation occurred.

(h) The Department may decrease the quarterly monitoring requirement to the frequencies specified in paragraphs (9)(a) and (9)(c) of this section provided it has determined that the system is reliably and consistently below the maximum contaminant level. In no case can the Department make this determination unless a groundwater system takes a minimum of two quarterly samples and a surface water system takes a minimum of four quarterly samples.

(i) All new systems or systems that use a new source of water that begin operation after January 22, 2004 must demonstrate compliance with the MCL within a period of time specified by the Department. The system must also comply with the initial sampling frequencies specified by the Department to ensure a system can demonstrate compliance with the MCL. Routine and increased monitoring frequencies shall be conducted in accordance with the requirements in this section.

(10) All public water systems (community; non-transient, non-community; and transient, non-community) shall monitor to determine compliance with the maximum contaminant level for nitrate in Section B above.

(a) Community and non-transient, non-community water systems served by groundwater systems shall monitor annually beginning January 1, 1993; systems served by surface water shall monitor quarterly beginning January 1, 1993.

(b) For community and non-transient, non-community water systems, the repeat monitoring frequency for ground water systems shall be quarterly for at least one year following any one sample in which the concentration is less than 50 percent of the MCL. The Department may allow a groundwater system to reduce the sampling frequency to annually after four consecutive quarterly samples are reliably and consistently less than the MCL.

(c) For community and non-transient, non-community water systems, the Department may allow a surface water system to reduce the sampling frequency to annually if all analytical results from four consecutive quarters are <50 percent of the MCL. A surface water system shall return to quarterly monitoring if any one sample is >=50 percent of the MCL.

(d) Each transient non-community water system shall monitor annually beginning January 1, 1993.

(e) After the initial round of quarterly sampling is completed, each community and non-transient non-community system which is monitoring annually shall take subsequent samples during the quarter(s) which previously resulted in the highest analytical result.

(11) All public water systems (community; non-transient, non-community; and transient, non-community systems) shall monitor to determine compliance with the maximum contaminant level for nitrite in Section B above.

(a) All public water systems shall take one sample at each sampling point in the compliance period beginning January 1, 1993 and ending December 31, 1995.

(b) After the initial sample, systems where an analytical result for nitrite is less than 50 percent of the MCL shall monitor at the frequency specified by the Department.

(c) For community and non-transient, non-community water systems, the Department may allow a surface water system to reduce the sampling frequency to annually if all analytical results from four consecutive quarters are less than 50 percent of the MCL. A surface water system shall return to quarterly monitoring if any one sample is 50 percent or more of the MCL.

(d) Systems which are monitoring annually shall take each subsequent sample during the quarter(s) which previously resulted in the highest analytical result.

(12) Confirmation samples:

(a) Where the results of sampling for asbestos, antimony, arsenic, barium, beryllium, cadmium, chromium, cyanide, fluoride, mercury, nickel, selenium or thallium indicate an exceedance of the maximum contaminant level, the Department may require that one additional sample be collected as soon as possible after the initial sample was taken (but not to exceed two weeks) at the same sampling point.

(b) Where nitrate or nitrite sampling results indicate an exceedance of the maximum contaminant level, the system shall take a confirmation sample within twenty-four (24) hours of the system's receipt of notification of the analytical results of the first sample. Systems unable to comply with the twenty (24) hour sampling requirement must immediately notify the consumers served by the area served by the public water system in accordance with R.61-58.6.B and E and meet other Tier 1 public notification requirements under this regulation. Systems exercising this option must take and analyze a confirmation sample within two weeks of notification of the analytical results of the first sample.

(c) If a Department-required confirmation sample is taken for any contaminant, then the results of the initial and confirmation sample shall be averaged. The resulting average shall be used to determine the system's compliance in accordance with paragraph (15) of this section. The Department has the discretion to delete results of obvious sampling errors.

(13) The Department may require more frequent monitoring than specified in paragraphs (8), (9), (10) and (11) of this section or may require confirmation samples for positive and negative results at its discretion.

(14) Systems may apply to the Department to conduct more frequent monitoring than the minimum monitoring frequencies specified in this section.

(15) Compliance with Section B(2) above (as appropriate) shall be determined based on the analytical result(s) obtained at each sampling point.

(a) For systems which are conducting monitoring at a frequency greater than annual, compliance with the maximum contaminant levels for antimony, arsenic, asbestos, barium, beryllium, cadmium, chromium, cyanide, fluoride, mercury, nickel, selenium, or thallium is determined by a running annual average at any sampling point. If the average at any sampling point is greater than the MCL, then the system is out of compliance. If any one sample would cause the annual average to be exceeded, then the system is out of compliance immediately. Any sample below the method detection limit shall be calculated at zero for the purpose of determining the annual average. If a system fails to collect the required number of samples, compliance (average concentration) will be based on the total number of samples collected.

(b) For systems which are monitoring annually, or less frequently, the system is out of compliance with the maximum contaminant levels for arsenic, asbestos, antimony, barium, beryllium, cadmium, chromium, cyanide, fluoride, mercury nickel, selenium or thallium if the level of a contaminant at any sampling point is greater than the MCL. If a confirmation sample is required by the Department, the determination of compliance will be based on the average of the two samples.

(c) Compliance with the maximum contaminant levels for nitrate and nitrite is determined based on one sample if the levels of these contaminants is below the MCLs. If the levels of nitrate and/or nitrite exceed the MCLs in the initial sample, a confirmation sample is required in accordance with paragraph (12)(b) of this section, and compliance shall be determined based on the average of the initial and confirmation samples.

(d) Arsenic sampling results will be reported to the nearest 0.001 mg/L.

(16) Each public water system shall monitor at the time designated by the Department during each compliance period.

(17) Inorganic analysis:

(a) Analysis for antimony, arsenic, barium, beryllium, cadmium, chromium, cyanide, fluoride, mercury, nickel, nitrate, nitrite, selenium, and thallium shall be conducted using EPA-approved methods listed in 40 CFR 141.

WIDETABLE
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INORGANIC CONTAMINANTS ANALYTICAL METHODS
Reference (Method Number)
Contaminant	Methodology	EPA	ASTM [FN2]	SM [FN3]	USGS [FN4] Other	Other
Antimony	Atomic Absorption; Furnace [FN6] Atomic Absorption; Platform [FN6] ICP'Mass Spectrometry [FN6] Hydride'Atomic Absorption [FN9]	204.2 [FN1] 200.9 [FN6] 200.8 [FN6]	D-3697-87	3113
Asbestos	Transmission Electron Microscopy	EPA [FN12]
Barium	Atomic Absorption; Furnace [FN6] Atomic Absorption; Direct [FN6] Inductively Coupled Plasma [FN6]	208.2 [FN1] 208.1 [FN1] 200.7 [FN6]	3113B 3111D 3120
Beryllium	Atomic Absorption; Furnace [FN6] Atomic Absorption; Platform [FN6] Inductively Coupled Plasma [FN6] ICP'Mass Spectrometry [FN6]	210.2 [FN1] 200.9 [FN6] 200.7 [FN6] 200.8 [FN6]	D-3645-84B	3113 3120
Cadmium	Atomic Absorption; Furnace [FN6] Inductively Coupled Plasma [FN6]	213.2 [FN1] 200.7 [FN6]	3113B
Chromium	Atomic Absorption; Furnace [FN6] Inductively Coupled Plasma [FN6]	218.2 [FN1] 200.7 [FN6]	3113B 3120
Cyanide	Distillation, Spec. Distillation, Automated, Spec. Distillation, Selective Electrode Distillation, Amenable, Spec.	335.2 [FN1] 335.3 [FN1] 335.1 [FN1]	D-2036-89A D-2036-89A D-2036-89B	4500-CN-D 4500-CN-E 4500-CN-F 4500-CN-G	1330085
Mercury	Manual Cold Vapor Technique [FN9] Automated Cold Vapor Technique [FN9]	245.1 [FN1] 245.2 [FN1]	D3223-86	3112B
Nickel	Atomic Absorption; Furnace [FN6] Atomic Absorption; Platform [FN6] Atomic Absorption; Direct [FN6] Inductively Coupled Plasma [FN6] ICP-Mass Spectrometry [FN6]	249.2 [FN1] 200.9 [FN6] 249.1 [FN1] 200.7 [FN6] 200.8 [FN6]	3113 3111B 3120
Nitrate	Manual Cadmium Reduction Automated Hydrazine Reduction Automated Cadmium Reduction Ion Selective Electrode Ion Chromatograph	353.3 [FN1] 353.1 [FN1] 353.2 [FN1] 300.0 [FN11]	D3867-90 D3867-90	4500-NO"3$-E 4500-NO"3$-F	WeWWG/ 5880 [FN7]	B-1011 [FN8]
Nitrite	Spectrophotometric Automated Cadmium Reduction Manual Cadmium Reduction Ion Chromatography	354.1 [FN1] 353.2 [FN1] 353.3 [FN1] 300.0 [FN11]	D3867-90 D3867-90	4500-NO"3$-F 4500-NO"3$-E	B-1011 [FN8]
Selenium	Hydride-Atomic Absorption [FN9] Atomic Absorption; Furnace [FN6] [FN10]	270.2 [FN1]	D3859-84A D3959-88	3114B 3113B
Thallium	Atomic Absorption; Furnace [FN6] Atomic Absorption; Platform [FN6] ICP-Mass Spectrometry [FN6]	279.21 200.9 [FN5] 200.85	3113
[FN1] Methods of Chemical Analysis of Water and Wastes, EPA Environmental Monitoring Systems Laboratory, Cincinnati, OH 45268 March 1983. EPA-600/4-79-020.
[FN2] Annual Book of ASTM Standards, Vols. 11-01 and 11-02, 1991. American Society of Testing and Materials, 1916 Race Street, Philadelphia, PA 19103.
[FN3] Standard Methods for the Examination of Water and Wastewater, 17th edition, American Public Health Association, American Water Works Association. Water Pollution Control Federation, 1989.
[FN4] Techniques of Water Resources Investigations of the U.S. Geological Survey, Methods for Determination of Inorganic Substances in Water and Fluvial Sediments, Book 5, Chapter A-1, Third edition, 1989. Available at Superintendent of Documents, U.S. Government Printing Office, Washington, DC 20402.
[FN5] Methods for Determination of Metals in Environmental Samples. Available at NTIS, PB 91-231498.
[FN6] Samples that contain less than 1 NTU (nephelometric turbidity unit) and are properly preserved (conc HNO"3 to pH < 2) may be analyzed directly (without digestion) for total metals, otherwise, digestion is required. Turbidity must be measured on the preserved samples just prior to initiation of metal analysis. When digestion is required, the total recoverable technique as defined in the method must be used.
[FN7] Orion Guide to Water and Wastewater Analysis. For WeWWG/5880, p.5, 1985. Orion Research, Inc., Cambridge, MA.
[FN8] Waters Test Method for Determination of Nitrite/Nitrate in Water Using Single Column Ion Chromatography, Method B-1011. Millipore Corporation, Waters Chromatography Division, 34 Maple Street, Milford, MA 01757.
[FN9] For the gaseous hydride determinations of antimony and selenium and for the determination of mercury by the cold vapor techniques, the proper digestion technique as defined in the method must be followed to ensure the element is in the proper state for analyses.
[FN10] Add 2 ml of 30% H"2O"2 and an appropriate concentration of matrix modifier Ni (NO"2), 6H"2O (nickel nitrate) to samples.
[FN11] Method 300. Determination of Inorganic Anions in Water by Ion Chromatography. Inorganic Chemistry Branch, Environmental Monitoring Systems Laboratory. August 1991.
[FN12] Analytical Method for Determination of Asbestos Fibers in Water, EPA-600/4-83-043, September 1983, U.S. EPA Environmental Research Laboratory, Athens, GA 30613.

(b) Sample collection for antimony, arsenic, asbestos, barium, beryllium, cadmium, chromium, cyanide, fluoride, mercury, nickel, nitrate, nitrite, selenium, and thallium under this section shall be conducted using EPA-approved methods listed in 40 CFR 141.

(c) Analysis under this section shall only be conducted by laboratories that have been certified by the Department.

S.C. Code Regs. § 61-58.5.C