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Legislation & Environmental Regulatory
Requirements
REGULATIONS:
Drinking
Water : Leisure Water : Waste
Water
Drinking Water Regulations and Quality
Management:
There are
regulations in place to control the quality of drinking water (water
compliance management) and to make sure that drinking water provided to
the consumer is wholesome and safe.
In order to quantify risks to the consumer
from drinking water the regulations consider quality parameters that
are measurable and can be controlled through water treatment.
The Drinking
Water Regulations define THREE types of parameter: Microbiological, Chemical
and Indicator.
Microbiological: E. Coli and Enterococci are strictly
controlled.
Chemical: There are 26 chemical parameters with specified upper
limits are again strictly controlled. These include heavy metals, undesirable
organic compounds (benzene & PAH's),
pesticides and pesticide residues, cyanide, bromate,
THM's, nitrate, nitrite, fluoride)
Indicator parameters: These 20 parameters indicate a possible deterioration in the
quality of the supply or a breakdown of the treatment process. The
parameters used as indicators of quality deterioration include,
Coliforms, turbidity, colour, odour and taste. Radioactivity of the
water is also controlled. Deterioration of the supply can occur if
there is pollution of the source and the treatment works are unable to
deal with the contamination.
Note 1: In the case where
drinking water does not comply with either microbiological or chemical
parameters, remedial or corrective action MUST be undertaken by the
water provider.
Note 2: In the case where
drinking water does not comply with an indicator parameter, the water
provider must determine if the non-compliance poses a risk to the
health of the consumer. If there is no risk to the health of the
consumer, no remedial action is necessary.
Auditing of Drinking Water Quality:
- Check monitoring:
provides information on organoleptic properties (odour, colour,
taste) of water, its microbiological quality and the effectiveness
of the water treatment (filtration, carbon treatment, disinfection).
There are 13 relevant parameters monitored: Aluminium1,
ammonium, clostridium perfringens (surface waters), colour,
conductivity, E. Coli, pH, iron1,
nitrite, odour, taste, general coliforms, turbidity.
1(Iron and aluminium are determined where
these are used in the treatment process)
- Audit monitoring:
46 parameters in total. The analytical data required are more
extensive and sampling is carried out annually or more frequently
depending on the volumes of water pumped.
Drinking Water and Related
Regulations:
- The Drinking Water Directives: 98/83/EC and 80/778/EEC
- EU Water Framework Directive: http://www.wfdireland.ie/documents-wfd.html
- Drinking Water Legislation: SI 278 of 2007 These Regulations may be cited as the European
Communities (Drinking Water)(No 2) Regulations 2007
- Surface Water Directive 75/440/EEC: This directive addresses the quality criteria required for
surface waters to be used as a source of water for human
consumption. Depending on the quality of the water, the
appropriate treatment is applied.
- Methods of Analysis and Frequency of Sampling Directive
79/869/EEC: This directive
identified 3 categories of surface water (A1, A2, A3) from which drinking water can be
abstracted. The category depended on the quality of the raw water
based on 39 parameters.
- European Communities (Quality of Surface Water intended for
the Abstraction of Drinking Water) Regulations, 1989 (SI 294 of
1989): This regulation
combined the requirements of the Surface Water Directive and the
Methods of Analysis and Frequency of Sampling Directive, mentioned
above.
- Dangerous Substances:
(76/464/EEC) Is concerned with:
1.
List I (organohalogen
compounds, organophosphorus compounds, organotin compounds, cancer
causing agents, mutagens, teratogens, mercury and its compounds,
cadmium and its compounds, hydrocarbons, persistent synthetic substances)
and
2.
List II substances include
biocides, named heavy metals and named metalloids other than cadmium
and mercury).
- The Groundwater Directive: 80/68/EEC. Protection of
groundwater from contamination by List I and List II substances.
- The Water Framework Directive. Aims to achieve 'good'
status for all waters by 2015.
Note: The Local Government
(Water Pollution) Regulations 1992 set a limit of ZERO for discharges
of List I substances to ground water
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Leisure Water
Regulations and Quality Management:
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There are no
regulations in existence which apply directly to leisure water used in
pools and spas.
The Bathing Water Directive does not apply here, though public
health regulations are relevant should leisure water pose a threat to
health. Contaminants in bathing water under the control of local
authorities are controlled and limits enforceable under the Bathing
Water Directive. Refer to the EPA website and search under bathing water
for the most recent report.
There are guidelines in
place and voluntary schemes such as the White Flag administered
by ILAM.
Those leisure centres registered to the White Flag standard are
required to check their leisure water quality regularly. We offer this
service at competitive prices.
The British Standard
Institute Code of Practice: PAS39:2003 is relevant. The Pool Water
Treatment Advisory Group (PWTAG) also recommend controls be placed on
pool chemicals a possible pathogens.
There are two broad
areas which may require attention:
1.
Chemical content of the
pool or spa water
2.
The issue of hygiene, incl.
Legionella threats
1. Chemicals:
In order to maintain
leisure water is a satisfactory condition, chemicals are added, mainly
chlorine or bromine to ensure optimum hygiene practices. Ozone is also
used to disinfect leisure water.
Chlorine is most commonly used as it is very effective and persists,
maintaining its disinfection power long after dosing.
It is generally necessary to control the pH of
leisure water for bather comfort and to reduce corrosivity. Addition of
acids and bases are frequently required to maintain the pH in the
region of 7.2 to 7.4.
2. Hygiene:
Micro-organisms that
are classified as pathogens must be controlled in leisure water. Those
targeted are E. Coli, pseudomonas and staphylococcus. Pseudomonas can
be difficult to control and is known to cause throat and ear infections
in those who succumb. Chlorine is very effective in controlling these
pathogens, bromine less so. Constant vigilance is important in the pool
operator's endeavours to maintain leisure water quality at the highest
international standards.
The range of data
requiring checks and the limits are given in the table below:
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Parameter
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PWTAG
recommended
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Reason for
ranges
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Free chlorine mg/L
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Min. of 0.5 but should
be between 1.5 and 2.0 mg/L chlorine
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Effective kill of
micro-organisms
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Total chlorine mg/L
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Less than twice the free
chlorine level
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Measure of the original
chlorine dosing level
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Combined chlorine mg/L
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Should be less than half
the free-chlorine value
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Measure of the
amine/ammonia load.
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Calcium hardness mg/L
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>40 mg/L and <150
mg/L CaCO3
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Pool non-epoxy cement
corrosion
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pH
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7.2-7.8
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Ensure effective
chlorine action and flocculation
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Alkalinity (mg/L CaCO3)
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>75 and <200 mg/L
CaCO3
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pH adjustment downwards.
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General Coliforms
(CFU/100 ml)
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<1
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Health and safety
requirements
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E.Coli (CFU/100 ml)
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<1
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Health and safety
requirements
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Pseudomonas aeruginosa (Present/Absent)
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Absent
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Health and safety
requirements
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Conductivity (μS/cm)
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<4300μS/cm
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See TDS
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TDS (mg/L)
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No more than 1000mg/L
above the intake water
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High TDS does marginally
encourage corrosion (<3000 mg/L)
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Sulphate (mg/L)
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As low as possible.
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Corrosion of non-epoxy
pool cement/grout
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Temperature (Celsius)
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27-30 Celsius
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Bather comfort
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Turbidity (NTU)
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None
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Appearance of the water
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The issue of
corrosivity may be an issue for pool infra-structure. High sulphates
will affect cement grouting. Low pH low alkalinity, low hardness will
mean that leisure water is corrosive and will attack metal pipe-work, though
stainless steel will not be affected.
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Waste Water /
Effluent Regulations and Quality Management:
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The quality of
wastewater from industry is controlled. The issue is one of pollution
prevention. Treated wastewater is normally discharged to an estuary, to
a water body or to ground. Wastewater poses a significant pollution
threat to water-bodies and soil and hence the quality of the water must
be controlled. There are two variables:
1.
polluting power (BOD, TOC,
suspended solids and COD)
2.
nutrients (phosphate,
nitrate, ammonium)
Toxins are also
controlled depending on the industry type,
these would include solvents, heavy metals, phenols, chlorinated
compounds and such like.
Heavy industry such as
oil refineries, metal-processing industries, chemicals/pharmaceuticals,
farming, food processing and so forth can pose significant
environmental risks. These industries are now licensed by the EPA or by
the Local Authorities to discharge wastewater to the environment in
accordance with regulations. Relevant regulations are given below.
There are a number of licensing regimens in
place in Ireland
whereby wastewater can be discharged in a controlled manner to sewer or
to the environment directly.
- IPPC licensing - issued by the Environmental Protection
Agency
- Section 16 licensing - issued by the Local Authority
- Section 4 licensing - issued by the Local Authority
The final effluent to
environment should be clear and not present a nuisance (odours and/or
foams). The basic minimum standard required is 20 mg/L BOD and 30 mg/L
suspended solids. Depending on the sensitivity of the receiving
environment these values can be lower and restrictions on nutrients
also can be enforced.
Wastewater Regulations:
- Wastewater legislation: Local Government (Water Pollution
Acts) 1977 and 1990.
- Council Directive 91/271/EEC. Concerns pollution from
wastewater.
- Waste Management (Food Waste) Regulations
- Environmental Protection Agency Act, 1992 (Urban Waste
Water Treatment) Regulations 1994 (SI 419 of 1994). Specific
requirements apply to wastewater management:
- Raw wastewater collecting systems
- Wastewater treatment plants
- Treated wastewater quality specifications (BOD, COD and
Suspended solids)
- Nutrients such as ammonium, phosphate and nitrate are
controlled and limited, especially where the receiving waters are
sensitive.
- Council Directive (96/91/EC) concerning integrated pollution
prevention and control.
- The Nitrates Directive, Council Directive 91/676/EEC is an
environmental measure designed to reduce water pollution by
nitrate from agricultural sources and to prevent such pollution
occurring in the future.
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