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PUBLIC HEALTH AND WELLBEING REGULATIONS 2009 (SR NO 178 OF 2009) - REG 57 High heterotrophic colony count detected in cooling tower system

PUBLIC HEALTH AND WELLBEING REGULATIONS 2009 (SR NO 178 OF 2009) - REG 57

High heterotrophic colony count detected in cooling tower system

    (1)     Within 24 hours of receiving a report from a laboratory that any sample of water taken from the cooling tower system has a heterotrophic colony count exceeding 200 000 colony forming units per millilitre, the responsible person must ensure that the following procedure is implemented—

        (a)     the water of the system must be manually treated with additional quantities of biocide or with an alternative biocide; and

        (b)     the water treatment program, tower operation and maintenance program of the system must be reviewed; and

        (c)     any faults must be corrected; and

        (d)     any changes necessary to prevent a re-occurrence of those faults must be implemented.

    (2)     Between 2 and 7 days after the water has been treated under subregulation (1), the responsible person must ensure that a further sample of the recirculating water of the system is taken and is delivered to a laboratory for testing and reporting on for heterotrophic colony count.

Penalty:     20 penalty units.

    (3)     Within 24 hours of receiving a report from a laboratory that a sample taken in accordance with subregulation (2) has a heterotrophic colony count exceeding 200 000 colony forming units per millilitre, the responsible person must ensure that the water of the cooling tower system is disinfected.

Penalty:     20 penalty units.

    (4)     Between 2 and 7 days after the water has been disinfected under subregulation (3), the responsible person must ensure that a further sample of the recirculating water of the cooling tower system is taken and is delivered to a laboratory for testing and reporting on for heterotrophic colony count.

Penalty:     20 penalty units.

    (5)     If, after following the procedure in subregulations (1), (2), (3) and (4), the heterotrophic colony count still exceeds 200 000 colony forming units per millilitre, the responsible person must—

        (a)     ensure that the steps in subregulations (3) and (4) are repeated until the heterotrophic colony count does not exceed 200 000 colony forming units per millilitre in 2 consecutive water samples taken approximately one week apart; or

        (b)     close the cooling tower system until the problem has been remedied.

Penalty:     20 penalty units.

    (6)     The responsible person is not required to comply with subregulations (1) to (5) if—

        (a)     during the period between the sample being taken for the purpose of regulation 56(2) and the receipt of a report from a laboratory indicating that the cooling tower system has a heterotrophic colony count exceeding 200 000 colony forming units per millilitre, the system was manually treated with additional quantities of biocide or an alternative biocide; and

        (b)     within 72 hours of receiving the report that any sample of water taken from the cooling tower system has a heterotrophic colony count exceeding 200 000 colony forming units per millilitre, the responsible person—

              (i)     reviews the water treatment program, tower, operation and maintenance program; and

              (ii)     corrects any faults and makes changes necessary to prevent a re-occurrence of those faults; and

        (c)     within 7 days of receiving the report in subregulation (6)(b), the responsible person ensures that a further sample of the recirculating water of the system is taken and is delivered to a laboratory for testing and reporting on for heterotrophic colony count;

Penalty:     20 penalty units.

        (d)     within 24 hours of receiving a report that a sample taken in accordance with subregulation (6)(c) has a heterotrophic colony count exceeding 200 000 colony forming units per millilitre, the responsible person—

              (i)     ensures the water in the cooling tower system is disinfected; and

              (ii)     between 2 and 7 days after the water has been disinfected in accordance with paragraph (i), ensures that a further sample of the recirculating water of the system is taken and is delivered to a laboratory for testing and reporting on for heterotrophic colony count;

Penalty:     20 penalty units.

        (e)     after following the procedure in subregulation (6)(d) the heterotrophic colony count continues to exceed 200 000 colony forming units per millilitre, the responsible person—

              (i)     ensures the steps in subregulation (6)(d) are repeated until the heterotrophic colony count does not exceed 200 000 colony forming units per millilitre in 2 consecutive water samples taken approximately one week apart; or

              (ii)     closes the cooling tower system until the problem has been remedied.

Penalty:     20 penalty units.