Governing Lodging Establishments

Requirements for Operating a Lodging Establishment: Drinking Water Supply

Water supplies that serve lodging establishments shall provide safe drinking water. Bacteriological, chemical and radiological contaminants shall be within levels acceptable to the administrative authority. Supplies deemed unsafe by the DHSS or DNR shall not be used as a potable water supply.

1. Treatment equipment for community, noncommunity public and private water supplies.
   1. New or existing treatment equipment necessary to provide a safe drinking water supply shall be installed, maintained and operated according to manufacturer’s specifications and the DHSS requirements as defined in (3)(A)1.–7. or the DNR requirements.
   2. Existing chlorinators and chlorinators required to be installed to provide safe drinking water, after the effective date of this rule, shall be a positive feed liquid chlorinator with thirty (30)-minute retention time based on pump capacity and must maintain a residual no less than 0.5 and no greater than four (4) parts per million (ppm) free available chlorine.
   3. Equipment, approved by the administrative authority, shall be available to test the treatment system.
2. Community and noncommunity public water supplies:
   1. Shall be in compliance with Missouri laws and the DNR rules and regulations;
   2. Noncommunity water supplies shall have a valid DNR permit to dispense water. A current copy of the DNR permit to dispense water must be available for review by the administrative authority.
3. Private water supplies:
   1. Shall be regulated under the jurisdiction of the DHSS and constructed and located according to 10 CSR 23-3.010–10 CSR 23-3.110 Missouri Well Construction Code with the following aboveground construction components verified by inspection:
      1. Well casing shall extend a minimum of twelve inches (12")
         above grade; and
      2. The top of the well casing shall be free of openings that may
         allow the entry of contaminants;
   2. Potentially influenced by surface water or shallow groundwater (i.e. springs, bored and dug wells) shall be equipped with a treatment system that includes:
      1. Microfiltration using a filter with a one (1) micron absolute or smaller pore size; and
      2. A chlorinator as defined in (3)(A)1.B.
4. Routine testing for transient noncommunity public and private water supplies.
   1. Transient noncommunity public water and private water supplies shall be in compliance with all applicable testing mandated by the DHSS or DNR.
      1. During each inspection, but no less than annually, a bacteriological water sample shall be collected by the administrative authority and analyzed for the presence of coliform bacteria; and
      2. A nitrate sample shall be collected when deemed necessary by the administrative authority and at least annually when a chlorinator is present. Wells exceeding nitrate levels of ten (10) ppm shall not be used for drinking water; a permanent alternative water supply must be provided.
   2. Water supplies with chlorinators installed, after the effective date of this rule, shall:
      1. Have a nitrate analysis conducted prior to installing a chlorinator;
      2. Provide two (2) consecutive bacteriological sampling results, collected by the administrative authority a minimum of five (5) days apart, that are absent for total coliform and/or E. coli; and
      3. Provide monthly bacteriological sampling results for twelve (12) months.
         1. If results are satisfactory for twelve (12) consecutive months, the administrative authority shall determine future sampling frequencies.
         2. If bacteriological sampling results continue to indicate the presence of total coliform, the well may be deemed unsafe by the DHSS.
         3. If two (2) water samples collected by the administrative authority within a twelve (12)-month period separated by at least thirty (30) days are E. coli positive, the well shall be deemed unsafe by the DHSS, unless immediate corrective actions can be taken to provide safe drinking water. These corrective actions must be approved by the DHSS.
   3. Private water supplies not meeting satisfactory bacteriological water results shall be placed under a Boil Water Order or Boil Water Notice/Advisory. Private water supplies not meeting satisfactory chemical or radiological water results shall be placed under a Limit Use Order.
5. During a Boil Water Order (including precautionary Boil Water Notice/Advisories) or a Limit Use Order issued on a public and/or private water supply, the operator shall comply with the following intermediate process(es) until permanent corrections have been made to the water supply:
   1. Notify guests, verbally and again by written notice prominently placed in each rented guest room, that the plumbed water is not potable and only potable water should be used for drinking and/or brushing of teeth. Additional restrictions for water use may be required by the DHSS;
   2. Discard ice that may have been made from or exposed to contaminated water; and
   3. Obtain a temporary, alternate supply of potable water using one of the following practices:
      1. Individual containers of commercially bottled water shall be placed in each rented guest room and additional bottled water shall be available upon request by guests;
      2. Bulk water containers acceptable to the DHSS and which are filled from a source acceptable to the DHSS or DNR may be used. Such water shall be treated with an appropriate concentration of residual disinfectant to effectively counteract potential contamination that may be introduced between the filling of the container(s) and the dispensing of the water. This water shall be transported and handled in a safe and sanitary manner, which prevents contamination; or
      3. Other methods approved by the DHSS or DNR.
   4. Community and noncommunity public water supplies shall comply with all mandated requirements issued by the DNR, local water district or utilities.
6. For a Boil Water Order to be lifted on private water supplies, the operator shall comply with one (1) of the following permanent corrections:
   1. Provide a chlorinator and comply with (3)(A)1.B. and (3)(A)4.B.(II);
   2. Provide an alternate connection to an adjacent plumbing source of water acceptable to the DHSS and/or DNR, which is protected from contamination and capable of supplying a sufficient quantity of water; or
   3. Other permanent disinfection process(es) or permanent corrective measure(s) as authorized by the DHSS.
7. For a Limit Use Order to be lifted for public and/or private water supplies, the operator shall comply with one (1) of the following permanent corrections:
   1. Provide an alternate connection to an adjacent plumbing source of water acceptable to the DHSS and/or DNR, which is protected from contamination and capable of supplying a sufficient quantity of water; or
   2. Other permanent corrective measures that provide a safe water supply, as approved by the DHSS.