R392-303-5. Geothermal Source Water Quality

(1)(a) The owner of a geothermal pool or geothermal bathing place shall install a tap or sampling point that provides the operator with the ability to sample the geothermal source water before it enters the geothermal pool or geothermal bathing place impoundment.

(b) If it is impractical to directly sample the geothermal source water, the operator may sample water directly from the pool or impoundment. However, at least sixteen hours must have passed since any person has been in the pool and the sample shall be taken as close to the geothermal source water inlet as practical.

(2) The operator of a geothermal pool or geothermal bathing place shall collect samples of the geothermal source water and of any other water source used to fill the pool that is not approved for drinking water by Utah Division of Drinking Water. The operator shall submit the samples for analysis to a laboratory certified under R444-14. The operator shall have the analysis performed initially and every five years thereafter to determine the levels of constituents listed in Table 1. If a geothermal pool or geothermal bathing place is in existence prior to the adoption of this rule, the owner of the facility shall submit to the local health department the results of initial source water tests within six months after the adoption of the rule. The permit applicant of a newly permitted public geothermal pool or geothermal bathing place shall submit the results of the initial source water analyses to the local health department with his application for a permit. The operator shall submit five-year samples to the local health department within six months prior to the end of the five year period.

(3) If the geothermal source water analysis required in R392-303-5(2) reports that any constituents fails any of the standards in Table 1, the owner shall do one of the following:

(a) not use the source water;

(b) implement an ongoing treatment process approved by the Department to provide source water that meets the requirements in Table 1; or

(c) at a minimum, post a caution sign outlined in R392-303-22, to notify swimmers that the water does not meet the EPA recommended drinking water standard and they swim at their own risk. The caution sign shall include the name of the constituent that does not meet the EPA standard and that there may be a health risk associated with bathing in water that contains high levels of the constituent. Based on research funded by or guidelines issued by a competent authority, including the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention or the Environmental Protection Agency, the Local Health Officer may require the operator to post the maximum recommended bathing period or to post other recommended restrictions.

TABLE 1

Geothermal Source Water Constituents

Constituent Maximum Minimum

pH 8.0 7.0

Fluoride 4.0 milligrams per liter None

Nitrate 10 milligrams per liter None

Nitrite 1 milligrams per liter None

Antimony 0.006 milligrams per liter None

Arsenic 0.010 milligrams per liter None

Barium 2 milligrams per liter None

Beryllium 0.004 milligrams per liter None

Cadmium 0.005 milligrams per liter None

Chromium 0.1 milligrams per liter None

Copper 1.3 milligrams per liter None

Cyanide (as free cyanide) 0.2 milligrams per liter None

Lead 0.015 milligrams per liter None

Mercury 0.002 milligrams per liter None

Selenium 0.05 milligrams per liter None

Thallium 0.002 milligrams per liter None