R70-630-6. Operator Requirements

(1) Water vending machine operators shall have on file and perform a maintenance program that includes:

(a) Visits for cleaning, sanitizing, and servicing of machines at least every two weeks.

(b) Written servicing instructions.

(c) Technical manuals for the machines.

(d) Technical manuals for the water treatment appurtenances involved.

(2) Parts and surfaces of water vending machines shall be kept clean and maintained by the water vending machine operator. The vending chamber and the vending nozzle shall be cleaned and sanitized each time the machine is serviced. A record of cleaning and maintenance operations shall be kept by the operator for each water vending machine. These records shall be made available to the department's employees upon request.

(3) Water vending machine operators shall ensure that machines are maintained and monitored to dispense water meeting quality standards specified in this rule. Water analysis shall be performed using approved testing procedures set forth in 21 CFR 165, 2004. Each machine's finished product shall be sampled at least once every three months by the operator, to determine total coliform content. However, provided a satisfactory method of post-treatment disinfection is utilized and based on a sustained record of satisfactory total coliform analyses, the department shall allow modification of the three-month sampling requirement as follows:

(a) When three consecutive three-month samples are each found to contain zero coliform colonies per 100 milliliters of the vended water, microbiological sampling intervals shall be extended to a period not exceeding six months. Should a subsequent six-month sample test positive for total coliform, the required sampling frequency shall revert to the three-month frequency until three consecutive samples again test negative for total coliform bacteria.

(b) If any sample collected from a machine is determined to be unsatisfactory, exceeding the zero coliform colonies per 100 milliliter, the machine shall be cleaned, sanitized and resampled immediately. If, after being cleaned and sanitized, the vended product is determined to be positive for coliform, the machine shall be taken out of service until the source of contamination has been located and corrected.

(4) Each water vending machine operator shall take whatever investigative or corrective actions are necessary to assure a potable water is supplied to consumers.

(5) The vended water from each vending machine utilizing silver-impregnated carbon filters in the treatment process shall be sampled once every six months for silver.

(6) All records pertaining to the sampling and analyses shall be retained by the operator for a period of not less than two years. Results of all analyses shall be available for department review upon request.