Plan Review for Noncommunity Systems
When is a plan review required for noncommunity systems?
Prior to installation or alteration of any public water supply treatment system including:
- All water treatment installations used to remove or reduce regulated contaminants listed in the Safe Drinking Water Act
- Replacement of existing treatment equipment
- Changes or modifications to the plumbing of an existing treatment facility
- Any chemical feed equipment
When is plan review NOT required for noncommunity systems?
- Installation of noncommunity water supply wells. Work must still be performed by a licensed well driller, who shall submit a well notification to the MDH, Section of Well Management.
- Installation of point-of-use devices that are used for aesthetic purposes only.
- Water softeners used only for hardness, iron or manganese removal. (Note: Installation of water softening equipment will subject the system to additional lead and copper monitoring per the Lead and Copper Rule Revisions of 2006.)
What do I need to include in the plans and specifications?
- Treatment objective (iron, manganese, arsenic, nitrate removal, etc.)
- Number of people being served by the water system, and describe the type of population to be served (employees, church congregation, child daycare, etc.)
- Design criteria:
- Flow rate
- Water system demand (including domestic water use, and industrial/process water use).
- Contaminant concentrations
- A list of water quality parameters that may interfere with treatment, and at what levels that they become a concern.
- Expected volume of water to be treated per cycle (or number of bed volumes before bed exhaustion).
- List of chemicals used for treatment, including feed rates (all chemicals must be ANSI/NSF standard 60 listed)
- Spill/leak containment provisions for chemical storage tanks
- Treatment specifications:
- Type of filter or softener media
- Number of Vessels and orientation (series or parallel)
- Chemical feed equipment, including feed rates (include equipment sizing)
- Makes and models of all equipment
- ANSI/NSF standard 61 compliance
- Detailed floor plans showing the locations of the:
- Treatment equipment
- All piping, and pipe sizes
- Valves
- Water meters
- Cross connection control devices
- Existing components of the system
- Water sampling taps
- Chemical injection points
- Wastewater discharge receptacles
- Materials, methods and sizing for all plumbing piping, including compliance with applicable standards (Minnesota Plumbing Code, Minn. Rules Chapter 4715).
- Additional Information
- Operational parameters (controls, cycles)
- A process schematic drawing of the treatment process
- Planned maintenance and monitoring activities
- Chemicals used for maintenance, including feed rates
- Provision of necessary safety and personal protection devices
- Plans should include a guarantee of performance for water treatment systems installed for water quality compliance issues.
- Isometric drawings of the hot & cold water piping, and for the drain, waste and vent piping.
- Copies of approvals from the administrative authority for the disposal/treatment of the waste generated during the treatment process (i.e. filter backwash, softener regeneration water, etc.)
Where do I submit plans and specifications?
- When submitting plans and specifications via U.S. Mail, send to:
Minnesota Department of Health
Drinking Water Protection Unit – Noncommunity Plan Review
P.O. Box 64975
St. Paul, MN 55164-0975
- When submitting plans and specifications via courier service, send to:
Minnesota Department of Health
Drinking Water Protection Unit – Noncommunity Plan Review
625 North Robert Street
St. Paul, MN 55155
