NR 811.50(3)
(3)
Pilot testing. Prior to initiating the design of a membrane treatment facility, pilot testing under s.
NR 811.44 shall be conducted. The pilot plant study shall be designed to identify the best membrane to use, need for pre- treatment, type of post- treatment, cold and warm water flux, backwash optimization, chemical cleaning optimization, fouling potential, operating and transmembrane pressure, integrity testing procedures, bypass ratio, amount of reject water, system recovery, process efficiency, particulate or organism removal efficiencies, and other design and monitoring considerations, each when applicable. The duration of the pilot testing shall be 9 to 12 months for microfiltration and ultrafiltration and 2 to 7 months for reverse osmosis and nanofiltration. The pilot testing shall be operated for a minimum of 3 clean in-place cycles unless an alternate operation schedule is approved by the department. The general protocol and sampling schedule shall follow the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Membrane Filtration Guidance Manual, EPA 815-R-06-009, November 2005 Table 6.2, which is incorporated by reference, unless the department approves an alternative sampling schedule.
NR 811.50 Note
Note: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Membrane Filtration Guidance Manual, EPA 815-R-06-009 is the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency guidance for membrane filtration published on November 5, 2005. A copy of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency standard is available for inspection at the Legislative Reference Bureau and may be obtained from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency,
https://www.epa.gov.
NR 811.50(4)
(4)
Challenge Testing. Membranes treating surface waters or groundwater under the direct influence of a surface water shall be challenge tested to establish a product specific maximum
Cryptosporidium and
Giardia Lamblia log removal credit. Challenge testing shall meet the requirements of s.
NR 810.45 (2).
NR 811.50(5)
(5)
Pretreatment. Pretreatment shall be as follows:
NR 811.50(5)(a)
(a) Microfiltration and ultrafiltration. Pretreatment shall be designed to remove suspended solids and large particulate matter. The pretreatment may consist of a screen or strainer with a 200 to 500 micron rating. Chemicals used for pretreatment shall be certified for compliance with ANSI/NSF Standard 60.
NR 811.50(5)(b)
(b) Reverse osmosis and nanofiltration. Pretreatment shall be provided where appropriate for turbidity reduction, iron or manganese removal, stabilization of the water to prevent scale formation, microbial control, chlorine removal for certain membrane types, and pH adjustment. At a minimum, cartridge filters shall be provided for the protection of the reverse osmosis or nanofiltration membranes against particulate matter.
NR 811.50(6)
(6)
Membrane materials. Two types of membranes may be used for reverse osmosis and nanofiltration. These are cellulose acetate based and polyamide composites. Microfiltration and ultrafiltration membranes may be organic polymers such as: cellulose acetate, polysulfones, polyamides, polypropylene, polycarbonates or polyvinylidene. The physical configurations may include: hollow fiber, spiral wound or tubular. Membrane materials shall be compatible with any pre-oxidants.
NR 811.50(7)
(7)
Useful life of membranes. The life expectancy of a particular membrane under consideration shall be evaluated during the pilot study or from other relevant available data.
NR 811.50(8)
(8)
Backwashing. Automated periodic backwashing shall be provided for microfiltration and ultrafiltration on a timed basis or once a target transmembrane pressure differential or a high resistance have been reached. Back flushing volumes may range from 5% to 15% of the permeate flow depending upon the frequency of flushing or cleaning and the degree of fouling. The back flushing volumes shall be considered in the treatment system sizing and the capacity of the raw water source. For systems using pressurized air, the compressors shall utilize food grade oil and filters shall be provided to prevent oil from reaching the membranes. Chemically enhanced backwash systems shall be protected from cross connections and shall be followed by a regular backwash. Backwash wastes shall be disposed of in accordance with subch.
XII.
NR 811.50(9)
(9)
Membrane cleaning. A means shall be provided to allow for periodically cleaning the membrane. Cleaning shall include a soak type cleaning and may also include more frequent maintenance cleans. The cleaning process shall protect the raw and finished water from contamination. Cleaning chemicals, frequency and procedure should follow membrane manufacturer's guidelines. Some cleaning solutions require heated water. Cleaning chemicals shall be NSF/ANSI Standard 60 certified. Membrane cleaning shall be initiated by the operator. Waste streams from chemical cleaning shall be discharged to the sanitary sewer. Adequate space shall be provided for different or additional chemicals which may be required to adequately clean the membranes in the future.
NR 811.50(10)
(10)
Membrane integrity testing. A means shall be provided to conduct direct and indirect integrity testing to routinely evaluate membrane and housing integrity and overall filtration performance. Direct integrity testing may include pressure and vacuum decay tests for microfiltration and ultrafiltration and marker-based tests for nanofiltration and reverse osmosis. The direct testing method shall allow for conducting tests at least once per day and may be required 3 times per day. Indirect monitoring options may include particle counters or turbidity monitors or both and shall allow for testing continuously. The testing methodology shall be approved by the department during startup procedures.
NR 811.50(11)
(11)
Monitoring. Equipment shall be provided to monitor water quality, flow rates, and water pressure.
NR 811.50(11)(a)
(a) Water quality. Sampling taps shall be provided to allow monitoring of water quality from the source water, from the water after any pretreatment, from the filtrate of each membrane unit, from the combined filtrate of all membranes, from the backwash, and prior to the entry to any clearwell.
NR 811.50(11)(b)
(b) Flow monitoring. Water meters shall be provided to allow flow measurement from the source water, from the filtrate of each unit, from the combined filtrate of all units, from the backwash source, from any recirculation line, and from any waste line.
NR 811.50(11)(c)
(c) Pressure monitoring. Pressure gauges shall be provided prior to the membrane units, after each membrane unit, and on the combined effluent of all membrane units.
NR 811.50(11)(d)
(d) Additional monitoring. Additional monitoring points shall be provided as necessary to satisfy integrity testing requirements and operational reporting requirements of sub.
(10) and s.
NR 810.07.
NR 811.50(12)
(12)
Cross connection control. Cross connection control considerations shall be incorporated into the system design, particularly with regard to chemical feeds and waste piping used for membrane cleaning, waste stream and concentrate. Protection may include block and bleed valves on the chemical cleaning lines and air gaps on the drain lines.
NR 811.50(13)
(13)
Redundancy of critical components. Redundancy of critical control components including but not limited to pumps, valves, air supply, chemical feed equipment and computers shall be provided.
NR 811.50(14)
(14)
Post treatment. Post treatment of water treated using reverse osmosis or nanofiltration shall be provided. Post treatment may consist of degasification for carbon dioxide, if excessive, and hydrogen sulfide removal, if present, pH and hardness adjustment for corrosion control, and disinfection as a secondary pathogen control and for distribution system protection.
NR 811.50(15)
(15)
Bypass water. The design shall provide for a portion of the raw water to bypass the unit to maintain stable water within the distribution system and to improve process economics as long as the raw water does not contain unacceptable contaminants. Alternative filtration shall be provided for bypassed surface water or groundwater under the direct influence of surface water.
NR 811.50(16)
(16)
Reject water. Reject volumes shall be evaluated in terms of the source availability and from the waste treatment availabilities. The amount of reject water from a unit may be reduced to a limited extent by increasing the feed pressure to the unit. Waste disposal from reverse osmosis or nanofiltration reject water shall discharge to a municipal sewer system, to waste treatment facilities, or to an evaporation pond.
NR 811.50(17)
(17)
Treatment efficiency. The design treatment efficiency shall be determined by pilot testing.
NR 811.50(18)
(18)
Power consumption. The power consumption of a particular membrane under consideration shall be evaluated during the pilot study or from other relevant data.
NR 811.50(19)(a)(a)
Back-up systems. Automated monitoring and control systems shall be provided with back-up power and operational control systems consisting of the following:
NR 811.50(19)(a)1.
1. Dual running programmable logic controllers (PLCs) with synchronized programs and memory, or spare PLCs loaded with the most current program.
NR 811.50(19)(b)
(b) Remote or unmanned operational control. Systems designed for remote or unmanned control shall be provided alarms, communication systems, and automatic shutdown processes. The department shall be contacted to determine the extent of operational control required. At a minimum the following alarms shall be provided:
NR 811.51
NR 811.51 Fluoridation. Sodium fluoride, sodium fluorosilicate and fluorosilicic acid shall conform to the applicable NSF/ANSI Standard 60 and AWWA standards B701, B702, and B703 in effect at the time of use. Other fluoride compounds which may be available shall be approved by the department. The following specific requirements shall be met:
NR 811.51(1)
(1)
Fluoride chemical storage. Fluoride chemicals shall be stored in accordance with the following requirements:
NR 811.51(1)(a)
(a) Fluoride chemicals shall be isolated from other chemicals to prevent contamination.
NR 811.51(1)(b)
(b) Fluoride chemicals shall be stored in covered or unopened shipping containers and stored inside a building.
NR 811.51(1)(c)
(c) Unsealed storage units for fluorosilicic acid shall be vented to the atmosphere at a point outside the building. The vent piping shall terminate a minimum of 24 inches above grade with a down-turned U-bend. The vent pipe opening shall be covered with a 24-mesh corrosion resistant screen.
NR 811.51(2)
(2)
Fluoride Acid housing. Equipment for feeding fluoride in the acid form and unsealed acid storage containers shall be housed in accordance with the following requirements:
NR 811.51(2)(a)
(a) All chemical feed equipment, solution tanks, and acid containers shall be housed in a separate room within the pumphouse away from controls, electrical contacts, and other equipment subject to damage. Fluoride chemical feed installations shall be installed in a room separate from all other chemicals.
NR 811.51(2)(b)
(b) Unsealed acid storage units or solution tanks shall be vented to the outside in accordance with sub.
(1).
NR 811.51(2)(d)
(d) Entrance may be from inside the pumphouse but shall include a gasketed, sealed door to minimize the transfer of fumes outside the fluoride room.
NR 811.51(3)
(3)
Chemical feed installations. Chemical feed installations shall:
NR 811.51(3)(b)
(b) Provide scales, loss-of-weight recorders, liquid level indicators, or graduated feed drums for determining the amount of chemical applied. The method shall be accurate to within 5% of the average daily change in reading. A meter shall be provided on the water fill line to a fluoride saturator.
NR 811.51(3)(c)
(c) Not allow fluoride addition before lime-soda softening or ion exchange softening.
NR 811.51(3)(d)
(d) Provide feeders accurate to within 5% of any desired feed rate.
NR 811.51(3)(e)
(e) Be such that the point of application of fluorosilicic acid, if into a horizontal pipe, shall be in the lower half of the pipe with the chemical injection nozzle projecting upward into the pipe as required by s.
NR 811.39 (7) (f).
NR 811.51(3)(h)
(h) Provide soft water for fluoride saturator makeup water. A meter shall be provided on the water fill line to a fluoride saturator.
NR 811.51(4)
(4)
Secondary controls. Secondary control systems for automatically controlled fluoride chemical feed devices shall be provided as a means of reducing the possibility for overfeed; these may include flow or pressure switches or other equivalent devices.
NR 811.51(5)
(5)
Dust control. Dust control shall meet the following requirements
:
NR 811.51(5)(a)
(a) Provision shall be made for the transfer of dry fluoride compounds from shipping containers to storage bins or hoppers in such a way as to minimize the quantity of fluoride dust which may enter the room in which the equipment is installed. The enclosure shall be provided with an exhaust fan and dust filter which place the hopper under a negative pressure. Air exhausted from fluoride handling equipment shall discharge through a dust filter to the atmosphere outside of the building.
NR 811.51(5)(b)
(b) Provision shall be made for disposing of empty bags, drums, or barrels in a manner which will minimize exposure to fluoride dust. A floor drain shall be provided to facilitate the hosing of floors.
NR 811.51(6)
(6)
Protective equipment. Protective clothing, gloves, goggles or face shields and aspirator shall be provided.
NR 811.51(7)
(7)
Testing equipment. Equipment shall be provided for measuring the quantity of fluoride in the water using the analytical methods as specified in s.
NR 809.113 (1), Table A. When also feeding phosphates, the electrode method is required. The Alizarin Visual method may be approved only in special cases where the owner can allocate the extra time needed for testing.
NR 811.51(8)
(8)
Dilution equipment. Where dilution of the chemical solution is necessary, a graduated container and transfer pump shall be provided.
NR 811.51 History
History: CR 09-073: cr.
Register November 2010 No. 659, eff. 12-1-10;
CR 22-074: am. (1) (c), (2) (a), (3) (h) Register January 2024 No. 817, eff. 2-1-24. NR 811.52
NR 811.52 Iron and manganese control. Iron and manganese control refers solely to treatment processes designed specifically for this purpose. The treatment process used will depend upon the character of the raw water. The selection of treatment processes shall meet specific local conditions as determined by engineering investigations, including chemical analyses of representative samples of water to be treated. The department may require the operation of a pilot plant in accordance with s.
NR 811.44 in order to gather all information pertinent to the design. Consideration shall be given to adjusting the pH of the raw water to optimize the chemical reaction. The following requirements for specified treatment processes shall be met:
NR 811.52(1)
(1)
Removal by oxidation-detention-filtration or oxidation-filtration. NR 811.52(1)(a)
(a)
Oxidation. Oxidation may be by aeration, as indicated in s.
NR 811.45, or by chemical oxidation with chlorine, potassium permanganate, sodium permanganate, hydrous manganese oxides, ozone or chlorine dioxide.
NR 811.52(1)(b)1.1. A detention period of 0.5 to 3 hours, as determined by pilot studies, shall be provided following oxidation by aeration in order to insure that the oxidation reactions are as complete as possible. The detention period may be omitted or reduced where a pilot plant study indicates no need for detention or that a detention period less than 30 minutes will be adequate and department approval is obtained.
NR 811.52(1)(b)2.
2. The detention basin shall be designed as a holding tank with sufficient baffling to prevent short circuits. Sludge collection equipment is not required. The floor shall be sloped to facilitate cleaning. Detention basins shall meet all potable water reservoir standards as required by subch.
IX.
NR 811.52(1)(c)
(c) Sedimentation. Sedimentation basins shall be provided when treating water with high iron or manganese content or both and a significant volume of oxidized material will be created or where chemical coagulation is used to reduce the load on the filters. Provisions for sludge removal shall be made. Sedimentation basins shall meet all potable water reservoir standards as required by subch.
IX.
NR 811.52(1)(d)
(d) Rapid rate pressure filters. Use of rapid rate pressure filters as well as gravity filters may be considered for iron and manganese removal. Rapid rate pressure filters for iron and manganese shall meet the requirements under s.
NR 811.49.
NR 811.52(2)
(2)
Removal by lime processes. The removal of iron and manganese by lime processes shall meet the requirements in s.
NR 811.57.
NR 811.52(3)
(3)
Removal by manganese greensand type filtration. The removal of iron and manganese by greensand type filtration consisting of a continuous feed of potassium or sodium permanganate to the influent of a manganese greensand filter, is more applicable to the removal of iron plus manganese than to the removal of iron only because of economic considerations. As an alternate method, application of the potassium permanganate to the greensand on a “batch" basis may be installed when the department determines “batch" application is as effective as continuous feed. The following requirements apply:
NR 811.52(3)(a)
(a) The permanganate shall be applied as far ahead of the filter as practical.
NR 811.52(3)(b)
(b) Other oxidizing agents or processes, such as chlorination or aeration, may be used prior to the permanganate feed to reduce the cost of the chemical.
NR 811.52(3)(c)
(c) The normal filtration rate shall be 3 gallons per minute per square foot.
NR 811.52(3)(d)
(d) The normal backwash rate shall be 8 to 10 gallons per minute per square foot for manganese greensand media and 15 to 20 gallons per minute per square foot for manganese coated media. Lesser backwash rates may be used if justified to the department by filter vessel manufacturers or through pilot studies under s.
NR 811.44.
NR 811.52(3)(f)
(f) Sampling faucets shall be provided prior to application of permanganate, immediately ahead of filtration and at the filter outlet.
NR 811.52(4)
(4)
Removal by ion exchange. The removal of iron and manganese by ion exchange may not be used unless pilot plant studies have demonstrated that satisfactory removal efficiencies can be continuously provided. There may be no oxidation of the iron or manganese prior to the process.
NR 811.52(5)
(5)
Testing equipment. Testing equipment shall be provided for all plants. The equipment shall have the capacity to accurately measure the iron content to a minimum of 0.1 mg/l and the manganese content to a minimum of 0.05 mg/l.
