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Transient Noncommunity Water Systems: Compliance Resources

Find out if your public water system is regulated as a transient noncommunity system, how to establish a new system or get help for an existing one, and what your requirements are for public notifications, operations, sampling, monitoring, and reporting.

Am I a transient noncommunity public water system?

A transient noncommunity (TNC) public water system (PWS) meets all of these criteria:

Provides water for human consumption.
Has at least 15 service connections or serves 25 people or more at least 60 days out of the year.
Does not meet the definition of a community or nontransient noncommunity water system.

Human consumption includes, but is not limited to, drinking, cooking, brushing teeth, bathing, washing hands, washing dishes, and preparing foods.

Parks, recreational vehicle (RV) parks, convenience stores, restaurants, and other businesses are often TNC public water systems.

How do I get a new or existing public water system approved?

Your public water system must have a Texas-licensed professional engineer (P.E.) prepare and submit plans and specifications for your system. This includes information about your water source, distribution system, and any equipment that is part of your system.

Establishing a New Public Water System – requirements that new water systems must meet before construction may begin.
Submit PWS Plans for Review – how to submit PWS plans to TCEQ for review.
Forms and Checklists for PWS Plans – documents with guidelines for wells, pressure tanks, and distribution systems to assist you and your engineer.
Requesting an Exception to Rules and Regulations for PWS – information on requesting exceptions if you cannot obtain all the necessary information.
Is Regionalization an Option? – guidance on requesting service and connecting to a neighboring system or combining existing systems into one regional water system.
Requirements for Water Haulers – if you distribute drinking water for human consumption by tank truck or trailer and serve 25 people or more at least 60 days out of the year, you must obtain approval for your system and meet the requirements of 30 TAC § 290.44(i).

How do I prepare for an investigation?

All public water systems are subject to complaint and routine compliance investigations by the TCEQ. The information and equipment reviewed will depend on the type of investigation or nature of the complaint. In general, you will need to show you are meeting all operational, sampling, monitoring, and record-keeping requirements.

Typically, a TCEQ investigator will contact you to schedule any routine, non-complaint investigation, and send you a list of items they plan to review.

TNC Compliance Notebook – the compliance notebook is a record keeping tool to help you gather and organize documentation required to be available during an inspection.
Required Records – this list includes all records required to be available during a PWS investigation. Not all records will be required for your system.
Compliance Checklists for PWS Investigations – copies of the checklists TCEQ investigators use for common investigations at public water systems.

What are my operational requirements?

As a public water system, you must keep records, provide disinfection for your water, keep the system maintained and in working order, and meet other requirements.

Operations Guidance

You’re a Public Water System…Now What? (RG-496) – a guide for rules and regulations that apply to public water systems, especially those who have recently learned they own a PWS.
Managing Small Public Water Systems (RG-501) – a five-part series helping owners, managers, or operators of small water systems understand and comply with rules and develop tools for planning and operation.
Special Precautions Flowchart: Responding to a Loss of Pressure in Your Distribution System
After the Flood: Is Your Water Safe to Drink?
Using Bleach for Disinfecting Drinking Water and Water Wells – guidance for determining which bleaches may be used for disinfecting drinking water.
What to Do in a Water Crisis – what your PWS must do and how to contact TCEQ when immediate action is needed, as with a loss of supply, loss of pressure, or contamination.

Operations Templates and Forms

Use the following templates and forms to meet certain requirements:

Operations and Maintenance Manual Template – use this template to develop your operations and maintenance manual.
Chemical Use Log – record the amount of each chemical you use.
Water Use Log – record the volume of water treated and distributed.
Dead End Main Flushing Log – record dates, times, and volumes of flushing events.
Facilities Cleaning Log – record dates when water system facilities were cleaned.
Residual Analyzer Verification Log – record dates and results of calibration checks for residual analyzers.
Complaint Log – record water system customer complaints and the results of any investigation from those complaints.
Tampering with a PWS Warning Sign Template – you can provide this template to a sign company to have signs made for your system.
Water Tank Inspection Log – record dates and tank conditions during tank inspections.

Operations for Seasonal Public Water Systems

Seasonal public water systems have modified operations, sampling, and reporting requirements and must complete specific start-up procedures before the operating season begins. A seasonal PWS meets all of the following criteria:

Fits the definition of a non-community water system.
Is not operated as a PWS year-round.
Stars up and shuts down at the beginning and end of each operating season.

Read TCEQ's Start-up Procedures for Seasonal Public Water Systems guidance for more information.

What are my sampling, monitoring, and reporting requirements?

You must routinely sample for certain water quality constituents such as coliform bacteria, inorganic and organic materials, and more. Specific requirements depend on population served and water source. For example, systems serving groundwater or purchased treated water to fewer than 750 customers only need to take disinfectant residual samples once a week.

Monitoring Plans

All water systems must develop monitoring and sample siting plans to show how you intend to comply with monitoring requirements.

Surface water and GUI systems must submit a copy of the monitoring plan for review and approval after initial development and any revisions.
All water systems must submit a copy of the sample siting plan for review and approval after initial development and any revisions. You can mail a copy to TCEQ’s Drinking Water Quality Team or email it to TCRDATA@tceq.texas.gov.

TCEQ has developed templates and examples to help you develop your system’s monitoring and sample siting plans:

Monitoring Plan Template
Sample Siting Plan Template
Sample Siting Plan Map: Example – use this template to develop and maintain routine and repeat coliform sample locations in the distribution system. Mail a copy of the sample siting plan to TCEQ or email to TCRDATA@tceq.texas.gov

Bacteriological Sampling and Reporting

Each PWS must regularly conduct sampling for microbial contaminants.

Guidance for Bacteriological Sample Collection – use this standard operating procedure (SOP) guide to ensure that bacterial samples are taken correctly.
RTCR Repeat Sampling Requirements Flowchart – use this flowchart to determine your repeat sampling requirements when notified of a positive routine bacteriological sample.
Level 1 Assessment Form – use this form if any of the following apply to you:
- Collect 40 or more distribution samples per month and more than 5.0% of samples collected in a month are total coliform-positive.
- Collect fewer than 40 distribution samples per month and 2 or more samples collected in a month are total coliform-positive.
- Failed to collect all required repeat samples after a total coliform-positive result.
Level 2 Assessment Form – use this form if any of the following apply to you:
- Had an E. coli-positive repeat sample after a total coliform-positive routine sample.
- Had a total coliform-positive repeat sample following an E. coli-positive routine sample.
- Failed to collect all required repeat samples following an E. coli-positive routine sample.
- Failed to test for E. coli when any repeat sample tests positive for total coliform.
- Trigger a second Level 1 Assessment within a rolling 12-month period.

Disinfectant Residual Monitoring and Reporting

All public water systems must monitor the disinfectant residual in their distribution system.

If you serve surface water, groundwater under the influence of surface water, or at least 750 customers, you must monitor your disinfectant residual daily.

Daily Disinfectant Residual Worksheet for MRDL Calculation

If you serve groundwater or purchased water and less than 750 customers, you must monitor your disinfectant residual weekly.

Weekly Disinfectant Residual Worksheet for MRDL Calculation

Your disinfectant reporting requirements depend on your water source.

Disinfectant Residual Reporting for PWS (RG-407) – information about maximum and minimum disinfectant levels, reporting requirements, and the “when, where, how, and who” of disinfectant sampling.
Disinfectant Level Quarterly Operating Report (DLQOR) Form – TNC systems serving groundwater or purchased water must complete this operating report each quarter and keep it in your records.
Surface Water Monthly Operating Reports (SWMORs) – surface water or GUI systems must complete an SWMOR and submit it to TCEQ each month.

Chemical Sampling and Monitoring

Each PWS must regularly conduct sampling for certain chemical contaminants. Monitoring frequency and requirements are based on a number of factors, including PWS classification, population served, water source, and the level of chemicals in your water based on previous sampling. Most chemical contaminant samples of concern to TNC systems are taken by TCEQ contractors. The TCEQ contractors should call before the end of your monitoring period to set up a time to take the required samples.

PWS Chemical Sampling and Monitoring Frequency – information about chemical sampling requirements and monitoring schedules for PWS.
Calculating Your Annual Cost of Chemical Compliance Sampling – calculate your water system’s cost of chemical compliance sampling.
Understanding Chemical Analysis Results – how to read and interpret the lab results of chemical sample analyses.

What are my public notice requirements?

You must notify your customers of certain conditions that could affect their drinking water.

Public Notice Language for Drinking Water Compliance – templates of language that PWS must use to notify customers of violations of microbial, primary chemical, or surface water treatment standards for drinking water and monitoring, reporting, and treatment technique violations.
Notifying Customers of Blending Chlorine and Chloramine Disinfectants – instructions and language that PWS must use to notify customers if the system blends free chlorine and chloramine disinfectants.

What rules and regulations may apply to my PWS?

Rules and regulations for public water systems are in Title 30 of the Texas Administrative Code (TAC) Chapter 290, Subchapters D-H.

If you are an establishment that prepares and serves food, you may also be regulated by the Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS).

If you are an investor-owned utility, water supply corporation, or if you bill customers for submetered or allocated water and sewer utility services, you may also be regulated by the Public Utilities Commission (PUC).

Where can I find more information and assistance?

Drinking Water Watch

Drinking Water Watch (DWW) – search the database for your water system to find analytical results, schedules, violations, and more. To ensure that communication and compliance information is addressed to the appropriate personnel at your public water system, owners and operators should notify TCEQ of any changes to contact information by emailing PWSInven@tceq.texas.gov.

Instructions for Texas Drinking Water Watch

Free Workshops and Onsite Assistance

Free Assistance for Public Water and Wastewater Systems – TCEQ’s Financial, Managerial, and Technical (FMT) Assistance Program can help you comply with regulations, prevent and address problems, perform consolidation and capacity assessments, provide technical training, and more.

TNC Reporting and Record-keeping Workshop – a free workshop for owners and operators of small transient noncommunity public water systems to explain reporting and record-keeping requirements and prepare you for compliance investigations.

Small Business and Local Government Assistance

TCEQ's Small Business and Local Government Assistance Section offers free, confidential help to small businesses and local governments working to comply with state environmental regulations. Call us at (800) 447-2827 or visit our Web page at TexasEnviroHelp.org.