Public Drinking Water Branch

Design Guide for Community Water Systems Updates

The Missouri Department of Natural Resources’ Public Drinking Water Branch is announcing its intent to update the Community Water Systems Design Guide.  The Design Guide provides engineering standards for the construction or modification of all community water systems in the State of Missouri.

The current design guide went into effect Aug. 29, 2003.  A workgroup of Department of Natural Resources engineers and environmental specialists from around the state have developed proposed revisions to the design guide.  These proposed revisions are intended to improve the design guide based on new technology and information.  The department will solicit external stakeholder input on these proposed revisions in the near future.

Comments on the first draft of the document have been reviewed and changes have been incorporated into a second draft.  The comments received and committee responses to them are now available for viewing.

The second draft is no longer available for comment.
First Draft
Comments and Responses
Second Draft
Design Guide Comparison
Design Guide Rule Promulgation Requirements

Upcoming Meetings
TBA

Past Meetings
Agenda
Meeting Announcement
Nov. 15, 2011 - Springfield
Nov. 10, 2011 - Poplar Bluff
Nov. 9, 2011 - St. Louis
Nov. 8, 2011 - Macon
Nov. 2, 2011 - Kansas City

Sept. 9, 2011
Design Guide stakeholder meeting video Part 1 | Part 2 
Meeting Announcement
Agenda

Click on a topic to view a summary of the types of changes recommended by the committee.

Conformance to new regulations

New regulations coming from the Environmental Protection Agency are making it more imperative that systems be designed and built to ensure that the operator can easily find problems in source, treatment, and storage facilities.  Once problems are found, access needs to be available to repair or replace problem sources appropriately.  In response to this need, the committee has recommended that design and construction reflect more sampling locations and improved access to specific elements of water storage and treatment facilities for maintenance, repair and replacement.

Update to reflect revised 10-States and American Water Works Association Standards

Our community design guide borrows heavily from recommended standards developed by the Great Lakes – Upper Mississippi River Board of State and Provincial Public Health and Environmental Managers.  This board, also known as “10-States” of which Missouri is a member, revises their recommended standards approximately every four years.  The committee revisions to the current design guide incorporate updated information provided in the most current (2007) edition of “Recommended Standards for Water Works” as well as updated American Water Works Association (AWWA) standards.

Response to New technologies

New technologies that have seen use in Missouri have been reviewed for their effectiveness.  The committee has added guidelines to the community design guide that recognizes limitations, but should help maximize the effectiveness of these technologies when used.

Response to natural disasters

Missouri weather certainly has been active in recent years.  Frequent major flooding and ice storms have taught water systems and regulators some lessons about the adequacy of current measures to protect source water and water works facilities.  The committee has made recommendations in direct response to problems identified during natural disasters.  Most notably, improved protection is recommended for facilities in or around areas prone to flooding.

Safety and economy

The economic downturn has forced many to reflect on ways to reduce costs while attempting to offer the same level of service.  The committee would prefer cost reduction measures not come at the expense of the safety of water system operators, maintenance workers and inspectors (and ultimately the customers).  The committee has recommended improved design standards that will maintain an adequate level of safety for those charged with serving the public.

The primary purpose of a public water supply system is to provide safe and adequate drinking water to the public.  Decisions made by system owners who use primary-use facilities for secondary purposes may have direct implications on the ability of systems to serve their primary purpose.  The committee has made new and revised recommendations regarding specific secondary uses of water supply systems and facilities.

Clarification and explanation

Some language in the Design Guide was noted to be somewhat ambiguous in meaning and intent.  The committee has attempted to clarify portions of the design guide where significant questions were raised on the intent of the language.  In addition, the committee has included more explanatory language to help the reader consider the reasons for some of the requirements made in the Design Guide.

Prescriptive language minimized

Some language was noted to be excessively prescriptive or lacked recognition of alternative methods available to solve engineering problems.  Some of the more prescriptive language was removed in favor of providing the design engineer the opportunity to submit information clarifying the reasoning behind engineering decisions.

Removal of operation and maintenance requirements

The Design Guide for Community Water Systems serves a role that is exclusive to design and construction during the effective dates.  While the Design Guide does make every effort to address design in a way that will improve maintenance, maintenance schedules and associated costs, it does not attempt to instruct the water system operator on operation and maintenance.  Some language was noted to focus on operation and maintenance procedures and was removed from the Design Guide or replaced.

Grammatical and Reference errors

Grammatical errors were located and fixed.  Standards and regulation references were updated or fixed.