Authority: IC 13-14-8; IC 13-14-9; IC 13-15-1-2; IC 13-15-2-1; IC 13-18-3-1; IC 13-18-4-1

Affected: IC 13-11-2; IC 13-13-5-1; IC 13-18-2

Sec. 4. (a) All school buildings and related facilities shall be supplied with safe, potable water from an approved source and an approved water distribution system.

(b) The drinking water for school buildings and related facilities shall be supplied at the flow rate and pressure required by 327 IAC 8-3.2-11, at the quality required by 327 IAC 8-2, and in accordance with the following:

1. (1) The water supply and water distribution system shall be sized and constructed to deliver water at twenty (20) pounds per square inch minimum pressure to all fixtures and appurtenances during periods of peak water demand.
2. (2) Notwithstanding subdivision (1), school buildings may be served by hand-operated well pumps where religious custom precludes using electrically or gasoline driven well pumps providing the well and well pump are located and constructed in compliance with this rule and applicable sections of 410 IAC 6-5.1.

(c) A connection to a public water system shall be made with its potable water used exclusively wherever the system is available or becomes available within a reasonable distance from the school facility, with the exception that nonpotable sources of water are available and may be utilized for the following nonpotable activities:

1. (1) Lawn sprinkling.
2. (2) Bus washing.
3. (3) Firefighting.
4. (4) Other nonpotable uses provided by a nonpotable distribution system having no connection to the potable system.

(d) Where a community public water system is not available, a properly located and constructed private water supply shall be provided. Beginning on the effective date of this rule, all new and modified public water systems exclusively serving schools and related facilities shall be equipped with a backup system capable of providing drinking water in accordance with subsection (b).

(e) Well pumps, pressure tanks, storage tanks, treatment facilities, and piping shall be sized to meet peak daily consumer demands. The minimum usable capacity of the pressure tank, in gallons, shall be three (3) times the installed well pump capacity in gallons per minute. For example, a pump of thirty (30) gallons per minute capacity would require a pressure tank of ninety (90) gallons usable capacity. If the well or pump cannot meet peak demands, sufficient additional usable storage capacity shall be provided to meet peak demands.

(f) Each school building or addition to a school building may have a potable water supply where necessary to provide adequate service. However, where two (2) or more school potable water supply systems are located on the same site, the water supply systems shall be sufficiently interconnected to allow for the maximum possible utilization of each should a system fail.

(g) Unless lower water system demands can be documented to the satisfaction of the commissioner, all school buildings and additions to school buildings constructed after February 17, 1985, shall have a water supply system capable of furnishing a minimum of:

1. (1) fifteen (15) gallons per day per student up through the elementary grades;
2. (2) twenty-five (25) gallons per day per student in grades greater than elementary; and
3. (3) one hundred (100) gallons per day per dormitory bed based on maximum building occupancy.

(Water Pollution Control Division; 327 IAC 8-3.3-4; filed Mar 31, 1999, 1:50 p.m.: 22 IR 2511; errata filed Aug 30, 1999, 12:06 p.m.: 23 IR 25; readopted filed Jan 10, 2001, 3:23 p.m.: 24 IR 1518; filed Apr 24, 2006, 3:00 p.m.: 29 IR 2958; readopted filed Nov 21, 2007, 1:16 p.m.: 20071219-IR-327070553BFA; readopted filed Jul 29, 2013, 9:21 a.m.: 20130828-IR-327130176BFA; readopted filed Jun 14, 2019, 1:59 p.m.: 20190710-IR-327190246BFA; readopted filed Oct 18, 2024, 1:57 p.m.: 20241113-IR-327230810RFA)