1. (a) General requirement of safe and sanitary water. The water supply for a dairy operation that produces raw milk for human consumption under a raw milk permit must be safe and sanitary.
2. (b) Testing frequency. The water supply for a dairy operation that produces raw milk for human consumption under a raw milk permit shall be tested at least once every 6 months, and whenever any repair or alteration is made to the water supply system. This testing shall be at the raw milk permitholder’s expense. If the water supply is through a public or municipal water system, this testing requirement does not apply.
3. (c) Testing standards. The water tests described in this section shall be conducted at a qualified laboratory. The testing must include bacteriological examinations to determine whether the water is bacteriologically safe. Water is bacteriologically safe if it meets the requirements in § § 59a.405(8) and 59a.407 (relating to sanitation; and regular testing of water supply). The requirement of a bacteriologically safe water supply is also applicable to recirculated cooling water if the dairy farm uses a recirculated cooling water system for milk cooling. The water supply must contain a Most Probable Number of Coliform Organisms (MPN) of less than 2.2-per-100-milliliters by the multiple tube fermentation method or less than 1-per-100-milliliters by the membrane filter technique or the chromogenic substrate technique. The water must otherwise be safe and sanitary.
4. (d) Water test records. The raw milk permitholder shall retain all records of required water tests for 1 year and make these available for inspection upon request of the Department.

Cross References

This section cited in 7 Pa. Code § 59a.404 (relating to requirements for the issuance of a raw milk permit); and 7 Pa. Code § 59a.407 (relating to regular testing of water supply).