15A NCAC 18A .2815      WATER SUPPLY

(a)  A child care center's water supply shall meet the requirements of 15A NCAC 18C or 15A NCAC 18A .1700, as applicable. The operator of a child care center using a groundwater supply that serves 25 or more people shall provide the local health department serving the county in which the child care center is located with documentation from the Department of Environmental Quality, Division of Water Resources, Public Water Supply Section that the well meets the requirements of 15A NCAC 18C. In child care centers that use a non-community water supply, a water sample shall be collected by the Department once a year and submitted to the North Carolina State Laboratory of Public Health or other laboratory certified by the North Carolina State Laboratory of Public Health under 10A NCAC 42C .0102 to perform bacteriological examinations.

The Department may collect additional samples for tests of water quality, as indicated by possible additional sources of contamination.

(b)  Water under pressure shall be provided to meet the child care center's needs of cooking, cleaning, drinking, toilets, and outside uses.

(c)  A child care center's water supply plumbing shall not include cross-connections as set out in 15A NCAC 18C .0102(c)(8). If the potential for back siphonage or backflow conditions exist, an atmospheric vacuum breaker or backflow prevention device shall be installed.

(d)  Water heating equipment shall be provided to meet the hot water requirements set forth in this Rule. The capacity and recovery rates of water heating equipment shall be based on number and size of sinks, capacity of dishwashing machines, capacity of laundering machines, diaper changing facilities, and other food service and cleaning needs for child care centers not located in a residence. Child care centers licensed for fewer than 13 children and located in a residence shall be allowed to use an existing water heater, or the equivalent replacement, if the water temperature requirements set forth in this Rule are met. Hot and cold water under pressure shall be provided in all rooms where food is prepared, rooms in which utensils or equipment are washed, and other areas where water is required for cleaning and sanitizing, including diaper changing areas.

(e)  Hot water used for cleaning and sanitizing utensils and laundry shall be provided at a minimum temperature of 120 degrees Fahrenheit at the point of use. Water in areas accessible to children shall be tempered between 80 degrees Fahrenheit and 110 degrees Fahrenheit. Hot water that exceeds 120 degrees Fahrenheit is a burn hazard and shall not be provided in areas accessible to children. For handwash lavatories used exclusively by school-age children, the requirement to provide water tempered between 80 degrees Fahrenheit and 110 degrees Fahrenheit shall not apply. In the event of the loss of hot water at the child care center, the operator shall immediately notify the local health department that serves the county in which the child care center is located.

(f)  Drinking fountains, if provided, shall be separate from handwash lavatories and kept clean. The water pressure of a drinking fountain shall be regulated so that an individual's mouth does not come in contact with the nozzle and so that water does not splash on the floor. Other devices used to dispense drinking water shall be kept clean.

(g)  Outdoor drinking fountains shall be constructed to protect the spout from contamination by hazards and shall be kept clean.

 

History Note:        Authority G.S. 110‑91;

Eff. July 1, 1991;

Amended Eff. February 1, 1995;

Temporary Amendment Eff. April 15, 1998;

Amended Eff. April 1, 1999;

Temporary Amendment Eff. December 1, 1999;

Amended Eff. July 1, 2006; January 1, 2006; April 1, 2001;

Readopted Eff. July 1, 2023.