10. Food & Water - Water Quality Testing

Conduct regular water quality testing

Rationale: Regularly testing for a comprehensive list of contaminants and publicizing results helps protect occupants from exposure to organisms and chemicals that may be present in drinking water at the point of use, reducing risk of adverse health effects such as lead poisoning, liver and kidney damage, diarrhea, and vomiting.

For the most accurate strategy and documentation requirements, please refer to the digital scorecard made available on the Fitwel Platform.

Requirements

Demonstrate compliance with one of the options below:

Option 1 - Water Quality Testing (Full Credit):

Demonstrate compliance with all the following requirements:

1. Conduct water quality testing that is at least as rigorous as the Fitwel v3 Water Quality Testing Protocol.

The Fitwel Water Quality Testing Protocol can be found here.

2. Conduct water quality testing at the frequency and locations outlined under Section 3 of the v3 Water Quality Testing Protocol.

3. Confirm water testing results meet all of the following maximum contaminant level limits:
   - Arsenic: 0.010 mg/L
   - Cadmium: .003mg/L
   - Copper: 1.3mg/L
   - Total Coliforms: 5.0 percent (no more than 5.0 percent samples total coliform-positive)
   - Lead: 0.015 mg/L
   - Legionella: 0.000 cfu/mL
   - Nitrates: 10 mg/L
   - Turbidity 1.0 NTU
   - Vinyl Chloride: 0.002 mg/L.

4. Confirm that PFAS are limited in the water supply through one of the following:
   - Test for PFAS and confirm that results meet the below maximum levels.
   - Demonstrate that the municipal water supply monitors PFAS levels and that detected levels are below the maximum.

Maximum allowable levels of PFAS:
- PFOA: 4 ppt
- PFOS: 4 ppt
- PFHxS: 10 ppt
- PFNA: 10 ppt
- HFPO-DA: 10 ppt

Option 2 - Non-Potable Water Source (Full Credit):

Demonstrate compliance with all the following requirements:

1. For buildings and spaces in which the municipal water supply is not potable and where water is treated by the building before consumption, confirm that the water meets the maximum contaminant level limits from one of the following standards:
   – the United States Environmental Protection Agency National Primary Drinking Water Regulations (found at fitwel.org/fitwel-standards)
   – the World Health Organization, Guidelines for Drinking-Water Quality, Fourth Edition (found at fitwel.org/fitwel-standards)
   – the local official drinking water quality standard.

Option 3 - Water Delivery Service (Full Credit):

Demonstrate compliance with all the following requirements:

1. For projects with independent water supplies not connected to the building's main water source (such as water coolers), confirm that potable water will be delivered to the project as outlined under section 4 of the Fitwel v3 Water Quality Testing Protocol.

Option 4 - Water Quality Improvement Protocol (Partial Credit):

If the limits for one or more of the required water quality metrics are not met, the project may achieve partial credit by implementing a treatment protocol that meets the following requirements:

1. Conduct water quality testing that is at least as rigorous as the Fitwel v3 Water Quality Testing Protocol.The Fitwel Water Quality Testing Requirements can be found at: https://www.fitwel.org/resources/fitwel-v3Note that this option is not applicable for Design Pathway projects.
2. Conduct water quality testing at the frequency and locations outlined under Section 3 of the v3 Water Quality Testing Protocol.
3. Implement a water quality improvement protocol that is at least as rigorous as the requirements of Section 5 of the Fitwel v3 Water Quality Testing Protocol to improve the water quality metrics that do not meet the following required limits:
   - Arsenic: 0.010 mg/L
   - Cadmium: .003mg/L
   - Copper: 1.3mg/L
   - Total Coliforms: 5.0 percent (no more than 5.0 percent samples total coliform-positive)
   - Lead: 0.015 mg/L
   - Legionella: 0.000 cfu/mL
   - Nitrates: 10 mg/L
   - Turbidity 1.0 NTU
   - Vinyl Chloride: 0.002 mg/L.
4. Implement a water quality improvement protocol that is at least as rigorous as the requirements of Section 5 of the Fitwel v3 Water Quality Testing Protocol to improve the PFAS levels that do not meet the following required limits:

Maximum allowable levels of PFAS:
- PFOA: 4 ppt
- PFOS: 4 ppt
- PFHxS: 10 ppt
- PFNA: 10 ppt
- HFPO-DA: 10 ppt

Compliance Documentation

Design Pathway 

Option 1: 

• Requirement 1
  • Checkbox to certify that testing will be conducted that is at least as rigorous as the Fitwel Water Quality Testing Requirements
• Requirement 2
  • Checkbox to certify that water quality testing will be conducted a minimum of twice per year
  • Upload an annotated plan(s) showing the planned location of:
    • all drinking water supplies within the building(s)
    • all drinking water supplies where drinking water quality testing will be conducted
    • the location of the building(s)'s drinking water source
• Requirement 3
  • Checkbox to certify that testing will be conducted for the required contaminants
• Requirement 4
  • Checkbox to certify that PFAS levels in the water supply will be controlled through one of the listed methods

Option 2: 

• Checkbox to certify that the water will meet the maximum contaminant level from the listed standard 
• Checkbox to certify that testing will be conducted for the required contaminants

Option 3: 

• Upload a report from the water supplier, such as a consumer confidence report or annual water quality report, confirming that the delivered water will be potable.

Built Pathway 

Option 1: 

• Requirement 1
  • Checkbox to certify that testing has been conducted that is at least as rigorous as the Fitwel Water Quality Testing Requirements
• Requirement 2
  • Checkbox to certify that water quality testing is conducted a minimum of twice per year
• Requirement 3

  • Text box to input the recorded results:

    • Arsenic: less than 0.010 mg/L 

    • Cadmium: .003mg/L 

    • Copper: less than 1.3mg/L

    • Total Coliforms: 5.0 percent (no more than 5.0 percent samples total coliform-positive)

    • Lead: less than 0.015 mg/L

    • Legionella: 0.000 cfu/mL

    • Nitrates: less than 10 mg/L

    • Turbidity 1.0 NTU

    • Vinyl Chloride: less than 0.002 mg/L :

  • Upload the conducted assessment report
• Requirement 4

  • Checkbox to certify that PFAS levels in the water supply are controlled through one of the listed methods

  • Upload one of the following demonstrating compliance with maximum PFAS levels:

    • Upload the conducted assessment report that includes PFAS levels

    • Upload a report from the municipal water supplier demonstrating that PFAS levels are monitored and within the required range

Option 2: 

• Checkbox to certify that the water meets the maximum contaminant level from the listed standard

• Upload the conducted assessment report

Option 3: 

• Upload a report from the water supplier, such as a consumer confidence report or annual water quality report, confirming that the delivered water is potable

Option 4:

• Requirement 1
  • Checkbox to certify that testing has been conducted that is at least as rigorous as the Fitwel Water Quality Testing Requirements
• Requirement 2
  • Checkbox to certify that water quality testing is conducted a minimum of twice per year
  • Upload an annotated plan(s) showing the location of:
    • all drinking water supplies within the building(s)
    • all drinking water supplies where drinking water quality testing is conducted
    • the location of the building(s)'s drinking water source
• Requirement 3
  • Upload the water quality improvement protocol that is implemented, demonstrating how the project is currently improving the water quality metrics that did not meet the required threshold(s)

  • Text box to input the recorded results:

    • Arsenic: less than 0.010 mg/L

    • Cadmium: .003mg/L

    • Copper: less than 1.3mg/L

    • Total Coliforms: 5.0 percent (no more than 5.0 percent samples total coliform-positive)

    • Lead: less than 0.015 mg/L

    • Legionella: 0.000 cfu/mL

    • Nitrates: less than 10 mg/L

    • Turbidity 1.0 NTU

    • Vinyl Chloride: less than 0.002 mg/L 

  • Upload the conducted assessment report

• Requirement 4

  • Checkbox to certify that PFAS levels in the water supply are monitored through one of the listed methods

  • Upload one of the following demonstrating compliance with maximum PFAS levels:

    • Upload the conducted assessment report that includes PFAS levels

    • Upload a report from the municipal water supplier demonstrating that PFAS levels are monitored and within the required range

  • Upload the water quality improvement protocol that is implemented, demonstrating how the project is currently improving the water quality metrics that did not meet the required threshold(s)