US · guidance
CMS SOM App. H, Tag V195
ANSI/AAMI RD52:2004 Requirements as Adopted by Reference 42 CFR 494.40(a)
5.2.5 Carbon adsorption: (10 minute EBCT)
When granular activated carbon is used as the [adsorption] media, it shall have a minimum
iodine number of 900, and each bed shall have a minimum empty bed contact time of 5
minutes at the maximum flow rate through the bed.
Interpretive Guidance § 494.40(a)
The empty bed contact time (EBCT) of the granulated activated carbon (GAC) system should be
periodically calculated for the maximum water flow through the carbon tanks. The facility
determines the frequency of monitoring based on the manufacturer’s directions for use. Specific
facility conditions may warrant more frequent monitoring, such as chlorine disinfection
practices for source water. Water flow rates may vary, altering the need for more or less GAC to
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achieve the 10-minute total EBCT (for 2 beds). If additional patient treatments or shifts are
added, the resultant increased water demand should prompt the medical director and technical
staff to consider adding more carbon in order to maintain the minimum EBCT. “Each
adsorption bed” refers to the primary tank or tanks as one adsorption bed and the secondary
tank or tanks as another adsorption bed.
History
Rev.
Provenance
- Source
- cms.gov
- Retrieved
- 2026-07-22
- Edition
- som-2026-07-22
- Content hash
e527f875d216dfd2301ae3103d0ba5c3b6e8bbc5ac91bdf263182ea9cf64640a
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