Ariz. Admin. Code § 18-5-104

Current through Register Vol. 30, No. 50, December 13, 2024

Section R18-5-104 - General Requirements

A. A facility owner shall ensure that at all times:

1. A facility has an operator in direct responsible charge who is certified for the class of the facility and at or above the grade of the facility;

2. An operator makes all decisions about process control or system integrity regarding water quality or water quantity that affects public health; however, an administrator who is not a certified operator may make a planning decision regarding water quality or water quantity if the decision is not a direct operational process control or system integrity decision that affects public health;

3. An operator who is in direct responsible charge of more than one facility is certified for the class of each facility and at or above the grade of the facility with the highest grade;

4. An operator who replaces the operator in direct responsible charge does not begin operation of the facility before being certified for the applicable class and at or above the grade of the facility;

5. In the absence of the operator in direct responsible charge, the operator in charge of the facility is certified for the applicable class of facility and at a grade no lower than one grade below the grade of the facility; and

6. The names of all current operators are on file with the Department.

B. If the owner of a facility replaces an operator in direct responsible charge with another operator, the facility owner shall notify the Department in writing within 10 days of the replacement.

C. An operator shall notify the Department in writing within 10 days of the date the operator either ceases operation of a facility or commences operation of another facility.

D. An operator shall operate each facility in compliance with applicable state and federal law.

E. A facility owner shall ensure that a Grade 3 or Grade 4 facility has an onsite operator.

F. An operator holding certification in a particular class and grade may operate one or more Grade 1 or Grade 2 facilities as a remote operator if the facility owner ensures that the following requirements are met:

1. The remote operator is certified for the class of each facility and at or above the grade of each facility operated by the remote operator.

2. There is an onsite representative on the premises of each Grade 1 or Grade 2 facility, except for a Grade 1 water distribution system that serves fewer than 100 people, which is not required to have an onsite representative if the conditions of subsection (F)(8) are met. The onsite representative is not required to be an operator if the facility has a remote operator who is certified at or above the grade of the facility.

3. The remote operator instructs, supervises, and provides written instructions to the onsite representative in the proper operation and maintenance of each facility and ensures that adequate records are kept.

4. The remote operator provides the onsite representative with a telephone number at which the remote operator can be reached at all times. If the remote operator is not available for any reason, the remote operator shall provide the onsite representative with the name and telephone number of a qualified substitute operator who will be available while the remote operator is not available.

5. The remote operator resides no more than 200 miles by ground travel from any facility that the remote operator serves.

6. The remote operator operates each facility in compliance with applicable state and federal laws.

7. The remote operator inspects a facility as often as necessary to ensure proper operation and maintenance, but in no case less than:

a. Monthly for a Grade 1 or Grade 2 water treatment plant or distribution system that produces and distributes groundwater;

b. Monthly for a Grade 1 wastewater treatment plant;

c. Twice a month for a collection system that serves fewer than 2,500 people; and

d. Weekly for a Grade 2 wastewater treatment plant or collection system that serves fewer than 1,000 people.

8. For a Grade 1 water distribution system that does not have an onsite representative and serves fewer than 100 people, the following conditions are met:

a. The name and telephone number at which the remote operator can be reached is posted at the facility, enclosed with water bills, or otherwise made readily available to water users. If the remote operator is not available for any reason, the remote operator shall post at the facility the name and telephone number of a substitute operator of the applicable facility class and grade who will be available while the remote operator is not available;

b. The remote operator or substitute operator resides no more than 200 miles by ground travel from the facility; and

c. The remote operator inspects the facility weekly.

Ariz. Admin. Code § R18-5-104

Former Section R9-20-506 repealed, new Section R9-20-506 adopted effective November 1, 1979 (Supp. 79-6). Amended effective March 19, 1980 (Supp. 80-2). Former Section R9-20-506 amended, renumbered as Section R9-20-504, then renumbered as Section R18-4-104 effective October 23, 1987 (Supp. 87-4). R18-5-104 recodified from R18-4-104 (Supp. 95-2). Amended by final rulemaking at 7 A.A.R. 1171, effective February 16, 2001 (Supp. 01-1). Amended by final rulemaking at 7 A.A.R. 5079, effective October 16, 2001 (Supp. 01-4). Amended by final rulemaking at 11 A.A.R. 998, effective April 2, 2005 (Supp. 05-1).