Section 3745-95-03 - Surveys and investigations(A) Initial assessment.(1) The supplier of water shall conduct or cause to be conducted an initial assessment of water use practices within a consumer's premises to determine whether there are actual or potential cross-connections that, in the judgment of the supplier of water, may cause a pollutional, system, health or severe health hazard to the public water system. The initial assessment should include a combination of review of any plans, inspection records, regulatory permitting documentation or survey questionnaire, related to water use practices and backflow prevention needs, and onsite investigations. At a minimum, a survey questionnaire of water use practices shall be completed and documented. For premises identified under paragraph (B)(5) of rule 3745-95-04 of the Administrative Code, and those identified to have an actual or potential hazard during the survey process, an onsite investigation and documentation of the investigation, is required.(2) For strictly residential premises, an initial assessment is not required for each premises provided the supplier of water has an alternate ongoing methodology to identify changes in water use practices that may represent a new, previously unidentified, or increased hazard to the public water system. Methods may include review of residential building plans, visiting distribution service areas for visual inspection of possible hazards, flagging new businesses at residential addresses, and those established under paragraph (B)(2) of this rule.(B) Periodic investigations and surveys. (1) The supplier of water shall conduct or cause to be conducted periodic on-site investigation of all premises at least every five years to identify changes in water use practices so that new, previously unidentified, or increased hazards to the public water system are identified and mitigated. For noncommunity public water systems that have a residential population, provisions of paragraph (B)(3) of this rule may be used, as applicable, for the residential population.(2) In lieu of conducting an on-site investigation at each premises, the supplier of water for all community public water system may document, in writing, an alternate, on-going, methodology to identify changes in water use practices that may represent a new, previously unidentified, or increased hazard to the public water system. At a minimum, a water use survey questionnaire must be used to document the evaluation of each premises. An on-site investigation is required when a potential new or increased hazard is suspected to confirm the degree of risk and how the hazard will be addressed.(a) Information obtained through a water use survey questionnaire or in coordination with the local building, zoning, health, fire protection and other licensing agencies may be used as an indicator of when an on-site investigation should be conducted.(b) Other triggers, a request to the supplier of water for a new or additional service line, or an additional or larger meter warrants a survey or onsite investigation. Failure to adequately respond to the water use survey questionnaire should warrant an on-site investigation.(3) In lieu of conducting an on-site investigation at each residential premises, the supplier of water may institute an on-going educational campaign to inform consumers of common backflow hazards created during residential water use and provide a reporting mechanism for suspected cross-connections. (a) An educational campaign may use local media and advertising resources, but must also include information directly delivered, either electronically or hard copy, to each residential service connection. Information must be delivered annually.(b) If providing backflow prevention education electronically, whether through the annual consumer confidence report or otherwise, a direct website link must be provided and clearly identified in such a manner that consumers understand information in the link provides education on backflow prevention and cross connection control.(c) Residential premises identified to have water use practices that represent an actual or potential hazard to the public water system must have periodic on-site investigations at least every five years or be addressed by an alternate on-going methodology that identifies changes in water use practices.(C) Additional supplier of water and consumer responsibilities. (1) Provisions are in place to maintain the right of the supplier or the supplier's authorized representative to enter premises served by the public water system at all reasonable times for the purpose of making surveys and investigations of water use practices within the premises to ensure compliance with this chapter.(2) On request by the supplier of water, or the supplier's authorized representative, provisions are in place to require that the consumer provides information on water use practices within the consumer's premises.(3) Suspected cross-connections are investigated, records of the investigations are maintained in accordance with rule 3745-95-06 of the Administrative Code and made available to the agency upon request.(4) Paragraphs (A) and (B) of this rule does not relieve the consumer of the responsibility for conducting, or causing to be conducted, periodic surveys and investigations of water use practices on the consumer's premises to determine whether there are actual or potential cross-connections in the consumer's water system through which contaminants or pollutants could backflow into a public water system or a consumer's potable water system. Replaces: 3745-95-03
Ohio Admin. Code 3745-95-03
Effective: 10/10/2022
Five Year Review (FYR) Dates: 10/10/2027
Promulgated Under: 119.03
Statutory Authority: 6109.04
Rule Amplifies: 6109.04, 6109.13
Prior Effective Dates: 07/01/1972, 11/26/1980, 10/26/2015