Title 18 . Environmental Conservation

Chapter 80 . Administrative Enforcement

Section 200. System classification and plan approval

18 AAC 80.200. System classification and plan approval

(a) The department will classify each public water system as a Class A public water system, Class B public water system, or Class C public water system, based on information:

(1) submitted by the owner or operator of the system; and

(2) compiled by the department.

(b) Subject to (c), (d), (f), and (g) of this section, in order to construct, install, alter, renovate, operate, or improve a Class A or B public water system, or any part of one, the owner or operator must have prior written approval of engineering plans that comply with 18 AAC 80.205.

(c) Written approval under this section is not required for an emergency repair or routine maintenance of a public water system or for a single-service line installation or modification.

(d) The design of a public water system in existence on or before October 1, 1999 and that did not receive plan approval by the department must conform to standard sanitary engineering principles and practices and adequately protect the public health. If the system does not conform to standard sanitary engineering principles and practices, the owner or operator may seek department approval for an alternate design for the system by submitting a report that justifies the alternate design. The report must

(1) be signed and sealed by a registered engineer;

(2) include considerations of soil type, surface water influence, groundwater, surface topography, geologic conditions, data showing the capability of the water system source to meet minimum water consumption needs, storage capacity, the production capability of the water treatment plant, well logs, well yield test results, and other conditions considered by the department as important in establishing the adequacy of the system to reliably protect public health;

(3) include a set of engineering plans of the existing system with an accurate description, including the number and location, of potential sources of contamination, water bodies, water sources in the area, and service connections; and

(4) include the name, address, telephone number, and facsimile number of the owner or operator.

(e) If a public water system described in (d) does not adequately protect the public health, the department will require the system to be redesigned and approved in accordance with this chapter.

(f) If the department approves an alternate design under (d) of this section, the owner or operator shall

(1) ensure that the system

(A) continues to meet the primary MCLs set by 18 AAC 80.300(b) ; and

(B) meets the secondary MCLs set by 18 AAC 80.300(c) , if required under 18 AAC 80.300(d) ; and

(2) in addition to the monitoring required in 18 AAC 80.300, perform any contaminant monitoring that the department determines necessary to serve the interests of public health.

(g) Written approval under this section is not required for a project that is approved to demonstrate an innovative technology or device in a public water system under 18 AAC 80.225, provided the project does not exceed one year from the date of installation to the date that the demonstration ends.

(h) Subject to (i) of this section, the department will approve a Class C public water system if the owner or a registered engineer submits to the department

(1) the fee required by 18 AAC 80.1910(c)(3);

(2) a completed inventory, sources, and system diagram form provided by the department;

(3) the results of nitrate and coliform samples, analyzed by a certified laboratory, indicating those contaminants do not exceed the MCL set at 18 AAC 80.300; and

(4) a written statement by the owner or operator that the source water protection requirements of 18 AAC 80.015, the minimum separation distance requirements of 18 AAC 80.020, and the cross-connection provisions of 18 AAC 80.025 are met; if a system does not meet the requirements of 18 AAC 80.020, the owner or operator shall obtain a waiver under 18 AAC 80.020(c) - (e).

(i) In addition to the information required by (h) of this section, the owner or operator of a Class C public water system shall submit the information required in (j) of this section, if the system uses a water source

(1) with a well depth less than 30 feet to the first opening for water collection;

(2) that is less than 50 horizontal feet to a surface water source;

(3) that uses an infiltration gallery, spring, rain catchment, or surface water source; or

(4) that requires treatment to meet an MCL set at 18 AAC 80.300.

(5) that requires other types of treatment; for purposes of this paragraph, other types of treatment

(A) include

(i) filtration, including granular activated carbon, slow sand, mixed media, and diatomaceous earth filtration;

(ii) fluoridation; and

(iii) corrosion control; and

(B) do not include water softening.

(j) If a Class C public water system uses a water source described in (i) of this section, the owner or operator shall submit to the department

(1) information demonstrating that the water treatment is designed to consistently achieve 99.9 percent removal and inactivation of Giardia lamblia cysts and have one NTU or less of treated water turbidity;

(2) proof that the system was designed by a registered engineer;

(3) on a form provided by the department, a written statement by the owner or operator, the person constructing the system, and the engineer who monitored the system's construction that the water system was constructed in accordance with this chapter and provides public health protection; and

(4) a written statement that the

(A) operator understands how to operate the system; or

(B) owner has contracted with a certified operator to operate the system.

History: Eff. 10/1/99, Register 151; am 3/25/2001, Register 157

Authority: AS 46.03.020

AS 46.03.050

AS 46.03.070

AS 46.03.710

AS 46.03.720

Editor's note: Guidance on standard sanitary engineering principles and practices, as addressed in 18 AAC 80.200(d) , may be found in the references listed at 18 AAC 80.010(d) .