VII. Operations and Maintenance
1. Operations and Maintenance Plan (O&M Plan)
A. All water and sewer systems should have an O&M Plan
(1) The O&M Plan shall consist of a description of the utility's treatment plant performance monitoring program, unit process equipment maintenance program, operating personnel, including numbers of staff, certification levels and responsibilities; how and when each unit process is operated; laboratory procedures; procedures used to determine chemical dose rates; records; response to plant and watershed emergencies; and reliability features.
(2) Upon the Commission's request, the utility shall supply the O&M Plan.
B. The O&M Plan shall include at a minimum the following:
(1) The operations and maintenance schedule for each unit process for each treatment plant that treats an approved surface water;
(2) The operations and maintenance schedule for each groundwater source and unit process;
(3) The schedule and procedure for flushing dead end mains, and the procedures for disposal of the flushed water including dechlorination;
(4) The schedule for routine inspection of reservoirs, and the procedures for cleaning reservoirs;
(5) The schedule and procedures for inspecting, repairing, and replacing water mains;
(6) The plan for responding to emergencies as described below: Emergency/Disaster Response Strategy
(7) The plan and procedures for responding to consumer complaints;
(8) The schedule and procedures for testing backflow prevention assemblies;
(9) The schedule and procedures for routine exercising of water main valves;
(10) The schedule and program for maintenance and calibration of source flow meters;
(11) The qualifications and training of operating personnel;
(12) The program for biofilm control in water mains;
Each Class A and B water system shall update its O&M Plan at least once every five years, and, in addition, following any change in the method of treatment or any other modification to the system requiring a change in the system's size.
2. Emergency/Disaster Response Strategy (E/DRS)
In order to provide reliable water service and minimize public health risks from unsafe drinking water during emergencies, the Commission requires all water utilities to have an E/DRS and that it will be provided to the Commission upon request.
A. The E/DRS will address all disasters likely to occur in the water system's service area including but not limited to the following: earthquakes, major fire emergencies, flooding, water outages and water contamination.
B. The E/DRS should also include a set of actions to be implemented in case of any other natural disaster not aforementioned or due to threat to the system's security from either domestic or foreign terrorist activities.
C. No person shall operate a public water system without, as part of its E/DRS, an Emergency Notification Plan that has been submitted to and approved by the department.
D. At a minimum the Emergency Notification Plan shall provide for immediate notice to the customers of the public water system of any significant rise in the bacterial count of water or other failure to comply with any primary drinking water standard that represents an imminent danger to the health of the water users
E. As a minimum, all water and sewer systems must:
(1) Designate responsible personnel, provide a clear chain of command, and identify responsibilities.
(2) Include an inventory of system resources used for normal operations and available for emergencies. This information should include maps and schematic diagrams; lists of emergency equipment; equipment suppliers; emergency contract agreements; and emergency water interconnections and/or sources.
(3) Include a communication network, appropriate for the size and type of water system, that describes a designated location for an emergency operations center; emergency contact information for equipment suppliers; emergency phone and radio communication capabilities; coordination procedures with governmental agencies for health and safety protection, technical, legal, and financial assistance; and public notification procedures.
(4) Include emergency procedures to quickly assess damage to water system facilities; provide logistics for emergency source activation and repairs; monitor progress of repairs and restoration; communicate with health officials and water users; and document damage and repairs.
(5) Describe the steps taken to resume normal operations and to prepare and submit reports to appropriate agencies.
3.10 Records and Reports
See Appendix B for retention schedules.
Each utility shallAll water and sewer service utilities will have on file at its principal office located within the state, drawings, maps or other permanent records for the purpose of aiding in the operation of the water system. The scale of such maps or drawings shall be such that all data recorded thereon shall be clear and legible. These records, unless the Commission otherwise authorizes, shall show the following: its service territory "as built" plans, maps or drawings of all water system facilities. The plans, maps, or drawings shall be clear and legible. At a minimum these records will include:
(1) Location of all principal pumping stations, diversion works, water treatment and filter plants, sources of supply, storage facilities, size, character and location of all mains and ditches, including valves and gates, gauges, interconnections with other systems and fire hydrants;
(2) Location, size and kind material of each user service pipe;
(3) LayoutA schematic drawing or map of all principal pumping stations, water treatment and filter plants to show size, location and character of all major equipment, pipelines, connections, valves and other equipment used in connection therewith with the system; and
(4) The date of construction of all principal plant items and extensions of the main extensions.
B. Results of laboratory analyses
Samples taken pursuant to water quality issues including but not limited to: disinfection of new or repaired mains and disinfection of reservoirs or wells, records of flushing of mains; and records of reservoir inspections and cleaning shall be maintained for at least three years.
The plans, drawings, and maps prepared pursuant to subsection B shall be updated as changes occur, and maintained until replaced or superseded by updated plans or drawings. The most current plans, drawings, and maps shall be available for Commission review.
4. Flushing the System
A. A flushing valve or blowoff shall be provided at the end of each newly installed dead-end water main.
B. Flushing valves and blowoffs shall not discharge to a sanitary sewer without an air gap separation between the sewer and the valve or blowoff.
C. The flushing velocity in the main shall not be less than 2.5 ft/s unless it is determined that conditions do not permit the required flow to be discharged to waste.
D. New flushing valves and blowoffs shall be designed to maintain the minimum continuous flushing flows as indicated below to produce a minimum velocity of 2.5ft/s in commonly used sizes of pipe.
E. Minimum Flushing Flows for Different Size Water Mains.
Nominal Main Size Minimum Flushing Flow
Diameter (inches) (gallons per minute)
2 25
3 50
4 100
6 225
8 400
10 600
12 900
16 1600
5. Water Treatment Operators
Water Treatment Facility Staff Certification is listed as Per Articles 1 through 5 of Title 22, Division 4, Chapter 13, and Article 2 of Title 22, Division 4, Chapter 15 (or current regulations):
(1) A person wishing to become a certified water treatment or distribution operator must meet the eligibility requirements and submit an application.
(2) Operator examinations, re-examinations, certifications, and triennial renewal have associated fees that must be paid.
B. Treatment Facility Operator Certification:
(1) Each classification of treatment facility has its own chief and shift operator certification requirements. Exceptions are made for shift/chief operators who qualify for a deferral of certification under the regulations.
(2) Operator Certification Grades I through V obtained as of December 31, 2000 are reclassified into a new set of Operator Certification Grades.
C. Distribution System Operator Certification
(1) Each classification of distribution system has its own chief and shift operator certification requirements.
(2) Certain decisions regarding operational activities such as installation of water mains, repair of broken water mains, flushing of water mains, and disinfection of domestic water wells, must be made by certified distribution operators.
(3) A distribution operator may be eligible for an interim, temporary, or restricted certification if she or he meets the established criteria.
6.3. Pressures
A.a. Variations in Pressure. The utility shall maintain normal operating pressures of not less than 40 p. s. i. g. Each distribution system shall be operated in a manner to assure that the minimum operating pressure at each service connection throughout the distribution system is not less than 40 pounds per square inch at all times nor more than 125 psi at the service connection, except that during periods of Peak Hour Demand (PHD) hourly maximum demand the pressure at the time of peak seasonal loads may be not be less than 30 psi and that during periods of hourly minimum demand the pressure may be not more than 150 psi. Subject to the minimum pressure requirements of 40 psi, variations in pressures under normal operation shall not exceed 50% of the average operating pressure. The average operating pressure shall be determined by computing the arithmetical average of at least 24 consecutive hourly pressure readings.
b. Main Sizing. As new mains are installed or as mains which have reached the end of their useful lives are replaced, the new or replacement mains shall be sized and designed to accommodate the standards of paragraph II 3 a.
c. Delineation of Minimum Normal Operating Pressures. Other minimum normal operating pressures are applicable within delineated areas as set forth on the utility's Commission approved tariff sheets.
Each new distribution system shall be designed to provide a minimum operating pressure throughout the distribution system of not less than 40 pounds per square inch at all times.
C. Changes in distribution systems
Changes shall be designed to maintain an operating pressure at all service connections of not less than 30 psi under the following demand conditions:
(1) User maximum hour demand.
(2) User average day demand plus local fire flow.
In a public water system supplying users at widely varying elevations, a water supplier may furnish a service to a user that does not comply with Rule A above if the user is fully advised of the conditions under which minimum service may be expected and the user's agreement is secured in writing. This waiver shall be applicable only to individual service connections.
E. Hydraulic Analysis of the Transmission and Distribution System
(1) To ensure reliable compliance with pressure standards under daily, peak daily and peak monthly demands, a hydraulic analysis of the transmission and distribution system must be conducted if the system is proposing to expand its existing distributions system within a ten year planning period, or the system is currently experiencing pressure problems.
(2) One accepted analysis is found in AWWA Manual M32. A pressure survey of the system would be an acceptable alternative to the hydraulic analysis as long as the plan for conducting the survey is approved by the Department before the survey is conducted.
F. Delineation of Minimum Normal Operating Pressures
Other minimum normal operating pressures are applicable within delineated areas as set forth on the utility's Commission-approved tariff sheets.
Each utility shall provide itself with one or more recording pressure gauges for each separately operated system for the purpose of making pressure surveys as require by these rules. These gauges shall be able to record the pressure experienced on such a system and shall be able to record a continuous 24-hour test. Each utility serving 1000 or more customers in a separately operated system or 1000 or more customers in any separately operated system of a multi-system utility shall maintain one or more of these recording pressure gauges in service at some representative point or points on the utility's system.
(1) At regular intervals, but not less than once each year, each utility shall make a survey of pressures in its distribution system of sufficient magnitude to indicate the pressures maintained at representative points on its system.
(2) These representative points must include all endpoints of the system. Such surveys should be made at or near the period of Imaximum usagePHD and MDD. The pressure charts for these surveys shall show the date and time of beginning and end of the test and the location at which the test was made.
(3) Records of these pressure surveys shall be maintained by the utility for a period of at least three years or after the next General Rate Case filing, which ever is longer, and shall be made available to representatives, agents or employees of the Commission upon request.
