15A NCAC 18C .0305      APPROVALS NECESSARY BEFORE CONTRACTING OR CONSTRUCTING

(a)  No construction shall be undertaken, and no contract for construction, alteration, or installation shall be entered into, unless the Department determines the system complies with G.S. 130A-317(c) and the Department issues the authorization to construct letter. This authorization shall be issued following completion and submittal of the Engineer's Report and Water System Management Plan, as specified in Rule .0307(b) and (c) of this Section, and approval of the engineering plans and specifications by the Department. Authorization to construct from the Department shall be valid for 36 months from the date of the letter. Authorization to construct may only be extended if the rules governing a public water supply and site conditions have not changed since the letter was issued. The authorization to construct and the approval for engineering plans and specifications letters from the Department shall be posted at the primary entrance of the job site during construction.

(b)  Upon request, permission to drill test wells at approved sites in order to establish the quality and quantity of the ground water shall be granted by the Department prior to completion and submittal of the Engineer's Report and Water System Management Plan and approval of engineering plans and specifications. All wells abandoned, either temporarily or permanently, shall be abandoned in accordance with 15A NCAC 02C .0113 (Well Construction Standards) and all local ordinances.

(c)  Units of local government that have an adopted water system extension program pursuant to Section .1800 of this Subchapter, upon submission to and approval of their program by the Department, shall be excluded from the requirements of submitting engineering plans and specifications for water main extensions that would not have adverse effect upon the existing system supply or pressure, provided the following requirements are met:

(1)           Engineering plans and specifications for all such extensions shall be prepared by or under the direct supervision of an engineer licensed to practice in the State of North Carolina.

(2)           All engineering plans shall be approved by the unit of local government's engineering department or its consulting engineers prior to the commencement of construction.

(3)           The Department shall have approved the extension program submitted by the unit of local government prior to construction commencing.

(4)           The extension program submitted for review and approval by the Department shall provide for establishing ownership, operation, and maintenance of water system extensions and shall constitute prior notice of proposed construction.

(5)           Where design is to be based on a local government's standard specifications in lieu of written separate specifications for each extension project, the standard specifications shall have been previously approved by the Department.

(6)           The local government shall have obtained from the Department a letter stating they have met the requirements set forth in Section .1800 of this Subchapter.

(7)           An annual up-to-date plan of the entire public water system shall be maintained by the supplier of water and made available on request by the Department.

History Note:        Authority G.S. 130A-315; 130A-317; P.L. 93-523;

Eff. January 1, 1977;

Readopted Eff. December 5, 1977;

Amended Eff. July 1, 1994; September 1, 1990; September 1, 1979;

Temporary Amendment Eff. October 1, 1999;

Amended Eff. August 1, 2000;

Readopted Eff. July 1, 2019.