15A NCAC 18d .0206      CERTIFIED OPERATOR REQUIRED

(a)  All public water systems shall have a certified operator in responsible charge for each water treatment facility that:

(1)           alters the physical, chemical, or microbiological characteristics of the water;

(2)           has approved plans for such alterations; or

(3)           has equipment installed for such alterations.

The owner shall notify the Board in writing within 10 days of a vacancy that results in noncompliance with this Rule.

(b)  There shall be an operator holding at least a Grade C-Surface certification assigned to be on duty on the premises when a surface water treatment facility is treating water. Implementation of this requirement shall be subject to the following provisions:

(1)           upon vacancy of a position resulting in noncompliance with this requirement, the owner shall notify the Board within 24 hours or at the start of the next business day of the vacancy; and

(2)           upon the vacancy, the owner shall fill the position with a certified Grade C-Surface operator or an operator with a temporary Grade C-Surface certification within 90 days.

(c)  There shall be an operator in responsible charge for the distribution portion of community and non-transient non-community public water systems. This operator shall possess a valid distribution certificate issued by the Board with the grade equivalent to or exceeding the water system's distribution classification. A system serving 100 or fewer service connections shall be exempt from this requirement if it has an operator in responsible charge as required in Paragraph (a) of this Rule. A system that is classified as D-distribution only may use a Board-certified distribution, well, or surface operator to meet the operator in responsible charge requirements of this Rule

(d)  There shall be an operator in responsible charge for the cross-connection control facilities of any public water system required by 15A NCAC 18C .0406(b) to have five or more testable backflow prevention assemblies. The operator shall possess a valid Cross-Connection Control certificate issued by the Board.

(e)  All operators of community and non-transient non-community public water systems shall follow the standard operating procedures established by the operator in responsible charge. Decisions about water quality or quantity that affect public health that have not been addressed in the standard operating procedures shall be referred to the operator in responsible charge or to the certified operator on duty.

(f)  No operator in responsible charge shall be required for transient non-community public water systems with either or both ultraviolet light (uv) disinfection or softening (if not required by 15A NCAC 18C) as the only treatment applied to water.

History Note:        Authority G.S. 90A‑20; 90A‑28; 90A‑29; 90A-32;

Eff. July 1, 1991;

Amended Eff. November 1, 2006; August 1, 2004; August 1, 2002; August 1, 2000; May 1, 1994; May 3, 1993;

Readopted Eff. December 1, 2018.