No. 35903 (New Rule): Rule R317-801. Utah Sewer Management Program (USMP)

(New Rule)

DAR File No.: 35903
Filed: 03/01/2012 09:48:24 AM

RULE ANALYSIS

Purpose of the rule or reason for the change:

The purpose of the proposed rule is to provide a basis for a new management program for public sewer collection systems. The program is needed to provide standards for the planning, design, operation, and maintenance of Utah's public sewer collection systems.

Summary of the rule or change:

The rule outlines the requirements for overall management of sewer collection systems including plans to define and report sanitary sewer overflows, maintain and operate the system, assure adequate capacity, and finance the systems. The program will be implemented through the issuance of a general permit. The program employs a phased implementation schedule of up to five years for certain components to ease the burden on permittees.

State statutory or constitutional authorization for this rule:

• Section 19-5-105

Anticipated cost or savings to:

the state budget:

The proposed rule will be implemented using existing state resources.

local governments:

The proposed rule only affects public sewer entities. The long term effects of the program should result in increased efficiencies in planning operation and maintenance, thereby reducing spills and system upsets, and attendant long term costs. Compliance costs are difficult to quantify due to the wide range of current compliance among different systems and collection system size. The agency anticipates that the majority of the additional compliance burden can be absorbed by existing resources. There are approximately 180 systems statewide affected by the proposed rule.

small businesses:

No impacts to businesses are anticipated. The proposed rule applies only to public sewer collection systems.

persons other than small businesses, businesses, or local governmental entities:

No impacts to other person are anticipated. The proposed rule applies only to public sewer collection systems.

Compliance costs for affected persons:

Compliance costs are difficult to quantify due to the wide range of current compliance among different systems and collection system size. Many systems are currently meeting many of the program requirements. The agency anticipates that the majority of the additional compliance burden can be absorbed by existing resources.

Comments by the department head on the fiscal impact the rule may have on businesses:

No impacts to businesses are anticipated. The proposed rule only applies to public sewer collection systems.

Amanda Smith, Executive Director

The full text of this rule may be inspected, during regular business hours, at the Division of Administrative Rules, or at:

Environmental Quality
Water QualityRoom DEQ, Third Floor
195 N 1950 W
SALT LAKE CITY, UT 84116

Direct questions regarding this rule to:

• John Kennington at the above address, by phone at 801-536-4380, by FAX at 801-536-4301, or by Internet E-mail at [e-mail]

Interested persons may present their views on this rule by submitting written comments to the address above no later than 5:00 p.m. on:

04/16/2012

This rule may become effective on:

04/23/2012

Authorized by:

Walter Baker, Director

RULE TEXT

R317. Environmental Quality, Water Quality.

R317-801. Utah Sewer Management Program (USMP).

R317-801-1. Applicability and Definitions.

1.1 Applicability . Any federal or state agency, municipality, county, district, and other political subdivision of the state that owns or operates a sewer collection system is required to comply with this rule, R317-801.

1.2 Definitions . The following definitions are to be used in conjunction with those in R317-1-1 and R317-8-1. The following terms have the meaning as set forth unless a different meaning clearly appears from the context or unless a different meaning is stated in a definition applicable to only a portion of these rules:

(1) "BMP" means "best management practice".

(2) "CCTV" means "closed circuit television.

(3) "CIP" means a "Capital Improvement Plan".

(4) "DWQ" means "the Utah Division of Water Quality".

(5) "FOG" means "fats, oils and grease".

(6) "I/I" means "infiltration and inflow".

(7) "Permittee" means the federal and state agency, municipality, county, district, and other political subdivision of the state that owns or operates a sewer collection system or who is in direct responsible charge for operation and maintenance of the sewer collection system. When two separate federal and state agency, municipality, county, district, and other political subdivision of the state are interconnected, each shall be considered a separate Permittee.

(8) "SECAP" means "System Evaluation and Capacity Assurance Plan".

(9) "Sewer Collection System" means a system for the collection and conveyance of wastewaters or sewage from domestic, industrial and commercial sources. The Sewer Collection System does not include sewer laterals under the ownership and control of an owner of real property, private sewer systems owned and operated by an owner of real property, and systems that collect and convey stormwater exclusively.

(10) "SORP" means "Sewer Overflow Response Plan"

(11) "SSMP" means "Sewer System Management Plan".

(12) "SSO" means "sanitary sewer overflow", the escape of wastewater or pollutants from, or beyond the intended or designed containment of a sewer collection system.

(13) "Class 1 SSO" (Significant SSO) means a SSO or backup that is not caused by a private lateral obstruction or problem that:

(a) effects more than five private structures;

(b) affects one or more public, commercial or industrial structure(s);

(c) may result in a public health risk to the general public;

(d) has a spill volume that exceeds 5,000 gallons, excluding those in single private structures; or

(e) discharges to Waters of the state.

(14) "Class 2 SSO" (Non Significant SSO) means a SSO or backup that is not caused by a private lateral obstruction or problem that does not meet the Class 1 SSO criteria.

(15) "USMP" means the "Utah Sewer Management Program".

 

R317-801-2. General Permit Requirements.

2.1 General Permit for sewer collection system. All permittees are required to operate under the General Permit for sewer collection systems as required by this rule, R317-801.

2.2 Notice of Intent Requirements.

(1) A permittee shall submit a Notice of Intent to be covered by the General Permit for sewer collection systems between October 1, 2012 and November 30, 2012. A new permittee for a sewer collection system shall submit a Notice of Intent to be covered by the General Permit for sewer collection systems at least three (3) months prior to operation of the system.

(2) Forms and instructions for submitting a Notice of Intent can be obtained online on the DWQ's website.

2.3 Effective Date of General Permit.

General permit coverage will be in effect when the Notice of Intent has been submitted, approved and declared complete by the Executive Secretary.

 

R317-801-3. General Permit Provisions.

3.1 Prohibitions.

(1) Any SSO that results in a discharge of untreated or partially treated wastewater to Waters of the state is prohibited.

(2) Any SSO that results in a discharge of untreated or partially treated wastewater that creates a health hazard, nuisance, or is a threat to the environment is prohibited.

3.2 General SSO Requirements.

1) The permittee shall take all feasible steps to eliminate SSOs to include:

(a) properly managing, operating, and maintaining all parts of the sewer collection system;

(b) training system operators;

(c) allocating adequate resources for the operation, maintenance, and repair of its sewer collection system, by establishing a proper rate structure, accounting mechanisms, and auditing procedures to ensure an adequate measure of revenues and expenditures in accordance with generally acceptable accounting practices; and,

(d) providing adequate capacity to convey base flows and peak flows, including flows related to normal wet weather events. Capacity shall meet or exceed the design criteria of R317-3.

(2) SSOs shall be reported in accordance with the requirements of R317-801-4.

(3) When an SSO occurs, the permittee shall take all feasible steps to:

(a) control, contain, or limit the volume of untreated or partially treated wastewater discharged;

(b) terminate the discharge;

(c) recover as much of the wastewater discharged as possible for proper disposal, including any wash down water; and,

(d) mitigate the impacts of the SSO.

 

R317-801-4. General Permit SSO Reporting Requirements.

4.1 SSO Reporting. SSOs shall be reported as follows:

(1) A Class 1 SSO shall be reported orally within 24 hrs and with a written report submitted to the DWQ within five calendar days. Class 1 SSO's shall be included in the annual USMP report.

(2) Class 2 SSOs shall be reported on an annual basis in the USMP annual report.

4.2 Annual Report. A permittee shall submit to DWQ a USMP annual operating report covering information for the previous calendar year by April 15 of the following year.

 

R317-801-5. SSMP Requirements.

5.1 SSMP. The permittee shall have and implement a written SSMP and shall make it available to DWQ upon request. A copy of the SSMP shall be publicly available at the permittee's office and/or available on the Internet. The SSMP must be publicly noticed by the permittee and approved by the permittee's governing body at a public meeting. The main purpose of the SSMP is to provide a plan and schedule to properly manage, operate, and maintain all parts of the sewer collection system to reduce and prevent SSOs, as well as minimize impacts of any SSOs that occur.

5.2 Contents of SSMP. The SSMP shall include:

(1) Organization information to include:

(a) The name or position of the responsible or authorized representative;

(b) The names and telephone numbers for management, administrative, and maintenance positions responsible for implementing specific measures in the SSMP. The SSMP must identify lines of authority through an organization chart or similar document with a narrative explanation; and,

(c) The chain of communication for reporting SSOs, from receipt of a complaint or other information, including the person responsible for reporting SSOs to DWQ, the public (if needed) and other agencies if applicable (such as County Health Department).

(2) Sewer collection system use ordinances, service agreements, or other legally binding methods, that:

(a) Prohibit unauthorized discharges into its sewer collection system i.e. I/I, stormwater, chemical dumping, unauthorized debris and cut roots;

(b) Require that sewers and connections be properly designed and constructed;

(c) Ensure access for maintenance, inspection, or repairs for portions of the laterals owned or maintained by the permittee;

(d) Limit the discharge of FOG and other debris that may cause blockages;

(e) Require compliance with pretreatment requirements;

(f) Provide authority to inspect industrial users; and,

(g) Provide for enforcement for violations of the requirements.

(3) An Operations and Maintenance Plan which includes:

(a) An up-to-date map of the sewer collection system, showing all gravity line segments, manholes, pumping facilities, pressure pipes, gates and all other applicable conveyance facilities;

(b) A description of routine preventative operation and maintenance activities by staff and contractors, including a system for scheduling regular maintenance and cleaning of the sewer collection system with more frequent cleaning and maintenance targeted at known problem areas. The plan should include regular visual and TV inspection of manholes and sewer pipes and a system of ranking the condition of sewer pipe and manholes. The plan should have an appropriate system to document scheduled and all other types of work activities, such as a maintenance, management, system, or paper work orders;

(c) A Rehabilitation, Replacement and Improvement Plan to identify and prioritize system deficiencies and implement short-term and long-term rehabilitation actions to address each class of deficiencies. Rehabilitation and replacement should focus on sewer pipes that are at risk of failure or prone to more frequent blockages due to pipe defects. The rehabilitation and replacement plan shall include a CIP, if required, that addresses proper management and protection of the infrastructure assets;

(d) Schedule for training on a regular basis for staff and contractors in operations and maintenance consistent with DWQ continuing education requirements for certified operators; and,

(e) Providing for equipment and replacement part inventories, including identification of critical replacement parts. (This may include a list of vendors that the equipment and/or part can be purchased from, or local agreements).

(4) Design and performance provisions which include:

(a) Design, construction standards and specifications that meet or exceed R317-3 for the installation of new sewer collection systems, pump stations and other appurtenances and for the rehabilitation and repair of existing sewer collection systems; and,

(b) Procedures and standards for inspecting, testing and documenting the installation of new sewers, pumps, and other appurtenances and for rehabilitation and repair projects.

(5) A SORP which has the following measures to protect public health and the environment:

(a) A program to respond to overflows which addresses:

1. Receipt and documentation of information regarding a sewer overflow;

2. Dispatch of appropriate crews to the site of the sewer overflow;

3. Overflow correction, containment, and cleanup including procedures to ensure that all reasonable steps are taken to contain and prevent the discharge of untreated and partially treated wastewater to Waters of the state and to minimize or correct any adverse impact on the environment resulting from the sewer overflow;

4. Preparation of an overflow report by responding personnel; and,

5. Follow up with affected persons,

(b) Procedures for prompt notification to the public.

(c) Procedures to notify appropriate regulatory agencies and other potentially affected entities to include:

1. DWQ to comply with SSO reporting requirements;

2. County Health Department, local water supply agencies as appropriate, and other affected agencies should the SSO potentially affect the public health or reach the Waters of the state;

3. Utah Division of Emergency Response and Remediation, if hazardous materials are or may be involved; and,

4. Any other required UPDES, State, or Federal reporting requirements.

(d) Procedures to ensure that appropriate staff personnel are aware of and follow the SORP and are appropriately trained.

(6) For permittees with 2000 or more connections, and at the option of permittees with less than 2000 connections, a FOG control plan consistent with the potential for FOG discharge from commercial and industrial dischargers. Where required, the FOG control plan shall include some or all of the following:

(a) An implementation plan and schedule for a residential and commercial public education outreach for the FOG control plan that promotes proper disposal of FOG;

(b) A plan for the disposal of FOG generated within the permittee's service area. This may include a list of acceptable disposal facilities and/or additional facilities needed to adequately dispose of FOG;

(c) Sewer collection system use ordinances, service agreements, or other legally binding methods, that prohibit FOG discharges to the system;

(d) Requirements to install grease removal devices (such as traps or interceptors), design standards for the removal devices, maintenance requirements, BMP requirements, record keeping and reporting requirements;

(e) A FOG inspection, monitoring and evaluation plan;

(f) Identification of resources to do inspections and enforce the FOG control plan; and,

(g) A maintenance schedule for lines affected by FOG blockages.

(7) For permittees with 2000 or more connections, and at the option of permittees with less than 2000 connections, a SECAP. Where required, the SECAP shall include the following:

(a) an evaluation of the wastewater collection system's existing hydraulic capacity using historical information such as flow, system records, current zoning, local development options, and maintenance records;

(b) identification of system deficiencies; and,

(c) a CIP that includes an appropriate model for the system that can be used to evaluate the hydraulic conditions in the system and identify existing and forecast future deficiencies to provide hydraulic capacity such as for future dry weather peak flow conditions, as well as the appropriate design for storm or wet weather events. The CIP shall establish a short and long term schedule to address the deficiencies and conditions identified, including a priority list, alternative analysis, and schedule for recommended upgrades. The CIP shall include increases in pipe size, I/I reduction plans, increases in pumping capacities and/or redundancies, storage capacity increases and recommended trunk line cleaning schedules or other monitoring activities. The CIP shall identify the sources of funding. The schedule shall be reviewed and adjusted yearly.

5.3 Monitoring, Measurement, and SSMP Modifications.

(1) The permittee shall maintain relevant information that can be used to establish and prioritize appropriate SSO prevention activities and shall document all monitoring activities (i.e. daily cleaning activities, CCTV video records, manhole inspections, and hot spot activities).

(2) The permittee shall regularly review the effectiveness of each element of the SSMP and shall monitor the SECAP implementation (when required).

(3) The permittee shall annually assess the success of the operation and maintenance plan (i.e. line cleaning, CCTV inspections and manhole inspections, and SSO events) and adjust the operation and maintenance plan as needed based on system performance.

(4) The permittee shall update SSMP elements, as appropriate, based on monitoring or performance evaluations.

(5) The permittee shall regularly identify and illustrate SSO trends, including frequency, location, and volume.

(6) The permittee shall conduct periodic internal audits, appropriate to the size of the system and the number of SSOs. At a minimum, these audits must occur every five years and a report must be prepared and kept on file. This audit shall focus on evaluating the effectiveness of the SSMP and the permittee's compliance with the SSMP, including identification of any deficiencies in the SSMP and steps to correct them.

(7) The permittee is encouraged to communicate with the public, as needed, on the development, implementation, and performance of the SSMP. The permittee may establish a public outreach/communication plan which shall provide the public with the opportunity to provide input to the permittee as the SSMP is developed and implemented.

(8) The SSMP shall be prepared by, or under the direction of, a Utah certified professional engineer or another qualified professional.

(9) The SSMP must be completed by the deadlines listed in the Timeframe for Implementation in R317-801-6.

 

R317-801-6. Certification, Submission and Implementation Requirements.

6.1 Timeline for Notice, SSMP, and Certification. The permittee shall certify to DWQ that a SSMP is in place that is in compliance with the USMP by submitting a notice to DWQ within the time frames identified in the following time schedule:

 

Table 1.  Timeframe for Implementation.

  Task          Completion Dates by Population



              >50,000     15,001 to   3,501 to   3,500 and

              population  50,000      15,000     Less

                          population  population population



Notice of

Intent to     4 - 6 Months after effective date of rule

be covered

by General

Permit



Completion    24 months   30 months   36 months  42 months

of SSMP       after       after       after      after

(excluding    effective   effective   effective  effective

SECAP)        date        date        date       date



Completion    36 months   42 months   48 months  60 months

of SECAP      after       after       after      after

when          effective   effective   effective  effective

required      date        date        date       date

 

6.2 Significant Modifications . Significant modification of the SSMP must be public noticed by the permittee and approved by the permittee's governing body at a public meeting. A new notice certifying the revised SSMP is in place shall be sent to DWQ.

6.4 Incomplete Reports . If a permittee becomes aware that it failed to submit required information in any notice or report, the permittee shall promptly amend the notice or report.

6.5 Certification of Notices and Reports . All notices and reports submitted to DWQ shall be signed and certified as required in R317-8-3.4.

 

KEY: sewer collection systems, Utah Sewer Management Program

Date of Enactment or Last Substantive Amendment: 2012

Authorizing, and Implemented or Interpreted Law: 19-5-105

 

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