Ga. Comp. R. & Regs. R. 391-3-5-.05 - Preparation and Submission of Engineering Reports, Plans and Specifications for Public Water Systems

(1) General Provisions. For any activity listed in paragraph (1) of Rule 391-3-5-.04 an engineering report prepared by a professional engineer shall be submitted to the Division prior to the preparation of the final construction plans and specifications. Plans and Specifications shall be prepared by a professional engineer and submitted to the Division, accompanied by a letter of submittal identifying the project, owner and owner's address. No construction shall be initiated without prior approval from the Division. The engineering report and/or plans and specifications may be waived by the Director when information submitted by the supplier of water allows an engineering appraisal of the proposed activity to be made by the Division as follows:

(a) For minor extensions, additions and/or modification to an existing governmentally owned public water systems which do not affect the normal operation of said water system.

(b) For new public water systems which are classified as transient non-community water systems and for additions to existing transient non-community water systems.

(2) Engineering Report. The Engineering report shall contain a comprehensive description of the proposed activity including, but not limited to the following:

(a) scope and description of proposed activity;

(b) description of the proposed source of water supply, and data concerning the quality of the water;

(c) pertinent information regarding present available sources of water supply, water treatment facilities, and existing public water systems;

(d) sufficient maps, diagrams, charts, tables, calculations, basis of design data and graphs to make the reports readily understandable; all sheets shall be descriptively labeled and bound together or folded in a folder attached to the report;

(e) operational and maintenance program description;

(f) the known character and depth of the natural earth formations through and from which groundwater sources are to developed;

(g) factors which may affect the quality of a source of water supply as determined by a survey of the water shed above the surface water intake or the surrounding area of a groundwater source.

(3) Minimum Standards. Beginning January 1, 1998, all new, additions, or extensions to public water systems shall be designed and constructed in accordance with the latest edition of the Division's "Minimum Standards for Public Water Systems".

(4) Plans and Specifications. Plans and specifications must be submitted with additional copies as may be requested, and shall include, but not be limited to the following:

(a) map plans of the area to be served by the public water system, including, but not limited to: geographical location of the project, location of all existing and proposed streets in the area to be served, location of the source of water supply and the treatment facilities, and elevations of the principal parts of the public water system;

(b) detailed plans of the location and the construction of the storage tank, water mains, valves, fire hydrants and appurtenances;

(c) detailed plans of: the location and construction of the water treatment facilities including layout and relationship of the various units of the treatment facility; general piping, pumps, reservoirs, flow measuring devices, controls, points of chemical application, water sampling points, plant control laboratory, chemical feed equipment and chemical storage area. Sufficient dimensions and elevations shall be provided to make all parts of the readily understandable.

(d) the dimensions of the plan sheets must be within the following limits: twenty (20) to thirty (30) inches in height and twenty-four (24) to forty-two (42) inches in length;

(e) each plan sheet shall have printed thereon the name and location of the public water system, name and registration stamp of the professional engineer, scale, true and magnetic north, and shall be bound together and numbered consecutively;

(f) if the plans are solely for extensions to an existing public water system, only such information as is necessary for comprehension of the plans and construction of the project will be required;

(g) specifications will be separate from the plans and shall have printed thereon the name and location of the public water system, name and stamp of the professional engineer, and shall be bound together and numbered consecutively;

(h) specifications for the construction of the public water system shall accompany all plans for new or existing public water systems and shall describe the plans for the whole and for each unit or component of construction of the proposed public water system, including where necessary, testing and disinfection, painting, laboratory equipment, metering and recording devices and related material;

(i) the specifications may be omitted for extensions or additions to existing systems provided the proposed construction is in accordance with specifications previously approved and on file with the Division;

(j) manufacturers' brochures of specifications of materials are not acceptable for purposes of this requirement.

(5) Deviations from Approved Plans. Any significant deviation from the approved plans or specification must receive prior approval by the Division.

(6) Installation According to Plans and Specifications. Upon completion of the installation of the public water system or any modification, the owner must send to the Division a statement from the engineer who prepared the plans and specifications that the system, as installed, is in accordance with the approved plans and specifications.

(7) Integrity of Treatment Units or Equipment. Approval of plans and specifications by the Division does not include approval of the structural, electrical, mechanical, or design integrity of the treatment units or equipment.

(8) Construction Without Division Approval. At the discretion of the Director, an existing public water system that is constructed without obtaining prior approval from the Division may be considered acceptable by the Director, provided all of the following are accomplished to the satisfaction of the Division:

(a) An engineering evaluation of the constructed facilities is made by a professional engineer, licensed in the state of Georgia, to evaluate and certify conformance of the constructed facilities with all of the applicable paragraphs of the rules in this Chapter. The engineer's certification, along with the "as-built" plans and specifications must be submitted to the Division for review and comment.

(b) All items, data, documentation and information required for source approvals and permit issuances for a public water system, as stated in the rules of this Chapter, must be submitted to the Division. Any additional and/or corrective action that is required by the Division for the owner or operator of the system to complete, prior to issuance of the permit, must be accomplished within ninety (90) days from the date of notification by the Division.

Notes

Ga. Comp. R. & Regs. R. 391-3-5-.05

Ga. L. 1977, p. 351, et seq., O.C.G.A. § 12-5-170 et seq., as amended.

Original Rule entitled "Source of Water Supply" was filed on September 6, 1973; effective September 26, 1973. Amended: Rule repealed and a new Rule entitled "Preparations and Submission of Engineering Report, Plans and Specifications for Public Water System" adopted. Filed July 5, 1977; effective July 26 1977, as specified by Rule 391-3-5-.47. Amended: F. Sept. 26, 1997; eff. Oct. 16, 1997. Amended: F. Jan. 8, 2014; eff. Jan. 28, 2014. Amended: F. Apr. 22, 2021; eff. May 12, 2021.