Ohio Admin. Code 4901:1-15-20 - Quality and adequacy of service

(A) Each waterworks company and/or sewage disposal system company shall provide service to the public in its service territory twenty-four hours per day, every day, except as provided for elsewhere in this chapter.

(B) Each waterworks company and/or sewage disposal system company shall:

(1) Comply with its approved tariff(s) which shall be approved by and on file with the commission.

(2) Place the responsibility for the technical operation and maintenance of the system(s) under the charge of an "operator of record" who holds a certificate of a level at least equal to that of the classification of the waterworks system and/or sewage disposal system as designated by the Ohio environmental protection agency OEPA, or has obtained authorization from the director of the Ohio environmental protection agency OEPA.

(C) Each waterworks company shall:

(1) Furnish potable water that is of a safe and satisfactory quality for all domestic use and that is in compliance with federal and state requirements for drinking water.

(2) Ensure that each service connection shall have a curb stop or other means of isolating the service connection and that each customer can be disconnected without affecting another customer.

(3) Maintain a minimum static pressure delivered to the curb stop during normal operating conditions of thirty-five pounds per square inch.

(4) Not allow pressure to exceed one hundred twenty-five pounds per square inch at the curb stop.

(5) Minimize water loss in the water system distribution system by operating a water loss control program meeting the minimum criteria outlined herein.

(a) For water systems that have less than three thousand total active and inactive service connections, the water company shall:

(i) Calculate and determine water loss volume in gallons per service connection per day per system average operating pressure (gals/connection/day/psi) based on a rolling twelve month average in each of its system(s) and report on the quarterly report.

(ii) Establish a target water loss volume (TWLV) in gallons per service connection per day per system operating pressure (gals/connection/day/psi) for each of its system(s) based on a minimum of twelve months of data. The TWLV shall be reviewed and approved by staff annually.

(iii) Determine the percentage of water loss from the water system based on a rolling twelve month average in each of its system(s) and report on the quarterly report. The water company should also provide appropriate water loss information to commission staff upon request.

(b) The percentage of water loss is the water loss volume divided by the total system delivery volume.

The water loss volume is the total system delivery volume minus metered consumption volume minus non-metered water loss volume. Where:

(i) Total system delivery volume (in gallons) of water delivered into the water distribution in gallons.

(ii) Metered consumption volume (in gallons) including both revenue and non-revenue water as measured by a metering device

(iii) Non-metered water loss volume (in gallons) includes water usage for firefighting purposes, flushing, tank draining, street cleaning, sewer flushing, plant usage, and water loss from surfacing water leaks repaired within five days of becoming aware of the water leak.

(c) When the water loss percentage is greater than fifteen per cent, the water company shall:

(i) Determine the economic level leakage and develop a water loss remedial program based on the economic level leakage to achieve a water loss equal to or less than fifteen per cent or shall justify for staff's approval a more economically realistic goal based on a cost/benefit analysis.

(ii) Determine the economic level leakage and develop a water loss remedial program based on the economic level leakage to achieve a specific water loss volume per connection per day per psi for staff's review and approval.

(d) For water systems with more than three thousand total service connections or a service connection of more than sixteen service connections per mile of distribution main, the water company shall:

(i) Calculate the infrastructure leakage index (ILI) annually using the American water works association's "M36 Water Audits and Loss Control Programs" (fourth edition, 2016) software. Non-revenue water is the preferred metric for this calculation.

(ii) Utilize preliminary target ILI's established by commission staff for each system based on criteria set forth in the American water works association's "M36 Water Audits and Loss Control Programs" (fourth edition, 2016). The preliminary target ILI may be adjusted based on the calculated economic level of leakage when a system's annual ILI exceeds or is equal to the preliminary target ILI.

(iii) Determine the economic level of leakage and develop a water loss remedial program based on the economic level of leakage.

(iv) Not be required to calculate the economic level of leakage when the calculated annual ILI for a system is equal to or less than 3.0.

(e) Water systems shall only be required to decrease system water loss to the economic level of leakage.

(f) Submit an annual water loss control program report documenting the requirements above to the commission with supporting documents by March thirty-first of the year following the reporting year.

(D) Each sewage disposal system company shall:

(1) Make all reasonable efforts to design, operate, and maintain its system so as to avoid at all times any blockage in the system.

(2) Make every effort to eliminate infiltration that may allow flows other than wastewater to enter the collection system.

(3) Maintain its system in a safe and sanitary manner.

(E) When a waterworks company and/or sewage disposal system company is not able to meet the requirements of Chapter 4901:1-15 of the Administrative Code, the company shall notify the director of the service monitoring and enforcement department or the director's designee immediately, unless otherwise provided in Chapter 4901:1-15 of the Administrative Code, after the company becomes aware of its inability to meet these standards. The company shall investigate, take appropriate corrective action, and provide a report of such activities to the commission's director of the service monitoring and enforcement department or the director's designee within thirty calendar days after originally notifying the commission. The required notification and report shall be provided either in hard copy or electronically via the internet in a manner prescribed by the commission.

Notes

Ohio Admin. Code 4901:1-15-20

Effective: 6/28/2023
Five Year Review (FYR) Dates: 4/7/2023 and 06/13/2028
Promulgated Under: 111.15
Statutory Authority: R.C. 4905.04
Rule Amplifies: R.C. 4905.06
Prior Effective Dates: 12/12/1991, 03/24/2003, 08/22/2008, 10/19/2012, 11/02/2017