Mississippi Administrative Code
Title 15 - Mississippi Department of Health
Part 20 - Bureau of Public Water Supply
Subpart 72 - Public Water Supply
Chapter 2 - REGULATION GOVERNING THE CERTIFICATION OF MUNICIPAL AND DOMESTIC WATER SYSTEM OPERATORS
Subchapter 1 - General Provisions
Rule 15-20-72-2.1.2 - Definitions

1. Available shall mean a certified waterworks operator or his/her designee employed by the water system holding a waterworks operator certification equivalent to or higher than the class of the public water system . The water system must be able to contact the certified operator or his/her designee at all times by telephone, pager or other reliable mode of communication acceptable to the Bureau of Public Water Supply to address system needs and problems as they occur.

2. Board shall mean the Mississippi State Board of Health.

3. Bureau shall mean the Bureau of Public Water Supply of the Mississippi State Department of Health.

4. Community Water System shall mean any water system serving piped water for human consumption to fifteen (15) or more individual service connections used year-round by consumers or regularly serving at least twenty-five (25) or more individual consumers year-round, including, but not limited to, any collection, pretreatment, treatment, storage and/or distribution facilities or equipment used primarily as part of, or in connection with such system, regardless of whether or not such components are under the ownership or control of the operator of such system.

6. Department shall mean the Mississippi State Department of Health.

7. Director shall mean the director of the Bureau of Public Water Supply or his designated representative.

8. Distribution System shall mean all water mains, repumping facilities, and appurtenances past treatment.

9. Non-transient non-community water system shall mean a public water system that is not a community water system and that regularly serves at least twenty-five (25) of the same persons.

10. Operator shall mean the designated certified waterworks operator who directly supervises and is personally responsible for the daily operation and maintenance of a community or non-transient non-community public water system.

11. Person shall mean the state or other agency or institution thereof, any municipality, political subdivision, public or private corporation, individual, partnership, association or other entity, and includes any officer or governing or managing body of any municipality, political subdivision, or public or private corporation, or the United States or any officer or employee thereof.

12. Responsible Charge shall mean a waterworks operator, holding a Bureau issued waterworks operator certification at a class equivalent to or higher than the class of the water system, who is officially designated by the owner or responsible official of the water system as the operator responsible for making all decisions regarding the daily operational activities of the public water system including all components of the water system such as treatment plants, water wells, distribution systems, etc. Decisions carried out by the operator in responsible charge shall be performed with reasonable care and ethical judgement. Under special circumstances, the Director may authorize a water system(s) to have more than one operator in responsible charge.

13. Restricted Certification shall mean a certified waterworks operator that is given a temporary certification in order to operate a public water system that has received a change in classification or a sudden loss of their certified operator. Operators with this type of Certification are restricted to a specific public water supply temporarily until such time as the operator attends a water operator short course within three years of receiving the Restricted Certification and passes the written examination required by the Bureau. This Restricted Certification is only provided for a period of three years. The Director may extend the restricted period of time of the certification due to the experience requirements of system classification.