Current through all regulations passed and filed through December 16, 2024
(A) The owner and professional operator of
record of a public water system, treatment works or sewerage system shall
maintain, or cause to be maintained, operation and maintenance records for each
classified public water system, distribution
system, water treatment plant within a public water system, sewerage system,
treatment works, or wastewater treatment facility within a treatment works.
Records shall be maintained at the facility, regardless
of professional operator of record or owner changes, in hard bound books
with consecutive page numbering; well organized computer logs, which
automatically document the date, time and person making the entry and prevent
the erasure or deletion of data; or an equivalent methodology sufficient to
record the information set forth in this rule and approved by the director to
ensure authenticity and accuracy. Separate log books or computer programs
meeting the requirements above may be maintained for operation and maintenance
activities. Records regarding operation and maintenance shall meet the
following requirements:
(1) The records shall
be housed and maintained in such a manner as to be protected from weather
damage and guarantee the authenticity and accuracy of the records contained
within.
(2) The records shall be
accessible onsite for twenty-four hour inspection by agency or emergency
response personnel.
(3) At a
minimum, the following information shall be recorded:
(a) Identification of the public water
system, sewerage system, or treatment works.
(b) Date and times of arrival and departure
in military time for the professional operator of record and any other
professional operator required by this chapter. Failure to document times of
arrival and departure shall constitute prima facie evidence that a violation of
the minimum staffing requirements has occurred unless the professional operator
can present evidence acceptable to the director to substantiate that the
professional operator met minimum staffing requirements.
(c) Specific operation and maintenance
activities that affect, or have the potential to
affect, the quality or quantity of sewage or
water conveyed, effluent or water produced.
(d) Results of tests performed and samples
taken, unless documented on a laboratory or bench sheet.
(e) Performance of preventative maintenance
and repairs or requests for repair of the equipment that affect or have the
potential to affect the quality or quantity of sewage or water conveyed,
effluent or water produced.
(f)
Identification of the persons making entries.
(4) The records shall be kept up to date,
contain a minimum of the previous three months of data at all times, and be
maintained for at least three years.
(B) A certified professional operator, or facility specific operator, shall do the
following:
(1) Perform duties in a responsible
and professional manner consistent with standard operating procedures and best
management practices.
(2) Operate
and maintain public water systems, sewerage systems, treatment works, and
appurtenances so as not to endanger the health or safety of persons working in
or around the facility, the public at large, or the environment due to
negligence or incompetence.
(3)
Report all instances of noncompliance with applicable regulations to the
professional operator of record or facility supervisor.
(4)
Record
information required in accordance with paragraphs (A)(3)(c) to (A)(3)(f) of
this rule.
(C) The
duties of a professional operator of record shall include, but not be limited
to, those outlined in paragraphs (B)(1) to (B)(3) of this rule and the
following additional duties and responsibilities:
(1) Responsible and effective on site
management and supervision of the technical operation of the public water
system, treatment works, or sewerage system.
(2) Immediately notifying the permittee or
owner of a public water system, sewerage system, or treatment works, and
ensuring the agency and, if applicable, the local regulatory agency, is
notified of items that require notification in accordance with Chapter 6109. or
6111. of the Revised Code, the rules adopted thereunder, or the facility's
NPDES permit.
(3) Ensuring the
recordkeeping requirements of this rule are being met.
(4) Each professional operator of record
identified in accordance with rule
3745-7-02 of the Administrative
Code and each certified professional operator acting as a backup for a facility
identified in accordance with rule
3745-7-03 or rule
3745-7-04 of the Administrative
Code, shall ensure that the facility's minimum staffing requirements are being
met either by themselves or in conjunction with other professional operators
working at the facility.
(5)
Displaying a copy of the facility specific or
professional operator's valid certificate and renewal card for public
examination at the treatment plant or principal office of the owner.
(6) Reporting minimum staffing times to the
agency in a format accepted by the director.
(D) In the event that there are
issues related to paragraphs (A) to (C) of this rule that are within the area
of responsibility of, but beyond a professional operator of record, facility specific operator, or a certified
professional operator's ability to address, it shall be the responsibility of
the professional operator of record, facility specific
operator, or certified professional operator to document any efforts to
rectify the problem.