65-171p. Public water supply systems; variances; conditions; notice; requests for public hearing; scheduled compliance. (a) The secretary of health and environment may grant a variance from an applicable primary drinking water standard to a public water supply system where the variance will not result in an unreasonable risk to the public health and where, because of the characteristics of the raw water sources reasonably available to the public water supply system, the public water supply system cannot meet the maximum contaminant levels of the primary drinking water standards despite application of the best technology, treatment techniques or other means which the secretary finds are generally available, taking costs into consideration.

(b) Prior to granting a variance, the secretary shall provide notice in a newspaper of general circulation serving the area served by the public water supply system of the proposed variance and that interested persons may request a public hearing on the proposed variance. If a public hearing is requested the secretary shall set a time and place for the hearing. The hearing shall be conducted in accordance with the provisions of the Kansas administrative procedure act. Frivolous or insubstantial requests for a hearing may be denied by the secretary.

(c) A variance shall be conditioned on monitoring, testing, analyzing or other requirements to insure the protection of the public health. A variance granted shall include a schedule of compliance under which the public water supply system is required to meet each contaminant level for which a variance is granted within a reasonable time as specified by the secretary.

History: L. 1977, ch. 212, § 8; L. 1988, ch. 356, § 182; July 1, 1989.