(A) No person shall begin construction or installation of a public water system, or make a substantial change in a public water system, until plans therefor have been approved by the director of environmental protection under division (A)(1) or (2) of this section.

(1) Upon receipt of a proper application, the director shall consider the need for compliance with requirements of the Safe Drinking Water Act, and generally accepted standards for the construction and equipping of water systems, and shall issue an order approving or disapproving the plans. In granting an approval, the director may stipulate conditions designed to ensure that the system will be able to meet the requirements of this chapter and rules adopted under it.

(2) The director may enter into an agreement with a political subdivision or investor-owned public utility that owns or operates a public water system and that intends to extend the distribution facilities of its system, to increase the number of service connections to its system, or to add distribution system pump stations or storage tanks in the distribution system, which agreement authorizes a qualified officer or employee of the political subdivision or investor-owned public utility, as determined by the director, to review plans for the extension of the distribution facilities, the increase in the number of service connections, or the addition of distribution system pump stations or storage tanks in the distribution system for compliance with this chapter and the rules adopted under it and to certify to the director whether the plans comply with this chapter and the rules adopted under it. If, pursuant to such an agreement, the official or employee of the political subdivision or investor-owned public utility designated in the agreement certifies to the director that the plans comply with this chapter and the rules adopted under it and if the plans and certification are accompanied by an administrative service fee calculated in accordance with division (N)(2) of section 3745.11 of the Revised Code, the director shall approve the plans without further review by issuance of an order as a final action.

As used in division (A)(2) of this section, "investor-owned public utility" means a person, other than an individual, that is a water-works company, as defined in section 4905.03 of the Revised Code, and that is not owned or operated by a municipal corporation or operated not-for-profit.

(B) No person shall construct or install a public water system, or make any substantial change in a public water system, that is not in accordance with plans approved by the director.

(C) No person shall operate a public water system, and no person who is an owner of a public water system shall permit its operation, if the person knows or has reason to know that the system was constructed or installed, or that a substantial change was made in the system, in violation of division (A) or (B) of this section unless the person has obtained written authorization from the director to operate the system pursuant to division (D) of this section.

(D) The director may issue a notice by certified mail to the operator or owner of a public water system that was constructed, installed, or changed in violation of this section, informing the operator or owner of the violation. The director may issue an order authorizing the operator or owner to operate for ninety days, and the director may extend by order the authorization for periods as may be necessary to allow the owner or operator to submit plans, obtain their approval, and make such changes in the system as may be necessary to bring the system into compliance with the approved plans.

Effective Date: 11-26-1997 .