Public Utilities (GPU) — Title 24. Plumbing, Waterworks, and Sewer Construction

A person shall obtain a permit from the Commission before the person may engage in plumbing, waterworks, or sewer construction in a building or on private property in the sanitary district or areas of Prince George’s County that are not in the sanitary district.

The person shall pay to the Commission a reasonable permit fee set by the Commission.

conform to the Commission’s regulations; and

be subject to any inspection that the Commission considers necessary.

A person shall obtain a permit from the Commission before the person may construct a private or semipublic water supply or sewer system for the use of at least two buildings or premises in the sanitary district or areas of Prince George’s County that are not in the sanitary district.

The person shall pay to the Commission a reasonable permit fee.

The private or semipublic water supply or sewer system shall be installed, maintained, and operated under regulations that the Commission adopts.

The owner or operator of the system shall pay to the Commission a reasonable supervision and inspection fee that the Commission sets.

make the correction or take over the operation of the system for the period necessary; and

collect the costs for the correction or operation from the owner or operator.

A person shall obtain a permit from the Commission before the person may make a hookup with a water or sewer service line that the Commission constructs or maintains.

A hookup shall be made under the conditions that the Commission authorizes.

at a reasonable time, enter a building or premises that has a connection with the water supply or sewer system under the jurisdiction of the Commission; and

issue an order requiring a change in the plumbing, waterworks, or water or sewer connection that the Commission considers necessary.

in Montgomery County:

in Prince George’s County, a water supply or sewage collection and disposal system:

This subsection does not apply to Calvert Manor.

Subject to subsection (c) of this section, a person shall obtain a permit from the Commission before the person may construct, alter, extend, or operate a water supply or sewage collection and disposal system outside the sanitary district in Montgomery County or Prince George’s County.

The Commission may not issue a permit under subsection (b) of this section until the Commission approves:

The Commission shall:

The Commission may charge a reasonable permit fee not exceeding 6% of the estimated construction cost for a project described in this section.

A person holding a permit under subsection (b) of this section shall submit to the Commission:

The Commission shall approve and issue a permit for a material change before the person may include the change in the actual construction.

inspect the operations of any water supply or sewage collection and disposal system authorized under this section;

require the owners or operators of the system to maintain and operate the system in compliance with the Commission’s reasonable requirements and with regard to public health, safety, and comfort;

set and collect from the owners or operators of the system a reasonable fee for the supervision and inspection of the system; and

if the owner or operator fails or refuses to correct, maintain, or operate the system in compliance with the Commission’s requirements:

shall adjust its inspection fees accordingly if a municipality in Montgomery County or Prince George’s County:

is not required to duplicate an analysis.

If a water or sewage treatment facility is constructed under a Commission permit and operates subject to inspection by the Department of the Environment, the Commission is not required to duplicate the operational inspection functions that the Department of the Environment conducts.

The Commission may eliminate or reduce its operation and inspection fee in proportion to the eliminated inspection activities.

All other requirements of the Commission permit for the facility shall be applicable.

When a water supply or sewage collection and disposal system authorized under this section is completed, the person constructing the system shall file with the Commission as a permanent record a certified copy of the plans in full, showing the work as built.

The record shall include the information and be in the form that the Commission requires.

In those parts of Prince George’s County that are not in the sanitary district, the Commission’s plumbing regulations:

The Commission may enter into an agreement with Prince George’s County under which the county will issue the necessary permit and perform the necessary inspection for and in the name of the Commission in those areas that are not in the sanitary district, if the agreement provides that the plumbing regulations of the Commission will be applied.

This subsection or an agreement entered into under this subsection does not affect the power of the Commission:

Subject to § 12–305 of the Business Occupations and Professions Article, only the Commission may issue licenses to persons to work in the plumbing business in areas of Montgomery County or Prince George’s County under the jurisdiction of the Commission.

License fees may not exceed the fees set in the Maryland Plumbing Act.

The Commission shall exercise the authority of the State Board of Plumbing in areas under the jurisdiction of the Commission.

A person holding a valid master plumber/gasfitter license or a journeyman plumber/gasfitter license issued by the Commission is entitled to an equivalent license issued by the State Board of Plumbing without examination on presentation of:

A person holding a valid master plumber/gasfitter license or a journeyman plumber/gasfitter license issued by the State Board of Plumbing is entitled to an equivalent license issued by the Commission without examination on presentation of the license issued by the State Board of Plumbing.

Subject to §§ 10–14A–03 and 10–14B–03 of the State Government Article, an individual holding a valid master plumber/gasfitter license in another state is entitled to an equivalent license issued by the Commission without examination on presentation of the license issued by the Commission.

In this section, “sewer cleaning” means the cleaning or clearing of and the removal of stoppages or obstructions in sanitary sewer lines, pipes, and fixtures.

“Sewer cleaning” does not include any installation, maintenance, extension, removal, or alteration of any pipe, sanitary fixture, or other sewer apparatus.

require a person to have a sewer cleaner’s license to clean a sewer on the person’s own property;

prevent a person from cleaning a sewer on the person’s own property; or

apply to or prohibit the cleaning by any person of a sewer or sanitary fixture of any dwelling, commercial or industrial establishment, or premises owned or operated by the person.

The Commission:

notify the county and any municipal corporation in which the sewage leak is located about:

include the following on the Commission’s website:

the source and date of discovery of the leak; and

the contact information, including a telephone number, of the Commission for members of the general public to use for obtaining additional information.

shall post the warning signs downstream from the leak in accordance with regulations adopted by the Commission; and

is not required to post any warning sign upstream from a leak.

the minimum distance from the source of a leak within which warning signs must be posted; and

the form and content of the warning signs.