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<section article="gpu" article_name="Public Utilities" number="24-104" title_number="24" title_name="Plumbing, Waterworks, and Sewer Construction" subtitle_number="1" subtitle_name="Construction Projects">
  <level label="a">
    <text>This section does not apply to:</text>
    <level label="1">
      <text>in Montgomery County:</text>
      <level label="i">
        <text>an apartment house with fewer than five dwelling units; or</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>a water supply or sewage collection and disposal system constructed:</text>
        <level label="1">
          <text>to serve only a single building or group of buildings serving as a single farm unit or as a single commercial or industrial establishment;</text>
        </level>
        <level label="2">
          <text>by the county, an instrumentality of the county, or the City of Rockville; or</text>
        </level>
        <level label="3">
          <text>by a municipality, if the municipality owned and operated the system on June 1, 1965; and</text>
        </level>
      </level>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>in Prince George’s County, a water supply or sewage collection and disposal system:</text>
      <level label="i">
        <text>constructed to serve only a single family residence or a single building; or</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>owned and operated by a municipality on January 1, 1959.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="b">
    <level label="1">
      <text>This subsection does not apply to Calvert Manor.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>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.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="c">
    <level label="1">
      <text>The Commission may not issue a permit under subsection (b) of this section until the Commission approves:</text>
      <level label="i">
        <text>complete plans and specifications for the construction, alteration, extension, or operation of the water supply or sewage collection and disposal system; and</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>any other information that the Commission requires.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>The Commission shall:</text>
      <level label="i">
        <text>during construction, inspect all projects for which the permit was issued; and</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>require the construction to conform to the approved plans and specifications.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
    <level label="3">
      <text>The Commission may charge a reasonable permit fee not exceeding 6% of the estimated construction cost for a project described in this section.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="d">
    <level label="1">
      <text>A person holding a permit under subsection (b) of this section shall submit to the Commission:</text>
      <level label="i">
        <text>any material change in the plans and specifications; and</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>a statement of the reasons for the change.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>The Commission shall approve and issue a permit for a material change before the person may include the change in the actual construction.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="e">
    <text>A water supply or sewage collection and disposal system, including oxidation ponds and sewage lagoons, for which a permit is required under this section shall be installed, maintained, and operated under regulations that the Commission adopts.</text>
  </level>
  <level label="f">
    <text>The Commission shall:</text>
    <level label="1">
      <text>inspect the operations of any water supply or sewage collection and disposal system authorized under this section;</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>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;</text>
    </level>
    <level label="3">
      <text>set and collect from the owners or operators of the system a reasonable fee for the supervision and inspection of the system; and</text>
    </level>
    <level label="4">
      <text>if the owner or operator fails or refuses to correct, maintain, or operate the system in compliance with the Commission’s requirements:</text>
      <level label="i">
        <text>make the correction or take over the operation of the system for any period necessary; and</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>collect the costs for the correction or operation from the owner or operator.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="g">
    <text>The Commission:</text>
    <level label="1">
      <text>shall adjust its inspection fees accordingly if a municipality in Montgomery County or Prince George’s County:</text>
      <level label="i">
        <text>owns or operates a water supply or sewage collection and disposal system;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>performs or has performed bacteriological and chemical analyses on the system by qualified personnel, as approved by the Department of the Environment and the Commission; and</text>
      </level>
      <level label="iii">
        <text>files with the Commission a monthly report of the analyses showing that satisfactory operating conditions exist in the system; and</text>
      </level>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>is not required to duplicate an analysis.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="h">
    <level label="1">
      <text>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.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>The Commission may eliminate or reduce its operation and inspection fee in proportion to the eliminated inspection activities.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="3">
      <text>All other requirements of the Commission permit for the facility shall be applicable.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="i">
    <level label="1">
      <text>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.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>The record shall include the information and be in the form that the Commission requires.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="j">
    <text>A person found to have violated this section is not relieved from the requirement to secure and pay for a permit and comply with all other applicable provisions of this section.</text>
  </level>
</section>
