Purpose: The purpose of the fee increases contained in WAC 246-296-990 and 246-292-160 is to provide revenue that will assist the Division of Drinking Water in meeting its operating costs. The total revenue that the program obtains from the current fees is less than its expenditures from providing the services. In addition, revenue is needed to support the preparation and implementation activities associated with undertaking the operator certification requirements mandated in the reauthorized federal Safe Drinking Water Act.

Citation of Existing Rules Affected by this Order: Amending WAC 246-292-160.

Statutory Authority for Adoption: RCW 43.20B.020.

Adopted under notice filed as WSR 98-07-082 on March 17, 1998.

Number of Sections Adopted in Order to Comply with Federal Statute: New 0, amended 0, repealed 0; Federal Rules or Standards: New 0, amended 0, repealed 0; or Recently Enacted State Statutes: New 0, amended 0, repealed 0.

Number of Sections Adopted at Request of a Nongovernmental Entity: New 0, amended 0, repealed 0.

Number of Sections Adopted on the Agency's Own Initiative: New 0, amended 1, repealed 0.

Number of Sections Adopted in Order to Clarify, Streamline, or Reform Agency Procedures: New 0, amended 0, repealed 0.

Number of Sections Adopted Using Negotiated Rule Making: New 0, amended 0, repealed 0; Pilot Rule Making: New 0, amended 0, repealed 0; or Other Alternative Rule Making: New 0, amended 0, repealed 0.

Effective Date of Rule: Thirty-one days after filing.

May 19, 1998

Bruce Miyahara

Secretary

AMENDATORY SECTION (Amending WSR 94-04-004, filed 1/20/94, effective 2/20/94)

WAC 246-292-160  Water works certification fees. (1) Operator fees:

(a) Applicable fees shall be as indicated in Table 2;

Table 2

water works operator fees

* The annual renewal fee and late fee for a wtpo, wdm, wds and ccs certification shall be ((twenty-five)) twenty-six dollars regardless of the number of classifications held.

(b) A late fee shall be assessed to operators failing to submit the required fee within the time period specified on the renewal form; and

(c) The fee for application for reciprocity shall be one hundred four dollars per classification.

(2) Group A system fees:

(a) Applicable fees shall be as indicated in Table 3.

Table 3

annual system certification fees

* Systems designated by the department as approved satellite management agencies (smas) shall pay a fee based on total services in all systems owned by the sma.

(b) Group A system fees shall be paid in conjunction with the system's annual operating permit fee required in chapter 246-294 WAC.

(c) A late fee shall be assessed against any system not submitting the applicable fee to the department within the designated time period. The late fee shall be based on the water system's classification and shall be an additional ten percent of the applicable system fee or ((twenty-five)) twenty-six dollars, whichever is greater.

(d) The system fee for issuance of a temporary certificate shall be ((fifty)) fifty-two dollars for each temporary position.

(3) Fees shall be nonrefundable and transfers of fees shall not be allowed.

(4) Payment of fees required under this chapter shall be in the form of a check or money order made payable to the department of health and shall be mailed to Department of Health, P.O. Box 1099, Olympia, Washington 98507-1099, or such successor organization or address as designated by the department.

[Statutory Authority: Chapter 70.119 RCW. 94-04-004, § 246-292-160, filed 1/20/94, effective 2/20/94.]