(1) The purveyor shall operate the system in accordance with the operations and maintenance program as established in the approved water system plan required under WAC 246-290-100 or the small water system management program under WAC 246-290-105.

(2) The operations and maintenance program must include the following elements as applicable:

(a) Water system management and personnel;

(b) Operator certification;

(c) Comprehensive monitoring plan for all contaminants under WAC 246-290-300;

(d) Emergency response program;

(e) Cross-connection control program; and

(f) Maintenance of service reliability in accordance with WAC 246-290-420.

(3) Seasonal system startup.

(a) Seasonal systems shall submit a start-up procedure to the department for review and approval.

(b) Seasonal systems shall certify in accordance with WAC 246-290-480 (2)(f)(ii) that a department–approved start-up procedure, which may include a requirement for start-up sampling, was completed prior to serving water to the public.

(c) A treatment technique violation occurs when a seasonal system fails to complete a department-approved start-up procedure prior to serving water to the public.

(4) The purveyor shall operate the system in accordance with good operations procedures such as those available in texts, handbooks, and manuals available from the following sources:

(a) American Water Works Association (AWWA);

(b) American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE);

(c) Ontario Ministry of the Environment;

(d) The Chlorine Institute;

(e) California State University;

(f) Health Research Inc.; and

(g) Any other standards acceptable to the department.

(5) Establishing or maintaining a bypass to divert water around any feature of a treatment process is prohibited, except with written approval from the department.

(6) The purveyor shall take preventive or corrective action as directed by the department when results of an inspection conducted by the department indicate conditions which are currently or may become a detriment to system operation.

(7) The purveyor of a system using surface water or GWI shall meet operational requirements specified in Part 6 of this chapter.

(8) The purveyor shall have a certified operator if required under chapter 70A.120 RCW and chapter 246-292 WAC.

(9) The purveyor shall at all times employ reasonable security measures to assure the raw water intake facilities, water treatment processes, water storage facilities, and the distribution system are protected from possible damage or compromise by unauthorized persons, animals, vegetation, or similar intruding agents. Such measures include elements such as locks on hatches, fencing of facilities, screening of reservoir vents or openings, and other recommendations as may be found in the current edition of the Recommended Standards for Water Works, A Committee Report of the Great Lakes - Upper Mississippi River Board of State Public Health and Environmental Managers.

(10) All purveyors utilizing groundwater wells shall monitor well levels from ground level to the static water level on a seasonal basis, including low demand and high demand periods, to document the continuing availability of the source to meet projected, long-term demands. Purveyors shall maintain this data and provide it to the department upon request.

(11) All operation and maintenance practices must conform to Part 5 of this chapter.