Section 9-510 - Miscellaneous powers and duties of Department.

§ 9-510. Miscellaneous powers and duties of Department.
 

(a)  Powers.- In addition to the powers set forth elsewhere in this subtitle, the Department may: 

(1) Conduct surveys and research to carry out the provisions of this subtitle; and 

(2) Specify the location for any sewage treatment facility discharge point that is included in any county plan. 

(b)  Duties.- In addition to the duties set forth elsewhere in this subtitle, the Department shall adopt rules and regulations: 

(1) To carry out the provisions of this subtitle; 

(2) To control, limit, or prohibit the installation and use of: 

(i) Water supply systems; and 

(ii) Sewerage systems; 

(3) To require that, before installation of individual water supply systems or individual sewerage systems, consideration be given to: 

(i) Present and future population density; 

(ii) Size of parcels; 

(iii) Contour of the land; 

(iv) Porosity and absorbency of the soil; 

(v) Ground water conditions; 

(vi) Availability of water from unpolluted aquifers; 

(vii) Type of construction of community water supply systems; 

(viii) Type of construction of community sewerage systems; 

(ix) Size of the proposed development; and 

(x) Any other pertinent factors; 

(4) To require that, giving consideration to the factors in item (3) of this subsection, areas be served by community facilities if the Department finds them to be reasonably necessary: 

(i) By installation of the community water supply system, community sewerage system, or solid waste disposal system; and 

(ii) By connection of all premises to or service to all premises by the community water supply system, community sewerage system, or solid waste disposal system; 

(5) To require that community water supply systems, community sewerage systems, and solid waste disposal systems be constructed to allow the connection of those systems to a larger system, if that larger system becomes available; 

(6) To allow a person to install an individual water supply system or an individual sewerage system in any area where a community water supply system or a community sewerage system is not available or required to be installed in the area if: 

(i) The Department finds that the individual system is adequate and safe for use before a community system is scheduled to be available in the area; and 

(ii) The individual system is constructed in the most economical and convenient way to permit connection to a community system in the area, and the person guarantees the connection to a community system: 

1. When the county governing body where the area is located sets a time; and 

2. In accordance with this subtitle, any rules and regulations adopted under this subtitle, and any other State law or county requirement by: 

A. Posting a bond to secure actual construction and installation of the systems with satisfactory surety for the benefit of the county governing body; or 

B. Making any other arrangement that the Department considers necessary and adequate to carry out the provisions of this subtitle; 

(7) If a solid waste disposal system is not available or required to be installed in any area as provided in item (4) of this subsection, to allow a person to provide a solid waste acceptance facility in the area without a systematic collection and transportation system; 

(8) To require that, before issuance of a permit for construction of a community or multiuse sewerage system, a financial management plan sufficient to ensure the dependable and safe operation of the system has been adopted within the county plan and approved by the Department; and 

(9) To require that: 

(i) Before issuance of a permit for construction of a privately owned community water supply system that will serve 4 or more residential lots or 2 or more other lots, the applicant has proposed a financial management plan sufficient to ensure the dependable and safe operation of the system, and the plan has been approved by the Department; and 

(ii) The applicant shall comply with the plan as approved by the Department. 
 

[1983, ch. 542, § 2; 1984, chs. 255, 798; 1992, ch. 295.]