Rhode Island Code of Regulations › Title 216 - Department of health › Chapter 50 - Environmental health › Subchapter 05 - Water Quality › Part 7 - Clean Water Infrastructure Plans (216-RICR-50-05-7) › Section 216-RICR-50-05-7.6 - CONTENTS OF PLANS

Current through June 14, 2024
A. Clean water
				  infrastructure replacement plans shall be prepared in the format, and shall
				  address each of the topics listed in this section, to the extent that each is
				  relevant to the water supplier, the water source, the water system, and the
				  transmission/distribution/storage system. Systems which currently have an
				  infrastructure replacement plan may review the existing plan and utilize
				  existing information to the extent that it is consistent with the intent of the
				  infrastructure replacement plan outlined below. The initial plan may include a
				  schedule for the completion of the evaluation of major components or items
				  which require detailed investigation. The schedule must demonstrate an
				  expeditious, responsible, and reasonable time period for compliance.
B. All principal components of the water
				  system such as sources, reservoirs, dams, spillways, intakes, treatment plants,
				  pump stations, storage facilities, pumping and well equipment, shall be listed
				  and evaluated. Relatively small and numerous components of the system such as
				  water mains, distribution piping, valves, hydrants, and interconnections may be
				  evaluated as a group. This evaluation shall consider the following:
1. A brief description of the system with a
				  schematic of the process flow will be included in the plan. This description of
				  the system may be taken directly from the Water Supply Management Plan where
				  relevant and is not intended as a duplicate effort but to facilitate the
				  evaluation of individual components. Age and condition of the existing
				  component and the necessity for replacement of the component within a twenty
				  (20) year time frame shall be evaluated. Specific components may be in need of
				  immediate replacement while others may extend well beyond the twenty (20) year
				  time frame. Replacement should be evaluated and prioritized over a minimum of
				  five (5) year intervals. The level of detail in the analysis of the component
				  should reflect the priority of the component to the proper operation of the
				  system as well as the age and known condition of the component. A detailed
				  schedule for the initial five (5) year interval must be included. No
				  infrastructure replacement construction is required to take place within any
				  time interval if demonstrated to not be necessary.
2. Life expectancy of the component shall be
				  determined. Life expectancy shall be determined by design criteria, specific
				  site conditions, maintenance records, manufacturer's documentation, engineering
				  evaluation, physical inspection, invasive and/or non-destructive integrity
				  testing, or a combination of all of the above. Records of inspection and
				  maintenance may be reviewed when determining the life expectancy of the
				  component. The attached Component Life Expectancy and Actual Life Expectancy
				  Guideline ("Guideline"), in §
											7.9   of this Part, is intended
				  to serve as a general rule of thumb for component life expectancy and actual
				  life expectancy within an individual system may be demonstrated to be
				  significantly more or less than the Guideline value.
3. Consideration shall be given to the public
				  water system's ability to meet current and future requirements of the Safe
				  Drinking Water Act. Treatment requirements should be analyzed to the extent
				  possible to ensure that infrastructure replacement and/or rehabilitation will
				  comply with mandated requirements consistent with the Safe Drinking Water
				  Act.
4. A financial forecast shall
				  be based on the analysis of the condition and life expectancy of the existing
				  facilities, prioritized needed repairs and replacements and amortize
				  proportionally such improvement requirements on an annual basis over the next
				  twenty years consistent with their respective life expectancy. The forecast
				  shall include contingency costs, range of construction costs, and/or confidence
				  limits of the financial forecast.
5. Infrastructure replacement shall meet the
				  needs of the water suppliers, however priority of anticipated replacement and
				  grouping of replacement projects by time of replacement, similarity of
				  projects, and importance of the component to the system shall be considered
				  when establishing the schedule. Priority should be given to components which
				  have a known need for replacement and less detailed analysis given to
				  relatively new infrastructure items.