(a) WSSC, established by the Public Utilities Article, Annotated Code of Maryland, has certain rule-making authority.

(b) WSSC is required by the Federal Safe Drinking Water Act to provide and maintain a viable cross-connection control program.

(c) The Public Utilities Article authorizes WSSC to set and collect from owners and operators of water distribution systems a reasonable fee for the supervision and inspection of the systems.

(d) WSSC is responsible for protection of the public potable water distribution system from contamination or pollution due to backflow caused by either backpressure or backsiphonage.

(e) WSSC will inspect commercial, industrial, as well as government facilities; and residential properties as necessary.

(f) Upon receiving notice of a change in the use of a customer’s property, WSSC shall reassess the degree of hazard of the property and determine when an inspection is warranted.

(g) WSSC Code Officials have the authority to enter a building or premises at all reasonable times to perform an inspection.

(h) WSSC will keep records of test reports, field investigations and subsequent corrective actions.

(i) WSSC will keep on file a list of private contractors who are certified Backflow Technicians, and will make the list available to customers.

(j) In the event of discovering backflow into the public water system, WSSC shall promptly take corrective actions to confine and minimize the impact and make appropriate notifications.

(k) WSSC will maintain code language with respect to the cross-connection control program.

(l) WSSC reserves the right to grant modifications to the cross-connection control program and the WSSC Plumbing and Fuel Gas Code requirements on a case-by-case basis; provided, that such modification does not compromise health, life or fire safety or cause damage to WSSC’s systems. (Amended during 2019 codification; REG-REGS-EC-2014-004 § V(A))