A. Every owner of a waterworks shall pay to the Department a waterworks operation fee of no more than $160,000 per year. Based upon the number of persons served, the number of connections, or the classification of the waterworks, the Board shall, pursuant to its regulations, establish the fee to be charged each such owner and may exempt sizes and classes from the required fee. Any fee in excess of $10,000 shall be payable quarterly. The Board shall adjust the fee schedule so that the revenues from such fees cover the costs necessary to operate the Waterworks Technical Assistance Program required by this section.
B. In order to assist waterworks owners in complying with the requirements of the Safe Drinking Water Act (42 U.S.C. § 300f et seq.) and associated state regulations, there is hereby established in the state treasury a special fund to be known as the Waterworks Technical Assistance Fund, hereinafter referred to as the Fund. The fees required by this section shall be transmitted to the Comptroller to be deposited into the Fund. The income and principal of the Fund shall be used only and exclusively for the technical assistance required by this section. The State Treasurer shall be custodian of the moneys deposited in the Fund. No part of the Fund, either principal or interest earned thereon, shall revert to the general fund of the state treasury.
C. Moneys in the Fund shall be used by the Department to conduct the Waterworks Technical Assistance Program, which shall include, but need not be limited to: (i) training for operator certification, (ii) engineering evaluation and advice, (iii) sample collection for laboratory analysis, and (iv) educational seminars.