(A) Within ninety days after September 16, 2004, the superintendent of industrial compliance shall appoint a backflow advisory board consisting of not more than ten members, who shall serve at the pleasure of the superintendent. The superintendent shall appoint a representative from the plumbing section of the division of industrial compliance, three representatives recommended by the plumbing administrator of the division of industrial compliance, a representative of the drinking water program of the Ohio environmental protection agency, three representatives recommended by the director of environmental protection, and not more than two members who are not employed by the plumbing or water industry.
The board shall advise the superintendent on matters pertaining to the training and certification of backflow technicians.
(B)(1) The superintendent shall adopt rules in accordance with Chapter 119. of the Revised Code to provide for the certification of backflow technicians. The rules shall establish all of the following requirements, specifications, and procedures:
(a) Requirements and procedures for the initial certification of backflow technicians, including eligibility criteria and application requirements and fees;
(b) Specifications concerning and procedures for taking examinations required for certification as a backflow technician, including eligibility criteria to take the examination and application requirements and fees for taking the examination;
(c) Subject to division (B)(2) of this section, specifications concerning and procedures for renewing a certification as a backflow technician, including eligibility criteria, application requirements, and fees for renewal;
(d) Specifications concerning and procedures for both of the following:
(i) Approval of training agencies authorized to teach required courses to candidates for certification as backflow technicians or continuing education courses to certified backflow technicians;
(ii) Renewal of the approval described in division (B)(1)(d)(i) of this section.
(e) Education requirements that candidates for initial certification as backflow technicians must satisfy and continuing education requirements that certified backflow technicians must satisfy;
(f) Grounds and procedures for denying, suspending, or revoking certification, or denying the renewal of certification, as a backflow technician;
(g) Procedures for issuing administrative orders for the remedy of any violation of this section or any rule adopted pursuant to division (B)(1) of this section, including, but not limited to, procedures for assessing a civil penalty authorized under division (E) of this section;
(h) Any provision the superintendent determines is necessary to administer or enforce this section.
(2) In the rules the superintendent adopts under division (B)(1)(c) of this section, the superintendent shall do both of the following:
(a) Specify that a certification be renewed every five years;
(b) Establish a certification renewal fee of seventy-five dollars.
(C) The superintendent shall certify a backflow technician in accordance with Chapter 4796. of the Revised Code if either of the following applies:
(1) The individual holds a license or certification in another state.
(2) The individual has satisfactory work experience, a government certification, or a private certification as described in that chapter as a backflow technician in a state that does not issue that certification.
(D) No individual shall engage in the installation, testing, or repair of any isolation backflow prevention device unless that individual possesses a valid certification as a backflow technician. This division does not apply with respect to the installation, testing, or repair of any containment backflow prevention device.
(E) Whoever violates division (D) of this section or any rule adopted pursuant to division (B)(1) of this section shall pay a civil penalty of not more than five thousand dollars for each day that the violation continues. The superintendent may, by order, assess a civil penalty under this division, or may request the attorney general to bring a civil action to impose the civil penalty in the court of common pleas of the county in which the violation occurred or where the violator resides.
(F) Any action taken under a rule adopted pursuant to division (B)(1)(f) of this section is subject to the appeal process of Chapter 119. of the Revised Code. An administrative order issued pursuant to rules adopted under division (B)(1)(g) of this section and an appeal to that type of administrative order shall be executed in accordance with Chapter 119. of the Revised Code.
(G) As used in this section:
(1) "Isolation backflow prevention device" means a device for the prevention of the backflow of liquids, solids, or gases that is regulated by the building code adopted pursuant to section3781.10of the Revised Code and rules adopted pursuant to this section.
(2) "Containment backflow prevention device" means a device for the prevention of the backflow of liquids, solids, or gases that is installed by the supplier of, or as a requirement of, any public water system as defined in division (A) of section6109.01of the Revised Code.
Last updated February 13, 2025 at 5:47 PM