A Local Law to amend the administrative code of the city of New York, in relation to the documentation of annual water tank inspections and the reporting of such inspections

Int. No. 657-A

By Council Members Garodnick, Johnson, the Public Advocate (Ms. James) and Council Members Gentile, Koo, Rose, Espinal, Levine, Williams, Lancman, Cabrera, Mendez, Crowley, Constantinides, Koslowitz, Kallos, Torres, Vacca, Rosenthal, Richards, Levin, Salamanca, Barron, Cornegy, Menchaca, Eugene and Miller

A Local Law to amend the administrative code of the city of New York, in relation to the documentation of annual water tank inspections and the reporting of such inspections

Be it enacted by the Council as follows:

Section 1. Subdivision b of section 17-194 of the administrative code of the city of New York, as added by local law number 11 for the year 2009, is amended to read as follows:

b. Any owner of a building that has a water tank as part of its drinking water supply system shall have such water tank inspected at least once annually. Such inspection shall ensure that the water tank complies with all provisions of the administrative code of the city of New York, the construction codes of the city of New York and the health code of the city of New York. The results of such inspection shall be recorded in a manner prescribed by the commissioner. Such results shall be maintained by the owner for at least five years from the date of inspection and shall be made available to the department upon request within five business days. [The department shall request such information from the building owner or manager when contacted pursuant to subdivision c of this section.] Documentation of such annual inspection shall be submitted in a form and manner prescribed by the department. Such documentation shall state whether or not all applicable requirements were met at the time of inspection and provide a description of any non-compliance with applicable requirements.

§ 2. Subdivision e of section 17-194 of the administrative code of the city of New York is relettered subdivision f.

§ 3. Subdivision d of section 17-194 of the administrative code of the city of New York, as added by local law number 11 for the year 2009, is amended, and a new subdivision e is added to such section, to read as follows:

d. Beginning March 1, [2010] 2019, and each year thereafter [for three years], the department shall submit to the council a report which shall provide information about water tank inspections for the preceding calendar year including, but not limited to:

1. the estimated number of building water tanks and the estimated number of buildings serviced by such tanks;

2. the number of complete building water tank inspection results received by the department pursuant to subdivision b of this section;

3. the number of building water tank inspection results [examined by the department and the number that were in] received by the department that documented compliance with [subdivision b of this section] applicable requirements[;

3. the estimated compliance rate with subdivision b of this section for the city]; and

4. the number of violations issued by the department pursuant to subdivision [e] f of this section, section 141.07 of the health code or chapter 31 of title 24 of the rules of the city of New York.

e. Water tank inspection information on website. Within 35 business days of receiving the documentation of an annual inspection required pursuant to subdivision b, the department shall post such documentation on its website and the web portal providing access to public data sets described in section 23-502. The department’s website shall provide notice that failure to conduct a required water tank inspection is a violation of law. Information available to the public shall include:

1. guidance to assist users in accessing any prior inspection report for a building available on the web portal providing access to public data sets described in section 23-502;

2. guidance to assist users in determining whether a building is required to have a water tank inspection pursuant to this section or section 141.07 of the health code; and

3. information about how to submit a complaint about a water tank, or water from a water tank, to the department.

                     § 4. This local law takes effect 120 days after it becomes law.

DSH/DSS/ZH

LS 525

11/8/17; 2:15pm