Customer Service Inspection - CSI
All water utilities including Military Highway WSC is required by the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (“TCEQ”) to perform a Customer Service Inspection (CSI) before providing continuous water service.
The Customer Service Certification requires an on-site inspection. The purpose of the inspection is to assure the protection for the potable water system from potential contamination from the customer’s side of the meter. The inspection is not a plumbing inspection of the private water distribution system. It does not nullify the customer’s responsibility to install and maintain all plumbing in accordance with approved local, state and national plumbing codes.
The corporation may utilize a licensed plumber with a water supply protection specialist (WSPS) endorsement or a certified water operator with a customer service inspection (CSI) license to conduct the inspection and complete the form.
At the time of application for service, the applicant signed a service agreement acknowledging the responsibility to conduct an on-site inspection. The original applicant may have been a developer, builder, renter, or homeowner. Regardless of who may have signed the original service agreement, the on-site inspection requirement is mandatory.
The TCEQ requires that MHWSC complete the CSI Certificate. Absent the certificate, water service is designated as “temporary” and is subject to disconnection. Transferring the account over to continuous service on a permanent basis is contingent on full compliance with the Corporation Service Policy and/or terms/conditions as stipulated in the Service Application and Agreement Form.
Additional Information:
Texas Water Code, Chapter 290 - §290.46(j) Customer Service inspections
A customer service inspection certificate shall be completed prior to providing continuous water service to new construction, on any existing service either when the water purveyor has reason to believe that cross-connections or other potential contaminant hazards exist, or after any material improvement, correction, or addition to the private water distribution facilities. Any customer service inspection certificate form which varies from the format found in §290.47(d) of this title (relating to Customer Service Inspection Certificate) must be approved by the executive director prior to being placed in use.
As potential contaminant hazards are discovered, they shall be promptly eliminated to prevent possible contamination of the water supplied by the public water system. The existence of a health hazard, as identified in §290.47(I) of this title, shall be considered sufficient grounds for immediate termination of water service. Service can be restored only when the health hazard no longer exists, or until the health hazard has been isolated from the public water system in accordance with §290.44(h) of this title (relating to Water Distribution).
A customer service inspection is an examination of the private water distribution facilities for the purpose of providing or denying water service. This inspection is limited to the identification and prevention of cross-connections, potential contaminant hazards, and illegal lead materials. The customer service inspector has no authority or obligation beyond the scope of the commission’s regulations. A customer service inspection is not a plumbing inspection as defined and regulated by the Texas State Board of Plumbing Examiners (TSBPE). A customer service inspector is not permitted to perform plumbing inspections. State statutes and TSBPE adopted rules require that TSBPE licensed plumbing inspectors perform plumbing inspections of all new plumbing and alterations or additions to existing plumbing within the municipal limits of all cities, towns, and villages which have passed an ordinance adopting one of the plumbing codes recognized by TSBPE. Such entities may stipulate that the customer service inspection be performed by the plumbing inspector as a part of the more comprehensive plumbing inspection. Where such entities permit customer service inspectors to perform customer service inspections, the customer service inspector shall report any violations immediately to the local entity's plumbing inspection department.