1. (1) The department shall collect the following fees for Group A water system operating permits listed in Table 2.

   TABLE 2

   OPERATING PERMIT FEES

   Classification	2026	2027 and following years
   Base fee for all water systems	$110.00	$200.00
   Per connection fee:
   	14 or fewer services	$1.43	$1.50
   	15 - 99 services	$1.38	$1.50
   	100 - 499 services	$1.32	$1.50
   	500 - 999 services	$1.27	$1.50
   	1,000 - 9,999 services	$1.21	$1.50
   	10,000 - 95,000 services	$1.16	$1.50
   	95,001	$110,000.00 per year	$1.50
   	133,334 or more	$110,000.00 per year	$1.50
   SMA	Use the per connection fee amount above to calculate the fee based on total number of all service connections owned plus a $110.00 base fee	Use the per connection fee amount above to calculate the fee based on total number of all service connections owned plus a $200.00 base fee
   Late fee (late fee is charged seventy days after the department mails the renewal application)	Add 10% to applicable fee or $27.50, whichever is greater	Add 10% to applicable fee or $50.00, whichever is greater

2. (2) For purposes of determining the operating permit fee, service connections will be counted as follows:

   1. (a) For community water systems, the operating permit fee is based on the total number of residential service connections and nonresidential service connections.
   2. (b) Nonresidential service connections are counted as one service connection for each property as defined in WAC 246-294-010(11) regardless of how many buildings are on the property.

3. (3) For NTNC and TNC systems, owners shall pay the fee in Table 2 based on equivalent number of service connections. Population information used in calculating equivalent number of service connections will come from the WFI. The department shall use the following formulas to determine equivalent number of service connections:

   1. (a) For NTNC populations, divide the average population served each day by two and one-half; and
   2. (b) For TNC populations, which include recreational service connections, divide the average population served each day by 25.

[Statutory Authority: RCW 43.70.250, 43.70.110, 43.20B.020, 70A.100.130, 70A.120.150, 70A.120.160, 70A.125.100, and 70A.125.070. WSR 25-22-064, s 246-294-070, filed 10/31/25, effective 12/1/25. Statutory Authority: RCW 43.70.040 and 2020 c 20. WSR 22-07-025, § 246-294-070, filed 3/9/22, effective 4/9/22. Statutory Authority: RCW 70.119A.110. WSR 12-05-079, § 246-294-070, filed 2/16/12, effective 3/18/12. Statutory Authority: Chapter 70.119A RCW. WSR 04-06-047, § 246-294-070, filed 3/1/04, effective 4/1/04; WSR 93-03-047 (Order 325), § 246-294-070, filed 1/14/93, effective 2/14/93.]