R18-14-202. Flat Rate Fees

A. The Department shall assess and collect a flat rate fee for design review services for public water systems. B. Design criteria for public water systems are specified in 18 A.A.C. 4 and 18 A.A.C. 5. C. An applicant shall submit public water system design review fees with an application for an Approval to Construct, as specified in 18 A.A.C. 5, Article 5. D. The flat rate fees for a design review service: 1. Are established in Table 1, adjusted annually under subsection (I), are assessed on a per-unit basis where applicable, and are cumulative unless otherwise specified in this Article; 2. Shall be paid by cash, check, cashier’s check, money order, or any other method acceptable to the Department; and 3. Shall be paid in full before the Department issues approval of an application. E. The Department shall refund 50 percent of the application fee paid by an applicant if, during the administrative completeness review time-frame period, the applicant: 1. Fails to respond in a reasonably timely manner, as set forth in A.A.C. R18-1-507, to a notice of administrative deficiencies requesting additional information under A.A.C. R18-1-503, and the Department denies the application; or 2. Withdraws the application. F. If an application is denied under A.A.C. R18-1-507 after the end of the administrative completeness review time-frame, the Department shall retain the flat fee paid by the applicant. G. If an applicant requests priority review, the Department shall approve or deny the request. When determining whether to approve a priority review request, the Department shall consider the complexity of the project and the Department’s current work load. If priority review is approved by the Department, the applicant shall pay the priority review fee specified in Table 1, adjusted annually under subsection (I). H. State agencies are exempt from all fees imposed under this Article pursuant to A.R.S. § 49-353(A)(2)(b). I. Beginning August 1, 2026, the Director shall adjust the design review services fees listed in Table 1 annually by multiplying the design review services fees by the June Consumer Price Index (CPI) for the most recent year, then dividing by the June CPI for the year 2023 and then rounding down to the nearest cent. The June CPI for any year is the CPI for All Urban Consumers, Phoenix-Mesa-Scottsdale, AZ, all items published by the United States Department of Labor, for June of that year. Table 1. Design Review Service FeesHistorical Note Section made by final rulemaking at 14 A.A.R. 4102, effective December 6, 2008 (Supp. 08-4). Amended by final rulemaking at 29 A.A.R. 1869 (August 25, 2023), with an immediate effective date of August 4, 2023 (Supp. 23-3). Amended by final rulemaking at 32 A.A.R. 1434 (June 26, 2026, Issue 26), effective August 4, 2026 (Supp. 26-2). Public Water System Design Review Application Types Fees1, 2 Approval to Construct Public Water Supply Distribution System: • 150 or fewer service connections $1,284 • 151 to 300 service connections $1,998 • 301 to 450 service connections $2,711 • 451 to 600 service connections $3,425 • 601 to 750 service connections $4,138 • Each additional 150 service connections Add $714 Water Treatment Plants and Blending Plans (including new source approval if applicable): • < 0.1 mgd $2,141 •  0.1 mgd and < 1 mgd $2,854 •  1 mgd and < 5 mgd $4,281 • 5 mgd $7,135 Well (including new source approval if applicable) $1,784 Storage Tank $1,142 Booster Pump $1,142 Main Line Extension $357 Chlorinators/Disinfection Devices $357 Extension of Time to Construct3 50% of the application fee, not to exceed $714 Priority Review Fee4 Double the Standard Fee 1 Fees are calculated on a per-unit basis; i.e., a separate fee is assessed for each separate storage tank, booster pump, disinfection device, or main line extension. 2 Fees for each application type are cumulative; an applicant must pay the total of all pertinent fees. 3 Extensions of time to construct are issued pursuant to A.A.C. R18-5-505(E); the Section states that an Approval to Construct becomes void if construction is not commenced or completed within a specified time period, unless the Department grants an extension of time. 4 Priority Review Projects require Department authorization prior to filing.