TITLE 46
Waters and Navigation
CHAPTER 46-13
Public Drinking Water Supply
SECTION 46-13-16
§ 46-13-16 Penalties and remedies.
(a) It shall be the duty of any person to proceed diligently to comply with any
order issued pursuant to this chapter. If that person fails to proceed
diligently or fails to comply with the order within such time, if any, as may
be specified, the order may be enforced by the superior court, upon application
made by the director.
(b) Any person who willfully or negligently violates any
provision of this chapter, any rule or regulation or order of the director, or
any condition of any permit issued pursuant to the chapter is guilty of a
misdemeanor and, upon conviction, shall be subject to a fine of not more than
five hundred dollars ($500) for each separate offense, or to imprisonment for a
period of not more than one year, or both.
(c) In addition to proceeding under any other remedy
available at law or in equity for a violation of any provision of this chapter,
any rule or regulation pursuant to this chapter, or any term or condition of
any permit issued pursuant to this chapter, the relevant director may assess a
civil penalty upon a person for the violation. The penalty may be assessed
whether or not the violation was willful or negligent. When the director
assesses a civil penalty, he or she shall inform the person of the amount of
the penalty. The person charged with the penalty shall then have thirty (30)
days to pay the penalty in full or, if the person wishes to contest either the
amount of the penalty or the fact of the violation, the person shall within the
thirty (30) day period, file an appeal of the action with the director. Failure
to appeal within thirty (30) days shall result in a waiver of all legal rights
to contest the violation or the amount of the penalty. The maximum civil
penalty which may be assessed pursuant to this section is five thousand dollars
($5,000) per day for each violation. Each violation for each separate day and
each violation of any provision of this chapter, any rule or regulation under
this chapter, any order of the director, or any term or condition of a permit
shall constitute a separate and distinct offense under this section.
(d) The penalties and remedies prescribed by this chapter
shall be deemed concurrent and the existence of or exercise of any remedy shall
not prevent the director from exercising any other remedy hereunder.
(e) Violations on separate days shall constitute separate
offenses for purposes of this chapter.
(f) Any person who endangers the health of persons by
knowingly introducing any contaminant into a public water supply system or
tampering with a public water supply system shall be fined not more than fifty
thousand dollars ($50,000), or imprisoned for not more than five (5) years, or
both.
(g) Any person who attempts to endanger or makes a threat to
endanger the health of persons by knowingly introducing any contaminant into a
public water supply system or tampering with a public water supply system shall
be fined not more than twenty thousand dollars ($20,000), or imprisoned for not
more than three (3) years, or both.
(h) The director may bring a civil action in the superior
court against any person who endangers, attempts to endanger, or makes a threat
to endanger the health of persons, or otherwise renders the water unfit for
human consumption, by the introduction of any contaminant into a public water
supply system or tampering with a public water supply system. The court may
impose on the person a civil penalty of not more than fifty thousand dollars
($50,000) for each day that the endangerment or inability to consume the water
exists.
(i) All fines and penalties collected under the penalty
provisions of this chapter and all fees shall be deposited as general revenues.
History of Section.
(P.L. 1986, ch. 348, § 3; P.L. 1991, ch. 354, § 10; P.L. 1995, ch.
370, art. 40, § 158.)