§ 24-140. Inspection and sampling.

The board shall inspect the facilities of any user to ascertain whether the purpose of this article is being met and all requirements are being complied with. Persons or occupants of premises where sewage is created or discharged shall allow the board or their duly authorized representative ready access at all reasonable times to all parts of the premises for the purposes of inspection, sampling, records examination and copying of records or in the performance of any of their duties. The board, approval authority and (where the state is the approval authority), EPA shall have the right to setup on the user's property such devices as are necessary to conduct sampling inspection, compliance monitoring and/or metering operations. Where a user has security measures in force which would require proper identification and clearance before entry into their premises, the user shall make necessary arrangements with their security guards so that upon presentation of suitable identification, personnel from the board, approval authority and EPA will be permitted to enter, without delay, for the purposes of performing their specific responsibilities.

(1)

Any temporary or permanent obstruction to safe and easy access to the facility to be inspected and/or sampled shall be promptly removed by the user at the written or verbal request of the director and shall not be replaced. The costs of clearing such access shall be borne by the user.

(2)

Unreasonable delays in allowing the director access to the user's premises shall be a violation of this article.

(3)

Search warrants: If the director has been refused access to a building, structure, property, or any part thereof, and is able to demonstrate probable cause to believe that there may be a violation of this article, or that there is a need to inspect and/or sample as part of a routine inspection and sampling program of the county designed to verify compliance with this article or any permit or order issued hereunder, or to protect the overall public health, safety and welfare of the community, the director may seek issuance of a search warrant from the 1st Judicial Circuit Court in and for Okaloosa County, Florida.

( Ord. No. 16-16 , § 1, 9-6-16)