To protect public health and the environment, a metropolitan
sewage disposal district (district) is required to ensure that wastewater generated by local businesses is properly treated pursuant to the industrial pretreatment program (program) approved by the environmental protection agency. This requires district inspectors to inspect certain properties to investigate actual, suspected, or potential violations of the program. Under current law, the boundaries of a district may exist within multiple municipal and county lines, which makes it challenging for the district to obtain administrative inspection warrants when property owners deny district inspectors entry to a property. The bill allows authorized inspectors of a district to enter and inspect, in a reasonable time and manner, any property for the purpose of investigating any violations of the program. If an inspection is denied, the bill authorizes a district to obtain a warrant from the district court or county court upon a proper showing of the need for entry and inspection.
