Section 20.11 - Condition Assessment and Steam Distribution IM Program (SDIMP)(1)Condition Assessment. Each Steam Distribution Company shall develop and implement a Condition Assessment program to conduct an overall, system-wide assessment of the condition of the entire accessible distribution system. (a) The Condition Assessment shall be conducted at least once every ten years (or sooner if required by the Department) to support the SDIMP outlined below in 220 CMR 20.11(2).(b) The Condition Assessment shall address public safety issues including, but not limited to, hot manhole covers and vapor conditions that are hazardous or a threat to public safety.(c) Each Steam Distribution Company shall establish a tracking program or application to document the assessment and condition findings discovered during each Condition Assessment and shall report these findings once every ten years to the Department as part of the annual safety report required by 220 CMR 20.15(4).(2)Steam Distribution IM Program (SDIMP). Each Steam Distribution Company shall develop and implement a Steam Distribution IM Program (SDIMP) that includes a written IM Plan. The IM Plan must contain procedures for developing and implementing the following elements:(a)Knowledge. The Steam Distribution Company must demonstrate an understanding of its steam distribution system developed from reasonably available information.1. Identify the characteristics of the Main and Service Piping's design and operations and the environmental factors that are necessary to assess the applicable threats and risks to its Main and Service Piping.2. Consider the information gained from past design, operations, and maintenance.3. Identify additional information needed and provide a plan for gaining that information over time through normal activities conducted on the Main and Service Piping (for example, design, construction, operations or maintenance activities).4. Develop and implement a process by which the SDIMP will be reviewed periodically and refined and improved as needed.5. Provide for the capture and retention of data on any new Main or Service Piping installed. The data must include, at a minimum, the location where the new Main or Service Piping is installed and the material of which it is constructed.(b)Identify Threats. The Steam Distribution Company must consider the following categories of threats to its Main and Service Piping: corrosion, natural forces, excavation damage, other outside force damage, material or welds, equipment failure, incorrect operations, and other concerns that could threaten the integrity of its Main and Service Piping. The Steam Distribution Company must consider reasonably available information to identify existing and potential threats. Sources of data may include, but are not limited to, Incident and Leak history, corrosion control records, survey records, maintenance history, excavation and property damage experience.(c)Evaluate Risk. The Steam Distribution Company must evaluate the risks associated with its distribution Main and Service Piping. In this evaluation, the Steam Distribution Company must determine the relative importance of each threat and the risks posed to its Main and Service Piping.(d)Identify and Implement Measures to Address Risks. The Steam Distribution Company must determine and implement measures designed to reduce the risks from failure of its Main and Service Piping. These measures must include an effective steam leak management program for Emergency and Nonemergency Leaks. The Steam Distribution Company shall continuously implement measures to address and mitigate the risks to customers and the public at large (within its service areas).(e)Measure Performance, Monitor Results, and Evaluate Effectiveness. The Steam Distribution Company must develop and monitor performance measures from an established baseline to evaluate the effectiveness of its SDIMP. The Steam Distribution Company must consider the results of its performance monitoring in periodically re-evaluating the threats and risks. These performance measures must include the following and be reported as part of the annual safety report required by 220 CMR 20.15(4): 1. Number of Emergency Leaks either eliminated or repaired (or total number if all Emergency Leaks are repaired when found) categorized by cause;2. Number of Nonemergency Leaks;3. Leaks per mile of pipe;4. Number of excavation and property damages;5. Total number of leaks either eliminated or repaired, categorized by cause; and6. Any additional measures the Steam Distribution Company determines are needed to evaluate the effectiveness of the SDIMP in controlling each identified threat.(f)Periodic Evaluation and Improvement. The Steam Distribution Company must reevaluate threats and risks on its entire distribution system and consider the relevance of threats in one location to other areas. The Steam Distribution Company must determine the appropriate period for conducting complete program evaluations based on the complexity of its system and changes in factors affecting the risk of failure. The Steam Distribution Company must conduct a complete program re-evaluation at least once every ten years and provide the results of this re-evaluation to the Department. The Steam Distribution Company must consider the results of the performance monitoring in these evaluations.Amended by Mass Register Issue 1468, eff. 4/29/2022.Amended by Mass Register Issue 1470, eff. 4/29/2022.