Section 41-26-31 - Enforcement of chapter; civil penalties(1) If the director finds any person guilty of a violation of this chapter, any rule or regulation or written order of the director or any condition or limitation of an approval, the director may assess and levy a civil penalty of not more than Twenty-five Thousand Dollars ($25,000.00) for each violation, except as provided in Section 41-26-8(3). Each day of a continuing violation is a separate violation. Any penalty shall be assessed and levied by the director after a hearing as provided in this chapter. Appeals from the imposition of the civil penalty may be taken to the Chancery Court of the First Judicial District of Hinds County or the chancery court of the county of the situs, in whole or in part, as provided in Section 41-26-15. If the appellant desires to stay the execution of a civil penalty assessed under this section, the appellant shall give bond with sufficient sureties of one or more guaranty or surety companies authorized to do business in this state, payable to the State of Mississippi, in an amount equal to double the amount of any civil penalty assessed by the director, as to which the stay of execution is desired. If the judgment is affirmed, the appellant shall pay all costs of the assessment entered against the appellant.(2) In addition to or in lieu of the penalty provided in subsection (1) of this section, the director may institute and maintain in the name of the state any proceedings necessary or appropriate to enforce this chapter, any rule or regulation or written order of the director or any condition or limitation of an approval. The proceedings may be filed and heard in the appropriate circuit, chancery, county or justice court of the county in which venue may lie, or in the Circuit, Chancery or County Court of the First Judicial District of Hinds County, as the case may be. The director may obtain mandatory or prohibitory injunctive relief, either temporary or permanent. In cases of imminent and substantial hazard or endangerment, it shall not be necessary that the state plead or prove: (a) that irreparable damage would result if the injunction did not issue; (b) that there is no adequate remedy at law; or (c) that a written order has first been issued for the alleged violation.(3) In determining the amount of any penalty under this section, the director shall consider at a minimum: (a) The willfulness of the violation;(b) Costs of restoration and abatement;(c) Economic benefit as a result of noncompliance;(d) The seriousness of the violation, including any harm or hazard to the public health and welfare; and(e) Past performance history.(4)(a) The owner of any public water system found in violation of this chapter may submit to the director a plan for: (i) The physical consolidation of the system with one or more other viable public water systems;(ii) The consolidation of significant management and administrative functions of the system with one or more other viable public water systems or contract or satellite management of the system; or(iii) The transfer of ownership of the system.(b) If the director approves the plan and the plan is fully implemented as determined by the director, the director shall waive any penalty assessed under this section for a violation identified in the approved plan before the date on which the action specified in the approved plan was completed.(5)(a) In addition to or in lieu of any other penalty imposed under this section, the director may require the owner of any public water system found in violation to provide a performance bond or other acceptable financial security instrument including, but not limited to, cash, negotiable bonds of the United States government or the state, or negotiable certificates of deposit or a letter of credit of any bank organized or transacting business in the state and insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or the Federal Savings and Loan Insurance Corporation or a similar federal banking or savings and loan insurance organization to the department. The bond or financial security must be approved by the director. The purpose of the bond or other financial security shall be the protection of the health and welfare of the customers of the system. The board shall establish by regulation the acceptable forms of financial security and the amount of financial security required for the various types and sizes of facilities. The director shall notify the owner, in writing, of the form and amount of security required.(b) The director may petition the Chancery Court of the First Judicial District of Hinds County for forfeiture of the bond or other financial security, if the director determines that: (i) The continued operation or lack of operation of the system covered by this section represents a threat to the public health and welfare;(ii) All reasonable and practical efforts under the circumstances have been made to obtain corrective actions from the violators; and(iii) It does not appear that corrective actions can or will be taken within an appropriate time as determined by the director, or it appears the facility has been abandoned.(c) The proceeds of any forfeiture shall be deposited in the Public Water Systems Bond Operations Account of the Public Water Systems Assistance Fund and shall be used as ordered by the court to address or correct the noncompliance at the system. The proceeds shall be in addition to any other funds otherwise appropriated to the department and may be expended under the authority of this section without additional action of the Legislature or the Department of Finance and Administration.(d) If the court finds that a system has been abandoned or that services of a system have been terminated, the court may enter any orders regarding continued operations of that system as it deems necessary to protect the public health and welfare.(6)(a) Any penalty assessed by the director under this section shall be due and payable within thirty (30) days after notification of the violator of the order, and shall be due and payable jointly or severally, as the order may require or allow.(b) If the assessed penalty is not paid within the thirty (30) days, or within any additional time as the director may allow, the director may file suit in the Circuit Court of the First Judicial District of Hinds County or any other court with appropriate jurisdiction to enforce the order, collect the penalty and recover reasonable attorney's fees and all court costs.(c) A copy of the administrative order shall be sufficient proof as to the decision of the director.(7) All fines and penalties recovered or collected by the director under subsection (1) of this section shall be deposited in the Public Water Systems Technical Assistance Account of the Public Water Systems Assistance Fund. Laws, 1997, ch. 389, § 6, eff. 7/1/1997.