Chapter 13.09
BACKFLOW PREVENTION
Sections:
13.09.010 Purpose.
13.09.020 Responsibility.
13.09.030 Appeal.
13.09.040 Definitions.
13.09.050 Water service connection in accordance with state and local law.
13.09.060 Customer system shall be open for inspection.
13.09.070 Location of backflow prevention assembly.
13.09.080 Approved backflow prevention assembly required.
13.09.090 Type of backflow prevention assembly dependent upon hazard.
13.09.100 Inspections and operational tests required.
13.09.110 Presently installed backflow prevention assemblies.
13.09.010 Purpose.
The purpose of this chapter is:
A. To protect the public potable water supply of the City of Livermore from the possibility of contamination or pollution by isolating within customers’ internal distribution system(s) or private water system(s) contaminants or pollutants which could potentially backflow or back-siphon into the public water supply system;
B. To promote the elimination or control of existing cross-connections, actual or potential, between customers’ in-plant potable water system(s) and nonpotable water systems, plumbing fixtures and industrial piping systems;
C. To provide for the maintenance of a continuing program of cross-connection control which will systematically and effectively prevent the contamination or pollution of all potable water systems. (Ord. 2065 § 1(A), 2018; Ord. 1468 § 3, 1996)
13.09.020 Responsibility.
The water resources manager shall be responsible for the protection of the public potable water distribution system from contamination or pollution due to the backflow or back-siphonage of contaminants or pollutants through the water service connection. If, in the judgment of the water resources manager, an approved backflow prevention assembly is required at the City’s water service connection to any customer’s premises, for the safety of the water system, the water resources manager or his designated agent shall give notice in writing to that customer to install an approved backflow prevention assembly at each service connection to the customer’s premises. The customer shall immediately install an approved assembly at his or her own expense. The customer’s failure, refusal, or inability to immediately install the assembly shall constitute a ground for discontinuing water service to the premises until the assembly has been properly installed. (Ord. 2065 § 1(A), 2018; Ord. 1468 § 3, 1996)
13.09.030 Appeal.
The customer may appeal the finding of the water resources manager that this chapter has been violated to the City Manager pursuant to the procedure outlined in LMC 13.08.180(B). (Ord. 2065 § 1(A), 2018; Ord. 1468 § 3, 1996)
13.09.040 Definitions.
Unless specifically defined in this section, words and phrases used in this chapter shall be defined as in Title 17 of the California Code of Regulations. For the purpose of this chapter, the following definitions apply:
A. “Approved” means accepted by the water resources manager as meeting an applicable specification stated or cited in this chapter, or as suitable for the proposed use.
B. “Auxiliary water supply” means any water supply on or available to the premises other than the purveyor’s approved public potable water supply. These auxiliary waters may include water from another purveyor’s public potable water supply or any natural source(s) such as a well, spring, river, stream, harbor, “reclaimed or used waters,” or “industrial fluids.”
C. “Backflow” means the flow of water or other liquids, mixtures or substances under pressure into the distributing pipes of a potable water supply system from any source or sources other than its intended source.
D. “Backflow preventer” means an “air-gap separation,” a “reduced pressure assembly,” or a “double check valve assembly” designed to prevent backflow or back-siphonage. These assemblies are defined in Title 17 of the California Code of Regulations at Sections 7583 and 7602. Section 7602 references standards set forth by the American Water Works Association. If the American Water Works Association standards conflict with those of the Department of Health Services (DOHS), DOHS standards will govern.
E. “Backflow prevention assembly” means the hardware used in a backflow preventer.
F. “Back-siphonage” means the flow of water or other liquids, mixtures or substances into the distributing pipes of a potable water supply system from any source other than its intended source caused by the sudden reduction of pressure in the potable water supply system.
G. “Contamination” means an impairment of the quality of the potable water by sewage, industrial fluids or waste liquids, compounds or other materials to a degree which creates an actual hazard to the public health.
H. “Cross-connection” means an unprotected actual or potential connection between a potable water system used to supply water for drinking purposes and any source or system containing unapproved water or a substance that is not or cannot be approved as safe, wholesome, and potable. By-pass arrangements, jumper connections, removable sections, swivel or changeover devices, or other devices through which backflow could occur, shall be considered to be cross-connections.
I. “Controlled cross-connection” means a connection between a potable water system and a non-potable water system with an approved backflow precision assembly properly installed that will continuously afford protection commensurate with the degree of hazard as determined by the water resources manager.
J. “Cross-connection control by containment” means the installation of an approved backflow assembly on the service line leading to and supplying a portion of a customer’s water system where there are actual or potential cross-connections.
K. “Customer system” means those parts of the facilities beyond the termination of the utility distribution system which are utilized in conveying utility delivered domestic water to points of use.
L. “Industrial fluids system” means any system containing a fluid or solution which may be chemically, biologically or otherwise contaminated or polluted in a form or concentration constituting a hazard if introduced into an approved water supply. This may include, but shall not be limited to: polluted or contaminated waters; all types of process waters and “used waters” originating from the public potable water system which may have deteriorated in sanitary quality; chemicals in fluid form; plating acids and alkalines, circulating cooling waters connected to an open cooling tower and/or cooling towers that are chemically or biologically treated or stabilized with toxic substances; contaminated natural waters such as from well, springs, streams, rivers, bays, harbors, seas, irrigation canals or systems; and oils, gases, glycerine, paraffins, caustic and acid solutions and other liquid and gaseous fluids used for industrial, firefighting, or other purposes.
M. “Nonpotable water” means water which is not safe for human consumption or which is of questionable potability.
N. “Pollution” means the presence of any organic, inorganic, biological or foreign substance in water which degrades its quality so as to constitute a hazard or impair the usefulness or quality of the water to a degree which does not create an actual hazard to the public health, but which does adversely and unreasonably affect such waters for domestic use.
O. “Potable water” means any water which, according to recognized standards, is safe for human consumption.
P. “Service connection” means the terminal end of a service connection from the public potable water system; i.e., where the water supplier loses jurisdiction and sanitary control over the water at its point of delivery to the customer’s water system. If a meter is installed at the end of the service connection, then the “service connection” shall be the downstream end of the meter. The term “service connection” shall also include water service connections from a fire hydrant and all other temporary or emergency water service connections from the public potable water system.
Q. “Source” means all components of the facilities used in the production, treatment, storage and delivery of water to the distribution system.
R. “Used water” means any water supplied by the water supplier from a public potable water system to a consumer’s water system after it has passed through the point of delivery and is no longer under the sanitary control of the water supplier.
S. “Utility system” means the source facilities and the distribution system, including all those facilities of the water system under the complete control of the utility, up to the point where the customer system begins.
T. “Water resources manager” means the water resources manager or his or her designee.
U. “Water system” means both the “utility system” and “customer system.” (Ord. 1468 § 3, 1996)
13.09.050 Water service connection in accordance with state and local law.
No water service connection to any premises shall be installed or maintained unless the water supply is protected as required by state laws and this chapter. Service of water to any premises shall be discontinued by the City if a backflow prevention assembly, required by this chapter, is not installed, tested and maintained, or if it is found that a backflow prevention assembly has been removed or by-passed. Service will not be restored until such conditions or defects are corrected. (Ord. 2065 § 1(A), 2018; Ord. 1468 § 3, 1996)
13.09.060 Customer system shall be open for inspection.
Each customer’s system shall be open for inspection at all reasonable times to authorized representatives of the water resources division to determine whether cross-connections or other structural or sanitary hazards, including violations of these regulations, exist. When such a condition becomes known, the water resources manager may, after notice and the opportunity for a hearing with the City Manager, deny or discontinue service to the premises by providing for a physical break in the service line until the customer has corrected the condition in conformance with state laws and this chapter. In case of emergency, service may be immediately discontinued. (Ord. 2065 § 1(A), 2018; Ord. 1468 § 3, 1996)
13.09.070 Location of backflow prevention assembly.
The backflow prevention assemblies for commercial and industrial buildings shall be located a maximum of 20 feet from the point of connection. The mounting height of the backflow prevention assembly shall be a minimum of 12 inches and a maximum of 24 inches above both the street curb elevation and the grade elevation. (Ord. 1986 § 1(B), 2014; Ord. 1468 § 3, 1996)
13.09.080 Approved backflow prevention assembly required.
Each customer shall install an approved backflow prevention assembly appropriate to the degree of hazard before the first branch line leading off the service line to a customer’s water system (at the location outlined in LMC 13.09.070) wherever the following conditions exist:
A. The premises has an auxiliary water supply which is not or may not be of safe bacteriological or chemical quality and which is not approved as an additional source by the water resources manager.
B. The premises has any industrial fluids or other objectionable substances which could create an actual or potential hazard to the public water system. This shall include the handling of process waters and waters originating from the utility system which have been subject to deterioration in quality.
C. The premises has (1) internal cross-connections that cannot be permanently corrected and controlled, or (2) has intricate plumbing and piping arrangements, or (3) a portion of the premises is not readily accessible for inspection purposes, making it impracticable to ascertain whether or not dangerous cross-connections exist or are likely to be made.
D. The premises has an on-site fire protection system of Class III, IV, V or VI as defined by the “Manual of Cross-Connection Control – Procedures and Practices” published by the California Department of Health Services. (Ord. 1986 § 1(C), 2014; Ord. 1468 § 3, 1996)
13.09.090 Type of backflow prevention assembly dependent upon hazard.
The type of prevention assembly required under Title 17 of the California Code of Regulations at Section 7604 shall depend upon the degree of hazard which exists. In addition to those requirements, the type of prevention assembly required under LMC 13.09.040 is subject to the approval of the water resources manager:
A. On any premises not subject to any of the following rules, where there is an auxiliary water supply, the public water system shall be protected by an approved air-gap separation or an approved reduced pressure principle backflow prevention assembly.
B. On any premises where the water resources manager determines there is water or a substance that would be objectionable but not hazardous to health, if introduced into the public water system, the public water system shall be protected by an approved double check valve assembly.
C. On any premises where there is any material dangerous to health which is handled in such a fashion as to create an actual or potential hazard to the public water system, the public water system shall be protected by an approved air-gap separation or an approved reduced pressure principle backflow prevention assembly. Examples of premises where these conditions exist may include, but shall not be limited to, sewage treatment plants, sewage pumping stations, chemical manufacturing plants, hospitals, mortuaries, and plating plants.
D. On any premises where there are “uncontrolled” cross-connections, either actual or potential, the public water system shall be protected by an approved air-gap separation or an approved reduced pressure principle backflow prevention assembly at the service connection.
E. On any premises where, because of security requirements or other prohibitions or restrictions, it is impossible or impracticable to make a complete in-plant cross-connection survey, the public water system shall be protected against backflow or back-siphonage from the premises by the installation of a backflow prevention assembly in the service line. In this case, maximum protection will be required; that is, an approved air-gap separation or an approved reduced pressure principle backflow prevention assembly shall be installed in each service to the premises.
F. On any premises with cross-connections to other systems such as sewage lines, pumps, flushers, the public water system shall be protected by an approved air-gap separation or an approved reduced pressure principle backflow prevention assembly.
G. On any tanker or spray tank of 49 gallons or more, the public water system shall be protected by an approved air-gap separation.
H. Any premises having an on-site fire protection system will follow the guidelines of the “Manual of Cross-Connection Control – Procedures and Practices” published by the California Department of Health Services. (Ord. 1468 § 3, 1996)
13.09.100 Inspections and operational tests required.
A customer at any premises where backflow prevention assemblies are installed shall conduct certified inspections and operational tests at least once per year. When the water resources manager perceives a hazard, he or she may require certified inspections at more frequent intervals. These inspections and tests shall be at the expense of the water user and shall be performed by a certified tester approved by the water resources manager. The customer shall notify the water resources manager in advance when the tests are to be undertaken so that he or she may observe the tests. These devices shall be repaired, overhauled, or replaced at the expense of the customer-user whenever said devices are found to be defective. (Ord. 1986 § 1(D), 2014; Ord. 1468 § 3, 1996)
13.09.110 Presently installed backflow prevention assemblies.
All backflow prevention assemblies installed before the date upon which the ordinance codified in this chapter becomes effective, which do not meet the requirements of this chapter but were approved devices for their current uses at the time of installation and which have been properly maintained, shall, except for the inspection and maintenance requirements under LMC 13.09.100, be excluded from the requirements of this chapter if the water resources manager determines that such devices will satisfactorily protect the public water system. Whenever the existing device is moved from the present location or when the water resources manager finds that the maintenance constitutes a hazard to health, the unit shall be replaced by a backflow prevention device from the University of Southern California approved backflow assembly list, approved by the water resources manager, and that meets the requirements of Title 17 of the California Code of Regulations. (Ord. 1986 § 1(E), 2014; Ord. 1468 § 3, 1996)