CHAPTER 1
WATER
ARTICLE 12. PROTECTION OF PUBLIC WATER SUPPLY BY REQUIRING BACKFLOW PROTECTION
SECTION:
§3700 Cross-Connection Control – General Policy
§3700 CROSS-CONNECTION CONTROL – GENERAL POLICY
A. Purpose: The purpose of this Article is:
1. To protect the public potable water supply of the City from the possibility of contamination or pollution:
a. by isolating within its customers’ internal distribution system(s) or its customers’ private water system(s) such contaminants or pollutants which could backflow or back-siphon into the public water supply system; and
b. by isolating contaminants or pollutants of potential intermittent, temporary and emergency users of the water system including but not limited to use of fire hydrants or blow-offs.
2. To promote the elimination or control of existing cross-connections actual or potential, between its customers’ in-plant potable water system(s) and nonpotable water systems, plumbing fixtures and industrial piping systems; and
3. 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.
B. Responsibility: The Director of Public Works 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 said Director of Public Works, an approved backflow prevention device is required at the City’s water service connection to any customer’s premises, for the safety of the water system, the Director of Public Works or designated agent shall give notice in writing to said customer to install such an approved backflow prevention device at each service connection to the premises. The customer shall immediately install such approved device or devices at customer’s own expense; and failure, refusal or inability on the part of the customer to install said device or devices immediately shall constitute a ground for discontinuing water service to the premises until such device or devices have been properly installed. (Ord. 874, §1, adopted 1988)
§3701 DEFINITIONS
A. "Director of Public Works": The Director of Public Works of the City is invested with the authority and responsibility for the implementation of an effective cross-connection control program and for the enforcement of the provisions of this ordinance.
B. "Approved": Accepted by the Director of Public Works as meeting an applicable specification stated or cited in this ordinance, or as suitable for the proposed use.
C. "Auxiliary Water Supply": 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, etc., or "used waters" or "industrial fluids". These waters may be polluted or contaminated or they may be objectionable and constitute an unacceptable water source over which the water purveyor does not have sanitary control.
D. "Backflow": 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.
E. "Back-siphonage": 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.
F. "Backflow Preventer": A device or means designed to prevent backflow or back-siphonage.
1. "Air-Gap": The unobstructed vertical distance through the free atmosphere between the lowest opening from any pipe or faucet supplying water to a tank, plumbing fixture, or other device and the flood level rim of said vessel. An approved air-gap shall be at least double the diameter of the supply pipe, measured vertically, above the top of the rim of the vessel; and, in no case less than one inch. When an air-gap is used at the service connection to prevent the contamination or pollution of the public potable water system, an emergency by-pass shall be installed around the air-gap system and an approved reduced pressure principle device shall be installed in the by-pass system.
2. "Reduced Pressure Principle Device": An assembly of two (2) independently operating approved check valves with an automatically operating differential relief valve between the two (2) check valves, tightly closing shut-off valves on either side of the check valves, plus properly located test cocks for the testing of the check and relief valves. The entire assembly shall meet the design and performance specifications and approval of a recognized and City approved testing agency for backflow prevention assemblies. The device shall operate to maintain the pressure in the zone between the two (2) check valves at a level less than the pressure on the public water supply side of the device. At cessation of the normal flow the pressure between the two (2) check valves shall be less than the pressure on the public water supply side of the device. In case of leakage of either of the check valves the differential relief valve shall operate to maintain the reduced pressure in the zone between the check valves by discharging to the atmosphere. When the inlet pressure is two (2) pounds per square inch or less, the relief valve shall open to the atmosphere. To be approved, these devices must be readily accessible for in-line maintenance and testing and be installed in a location where no part of the device will be submerged.
3. "Double Check Valve Assembly": An assembly of two (2) independently operating approved check valves with tightly closing shut-off valves on each side of the check valves, plus properly located test cocks for the testing of each check valve. The entire assembly shall meet the design and performance specifications and approval of a recognized, and City approved, testing agency for backflow prevention devices. To be approved, these devices must be readily accessible for in-line maintenance and testing.
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 through poisoning or through the spread of disease.
H. "Cross-connection": Any physical connection or arrangement of piping or fixtures between two (2) otherwise separate piping systems one of which contains potable water and the other nonpotable water or industrial fluids of questionable safety, through which, or because of which, backflow or back-siphonage may occur into the potable water system. A water service connection between a public potable water distribution system and a customer’s water distribution system which is cross-connected to a contaminated fixture, industrial fluid system or with a potentially contaminated supply or auxiliary water system, constitutes one type of cross-connection. Other types of cross-connections include connectors such as swing connections, removable sections, four-way plug valves, spools, dummy sections of pipe, swivel or change-over devices, sliding multiport tube, solid connections, etc.
I. "Cross-connections – Controlled": A connection between a potable water system and a nonpotable water system with an approved backflow prevention device properly installed that will continuously afford the protection commensurate with the degree of hazard.
J. "Cross-connection Control by Containment": The installation of an approved backflow prevention device at the water service connection to any customer’s premises where it is physically and economically infeasible to find and permanently eliminate or control all actual or potential cross-connections within the customer’s water system; or, it shall mean the installation of an approved backflow prevention device on the service line leading to and supplying a portion of a customer’s water system where there are actual or potential cross-connections which cannot be effectively eliminated or controlled at the point of cross-connection.
K. "Hazard, Degree of": The term is derived from an evaluation of the potential risk to public health and the adverse effect of the hazard upon the potable water system.
1. "Hazard – Health": Any condition, device or practice in the water supply system and its operation which could create, or in the judgment of the Director of Public Works may create a danger to the health and well-being of the water consumer. An example of a health hazard is a structural defect, including cross-connections, in a water system.
2. "Hazard – Plumbing": A plumbing type cross-connection in a customer’s potable water system that has not been properly protected by a vacuumbreaker, air-gap separation or backflow prevention device: Unprotected plumbing type cross-connections are considered to be a health hazard.
3. "Hazard – Pollutional": An actual or potential threat to the physical properties of the water system or to the potability of the public or the consumer’s potable water system but which would constitute a nuisance or be aesthetically objectionable or could cause damage to the system or its appurtenances, but would not be dangerous to health.
4. "Hazard – System": An actual or potential threat of severe damage to the physical properties of the public potable water system or the consumer’s potable water system or of a pollution or contamination which would have a protracted effect on the quality of the potable water in the system.
L. "Industrial Fluids System": Any system containing a fluid or solution which may be chemically, biologically or otherwise contaminated or polluted in a form or concentration such as would constitute a health, system, pollutional or plumbing hazard if introduced into an approved water supply. This may include, but not be limited to: polluted or contaminated waters; all types of processed 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 alkalies, circulated cooling towers that are chemically or biologically treated or stabilized with toxic substances; contaminated natural waters such as from wells, springs, streams, rivers, bays, harbors, seas, irrigation canals or systems, etc.; oils, gases, glycerine, paraffins, caustic and acid solutions and other liquid and gaseous fluids used in industrial or other purposes or for fire-fighting purposes.
M. "Pollution": Means the presence of any foreign substance (organic, inorganic or biological) in water which tends to degrade 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.
N. "Water – Potable": Any water which, according to recognized standards is safe for human consumption.
O. "Water – Nonpotable": Water which is not safe for human consumption or which is of questionable potability.
P. "Water – Service Connections": The terminal end of a service connection from the public potable water system; i.e., where the Water Purveyor 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 mean the downstream end of the meter. There should be no unprotected takeoffs from the service line ahead of any meter or backflow prevention device located at the point of delivery to the customer’s water system. Service connection shall also include water service connection from a fire hydrant and all other temporary or emergency water service connections from the public potable water system.
Q. "Water – Used": Any water supplied by a Water Purveyor 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 Purveyor. (Ord. 874, §1, adopted 1988)
§3702 REQUIREMENTS
A. Water System:
1. The water system shall be considered as made up of two (2) parts: The Utility System and the Customer System.
2. Utility System shall consist of the source facilities and the distribution system; and shall include all those facilities of the water system under the complete control of the utility, up to the point where the customer’s system begins.
3. The source shall include all components of the facilities utilized in the production, treatment, storage and delivery of water to the distribution system.
4. The distribution system shall include the network of conduits used for the delivery of water from the source to the customer’s system.
5. The customer’s system shall include 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.
B. Policy:
1. No water service connection to any premises or from a fire hydrant or any other temporary or emergency water service connection from the public potable water system shall be installed or maintained by the City unless the water supply is protected as required by State laws and regulations and this ordinance. Service of water to any premises shall be discontinued by the City if a backflow prevention device required by the ordinance is not installed, tested and maintained or if it is found that a backflow prevention device has been removed, by-passed or if an unprotected cross-connection exists on the premises. Service will not be restored until such conditions or defects are corrected. Temporary, intermittent and emergency users of the water system shall be considered as consumers on premises for the purposes of this Article and shall be subject to the same cross-connection control requirements as water service connections to any premises.
2. The customer’s system should be open for inspection at all reasonable times to authorized representatives of the Director of Public Works to determine whether cross-connections or other structural or sanitary hazards, including violations of these regulations, exist. When such a condition becomes known, the Director of Public Works shall deny or immediately discontinue service to the premises by providing for a physical break in the service line until the customer has corrected the condition(s) in conformance with State and City statutes relating to plumbing and water supplies and the regulations adopted pursuant thereto.
3. An approved backflow prevention device shall also be installed on each service line to a customer’s water system in all cases, before the first branch line leading off the service line wherever the following conditions exist:
a. In the case of premises having an auxiliary water supply which is not or may not be of safe bacteriological or chemical quality and which is not acceptable as an additional source by the Director of Public Works, the public water system shall be protected against backflow from the premises by installing a backflow prevention device in the service line appropriate to the degree of hazard.
b. In the case of premises on which any industrial fluids or any other objectionable substance is handled in such a fashion as to create an actual or potential hazard to the public water system, the public system shall be protected against backflow from the premises by installing a backflow prevention device in the service line appropriate to the degree of hazard. This shall include the handling of processed waters and waters originating from the utility system which have been subject to deterioration in quality.
c. In the case of premises having (a) internal cross-connections that cannot be permanently corrected and controlled, or (b) intricate plumbing and piping arrangements or where entry to all portions of the premises is not readily accessible for inspection purposes, making it impracticable or impossible to ascertain whether or not dangerous cross-connections exist, the public water system shall be protected against backflow from the premises by installing a backflow prevention device in the service line.
4. The type of protective device required under subsections B3a, b and c shall depend upon the degree of hazard which exists as follows:
a. In the case of any premises where there is an auxiliary water supply as stated in subsection B3a of this Section and it is not subject to any of the following rules, the public water system shall, as a minimum, be protected by an approved reduced pressure principle backflow prevention device.
b. In the case of any premises where there is water or substance that would be objectionable but not hazardous to health, if introduced into the public water system, the public water system shall, as a minimum, be protected by an approved double check valve assembly.
c. In the case of 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, as a minimum, be protected by an approved reduced pressure principle backflow prevention device. Examples of premises where these conditions will exist include chemical manufacturing plants, hospitals, mortuaries and plating plants.
d. In the case of any premises where there are "uncontrolled" cross-connections, either actual or potential, the public water system shall, as a minimum, be protected by an approved reduced pressure principle backflow prevention device at the service connection.
e. In the case of any premises where, because of security requirements or other prohibitions or restrictions it is impossible or impractical 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 device in the service line. In this case, maximum protection will be required; that is, as a minimum, an approved reduced pressure principle backflow prevention device shall be installed in each service to the premises.
f. In the case of premises with cross-connections to sewage lines, pumps, flushers, etc., the public water system shall, as a minimum, be protected by an approved reduced pressure principle backflow prevention device. Examples include sewage treatment plants and pumping stations.
g. In the case of tanker and spray tanks of forty nine (49) gallons or more, as a minimum, an approved reduced pressure principle backflow prevention device is required.
5. Any backflow prevention device required herein shall be of a model and size approved by the Director of Public Works. The term "approved backflow prevention device" shall mean a device that has been manufactured in full conformance with the standards established by the American Water Works Association (AWWA) entitled:
AWWA C506-78 Standards for Reduced Pressure Principle and Double Check Valve Backflow Prevention Devices
and, have met completely the laboratory and field performance specifications of the Foundation for Cross-connection Control and Hydraulic Research (FCCC & HR) of the University of Southern California established by
Specifications of Backflow Prevention Devices – #69-2, dated March 1969 or the most current issue.
A list of protective devices of the types referred to in this Article which have been approved by the Public Works Director will be maintained at City Hall and shall be open to public inspection. The list will be updated from time-to-time by the Public Works Director.
Backflow preventors which may be subjected to back pressure or back-siphonage that have been fully tested and have been granted a certificate of approval by said qualified laboratory and are listed on the laboratory’s current list of "Approved Devices" may be used without further test or qualification.
6. It shall be the duty of the water user or property owner at any premises where backflow prevention devices are installed, relocated, modified, or repaired, to have certified inspections and operational tests and repairs made initially upon installation and, at least once per year thereafter. In those instances where the Director of Public Works deems the hazard to be great enough, he may require certified inspections at more frequent intervals. These inspections, tests and repairs shall be performed by the City or by a certified tester approved by the Director of Public Works. It shall be the duty of the Director of Public Works to see that these timely tests and repairs are made. All repairs deemed necessary as a result of the test shall be made by and at the expense of the water user or property owner. If testing is performed other than by the City, the customer/user shall notify the Director of Public Works in advance of when the tests are to be undertaken so that he or his representative may witness the tests if so desired. These devices shall be repaired, overhauled or replaced by a certified individual or agency at the expense of the customer/user whenever said devices are found to be defective. Records of such tests, repairs and overhaul shall be maintained by the water user or property owner and a copy submitted to the Director of Public Works.
7. All presently installed backflow prevention devices which do not meet the requirements of this Section but were approved devices for the purposes described herein at the time of installation and which have been properly maintained, will, except for the inspection and maintenance requirements under subsection B6, be excluded from the requirements of these rules so long as the Director of Public Works is assured that they will satisfactorily protect the utility system. Whenever the existing device is moved from the present location or requires more than minimum maintenance or when the Director of Public Works finds that the maintenance constitutes a hazard to health, the unit shall be replaced by a backflow prevention device meeting the requirements of this Section.
8. All existing water connections which may be deemed by the Director of Public Works to be subject to backflow prevention will, upon written notice, have an appropriate backflow prevention device installed and inspected within sixty (60) days of said notification.
9. The water service to any premises on which conditions are deemed to exist which constitute an immediate danger to the City water supply shall be immediately terminated without notice.
§3703 NOTICES
Any notices prescribed or allowed by this Article shall be deemed to have been given when personally delivered or when placed in the United States mail, postage fully prepaid, certified mail, addressed to the owner of the premises and, if different, also to the water user as shown from the records of the City. (Ord. 874, §1, adopted 1988)
§3704 FEES
The water user or property owner shall pay to the City the fee specified by resolution for each processing, inspection, and testing of protective devices when performed by the City. Water users or property owners shall have the option of retaining a private, qualified, certified tester to perform such tests as may be required on their own protective devices. All necessary repairs shall be made by, and at the expense of, the water user or property owner. If the inspecting official deems more frequent inspections to be necessary to insure compliance with the terms of this Article, the water user or property owner shall pay to the City the fee specified for any inspection that reveals a failure to comply with the provisions of this Article. Any request by a user or property owner to inspect a protective device shall be accompanied by the fee specified. The inspecting official shall have the discretion to waive or reduce fees in the event that unusual circumstances, not the fault of the user or property owner, necessitate repeated inspection. (Ord. 874, §1, adopted 1988)