Chapter 13.20
CROSS-CONNECTIONS
Sections:
13.20.010 Protection from contamination – Requirements.
13.20.020 Inspection of premises for compliance.
13.20.030 Backflow-prevention device – When required.
13.20.040 Backflow-prevention device – Types required.
13.20.050 Backflow-prevention device – Specifications.
13.20.060 Tests and certified inspections.
13.20.070 Existing protection devices – When permitted.
13.20.080 Existing protection devices – Discontinuance.
13.20.010 Protection from contamination – Requirements.
The public works director or designee is 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 public works director or designee, 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 public works director or designee will give notice in writing to the customer to install such an approved backflow-prevention device at each service connection to the customer’s premises. The customer must immediately install such approved device or devices at the customer’s own expense, and failure, refusal or inability on the part of the customer to install the device or devices immediately constitutes a ground for discontinuing water service to the premises until such device or devices have been properly installed. (Ord. 15-05 § 2, 2015)
13.20.020 Inspection of premises for compliance.
The customer’s system should be open for inspection at all reasonable times to authorized representatives of the city to determine whether cross-connections or other structural or sanitary hazards, including violations of these regulations, exist. When such a condition becomes known, the public works director or designee shall deny or immediately discontinue service to the premises by providing a physical break in the service line until the customer has corrected the condition(s) in conformance with the state and city statutes relating to plumbing and water supplies, and the regulations adopted pursuant thereto. (Ord. 15-05 § 2, 2015)
13.20.030 Backflow-prevention device – When required.
An approved backflow-prevention device shall be installed on each service line to a customer’s water system at or near the property line, or immediately inside the building served, but in all cases before the first branch line leading off the service line whenever the following conditions exist:
A. In 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 public works director or designee, 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 fluid 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 process waters and waters originating from the utility system which have been subject to deterioration in quality.
C. In the case of premises having (1) internal cross-connections that cannot be permanently controlled, or (2) 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. (Ord. 15-05 § 2, 2015)
13.20.040 Backflow-prevention device – Types required.
The type of protection device required under SMC 13.20.030(A), (B) and (C) shall depend upon the degree of hazard which exists, as follows:
A. An approved air gap or an approved RP device shall be installed where the substance which could backflow is hazardous to health, e.g., sewage treatment plants, sewage pumping stations, chemical manufacturing plants, plating plants, hospitals, mortuaries, carwashes, and medical clinics.
B. An approved double check valve assembly shall be installed where the substance which could backflow is objectionable but does not pose an unreasonable risk to health.
C. An approved testable pressure vacuum breaker shall only be installed where the substance which could backflow is objectionable, but does not pose an unreasonable risk to health and where there is no possibility of back-pressure in the downstream piping. A shutoff valve may be installed on the line downstream of a pressure vacuum breaker. (Ord. 15-05 § 2, 2015)
13.20.050 Backflow-prevention device – Specifications.
A. Any backflow-prevention device required herein shall be of a model and size approved by the public works director or designee.
B. The term “approved backflow-prevention device” means a device that has been manufactured in full conformance with the standards established by the American Water Works Association, 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 of the University of Southern California, established by: “Specifications of Backflow Prevention Devices – No. 69-2,” dated March 1969, or the most current issue.
Said AWWA and FCCC&HR standards and specifications have been adopted by the city. Final approval shall be evidenced by a certificate of approval issued by an approved testing laboratory certifying full compliance with said AWWA standards and FCCC&HR specifications.
C. The following testing laboratory has been qualified by the public works director or designee to test and certify backflow preventers:
Foundation for Cross-Connection Control and
Hydraulic Research
University of Southern California
University Park
Los Angeles, California 90007
D. Testing laboratories other than the laboratory listed above will be added to an approved list as they are qualified by the public works director or designee.
E. Backflow preventers 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. (Ord. 15-05 § 2, 2015)
13.20.060 Tests and certified inspections.
A. It shall be the duty of the customer at any premises where backflow-prevention devices are installed to have certified inspections and operational tests made at least once per year. Copies of the original test and repair reports shall be forwarded to the public works director or designee within 10 days of the date for the test/repair and no later than June 1st of each year. In those instances where the public works director or designee deems the hazard to be great enough, the public works director or designee 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 Oregon State Health Division. The customer-user shall notify the public works director or designee in advance when the tests are to be undertaken so that the public works director or the director’s designee may witness the tests if so desired.
B. The city will mail one notice informing the customer of the required reporting, testing and due date. These devices shall be repaired, overhauled or replaced at the expense of the customer-user whenever the devices are found to be defective. Records of such tests, repairs and overhaul shall be kept, and an original copy shall be sent to the public works director or designee in a timely manner. (Ord. 15-05 § 2, 2015)
13.20.070 Existing protection devices – When permitted.
All presently installed backflow-prevention devices which do not meet the requirements of this chapter, but were approved devices for the purposes described herein at the time of installation, and which have been properly maintained, shall, except for the inspection and maintenance requirements under SMC 13.20.060, be excluded from the requirements of these rules so long as the public works director or designee 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 public works director or designee finds that the maintenance constitutes a hazard to health, the unit shall be replaced by a backflow-prevention device on the most current list of approved testable-device assemblies maintained by the Oregon State Health Authority, and in accordance with the requirements of this chapter. (Ord. 15-05 § 2, 2015)
13.20.080 Existing protection devices – Discontinuance.
If an existing backflow device required by this chapter is not tested and maintained, or it is found that a backflow-prevention device has been removed or bypassed, service will be discontinued until such conditions or defects are corrected. (Ord. 15-05 § 2, 2015)