The purpose of this article is to:
A.
Protect the public potable water supply of the Town of
Wheatfield from the possibility of contamination by isolating within its customers'
internal distribution system or its customers' private water system such contaminations
or pollutants which could backflow into the public water supply system.
B.
Comply with the requirements of the New York State Sanitary
Code § 5-1.31.
The Town of Wheatfield Water Superintendent shall be responsible for
the protection of the District's distribution system from contamination due
to the backflow of contaminants through the water service connection. If,
in the judgment of said Superintendent, an acceptable backflow prevention
device is required at the District's water service connection to any customer's
premises for the safety of the water system, the Superintendent or his or
her designated agent shall give notice, in writing, to said customer to install
such an acceptable backflow prevention device at each service connection to
the premises. The customer shall immediately install such approved device
or devices at his or her 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.
As used in this article, the following terms shall have the meanings
indicated:
An acceptable air gap, reduced pressure zone device or double-check
valve assembly as used to contain potential contamination within a facility.
In order for the reduced pressure zone device or the double-check assembly
to be acceptable, it must be listed on the most current version of the New
York State Department of Health List of Acceptable Devices.
One in which substances are present which if introduced into the
public water supply system could be a nuisance to other water customers but
would not adversely affect human health. Typical examples of such substances
are food-grade dyes, hot water, stagnant water from fire lines in which no
chemical additives are used, etc.
The unobstructed vertical distance through the free atmosphere between
the lowest opening from any pipe or faucet supplying water to a tank, plumbing
fixtures or other device and the floor 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.
Accepted by the Town of Wheatfield Water Superintendent as meeting
an applicable specification stated or cited in this chapter or as suitable
for the proposed use.
Any water supply on or available to the premises other than the Town
of Wheatfield approved public water supply. These auxiliary waters may include
water from another purveyor's public potable water supply or any natural source
such as a well, spring, river, stream, harbor, etc., or used waters. These
waters may be contaminated or they may be objectionable and constitute an
unacceptable water source over which the water purveyor does not have sanitary
control.
A flow condition induced by a differential in pressure that causes
the flow of water or other liquids and/or gases into the distribution pipes
of the Town of Wheatfield's supply system from any source other than its intended
source.
That individual or firm approved to accomplish the necessary inspections
and operational tests of backflow prevention devices.
The presence in water of a substance that tends to degrade its quality.
A water user served by the Town of Wheatfield supply system.
The piping used to convey water supplied by the Town of Wheatfield
supply system throughout a customer's facility. The system shall include all
those parts of the piping beyond the control point of the Water District.
The control point is either the curb valve or the main valve located in the
public right-of-way that isolates the customer's facilities from the District
distribution system.
Whether a facility is rated as hazardous, aesthetically objectionable
or nonhazardous.
A device consisting of two independently acting check valves internally
force loaded to a normally closed position, designed and constructed to operate
under intermittent or continuous pressure conditions; also, when specified,
would include tightly closing shutoff valves located at each end of the assembly
and suitable connections for testing the watertightness of each check valve.
One in which substances may be present which if introduced into the
public water system would or may endanger or have an adverse effect on the
health of other water customers. Typical examples are laboratories, sewage
treatment plants, chemical plants, hospitals and mortuaries.
One which does not require the installation of an acceptable backflow
prevention device.
The Town of Wheatfield system, including the source, treatment works,
transmission mains, distribution system and storage facilities serving the
public. This includes the distribution system up to its connection with the
customer's water system.
A device containing a minimum of two independently acting check valves,
together with an automatically operated pressure differential relief valve
located between the two check valves. During normal flow and at the cessation
of normal flow, the pressure between these two checks shall be less than the
upstream (supply) pressure. In case of leakage of either check valve, the
differential relief valve, by discharging to the atmosphere, shall operate
to maintain the pressure. The unit must include tightly closing shutoff valves
located at each end of the device, and each device shall be fitted with properly
located test cocks.
A.
The customer's water system shall be open for inspection
at all reasonable times to authorized representative of the Town of Wheatfield
Water Department.
B.
The Superintendent of Water shall rate a customer's water
system according to its degree of hazard to the public water supply system.
Some of the factors to be considered are the use and availability of an auxiliary
water supply and the type of fire-fighting system in use.
C.
An acceptable 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 being served, but in all cases before
the first branch line leading off the service line, as follows:
D.
The design of the installation of an acceptable backflow
prevention device must be prepared in accordance with New York State laws
and regulations. The design must be approved by the Superintendent and all
agencies required by the applicable New York State and Wheatfield water local
laws and regulations.
E.
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 a year. In those instances where
the Superintendent deems the hazard to be great enough, he or she may require
certified inspections at more frequent intervals. Certified inspections and
operational tests must also be made when any backflow prevention device is
to be installed, repaired, overhauled or replaced, in addition to the requirement
of an annual certified inspection and operational test. All inspections and
tests shall be at the expense of the customer and shall be performed by the
device manufacturer's representative, Wheatfield Water Division personnel
or by a certified tester approved by the Wheatfield Water Division Superintendent.
The Superintendent shall make available the names, addresses and telephone
numbers of those persons who are certified as testers for backflow prevention
devices. It shall be the duty of the Superintendent to see that certified
inspection and operational tests of the backflow prevention devices are made.
The customer shall notify the Superintendent in advance, in writing, when
the tests are to be undertaken so that he or she or his or her representative
may witness the tests if it is so desired. These devices shall be repaired,
overhauled or replaced at the expense of the customer whenever said devices
are found to be defective. Records of such tests, repairs and overhaul shall
be kept and made available to the Water District Superintendent. Copies of
all testing and maintenance records shall be sent to the Superintendent immediately
after the work is performed.
F.
All presently installed 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 shall, except for the inspection and maintenance requirements under Subsection E, be excluded from the requirements of these rules so long as the Superintendent 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 constitutes a hazard to health, the unit shall be replaced by a backflow prevention device meeting the requirements of this section.[1]
G.
No water service connection to any customer's water system
shall be installed or maintained by the Wheatfield Water Division unless the
water supply is protected as required by state laws and regulations and this
chapter. Service of water to any premises shall be discontinued by the Wheatfield
Water Division if a backflow prevention device required by this chapter is
not installed, tested and maintained or if it found that a backflow prevention
device has been removed or bypassed. Service will not be restored until such
conditions or defects are corrected.
