City of Lebanon, NH Article IV Protection of Water Supply

§ 182-26 Cross-connection control program.

The purpose of this section is to protect the water supply of the city from contamination or pollution from potential cross-connections; and to ensure that approved backflow prevention devices are tested as required as follows:

A. The installation or maintenance of any cross-connection which would endanger the water supply of the city is prohibited. Any such cross-connection now existing or hereafter installed is hereby declared to be a violation of this chapter and shall be rectified as directed by the Director of Public Works or an authorized representative(s).

B. The control or elimination of cross-connections shall be in accordance with the rules of the NHDES. The policies, procedures and criteria for determining appropriate levels of protection shall be in accordance with the rules of the NHDES. The Director of Public Works will prepare and publish administrative rules and regulations to supplement those published by the NHDES for the administration of the cross-connection program within the City of Lebanon.

C. Water service to any premises shall be contingent upon the customer providing cross-connection control in a manner approved by the Department of Public Works. Backflow prevention devices required to be installed shall be a model approved by the Department of Public Works and the NHDES.

D. Authorized employees of the Department of Public Works shall have access at reasonable hours of the day to those parts of a premises or within buildings to which water is supplied for the purpose of inspecting and testing a backflow prevention device and/or ensuring a cross-connection does not exist. The consumer is responsible for backflow testing fees in accordance with the Code of the City of Lebanon, Chapter 68, Fees. Water service may be refused or terminated to any consumer for failure to allow necessary inspections and/or testing.

§ 182-27 Water source protection program.

A. It is essential for the protection of the public health that the city investigate private properties within the boundaries of the water source protection area as determined by the city and the NHDES. The purpose of the investigation is to locate potential contamination sources that might affect the water quality of Mascoma Lake and Mascoma River, the source of water for the city's water system. For each potential contamination source, the city will prepare an inventory using the form approved by the NHDES.

B. The Director of Public Works or other duly authorized city employees shall obtain permission to enter private properties within the boundaries of the water source protection area, or any other properties within the city, for the purpose of inspection, observation, measurement, sampling, testing and information-gathering as needed to protect the city's sources of potable water from sources of pollution and/or degradation of the water quality and in conformity with applicable requirements of the NHDES and the United States Environmental Protection Agency. In the event that access to private properties is not available, the Director of Public Works or his designee may obtain an administrative search warrant as provided under New Hampshire law.