[HISTORY: Adopted by the Town Meeting of
the Town of Barre 6-12-1995 ATM, Art. 19. Amendments noted where applicable.]
The purpose of this bylaw shall be:
A.
To protect the public potable water supply served
by the Barre Water Commission from the possibility of contamination
of pollution by isolating such contaminants or pollutants which could
backflow or backsiphon into the public water system.
B.
To promote the elimination or control of existing
cross-connections, actual or potential, between its customers in-plant
potable water system and nonpotable systems.
C.
To provide for the maintenance of a continuing program
of cross-connection control which will effectively prevent the contamination
or pollution of all potable water systems by cross-connection.
A.
As provided in the Federal Safe Drinking Water Act
of 1974 (Public Law 93-523), and the Commonwealth of Massachusetts
Drinking Water Regulations, 310 CMR 22.22, the Water Purveyor has
the primary responsibility for preventing water from unapproved sources
or any other substances from entering the public potable water system.
B.
Barre Water Commission Rules and Regulations are hereby
adopted.
The Water Commission shall be responsible for
the protection of the public potable water distribution system from
contamination or pollution due to the backflow or backsiphonage of
contaminants or pollutants. If, as a result of a survey of the premises,
the Commission determines that an approved backflow prevention device
is required at the town's water service connection or as in-plant
protection on any customer's premises, the Commission, or its delegated
agent, shall issue a cross-connection violation form to said customer
to install approved backflow prevention devices. The customer shall,
within a time frame determined by the Commission, install such approved
device or devices at his own expense, and failure or refusal or inability
on the part of the customer to install said device or devices within
the specified time frame shall constitute a ground for discontinuing
water service to the premises until such device or devices have been
properly installed.
As used in this bylaw, the following terms shall
have the meanings indicated:
The method of preventing backflow through the use of an 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 the receptacle.
Accepted by the reviewing authority as meeting an applicable
specification stated or cited in this regulation or as suitable for
the proposed use.
A method to prevent backflow approved by the Department for
use in Massachusetts.
An approved backflow device used to prevent backsiphonage
which is not designed for use under static line pressure.
Any water supply of unknown or questionable quality on or
available to the premises other than the supplier's approved public
potable water supply.
The flow of water or other liquids, mixtures or substances
into the distribution pipes of a potable water supply from any source
other than the intended source.
A device having two independently operating check valves
separated by an intermediate chamber with a means for automatically
venting it to the atmosphere, in which the check valves are force
loaded to a normally closed position and venting means is force loaded
to a normally open position.
Pressure created by mechanical means or other means which
causes water or other liquids or substances to flow or move in a direction
opposite to that which is intended.
A form of backflow due to reduced or subatmospheric pressure
within a water system.
A loop of pipe rising at least 35 feet, at its topmost point,
above the highest fixture it supplies.
The Town of Barre Water Commission or the owner or operator
of a public water supply system.
Any physical, chemical, biological or radiological substance
or matter in water.
Any actual or potential connection between a distribution
pipe of potable water from a public water system and any waste pipe,
soil pipe, sewer, drain, or other unapproved source.
A violation form designated by the Department, Plumbing Inspectors
and the Board of Health delineating cross-connection violations found
on the owner's premises and a procedure for corrective action.
The Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection.
A backflow preventing device which incorporates an assembly
of check valves, with shutoff valves at each end and appurtenances
for testing.
The location of approved backflow prevention devices in a
manner which provides simultaneous protection of the public water
system and the potable water system within the premises.
Any person maintaining a cross-connection installation or
owning or occupying premises on which cross-connections can or do
exist.
A document issued by the Department which allows a cross-connection
installation.
Any individual, corporation, company, association, trust,
partnership, the commonwealth, a municipality, district, or other
subdivision or instrumentality of the United States except that nothing
herein shall be construed to refer to or to include any American Indian
tribe or the United States Secretary of the Interior in his capacity
as trustee of Indian lands.
An approved backflow prevention device designed to prevent
only backsiphonage and which is designed for use under static line
pressure and which has necessary appurtenances for testing.
An approved backflow prevention device incorporating two
more check valves, an automatically operating differential relief
valve located between the two checks, two shut-off valves, and necessary
appurtenances for testing.
An assembly of two spring-loaded, independently operating
check valves without tightly closing shutoff valves and test cocks.
Generally employed immediately downstream of the water meter to act
as a containment device.
The Department, its designer, or the local Plumbing Inspector,
authorized by MGL c. 142 and licensed by the Board of State Examiners
of Plumbers and Gas Fitters, whichever is responsible for the review
and approval of the installation of an approved backflow prevention
device.
A.
The Commission will operate an active cross-connection
control program, to include the keeping of necessary records, which
fulfills the requirements of the State DEP's Cross-Connection Regulations
and is approved by the Department.
B.
The owner shall allow his property to be inspected
for possible cross-connections and shall follow the provisions of
the Commission's program and the Department regulations.
A.
Commission.
(1)
On new installations the Commission will provide on-site
evaluation and/or inspection of plans in order to determine the type
of backflow preventer, if any, that will be required, and notify the
owner of plan approval requirements by the appropriate reviewing authority.
(2)
For premises existing prior to the start of this program,
the Commission will perform surveys of the premises and reviews of
as-built plans and issue a cross-connection violation form to the
owner detailing any corrective action required, the method of achieving
the correction, and the time allowed for the correction to be made.
The time period allowed shall depend upon the degree of hazard involved.
(3)
The Commission will not allow any cross-connection
to remain unless it is protected by an approved backflow preventer
for which a permit has been issued and which will be regularly tested
to ensure satisfactory operation.
(4)
If the Commission determines at any time that a serious
threat to the public health exists, the water service will be terminated
immediately.
(5)
The Commission shall have on its staff, or shall have
a delegated representative, who is a backflow prevention device tester
certified by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
(6)
The Commission will begin initial premises inspections
to determine the nature of existing or potential hazards, following
the approval of this program by the Department, during calendar year
1996. Initial focus will be on high-hazard industries and commercial
premises.
B.
Owner.
(1)
The owner shall be responsible for the elimination
or protection of all cross-connections on his premises.
(2)
The owner shall be responsible for applying for and
obtaining all necessary approvals and permits for the maintenance
of cross-connections and installation of backflow prevention devices,
and applying annually for the renewal of each permit.
(3)
The owner shall have any device that fails an inspection
or test repaired by a licensed plumber.
(4)
The owner shall inform the Commission of any proposed
or modified cross-connection and also any existing cross-connections
of which the owner is aware but has not been found by the Commission.
(5)
The owner shall not install a bypass around any backflow
preventer unless there is a backflow preventer of the same type on
the bypass. Owners who cannot shut down operation for testing of the
device(s) must supply additional devices necessary to allow testing
to take place.
(6)
The owner shall install backflow preventers in a manner
approved by the Department and by the Commission.
(7)
The owner shall install only reduced-pressure backflow
preventers and double check valve assemblies approved by the Department.
(8)
The owner of any residential premises having a private
well or other private water source will not be allowed a physical
connection with the public water supply system.
(9)
The owner shall be responsible for the payment of
all fees for permits, device testings, retesting in the case that
the device fails to operate correctly, and second reinspections for
noncompliance with Commission or Department requirements.
The Commission recognizes the threat to the
public water system arising from cross-connections. As such, the Commission,
whereas it is responsible for the quality of the public water supply,
may require a containment device on the water service entrance to
any customer who, as a result of unprotected cross-connections, could
contaminate the public water supply system.
Any existing backflow preventer shall be allowed
by the Commission to continue in service unless the degree of hazard
is such as to supersede the effectiveness of the present backflow
preventer or results in a unreasonable risk to the public health.
Where the degree of hazard has increased, as in the case of a residential
installation converting to a business establishment, any existing
backflow preventer must be upgraded to a reduced-pressure backflow
preventer, or a reduced-pressure backflow preventer must be installed
in the event that no backflow device was present.
A.
Reduced-pressure backflow preventers and double check
valve assemblies shall be tested and inspected at least semiannually
by the Commission.
B.
Periodic testing shall be performed by the Commission's
certified tester or his delegated representative, who shall be a certified
tester.
C.
The testing shall be conducted during the Commission's
regular business hours. Exceptions to this, when at the request of
the owner, may require additional charges to cover the increased costs
to the Commission.
D.
Reduced-pressure backflow preventers and double check
valve assemblies must be tested annually by the owner independent
of the semiannual test by the water supplier, and said test must be
conducted by a certified tester.
E.
Any backflow preventer which fails during a periodic
test must be repaired or replaced by a licensed plumber. When repairs
are necessary, upon completion of the repair, the device will be retested
at the owner's expense to ensure proper operation. High-hazard situations
will not be allowed to continue unprotected if the backflow preventer
fails the test and cannot be repaired immediately. In other situations,
a compliance date of not more than 14 days after the test date will
be established. The owner is responsible for spare parts, repair tools
or a replacement device. Parallel installation of two devices is an
effective means of the owner ensuring that uninterrupted water service
remains during testing or repair of devices and is strongly recommended
when the owner desires such continuity.
F.
Backflow prevention devices will be tested more frequently than specified above in Subsection A in cases where there is a history of test failures and the Commission feels that, due to the degree of hazard involved, additional testing is warranted. Cost of the additional tests will be born by the owner.
A.
Records. The Commission will initiate and maintain
the following:
