[Adopted 8-14-2007 by Ord. No. 07-013 (Ch.
134)]
The purpose of this article is to:
A.
Protect the health and welfare of users of the public
potable water supply of Oconto Falls from the possibility of contamination
or pollution of the potable water system(s) under the direct authority
of the Oconto Falls Water Utility.[1]
B.
Promote the control and/or elimination of existing
cross-connection (actual or potential) between the customer's potable
water system(s) and other environment(s) containing substance(s) which
may contaminate or pollute the water supply.
As used in this article, the following terms
shall have the meanings indicated:
The undesirable flow of water or mixtures of water and other
liquids, solids, gases or other substances under positive or reduced
pressure into the Oconto Falls Water Utility potable supply of water
from any source.
A means designed to prevent backflow caused by backpressure
or backsiphonage, most commonly categorized as air gap, reduced pressure
principle backflow assembly, double check valve assembly, pressure
vacuum breaker assembly, backsiphonage backflow vacuum breaker (spill-resistant
pressure vacuum breaker) assembly, pipe applied atmospheric vacuum
breaker, flush tank ballock, laboratory faucet backflow preventer,
backflow preventer for carbonated beverage machine, vacuum breaker
wall hydrants (freeze-resistant automatic draining type), chemical
dispensing machine, hose connection vacuum breaker, hose connection
backflow preventer, backflow preventer with intermediate atmospheric
vent and barometric loop.
An elevation of pressure in the downstream piping system
(i.e., pump, elevation of piping or steam and/or air pressure) above
the utility supply pressure which would cause or tend a reversal of
the normal direction of flow.
The flow of water or other liquids, mixtures or substances
into the utility's potable water system from any source caused by
the sudden reduction of pressure in the utility's potable water supply
system.
Any physical connection or arrangement between two otherwise
separate systems, one of which contains potable water from the utility
and the other containing water from a private source, water of unknown
or questionable safety, or steam, gases or chemicals, whereby there
may be a flow from one system to the other, the direction of flow
depending on the pressure differential between the two systems.
Policies and procedures for cross-connection control and
backflow prevention for Oconto Falls.
No person shall establish or permit to be established,
or maintain or permit to be maintained, any cross-connection. No interconnection
shall be established whereby potable water from a private or auxiliary
or emergency water supply, other than the public water supply of the
utility, may enter the supply or distribution system of the utility,
unless such private, auxiliary or emergency water supply and the method
of connection and use of such supply have been approved by the utility
and the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources.
The Oconto Falls Water Utility shall be responsible
for the protection of the public potable water distribution system
from contamination or pollution due to backflow of contaminants or
pollutants. The utility shall charge fees according the utility's
Cross-Connection Control Manual for maintaining a Comprehensive Cross-Connection
Control Protection Plan.
A.
The property owner shall be responsible for the protection
of the customer's potable water system. The responsibilities include
the elimination of, or protection from, all cross-connections on his
premises. The owner shall, at his own expense, install, maintain and
test any and all backflow preventers on his premises in compliance
with the Department of Commerce § Comm 82.21, Wisconsin
Administrative Code, requirements and the utility's Cross-Connection
Control Manual.
B.
The property owner shall have corrected any malfunction
revealed by periodic testing of any backflow preventer on his premises.
The property owner shall inform the utility of any proposed or modified
cross-connections and also any existing cross-connections that are
not protected by an approved backflow prevention means. The property
owner shall not install a bypass around any backflow preventer unless
there is a backflow preventer of the same type in the bypass. Property
owners who cannot shut down operation for testing of the backflow
prevention assembly must supply additional assemblies necessary to
allow testing and maintenance to take place. In the event that the
property owner installs potable water using fixtures, equipment or
appurtenances upstream of the backflow preventer, such must have its
own approved backflow prevention means.
C.
The property owner is required to follow the protection
practices described in the American Water Works Association Publication
AWWA M-14, titled "Recommended Backflow Prevention and Cross-Connection
Control," the United States Environmental Protection Agency publication
titled "Cross-Connection Control Manual," the Wisconsin Department
of Commerce Plumbing Code, Chs. Comm 82 to 84, Wisconsin Administrative
Code, and the utility's Cross-Connection Control Manual, unless the
utility requires or authorizes other means of protecting the potable
water systems. These requirements or authorizations will be at the
discretion of the utility.
A.
It shall be the duty of the utility to cause surveys
to be made of all properties serviced by the utility where cross-connection
with the public water system is deemed possible. Residential properties
serviced by the utility shall be surveyed on a ten-year interval.
The utility may, but is not required to, perform the cross-connection
survey of the customer's property. If, in the opinion of the utility,
the utility is not able to perform the survey, the property owner
must, at his own expense, have the water system piping surveyed for
cross-connections by a person who has been properly trained in accordance
with the America Society of Sanitary Engineers (ASSE) Standard Number
5120 as a cross-connection control surveyor.
B.
All nonresidential properties serviced by the utility
shall be surveyed on an interval not exceeding two years. The utility
may, but is not required to, perform the cross-connection control
survey of the customer's property. If, in the opinion of the utility,
the utility is not able to perform the survey, the property owner
must, at his own expense, have the water piping system surveyed for
cross-connections by a person who has been properly trained in accordance
with the American Society of Sanitary Engineers (ASSE) Standard Number
5120 as a cross-connection control surveyor. The frequency of required
surveys and resurveys, based upon the potential health hazards, may
be shortened by the utility.
Upon presentation of credentials, representatives
of the utility shall have the right to request entry at any reasonable
time to examine property served by a connection to the public potable
water system of the utility for cross-connections. If entry is refused,
such representatives shall obtain a special inspection warrant under
§ 66.0119, Wis. Stats. The utility shall charge the property
owner a fee as set by the Common Council per day for refusal to allow
entry to examine any property. Upon request, the owner, lessee or
occupant of any property served shall furnish to the inspection agency
any pertinent information regarding the piping system on such property.
The utility is hereby authorized and directed to discontinue water service to any property wherein any connection in violation of this article exists and to take such other precautionary measures deemed necessary to eliminate any damage or contamination of the potable water system. Water service shall be discontinued if the means of backflow prevention required by the utility is not installed, tested, maintained and/or repaired in compliance with this article, the Department of Commerce Plumbing Code, Chs. Comm 82 to 84, Wisconsin Administrative Code, and the utility's Cross-Connection Control Manual, or if it is found that the means of backflow prevention required by this article has been removed or bypassed. Water service shall be discontinued only after reasonable notice and opportunity for hearing under Ch. 68, Wis. Stats., except as provided in § 455-53.
Water service to any property disconnected under
the provisions of this article shall not be restored until the cross-connection(s)
has been eliminated or a backflow prevention means, approved by the
utility, has been installed in compliance with the provisions of this
article.
If it is determined by the utility that a cross-connection
or an emergency endangers public health, safety or welfare and requires
immediate action, service may be immediately discontinued. The owner,
lessee or occupant shall have an opportunity for hearing under Ch.
68, Wis. Stats., within 10 days of such emergency discontinuance.
Such hearing shall be before the Oconto Falls Water and Light Commission
and shall conform to all existing due process requirements.
A.
In the case of premises having cross-connections that
cannot be permanently corrected or controlled or intricate plumbing
and piping arrangements or where entry to all portions of the premises
is not readily accessible for surveying purposes, making it impractical
or impossible to ascertain whether or not dangerous cross-connections
exist, the public water supply system shall be protected in the service
line.
B.
In the case of any premises where there is any material
dangerous to health that is handled in such a manner that, in the
opinion of the utility, could create an actual or potential hazard
to the public water supply system, an approved air gap separation
or an approved reduced pressure principle backflow assembly shall
protect the public water supply system. Examples of premises where
these conditions will exist include premises with auxiliary water
supplies either interconnected or not interconnected with the public
water supply system, premises where inspection is restricted, hospitals,
mortuaries, clinics, laboratories, piers, docks and other waterfront
facilities, sewage treatment plants, sewage lift stations, food and
beverage processing plants, chemical plants using a water process,
metal processing plants or nuclear reactors, car washing facilities,
and premises with reclaimed water systems.
C.
In the case of any presence of toxic substances, the
utility may require an approved air gap or reduced pressure principle
backflow assembly at the service connection to protect the public
water supply system. This requirement will be at the discretion of
the utility.
This article does not supersede the State of
Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources Administrative Code Ch.
NR 811 but is supplementary to it.
The Oconto Falls Water and Light Commission
adopts by reference the Wisconsin Uniform Plumbing Code, being Chs.
Comm 82 to 84, Wisconsin Administrative Code. This article does not
supersede the Wisconsin Uniform Plumbing Code but is supplementary
to it.
