[Adopted 6-6-1996 by Ord. No. 1637]
In accordance with Part 5, 1.31. of the Sanitary
Code governing drinking water supplies, a cross-connection control
program shall be established in accordance with the guidelines hereafter
described. The purpose of this program is to provide safeguards for
our customers in accordance with acceptable procedures.
A.
Based upon the hazard found, an air gap reduced pressure
zone device, double-check valve assembly or equivalent protective
device must be installed in accordance with New York State guidelines
for backflow prevention installation. All users shall, prior to installation
of any such system, provide plans to the County Health Department
and City of Watervliet for their review and approval. All protective
devices shall be tested annually to ascertain condition and operability.
B.
To meet these objectives, the following procedures
and actions are instituted:
(1)
A review of all customers that have the potential
for providing a hazard shall be undertaken. The review shall include
examination of current water records and building records. The highest
potential for hazard is industrial with the lowest potential being
residential.
(2)
Water Department personnel shall examine each site
and ascertain existing conditions. They shall note the type of operation,
the time of the inspection, list cross-connection control devices
present and inspect records to ascertain the last testing of said
equipment.
(3)
Facilities shall be categorized based upon their potential
for hazard. Based upon the results of the inspections, customers may
be required to install protective devices or test existing equipment.
(4)
Each year thereafter, a reinspection of these properties
shall be undertaken.
(5)
New construction shall conform to accepted standards
for backflow prevention.
The purpose of this Part 2 is:
A.
To protect the public potable water supply of the
City of Watervliet from the possibility of contamination by isolating
within its customer's internal distribution system or its customer's
private water system such contaminations or pollutants which could
backflow into the public water supply system.
B.
To comply with the requirements of the New York State
Sanitary Code Part 5, 1.31.
A.
AIR GAP SEPARATION
APPROVED DOUBLE-CHECK VALVE ASSEMBLY
APPROVED REDUCED PRESSURE PRINCIPLE BACKFLOW PREVENTION DEVICE
(RPZ)
APPROVED SINGLE-CHECK VALVE
APPROVED WATER SUPPLY
AUXILIARY WATER SUPPLY
BACKFLOW
CITY
CITY WATER SUPPLY
CONSUMER
CONTAMINATION
COUNTY HEALTH OFFICER
CROSS-CONNECTION
NONTOXIC SUBSTANCE
PERSON
PREMISES
PROTECTIVE DEVICE
SERVICE CONNECTION
TOXIC SUBSTANCE
Definitions. For the purpose of this Part 2, unless
it is plainly evident from the context that a different meaning is
intended, certain terms used herein are defined as follows:
A physical break between a supply pipe and a receiving vessel.
The air gap shall be at least double the diameter of the supply pipe,
measured vertically above the rim of the vessel, and in no case less
than one inch.
An assembly of at least two independently acting approved
single-check valves including tightly closing shutoff valves on each
side of the check valve assembly and suitable test cocks plus connections
available for testing the watertightness of each valve.
A device incorporating two or more single-check valves and
an automatically operating differential relief valve located between
the two checks, two shutoff valves and equipped with necessary appurtenances
for testing. The device shall operate to maintain the pressure in
the zone between the two check valves, less than the pressure on the
public water supply side of the device. At cessation of normal flow,
the pressure between the check valves shall be less than the supply
pressure. In case of leakage of either check valve, the differential
relief valve shall operate to maintain this reduced pressure by discharging
to the atmosphere. When the inlet pressure is two pounds per square
inch or less, the relief valve shall open to the atmosphere, thereby
providing an air gap in the device. To be approved, these devices
must be readily accessible to maintenance and testing and installed
in a location where no part of the device will be submerged.
A check valve that seats readily and completely. It must
be carefully machined to have free moving parts and assured water
tightness. The face of the closure element and valve seat must be
bronze, composition or other noncorrodible material which will seat
tightly under all prevailing conditions of field use. Pins and bushing
shall be of bronze or other noncorrodible, nonsticking material, machined
for easy, dependable operation. The closure element (e.g., clapper)
shall be internally weighted or otherwise internally equipped to promote
rapid and positive closure in all sizes where this feature is obtainable.
Any water supply approved by or under the public health supervision
of a public health agency of the State of New York, the County of
Albany or the City of Watervliet. In determining what constitutes
an approved water supply, the Department of Public Health of the State
of New York (herein called "State Health Department") shall have the
final judgment as to its safety and potability.
Any water supply on or available to the premises other than
the City water supply.
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 a public water supply from any source other than its intended
source.
The City of Watervliet.
An approved water supply sold and delivered to consumers'
premises through the water distribution system of the City of Watervliet.
Any person to whom water is sold and/or furnished by the
City of Watervliet.
An impairment of the quality of the City water supply by
the presence of any foreign substance (organic, inorganic, radiological
or biological) to a degree which creates a hazard to the public health.
The Albany County Health officer, his assistants or authorized
deputies acting as, or any other person appointed as, Health Officer
of the County of Albany.
Any unprotected connection between any part of the City water
works system used or intended to supply water for drinking purposes
and any source or system containing water or substance that is not
or cannot be approved as safe, wholesome and potable for human consumption.
Any substance of a nonpoisonous nature that may create a
moderate or minor hazard to the water supply system.
Any natural person, firm, association, organization, partnership,
trust or association of persons, joint venture, corporation or company,
and includes the United States, the State of New York, the County
of Albany, any special purpose district and any officer or agent thereof.
Integrated land area including improvements thereon undivided
by public thoroughfares or water distribution mains of the City of
Watervliet and where all parts of the premises are operated under
the same management and for the same purpose.
Any of the following devices:
The line servicing a premises beginning at the connection
at the City main. No unprotected takeoffs from the service line ahead
of any meter or backflow protective device located at the point of
delivery to the consumer shall be permitted.
Any substance (liquid, solid or gaseous), including raw sewage
and lethal substances, that when introduced into the water supply
system creates or may create a danger to the health and well-being
of the consumer.
B.
Word usage. "Shall" is mandatory; "may" is permissive.
The Watervliet Water Department may at any reasonable
time, upon notice, inspect any facility in order to determine if a
hazard exists due to any actual or potential cross-connection between
the water system and any potential source of contamination. In any
case where the General Manager or designee deems such hazard to exist,
he may require the property owner to install an approved backflow
prevention device in every water service line to the facility for
which a potential hazard exists. Such devices shall be installed at
or as near the service connection as may be required by the city.
Such backflow preventers shall be designed and installed in accordance
with all regulations of Part 5., 1.31, of the New York State Health
Department prior to installation. All costs of installation and maintenance
shall be borne by the property owner.
The following is a partial list of facilities
that are especially likely to have cross-connection hazards:
A.
Auxiliary water supply. Each service connection from
the City water supply for furnishing water to premises having an auxiliary
water supply shall be protected against backflow of water from the
premises into the City water supply.
(1)
If the auxiliary water supply is handled in a separate
piping system with no known cross-connection, the City water supply
shall be protected by an approved double-check valve assembly installed
at the service connection to the premises. When the auxiliary water
supply may be contaminated, the City may order the water supply protected
by an air gap separation or an approved RPZ installed at the service
connection.
(2)
If the auxiliary water supply is handled in a separate
piping system and cross-connections are known to exist between the
City water supply and the auxiliary water supply which cannot presently
be eliminated, the City water supply shall be protected by an approved
RPZ installed at the service connection to the premises. When the
auxiliary water supply may be contaminated, the City may order the
water supply protected by an air gap separation installed at the service
connection.
B.
Toxic or hazardous substances under pressure. At the
service connection to any premises on which any material dangerous
to health or toxic substance in toxic concentration is or may be handled
under pressure, the City water supply shall be protected by an air
gap separation. The air gap shall be located as close as practicable
to the water meter and all piping between the water meter and receiving
tank shall be entirely visible. If these conditions cannot be reasonably
met, the City water supply shall be protected with an approved RPZ
which is acceptable to both the City and the County Health Officer.
C.
Toxic or hazardous substances not under pressure.
At the service connection to any premises on which any material dangerous
to health or toxic substance in toxic concentration is not handled
under pressure but is otherwise handled in such a manner as to constitute
a cross-connection, the City water supply shall be protected by an
approved RPZ unless such cross-connection is abated to the satisfaction
of the City and approved by the County Health Officer.
D.
Nonhazardous substances. At the service connection
to any premises on which a substance that would be objectionable (but
not necessarily hazardous to health), if introduced into the City
water supply, is handled in such a manner as to constitute a cross
connection, the City water supply shall be protected by an approved
double-check valve assembly.
E.
Sewage and storm drain treatment plants and pumping
stations. At the service connection to any sewage treatment plant
or sewage pumping station, the City water supply shall be protected
by an air gap separation. The air gap shall be located as close as
practicable to the service connection and all piping between the service
connection and receiving tank shall be entirely visible. If these
conditions cannot be reasonably met, the City water supply shall be
protected with an approved RPZ, provided that this alternative is
acceptable to both the City and Albany County Health Officer. A final
decision in this matter shall be made by the New York State Health
Department.
F.
Fire system. At the service connection to any premises
in which a fire protection system is installed, the City water supply
shall be protected based on the water source and arrangement of supplies
in accordance with the following classifications:
(1)
Class 1: direct connection from public water mains
only; no pumps, tanks or reservoirs; no physical connections from
auxiliary water supplies; no antifreeze or other additives of any
kind; all sprinkler drains discharging to atmosphere, dry wells, or
other safe outlets. Protection: none other than the check valve required
by the National Fire Code.
(2)
Class 2: same as Class 1, except booster pumps may
be installed in the connections from the street mains. Protection:
none other than the check valve required by the National Fire Code.
(3)
Class 3: direct connection from public water supply
main plus one or more of the following: elevated storage tanks; fire
pumps taking suction from aboveground covered reservoirs or tanks;
and pressure tanks. Protection: double-check valve assembly.
(4)
Class 4: directly supplied from public mains similar
to Classes 1 and 2, and with an auxiliary supply which may be located
within 1,700 feet of the pumper connection. Protection: air gap or
RPZ.
(5)
Class 5: directly supplied from public mains, and
interconnected with auxiliary supplies, such as pumps taking suction
from reservoirs exposed to contamination, or rivers and ponds; driven
wells; mills or other industrial water systems; or where antifreeze
or other additives are used. Protection: air gap or RPZ.
(6)
Class 6: combined industrial and fire protection systems
supplied from the public water mains only, with or without gravity
storage or pump tanks. Protection: determined by the General Manager
upon review of engineering drawings of the system.
G.
Lawn sprinkling systems. At the service connection
to any permanently installed, below-grade lawn sprinkling system,
the City water supply shall be protected by an approved RPZ assembly.
H.
Others. Examples of other facilities which require
cross-connection control include but are not limited to:
(1)
Beverage bottling plants.
(2)
Breweries.
(3)
Food processing plants.
(4)
Chemical plants and plating facilities.
(5)
Film laboratories.
(6)
Hospitals, medical buildings, sanitariums, morgues
and mortuaries.
(7)
Irrigation systems.
(8)
Laundries and dye works.
(9)
Meat packing plants.
(10)
Metal manufacturing, cleaning and fabricating
plants.
(11)
Radioactive materials production or research
plants.
(12)
Restricted, classified or other facilities closed
to inspection.
(13)
Sewage and storm drain facilities.
(14)
Buildings heated by boilers where treatment
chemicals are used.
(15)
Buildings with certain types of air-conditioning
systems.
(16)
Swimming pools.
(17)
Printing operations.
(18)
Furniture stripping.
A.
Consumer responsibility. It shall be the responsibility
of each consumer at his own expense to furnish, install and keep in
good working order and safe condition any and all protective devices
required in this Part 2. The City shall not be responsible for any
loss or damage directly or indirectly resulting from or caused by
the improper or negligent installation, operation, use, repair or
maintenance of, or interfering with any protective device by any consumer
or any other person.
B.
Conflicts. Whenever two or more conditions exist on
any premises for the correction of which different protective devices
are required in this Part 2, the consumer shall be required only to
install the protective device which, in the opinion of the General
Manager or Albany County Health Officer, affords the maximum protection
to the City water supply.
The consumer on whose premises any protective
device is installed shall have such device inspected and tested annually.
Inspections and tests shall be performed under the supervision of
a tester certified by the Albany County or New York State Health Department.
If successive inspections disclose repeated failures in the operation
of any device, the City may require more frequent inspections. Each
device shall be repaired, overhauled or replaced at the expense of
the consumer whenever it is found to be defective. Records of such
test, repairs and overhauls shall be kept and a copy of such records
forwarded to the City on an annual basis. The City shall have the
duty of determining that the inspections required herein are performed
properly. If following demand therefor the consumer fails to have
any of the inspections made as required herein or to make the above
described records available, the City shall have the right to inspect
the device and the consumer shall pay the cost thereof. The cost of
any inspection made by the City shall be included as part of the next
ensuing municipal water bill presented to the consumer.
A.
Delivery of water shall be discontinued immediately
and without notice to the customer if the City or Albany County Health
Officer determines that the City water supply is being contaminated
or is in immediate danger of contamination. Delivery of water shall
not resume until any protective device required by this Part 2 and
approved by the City has been properly installed, or until conditions
at the consumer's premises causing the contamination or danger of
contamination have been abated or corrected to the satisfaction of
the City and County Health Officer.
B.
No water service connection shall be installed on
the premises of any consumer unless the City water supply is protected
as required by this Part 2.
C.
Delivery of water to the premises of any consumer
may be discontinued or a fine may be imposed on the consumer if the
City or County Health Officer determines that:
D.
Notice; discontinuance of service; fines.
(1)
Delivery of water shall not be discontinued or a fine
imposed until written notice thereof has been given to the consumer.
The notice shall state:
(a)
The conditions or defects which must be corrected.
(b)
The manner in which the stated conditions or
defects are to be corrected.
(c)
The date on or after which delivery of water
shall be discontinued or a fine imposed, and which shall not be less
than 15 nor more than 90 days following the date of delivery of mailing
of the notice. The City may grant the consumer an extension of an
additional period not to exceed 90 days if it determines the consumer
has exercised due diligence but has been unable to comply with the
notice within the time originally allowed.
(2)
The notice shall be given by delivery of the same
to the consumer, the manager or agent thereof, or to any person in
charge of or employed in the place of business of the consumer; or,
if the consumer has no place of business, then at the place of residence
of the consumer if known. If the consumer cannot be found, service
of the notice shall be mailed, postage fully prepaid, addressed to
the consumer at the place of business or residence set forth in the
application of the consumer for water service in the records of the
city.
(3)
Once discontinued, delivery of water shall not be
resumed until any protection device required by this Part 2 and approved
by the City has been properly installed, or until the conditions at
the consumer's premises creating the need for a protective device
have been abated or corrected to the satisfaction of the City and
the County Health Officer.
(4)
If a fine has been imposed, it shall be in the amount
of $100 per day, and it shall accumulate daily until any protection
device required by this Part 2 and approved by the City has been properly
installed, or until the conditions at the consumer's premises creating
the need for a protective device have been abated or corrected to
the satisfaction of the City and the Albany County Health Officer.
E.
For the purpose of making any inspections or discharging
the duties imposed by this Part 2, the City and Albany County Health
Officer shall have the right to enter upon the premises of any consumer.
Each consumer, as a condition of the continued delivery to his premises
of water from the City water supply, shall be considered as having
stated his consent to the entry upon his premises of the City and
County Health Officer for the purposes stated herein.
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 § 266-9, be excluded from the requirements of these rules so long as the City is assured that they will satisfactorily protect the city's water supply. Whenever the existing device is moved from its present location or requires more than minimum maintenance which constitutes a hazard to health, the unit shall be replaced by a backflow prevention device meeting the requirements of this Part 2.
The General Manager or his or her designee is
authorized to enter into restrictive covenant agreements with various
commercial, industrial and residential facilities regarding the installation
of backflow prevention devices on their real property. These agreements
shall allow backflow prevention devices to be installed in the main
building with a meter at the property line as long as there are no
taps between the meter and the main building, while requiring that
if a tap is installed between the meter and the main building, then
backflow prevention devices must be removed to the property line.
These agreements shall be binding on all successors to the property,
and may be dischargeable by the General Manager or his or her designee
whenever such backflow prevention devices are no longer required by
law or ordinance for said property. The agreements shall contain such
additional terms and conditions as the General Manager or his or her
designee deems to be appropriate.