The purpose of this article 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-connection,
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 article, 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 raising at least 35 feet, at its topmost point,
above the highest fixture it supplies.
The Town of Barre Water Commission or owner or operator of
a public water supply system.
Any physical, chemical, biological or radiological substance
or matter in the 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 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 constructed 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 appurtences for testing.
An approved backflow prevention device incorporating (1)
two more check valves, (2) an automatically operating differential
relief valve located between the two checks, (3) two shutoff valves,
and (4) necessary appurtences for testing.
An assembly of two spring-loaded, independently operating
check valves without tightly closing shutoff valves and test cocks.
Generally employs 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 in 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 insure 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 hazard, following the approval
of this program by the Department. 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 testing, retesting in the case that the device fails to operate
correctly, and second reinspections for noncompliance with the Commission
or Department requirements.
The Commission recognized 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 result in an
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.
The Commission's certified tester or his delegated representative,
who shall be a certified tester, shall perform periodic testing.
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 of 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 insure 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 insuring 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.
Residential dual check.
(1)
Effective the date of the acceptance of the Cross-Connection Control
Program for the Town of Barre, Massachusetts, all new residential
buildings on the public water supply will be required to install a
residential dual check device immediately downstream of the water
meter. This device will be provided by the Water Commission at a scheduled
cost to the homeowner. Installation of this residential dual check
device on a retrofit basis on existing service lines will be instituted
at a time and at a potential cost to the homeowner as deemed necessary
by the Commission.
(2)
The owner must be aware that installation of a residential dual check
valve results in a potential closed plumbing system within his residence.
As such, provisions may have to be made by the owner to provide for
thermal expansion within his closed loop system, i.e., the installation
of thermal expansion devices and/or pressure relief valves.
B.
Strainers. The Commission strongly recommends that all new and retrofit
installations of reduced pressure backflow preventers and double check
valve assemblies include the installation of strainers located immediately
upstream of the backflow device. The installation of strainers will
preclude the fouling of backflow devices due to both foreseen and
unforeseen circumstances occurring to the water supply system such
as water main repairs, water main breaks, fires, periodic cleaning
and flushing of mains, etc. These occurrences may "stir up" debris
within the water main that will cause fouling of backflow devices
installed with the benefit of strainers.
C.
Right to establish further regulations. The Water Commission reserves
the right to establish such further regulations, from time to time,
as it may deem expedient for the introduction and use of the water.