[HISTORY: Adopted by the Town Board of the Town of Bath as
indicated in article histories. Amendments noted where applicable.]
GENERAL REFERENCES
Flood damage prevention — See Ch. 65.
[Adopted 2-9-2009 by L.L. No. 2-2009]
A.
The purpose of this article is to safeguard potable water supplies
from potential contamination by preventing backflow from a water user's
system into the public water system.
B.
The intent of this article is to recognize that there are varying
degrees of hazard and to apply the principal that the degrees of protection
should be commensurate with the degrees of hazard. Further, it is
the intent of the Town of Bath, New York, to comply with the requirements
of the New York State Sanitary Code, Part 5, Section 5-1.31, which
said section mandates the requirement that the suppliers of water
protect their water system in accordance with mandated requirements
as set forth in the Cross-Connection Control Manual published by the
New York State Department of Health (NYSDOH), and to that extent,
the terms, conditions and provisions of the New York State Sanitary
Code, Part 5, Section 5-1.31, and the Cross-Connection Control Manual
are incorporated in this article by reference as if more fully stated.
As used in this article, the following terms shall have the
meanings indicated:
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 top rim of the vessel, and in no case
less than one inch.
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 and other noncorrodible, nonsticking material and
shall be machined for easy, dependable operation. The closure element
shall be internally weighted or otherwise internally equipped to promote
rapid and positive closure in all sizes where this feature is obtainable.
Two single, independently acting check valves, including
tightly closing shutoff valves located at each end of the assembly
and suitable test connections. This device must be approved as a complete
assembly by Bath Electric, Gas and Water Systems and the New York
State Department of Health.
A minimum of two independently acting check valves together
with an automatically operated pressure differential relief valve
located between the two check valves. In case of leakage of either
check valve, the differential relief valve, by discharging to the
atmosphere, shall operate to maintain the pressure between the checks
at less than the supply pressure. The unit must include lightly closing
shutoff valves, located at each end of the device, and each device
shall be fitted with properly located test cocks. This device must
be approved as a complete assembly by Bath Electric, Gas and Water
Systems and the New York State Department of Health.
Any water supply approved by the New York State Department
of Health.
Any water supply on or available to the premises other than
the approved public water supply.
An individual who has successfully completed a course approved
by the New York State Department of Health in the testing of backflow-prevention
devices and has been issued a certificate by the New York State Department
of Health.
Any unprotected connection between any part of a water system
used or intended to be used as a supply of water for drinking purposes
and a source or system containing water or substances that are not
or cannot be approved as equally safe, wholesome and potable for human
consumption.
A vacuum breaker which can only be used for internal plumbing
control and is therefore not acceptable as a containment device.
The consumer or a person on the premises charged with the
responsibility of complete knowledge and understanding of the water
supply piping within the premises and for maintaining the consumer's
water system free from cross-connections and other sanitary defects,
as required by this article and all other required regulations and
laws.
The Director of Municipal Utilities for the Village of Bath
or his/her properly trained representative shall be responsible for
the protection of the public potable water distribution system from
contamination or pollution due to the backflow of contaminants or
pollutants through the water service connection. If, in the judgment
of the Director of Municipal Utilities, an approved backflow-prevention
assembly is required (at the customer's water service connection
or within the customer's private water system) for the safety
of the water system, the Director of Municipal Utilities or his/her
properly trained representative shall give notice, in writing, to
said customer to install such an approved backflow-prevention assembly(s)
at specific location(s) on his/her premises.
A.
Where protection is required. The water system shall be required
to maintain a degree of protection commensurate with the degree of
hazard regardless of whether the hazard is immediate or potential.
To that extent, the Cross-Connection Control Manual published by NYSDOH
shall be used as a guide to determine where protection is required.
It shall be the responsibility of the water user to provide and maintain
such required protection devices, and such devices shall be of a type
acceptable to the New York State Department of Health.
B.
Type of protection. The protective device required shall depend on
the degree of hazard as tabulated below:
(1)
At the service connection to any premises where there is an auxiliary
water supply handled in a separate piping system with no known cross-connection,
the public water supply shall be protected by an approved reduced-pressure-zone
device.
(2)
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 public water supply) is handled so as to constitute
a cross-connection, the public water supply shall be protected by
an approved double-check-valve assembly.
(3)
At the service connection to any premises on which a substance of
unusual toxic concentration or danger to health is or may be handled,
but not under pressure, the public water supply shall be protected
by an air-gap separation or an approved reduced-pressure-zone backflow-prevention
device. If an air gap is installed, it shall be located as close as
practical to the water meter, and all piping between the water meter
and receiving tanks shall be entirely visible. A reduced-pressure-zone
device, when installed, shall be located as close as possible to the
property line.
(4)
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 public water supply shall be protected
by an air-gap separation. The air gap shall be located as close as
practical to the water meter, and any piping between the water meter
and receiving tanks shall be entirely visible. If these conditions
cannot reasonably be met, the public water supply shall be protected
with an approved reduced-pressure zone backflow-prevention device.
(5)
At the service connection to any sewage treatment plant or sewage
pumping station, the public water supply shall be protected by an
air-gap separation. The air gap shall be located as close as practical
to the water meter, and all piping between the water meter and receiving
tanks shall be entirely visible. If these conditions cannot be reasonably
met, the public water supply shall be protected by an approved reduced-pressure-zone
backflow-prevention device.
A.
It shall be the duty of the water user on any premises on account
of which backflow-protective devices are installed to have competent
inspections made at least once a year, or more often in instances
where successive inspections indicate repeated failure. Devices shall
be repaired, overhauled or replaced at the expense of the water user
whenever they are found to be defective. These tests shall be performed
by a qualified backflow-prevention device tester, and all test results
will be provided to the water purveyor within 72 hours after the test
is made. Records of such tests, repairs and overhaul shall also be
kept and made available to the water purveyor and the local Health
Department upon request.
No water service connection to any premises shall be installed
or maintained by the water user unless the water supply is protected
as required by this article and such other applicable local, state
and federal laws, rules and regulations.
If any facility served by a water system denies a Water Department
person access to the premises for the purposes of determining if protection
to the public water system is necessary, then the maximum protection
condition shall be imposed, with the requirement that the number of
devices shall equal the number of service lines.
The following penalties shall be applicable for a violation
of this article:
A.
Failure to install the appropriate backflow-prevention device within
the prescribed time frame after first notice: $250.
B.
Failure to install the appropriate backflow-prevention device within
prescribed time frames after second notice: termination of service.
C.
Failure to at least annually test the backflow-prevention device:
$200 and/or termination of water service.
D.
Failure to replace or repair a backflow-prevention device as required:
$1,000 and/or termination of water service.
