A.
The purpose of these regulations is to safeguard potable
water supplies by preventing backflow into public water systems in
the Town.
B.
These regulations are to be reasonably interpreted.
It is the intent of these regulations to recognize that there are
varying degrees of hazard and to apply the principle that the degree
of protection should be commensurate with the degree of hazard.
The supplier of water is responsible for cross-connection controls
found in Part V of the State Sanitary Code, 10 NYCRR 5-1.31, which
is incorporated into this chapter by reference.
A.
Where protection is required.
(1)
Each service connection from a public water system for supplying
water to premises having an auxiliary water supply shall be protected
against backflow of water from the premises into the public water
system, unless the auxiliary water supply is approved as an additional
source by the Water Utilities Department and is satisfactory to the
public health agency having jurisdiction with regard to quality and
safety.
(2)
Each service connection from a public water system
for supplying water to premises on which any substance is handled
under pressure in such fashion as to permit entry into the water system
shall be protected against backflow of the water from the premises
into the public system. This shall include the handling of process
waters and waters originating from the public water supply system
which may have been subject to deterioration in sanitary or chemical
quality.
(3)
Each service connection from a public water system
for supplying water to premises on which a substance of unusually
toxic concentration or danger to health is handled in liquid form,
even though it is not under pressure, shall be protected against backflow
of the water from premises into the public system. Examples are plating
factories using cyanide and hospitals. This is not intended to apply
to normal household installations.
(4)
Backflow prevention devices shall be installed on the service connection
to any premises that have internal cross-connections, unless such
cross-connections are abated to the satisfaction of the Water Utilities
Department. It shall be the responsibility of the water user to provide
and maintain these protective devices, and each one must be of a type
acceptable to the State Health Department.
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 cross-connection, the public water supply shall be protected by
an approved double-check valve assembly.
(2)
At the service connection on any premises on which
there is an auxiliary water supply where cross-connections are known
to exist or where it is unknown if a cross-connection exists, the
public water supply system shall be protected by an air-gap separation
or an approved reduced-pressure principal backflow prevention device.
(3)
At the service connection to any premises on which
a substance that would be objectionable (but not 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.
(4)
At the service connection to any premise 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
principal backflow prevention device. This device shall be located
as close as practicable to the water meter, and all piping between
the water meter and receiving tanks shall be entirely visible.
(5)
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 practicable to
the water meter, and all 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 principal backflow prevention device, provided that
the alternative is acceptable to the Water Utilities Department.
(6)
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 practicable 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 with an approved reduced-pressure principal backflow
prevention device.
C.
Frequency of inspection of protective devices.
(1)
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 those instances
where successive inspections indicate repeated failure. These 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 Utilities Department within
72 hours after the test is made.
(2)
Records of such tests, repairs and overhaul shall also be kept and
made available to the Water Utilities Department and the Local Health
Department upon request.
A.
Separate drinking water systems. Whenever the Water
Supervisor determines that it is not practical to protect drinking
water systems on premises against entry of water from a source or
piping system or equipment that cannot be approved as safe or potable
for human use, an entirely separate drinking water system shall be
installed to supply water at points convenient for consumers.
B.
Fire systems. Water systems for fighting fire derived
from a supply that cannot be approved as safe or potable for human
use or to which chemicals are added shall be kept wholly separate
from drinking water pipelines and equipment. In cases where the domestic
water system is used for both drinking and fire-fighting purposes,
approved backflow prevention devices shall be installed to protect
such individual drinking waterlines as are not used for fire-fighting
purposes. Fire-fighting water supply which is not approved for potable
purposes but which is so connected that it may be introduced into
potable water piping during an emergency shall be equipped with an
approved automatic chlorination machine. It is hereby declared that
it is the responsibility of the person or persons causing the introduction
of said unapproved or unsafe water into the pipelines to see that
a procedure is developed and carried out to notify and protect users
of this piping system during the emergency and that special precautions
are taken to disinfect thoroughly and flush out all pipelines which
may become contaminated before they are again used to furnish drinking
water. In the event that the means of protection of water consumers
is by disinfection of the auxiliary fire-fighting supply, the installation
and its use shall be throughly reliable. The public water supply must
be protected against backflow from such dual domestic fire systems.
C.
Process waters. Potable water pipelines connected
to equipment for industrial processes or operations shall be protected
by a suitable backflow prevention device located beyond the last point
from which drinking water may be taken, which device shall be provided
on the feed line to process piping or equipment. In the event that
the particular process liquid is especially corrosive or apt to prevent
reliable action of the backflow prevention device, air-gap separation
shall be provided. These devices shall be tested by the water user
at least once a year, or more often in those instances where successive
inspections indicate repeated failure. The devices shall be repaired,
overhauled or replaced whenever they are found to be defective. These
tests must be performed by a qualified backflow prevention device
tester, and records of tests, repairs and replacements shall be kept
and made available to the Water Purveyor and the Health Department
upon request.
D.
Sewage treatment plants and pumping stations. Sewage
pumps shall not have priming connections directly off any drinking
water systems. No connections shall exist between the drinking water
system and any other piping, equipment or tank in any sewage treatment
plant or sewage pumping station.
E.
Plumbing connections.
(1)
Where the circumstances are such that there is special
danger to health by the backflow of sewage as from sewers, toilets,
hospital bedpans and the like into a drinking water system, a dependable
device or devices shall be installed to prevent such backflow.
(2)
The purpose of these regulations is not to transcend
local plumbing regulations but only to deal with those extraordinary
situations where sewage may be forced or drawn into the drinking water
piping. These regulations do not attempt to eliminate at this time
the hazards of backsiphonage through flushometer valves on all toilets,
but deal with those situations where the likelihood of vacuum conditions
in the drinking water system is definite and there is special danger
to health. Devices suited to the purpose of avoiding backsiphonage
from plumbing fixtures are roof tanks, barometric loops or separate
pressure systems separately piped to supply such fixtures, recognized
approved vacuum or siphon breaker and other backflow protective devices
which have been proved by appropriate tests to be dependable for destroying
the vacuum.
(3)
Inasmuch as many of serious hazards of this kind are
due to water supply piping which is too small, thereby causing vacuum
conditions when fixtures are flushed or water is drawn from the system
in other ways, it is required that water supply piping that is too
small be enlarged whenever possible.
F.
Pier and dock hydrants. Backflow protection by a suitable
backflow prevention device shall be provided on each drinking water
pierhead outlet used for supplying vessels at piers or waterfronts.
These assemblies must be located where they will prevent the return
of any water from the vessel into the drinking water pipeline or into
another adjacent vessel. This will prevent such practices as connecting
the ship fire-pumping or sanitary-pumping system with a dock hydrant
and thereby pumping contaminated water into the drinking water system,
and thence to adjacent vessels or back into the public mains.
G.
Marking safe and unsafe water lines.
(1)
Where the premises contain dual or multiple water
systems and piping, the exposed portions of pipelines shall be painted,
banded or marked at sufficient intervals to distinguish clearly which
water is safe and which is unsafe. All outlets from secondary or other
potentially contaminated systems shall be posted as being contaminated
and unsafe for drinking purposes. All outlets intended for drinking
purposes shall be plainly marked to indicate that fact.
(2)
Water supervisor. The Health Department and the Water Utilities Department
shall be kept informed of the identity of the person responsible for
the water piping on all premises concerned with these regulations.
At each premises where it is necessary, in the opinion of the Water
Utilities Department, a water supervisor shall be designated. This
water supervisor shall be responsible for the installation and use
of pipelines and equipment and for the avoidance of cross-connections.
(3)
In the event of contamination or pollution of the drinking water
system due to a cross-connection on the premises, the local Health
Officer, New York State Department of Health local office and Water
Utilities Department shall be promptly advised by the person responsible
for the water system so that appropriate measures may be taken to
overcome the contamination.
A.
No water service connection to any premises shall be installed or
maintained by the Water Utilities Department unless the water supply
is protected as required by state regulations and this chapter.
B.
Service of water to any premises may be discontinued by the Water
Utilities Department if a backflow preventive device required by this
chapter is not installed, tested and maintained, if any defect is
found in an installed backflow preventive device, if it is found that
a backflow preventive device has been removed or bypassed or if unprotected
cross-connections exist on the premises. Service will not be restored
until such conditions or defects are corrected.
Any person who violates any provision of this chapter, other
than nonpayment of water bills, shall, upon conviction thereof, be
subject to a fine not to exceed $500 or imprisonment for a term not
to exceed 15 days, or both.
