[Ord. 909, 7/13/1995,
§ 1]
1.
Purpose of Part.
A.
To protect the safe drinking water supply of the Borough of Aspinwall
from the possibility of contamination or pollution by requiring compliance
with state and local plumbing codes, health regulations, OSHA and
other applicable industry standards for water system safety within
the consumer's internal distribution system(s) or private water
system(s). Compliance with these minimum safety codes will be considered
reasonable vigilance for prevention of contaminants or pollutants
which could backflow into the public drinking water systems.
B.
To promote reasonable elimination or control of cross connections
in the plumbing fixtures and industrial piping system(s) of the consumer,
as required by state and local plumbing codes, health regulations,
OSHA and other applicable industry standards to assure water system
safety.
C.
To provide for the administration of a continuing program of backflow
prevention which will systematically and effectively prevent the contamination
or pollution of all water systems.
2.
Responsibility.
A.
The Borough of Aspinwall shall be responsible for the protection
of the drinking water distribution system from foreseeable conditions
leading to possible contamination or pollution of the drinking water
system due to the backflow of contaminants or pollutants into the
drinking water supply.
B.
Drinking water system surveys/inspections of the consumer's
water distribution system(s) shall be conducted or caused to be conducted
by individuals deemed qualified by and representing the Borough of
Aspinwall, survey records shall indicate compliance with the aforementioned
health and safety standards. All such records will be maintained by
the Borough of Aspinwall.
C.
The Borough of Aspinwall shall notify, in writing, all consumers
of the need for the periodic system survey to insure compliance with
existing applicable minimum health and safety standards.
D.
Selection of an approved backflow prevention assembly for containment
control required at the service entrance shall be determined from
the results of the system survey.
3.
Consumer's Responsibility.
4.
Plumbing Official Responsibility.
A.
The plumbing official's responsibility to enforce the applicable
sections of the plumbing code begins at the point of service (downstream
or consumer side of the meter) and continues throughout the developed
length of the consumer's water system.
B.
Water vacating the drinking water supply must do so via approved
air gap or approved mechanical backflow prevention assembly, properly
installed and in accordance with the Local Plumbing Code.
5.
Certified Backflow Assembly Technicians, Surveyors or Repair Persons
Responsibilities.
A.
Whether employed by the consumer or a utility to survey, test, repair
or maintain backflow prevention assemblies the certified backflow
technicians, surveyors or repair persons will have the following responsibilities:
(1)
Insuring acceptable testing equipment and procedures are used
for testing, repairing, or overhauling backflow prevention assemblies.
(2)
Make reports of such testing and/or repair to the consumer,
water purveyor, and the Bureau of Drinking Water/Sanitation on forms
approved for such use by the Bureau of Drinking Water/Sanitation,
and within the time frames prescribed by the Bureau of Drinking Water/Sanitation.
(3)
The report shall include the list of materials or replacement
parts used.
(4)
Insuring replacement parts are equal in quality to parts originally
supplied by the manufacturer of the assembly being repaired.
(5)
Not changing the design, material or operational characteristics
of the assembly during testing, repair or maintenance.
(6)
A certified technician shall perform all tests of the mechanical
devices/assemblies and be responsible for the competence and accuracy
of all tests and reports.
(7)
Insuring his license is current, the testing equipment being
used is acceptable to the state, and is in proper operating condition.
(8)
Be equipped with, and be competent to use, all necessary tools,
gauges and other equipment necessary to properly test and maintain
backflow prevention assemblies.
(9)
The certified technician conducting the test must tag each double
check valve, pressure vacuum breaker, reduced pressure backflow assembly
and high hazard air gap, showing the serial number, date tested and
by whom. The technician's license number must also be on this
tag.
B.
In case of a consumer requiring a commercially available technician,
any certified technician is authorized to make the test and report
the results of that test to the consumer, water purveyor and the State
Health Department, Allegheny County Health Department. If such a commercially
tested assembly is in need of repair, a licensed journeyman or trades
person recognized by the authority having jurisdiction shall make
the actual repair.
[Ord. 909, 7/13/1995,
§ 2]
Accepted by the State Department of Health, Allegheny County
Health Department, as meeting an applicable specification or as suitable
for the proposed use.
Any water supply on or available to the premises other than
the purveyor's public water supply will be considered as an auxiliary
water supply. These auxiliary waters may include water from another
purveyor's public potable water supply or any natural source(s)
such as a well, spring, river, stream, harbor, etc., or "used waters"
or "industrial fluids." These waters may be contaminated or polluted
or they may be objectionable and constitute an unacceptable water
source over which the water purveyor does not have authority for sanitary
control.
The flow of water or other liquids, mixtures or substances
under pressure into the feeding distribution pipes of a potable water
supply system from any source(s) other than the intended source.
The flow of water or other liquids, mixtures or substances
into the distribution pipes of a potable water supply system from
any source(s) other than the intended source, caused by the reduction
of pressure in the potable water supply system.
The reversal of the normal flow of water caused by either
back-pressure or backsiphonage.
An assembly or means designed to prevent backflow. Specifications
for backflow prevention assemblies are contained within the Local
Plumbing Code and the Backflow Prevention Program approved by the
state.
A degradation of the quality of the potable water supply
by sewage, industrial fluids or waste liquids, compounds or other
materials.
Any physical connection or arrangement of piping or fixtures
which may allow nonpotable water or industrial fluids or other material
of questionable quality to come in contact with potable water inside
a distribution system. This would include any temporary connections,
such as swing connections, removable sections, four way plug valves,
spools, dummy section of pipe, swivel or change-over devices or sliding
multiport tubes or other plumbing arrangement.
The installation of an approved backflow assembly at the
water service connection to any customer's premises where it
is physically and economically infeasible to find and permanently
eliminate or control all actual or potential cross connections within
the customer's water system; or, it shall mean the installation
of an approved backflow prevention assembly on the service line leading
to and supplying a portion of a customer's water system where
there are actual or potential cross connections which cannot be effectively
eliminated or controlled at the point of the cross connection (isolation).
A connection between a potable water system and a nonpotable
water system with an approved backflow prevention assembly properly
installed and maintained so that it will continuously afford the protection
commensurate with the degree of hazard.
Whenever the public water purveyor deems a service connection's
water usage contributes a sufficient hazard to the water supply, an
approved backflow prevention assembly shall be installed on the service
line of the identified consumer's water system, at or near the
property line, or immediately inside the building being served; but,
in all cases, before the first branch line leading off the service
line. The type of protective assembly required shall depend upon the
degree of hazard which exists at the point of cross connection (whether
direct or indirect), applicable to local and state requirements or
resulting from the required survey. All presently installed backflow
prevention assemblies which do not meet the requirements of this section
but were approved assemblies for the purposes described herein at
the time of installation and which have been properly maintained shall,
except for the inspection and maintenance requirements be excluded
from the requirements of these rules so long as the water purveyor
is assured that they will satisfactorily protect the public water
system. Whenever the existing assembly is moved from the present location
or, requires more than the minimum maintenance or, when the water
purveyor finds that the operation or maintenance of this assembly
constitutes a hazard to health, the unit shall be replaced by an approved
backflow prevention assembly meeting the local and state requirements.
It shall be the responsibility of the consumer at any premises where
backflow prevention assemblies are installed to have certified surveys/inspections,
and operational tests made at least once per year at the consumer's
expense. In those instances where the Public Water Purveyor deems
the hazard to be great, he may require certified surveys/inspections
and tests at a more frequent interval. It shall be the duty of the
public water purveyor to see that these tests are made according to
the standards set forth by the State Department of Health, Allegheny
County Health Department.
The person designated to be in charge of the Water Department
of the Borough of Aspinwall is invested with the authority and responsibility
for the implementation of an effective backflow prevention program
and for the enforcement of the provisions of this Part.
[Ord. 909, 7/13/1995,
§ 3]
1.
Policy. No water service connection to any premises shall be installed
or maintained by the public water purveyor unless the water supply
is protected as required by state laws, regulations, codes and this
Part. Service of water to a consumer found to be in violation of this
Part shall be discontinued by the water purveyor after due process
of written notification of violation and an appropriate time sequence
for voluntary compliance, if:
A.
A backflow prevention assembly required by this Part for control
of backflow and cross connection is not installed, tested and maintained.
B.
If it is found that a backflow prevention assembly has been removed
or by-passed.
C.
If an unprotected cross connection exists on the premises.
D.
If the periodic system survey has not been conducted.
2.
Service will not be restored until such conditions or defects are
corrected.
3.
The customer's system(s) shall be open for inspection at all
reasonable times to authorized representatives of the water purveyor
to determine whether cross connections or other structural or sanitary
hazards, including violation of this Part exist and to audit the results
of the required survey.
4.
All backflow prevention assemblies shall be tested within 10 working
days of initial installation.
5.
No backflow prevention assembly shall be installed so as to create
a safety hazard. Example: Installed over an electrical panel, steam
pipes, boilers, pits or above ceiling level.
6.
If violations of this Part exist or if there has not been any corrective
action taken by the consumer within 10 days of the written notification
of deficiencies noted within the survey, then the public water purveyor
shall deny or immediately discontinue service to the premises by providing
a physical break in the service line until the customer has corrected
the condition(s) in conformance with the state and City status relating
to plumbing, safe drinking water supplies and the regulations adopted
pursuant thereto.
|
Note: Backflow prevention assemblies MUST be installed by a
licensed journeyman tradesperson, who is recognized by the authority
having jurisdiction, and inspected for compliance with local safety
codes. Certified testing and maintenance are required to ensure proper
function and maximum effectiveness of assemblies. These services must
begin upon installation and be provided at intervals not to exceed
one year and as system conditions warrant.
|
