[HISTORY: Adopted by the Board of Commissioners of the Township
of Vanport as indicated in article histories. Amendments noted where
applicable.]
[Adopted 9-14-1998 by Ord. No. 282]
A.
Purpose. The purpose of this article is to:
(1)
Protect the public water supply system from contamination or pollution
by isolating within the consumer's water system contaminants
or pollutants which could backflow through the service connection
into the public water supply system.
(2)
Promote the elimination or control of existing cross-connections,
actual or potential, between the public or consumer's potable
water system and nonpotable water systems, plumbing fixtures and sources
or systems containing process fluids.
(3)
Provide for the maintenance of a continuing program of cross-connection
control which will systematically and effectively prevent the contamination
or pollution of the public and consumer's potable water system.
B.
Application. This article shall apply to all premises served by the
public water supply system maintained and operated by the Vanport
Township Municipal Authority within the Township of Vanport.
C.
Policy. The public water supplier and the consumer have the joint
responsibility for protection of the public water supply system from
contamination due to backflow of contaminants through the water service
connection. If, in the judgment of the public water supplier or its
authorized representative, an approved backflow prevention device
is required, the supplier shall give notice to the consumer to install
such approved backflow prevention device at each service connection
to his premises. The consumer shall immediately install such approved
device or devices at his own expense and failure, refusal or inability
on the part of the consumer to install such device or devices shall
constitute grounds for discontinuing water service to the premises
until such device or devices have been installed.
For the purpose of this article, the following words shall have
the meanings indicated unless clearly indicated otherwise in the text:
A cross-connection having all of the following characteristics:
The source of the supply other than the lines of the Vanport
Township Municipal Authority, directly connected, is a source approved
by the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection as an acceptable,
safe and sanitary source of public water supply and which continues
as such at all times when the cross-connection is in existence.
It is installed or continued in existence with the knowledge
and specific consent of the Authority, and, when installed on the
premises of a customer or installed by a customer, such consent shall
be evidenced by proper written agreements or approval.
It is installed or continued in existence and operated at all
times in strict compliance with all applicable laws, ordinances, rules
and regulations.
The Federal Water Pollution Control Act, also known as the
"Clean Water Act," as amended, 33 U.S.C. § 1251 et seq.
The unobstructed vertical distance through the free atmosphere
between the lowest opening from any pipe or faucet supplying water
to a tank, plumbing fixture or to other devices and the flood level
rim of said vessel. An approved air gap shall be at least double the
diameter of the supply pipe, measured vertically, above the top of
the rim of the vessel and, in no case, less than one inch. When an
air gap is used at the service connection to prevent the contamination
or pollution of the public potable water system, it is required that
an emergency bypass be installed around the air gap system and an
approved reduced pressure principle device shall be installed in the
bypass system.
Accepted by the Vanport Township Municipal Authority as meeting
an applicable specification stated or cited in its rules and regulations
or as suitable for the proposed use. The term "approved" used in reference
to a backflow prevention device shall mean a backflow prevention device
that meets the requirements of the American Water Works Association's
standard C506-69 and the Foundation for Cross-Connection Control and
Hydraulic Research of the University of Southern California and is
acceptable to the Vanport Township Municipal Authority. Competent
testing laboratories other than the Foundation for Cross-Connection
Control may be qualified by the Authority to approve backflow preventers.
That a backflow prevention device or method has been accepted
by the Vanport Township Municipal Authority as suitable for the proposed
use.
A device containing a shutoff valve followed by a valve body
containing a float-check, a check seat and an air inlet port. When
the shutoff valve is open, the flow of water causes the float to close
the air inlet port. When the shutoff valve is closed, the float falls
and forms a check valve against back siphonage and at the same time
opens the air inlet port.
A principal executive officer of at least the level of vice
president if the industrial user is a corporation.
A general partner or proprietor if the industrial user is a partnership or proprietorship,
respectively.
A duly authorized representative of the individual designated
above if such representative is responsible for the overall operation
of the facilities from which the indirect discharge originates.
Any water source or system on the premises of or available
to the customer except connections to other approved community water
supply systems.
The flow of water or other liquids, mixtures or substances
into the potable water distribution system of Vanport Township Municipal
Authority from any source or sources other than its intended source.
Back siphonage and back pressure are two types of backflow specifically
contemplated by these rules and regulations.
Types, uses, advantages and limitations. There are three
types of devices: reduced-pressure principle device (RPPD); double-check
valve assembly (DCVA); and air gap (AG) which are designed to prevent
the occurrence of backflow.
The backflow of water or mixture of water and other liquids,
gases or other substances from a plumbing fixture or other customer
source into a public water supply system main due to a temporary negative
or subatmospheric pressure within the public water supply system.
The water distribution system that furnishes water for general
use, owned and operated by the Vanport Township Municipal Authority
of Beaver County, Pennsylvania, and is recognized by regulatory agencies
as a community potable water supply system.
The owner or person in control of any premises supplied by
or in any manner connected to a public water supply system.
Any water system, located on the consumer's premises,
supplied by or in any manner connected to a public water supply system.
A household plumbing system is considered to be a consumer's
water system.
Cross-connection control which isolates the customer's
entire facility from the public water supply system so as to provide
the protection necessary to prevent contamination of the public water
supply in the event of backflow from the customer's facility.
The degradation of the quality of the drinking water by wastewaters,
processed fluids or any water of a quality less than accepted drinking
water quality to a degree which would create an actual hazard to the
public health through poisoning or through the spread of disease.
A physical arrangement whereby a public water supply system
is connected with another water system, public or private, in such
a manner that a flow of water into such public water supply system
from such other water system is possible. Specifically, it is the
intent of these regulations to regulate any system containing water
or substances, the quality and quantity of which cannot be approved
by county, state or federal regulatory agencies.
An evaluation of the potential risk to health and the adverse
effect upon the public water supply system.
An assembly composed of two single, independently acting
check valves, including tightly closing shutoff valves located at
each end of the assembly and suitable connections for testing the
water tightness of each check valve.
Any condition, device or practice in a water system or its
operation that creates or may create a danger to the health and well
being of its users. The word "severe" as used to qualify "health hazard"
means a hazard to the health of the user that could reasonably be
expected to result in the significant morbidity or death.
An arrangement or device that will allow alternate but not
simultaneous use of two sources of water.
A plumbing arrangement, other than a cross-connection, by
which contamination might be admitted to or drawn into the distribution
system of the Authority or into lines connected therewith used for
the conveyance of potable water. For the purposes of these rules and
regulations, when the term "cross-connection" is used for regulatory
purposes, it shall be meant to include interconnection in all instances.
Extensions of distribution pipelines beyond existing facilities
and exclusive of service connections.
Distribution pipelines which are located in streets, highways,
etc., public ways or private rights-of-way and which are used to serve
the general public.
An installation, including one or more meters placed at one
or more locations for the purpose of serving one or more premises
in a building or a related group of buildings, in a facility or related
group of facilities, in an area or a related group of areas, and in
such other properties. More than one meter may be provided to allow
flexibility of operation, or furnish adequate capacity, or to permit
more accurate measurement of water, or due to the physical layout
of the property.
Water not safe for drinking, personal or culinary use.
The person, whether a natural person, partnership or corporation,
in whom is vested ownership, dominion or title, of any premises which
is or is about to be supplied with water by the Vanport Township Municipal
Authority. Whenever used herein, the singular will include the plural
and the plural the singular.
Any individual, partnership, association, company, corporation,
municipality, municipal authority, political subdivision or any agency
of the federal or state governments. The term includes the officers,
employees and agents of any partnership, association, company, corporation,
municipality, municipal authority, political subdivision or an agency
of federal or state government.
The presence of any foreign substance (organic, inorganic
or biological) in water which tends to degrade its qualities so as
to constitute a hazard or impair the usefulness or quality of the
water to a degree which does not create an actual public health hazard
but which does adversely or unreasonably affect such water for domestic
use.
Water which is safe for human consumption according to recognized
state and federal standards.
Provision of water to premises exclusively for fire protection.
Any fluid or solution which may be chemically, biologically
or otherwise contaminated or polluted in a form or concentration such
as would constitute a health, pollutional or system hazard if introduced
into the public or a consumer's water system. This includes,
but is not limited to:
Polluted or contaminated waters.
Process waters.
Used waters originating from the public water system which may
have deteriorated in sanitary quality.
Cooling waters.
Contaminated natural waters taken from wells, lakes, streams
or irrigation systems.
Chemicals in solution or suspension.
Oils, gases, acids, alkalis and other liquid and gaseous fluids
used in industrial or other processes or for fire-fighting purposes.
Heating system waters from boilers or heat pumps.
The Vanport Township Municipal Authority.
Any part of a water supply utility operated by a municipal
corporation, company or individual authorized by written permit issued
by the Department of Environmental Protection in accordance with the
laws of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania to supply water and extend
distribution facilities to the public.
A device that shall incorporate two or more check valves
and an automatically operating differential relief valve located between
the two check valves and two tightly closing shutoff valves and shall
be 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 Vanport Township Municipal Authority
potable water supply side of the device. At cessation of the 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 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 and vent to the atmosphere,
thereby providing an air gap in the device. To be approved by the
Authority or its designated agents, the device must be readily accessible
for maintenance and testing and installed in a location where no part
of the device will be subject to outside flooding. The device shall
be used on the service connections which may be subject to backflow
and where there is a possibility of contamination that constitutes
an actual or potential health hazard.
The terminal end of a service line from the public water
supply system. If a meter is installed at the end of the service,
then the "service connection" means the downstream end of the meter.
A condition posing an actual or potential threat of damage
to the physical properties of the public water system or the consumer's
potable water system.
A.
The water system shall be considered as made up of two parts: the
public water supply system and the consumer's water system.
B.
The public water supply system shall consist of the source facilities
and the distribution system and shall include all those facilities
of the public water supply system under the control of the Vanport
Township Municipal Authority up to the point where the consumer's
water system begins.
C.
The source shall include all components of the facilities utilized
in the production, treatment, storage and delivery of water to the
public distribution system.
D.
The public distribution system shall include the network of conduits
used for delivery of water from the source to the consumer's
water system.
E.
The consumer's water system shall include all facilities beyond
the service connection which are utilized in conveying water from
the public distribution system to points of use.
A.
No water service connection shall be installed or maintained to any
premises where actual or potential cross-connections to the public
water supply system or consumer's water system may exist unless
such actual or potential cross-connections are abated or controlled
to the satisfaction of the public water supplier.
B.
No connection shall be installed or maintained whereby water from
an auxiliary water supply may enter a public or consumer's water
system unless such auxiliary water supply and the method of connection
and use of such supply shall have been approved.
A.
The consumer's premises shall be open at all reasonable times
to the Vanport Township Municipal Authority or its authorized representative
for the purposes of conducting surveys and investigations of water
use practices within the consumer's premises to determine whether
there are actual or potential cross-connections to the consumer's
water system through which contaminants or pollutants could backflow
into the public potable water system.
B.
On request by the Vanport Township Municipal Authority, the consumer
shall furnish information on water use practices within his premises.
C.
It shall be the responsibility of the water consumer to conduct periodic
surveys of water use practices on his premises to determine whether
there are actual or potential cross-connections to his water system
through which contaminants or pollutants could backflow into the public
water supply system.
A.
An approved backflow prevention device shall be installed prior to
the first branch line leading off each service line to a consumer's
water system where, in the judgment of the Vanport Township Municipal
Authority, an actual or potential hazard to the public water supply
system exists.
B.
An approved backflow prevention device shall be installed on each
service line to a consumer's water system where the following
conditions exist:
(1)
Systems having an auxiliary water supply, unless such auxiliary supply
is accepted as an additional source by the Vanport Township Municipal
Authority and approved by the Department of Environmental Protection.
(2)
Systems where any substance is handled in such a fashion as to create
an actual or potential hazard to the public water supply system. This
shall include systems having sources or auxiliary systems containing
process fluids or waters originating from the Vanport Township Municipal
Authority system which are no longer under the sanitary control of
the water purveyor.
(3)
Systems having internal cross-connections that, in the judgement
of the Vanport Township Municipal Authority, are not correctable or
intricate plumbing arrangements which make it impractical to determine
whether or not cross-connections exist.
(4)
Systems where, because of security requirements or other prohibitions
or restrictions, it is impossible or impractical to make a complete
cross-connection survey.
(5)
Systems having a repeated history of cross-connections being established
or reestablished.
(6)
Others specified by the public water supplier.
C.
An approved backflow prevention device shall be installed on each
service line to a consumer's water system serving the following
types of facilities unless the public water supplier determines that
no actual or potential hazard to the public water supply system exists:
(1)
Hospitals, mortuaries, clinics, nursing homes.
(2)
Laboratories.
(3)
Piers, docks, waterfront facilities.
(4)
Sewage treatment plants, sewage pumping station or stormwater pumping
station.
(5)
Food or beverage processing plants.
(6)
Chemical plants.
(7)
Metal plating industries.
(8)
Petroleum processing or storage plants.
(9)
Radioactive material processing plants.
(10)
Car wash or truck wash.
(11)
Others specified by the Vanport Township Municipal Authority.
The type of protection required under § 178-6A, B and C of this article shall depend on the degree of hazard which exists as follows:
A.
An approved air gap separation shall be installed where the public
water supply system may be contaminated with substances that are dangerous
to the public health and could cause a severe health hazard.
B.
An approved air gap separation or an approved reduced-pressure zone
backflow prevention device shall be installed where the public water-supply
system may be contaminated with a substance that could cause a system
or health hazard.
C.
An approved air gap separation or an approved reduced-pressure zone
backflow prevention device or an approved double-check valve assembly
shall be installed where the public water supply system may be polluted
with substances that would be objectionable but not dangerous to health.
A.
Any backflow prevention device required by this article shall be
of a model or construction approved by the public water supplier and
shall comply with the following:
(1)
Air gap separation to be approved shall be at least twice the diameter
of the supply pipe, measured vertically above the top rim of the vessel,
but in no case less than one inch.
(2)
Double-check valve assembly; AWWA standards.
(a)
A double-check valve assembly or a reduced pressure zone backflow
prevention device shall be approved by the public water supplier and
shall mean a device that has been manufactured in full conformance
with standards established by the American Water Works Association
(AWWA) entitled, "AWWA C506 Standards for Reduced Pressure Principle
and Double Check Valve Backflow Prevention Devices."
(b)
Said AWWA standards are herein adopted by the Vanport Township
Municipal Authority. Final approval, however, of the reduced-pressure
principle backflow preventer and the double-check valve assembly shall
be evidenced by a certificate of full approval issued by an approved
testing laboratory certifying full compliance with said AWWA standards.
(3)
An interchangeable connection to be approved shall be either a swing-type
connector or a four-way valve of the lubricated-plug-type that operates
through a mechanism which unseats the plug, turns it 90° and reseats
the plug. Four-way valves shall not be used as stop valves but must
have separate stop valves on each pipe connected to the valve. The
telltale port on the four-way valve shall have no piping connected
and the threads or flange on this port shall be destroyed so that
a connection cannot be made.
B.
Existing backflow prevention devices approved by the public water supplier at the time of installation and properly maintained shall, except for inspection and maintenance requirements, be excluded from the requirement of § 178-8A of this article, provided that the Vanport Township Municipal Authority is assured that they will satisfactorily protect the public potable supply system. Whenever the existing device is moved from the present location or requires more than minimum maintenance or when the public water supplier finds that the maintenance of the device constitutes a hazard to health, the device shall be replaced by a backflow prevention device meeting the requirements of this article.
A.
Backflow prevention devices required by this article shall be installed
at a location and in a manner approved by the public water supplier
and shall be installed by a person properly qualified and at the expense
of the water consumer.
B.
Backflow prevention devices installed on the service line to a consumer's
water system shall be located on the consumer's side of the water
meter, as close to the meter as is reasonably practical, and prior
to any other connection.
C.
Pits or vaults shall be of watertight construction, be so located
and constructed as to prevent flooding and shall be maintained free
from standing water by means of either a sump and pump or a suitable
drain. Such sump pump or drain shall not connect to a sanitary sewer
nor permit flooding of the pit or vault by reverse flow from its point
of discharge. An access ladder and adequate natural or artificial
lighting shall be provided to permit maintenance inspection and testing
of the backflow prevention device.
A.
It shall be the duty of the consumer at any premises on which backflow
prevention devices required by this article are installed to have
inspections, tests and overhaul made in accordance with the following
schedule or more often where inspections indicate a need:
(1)
Air separation shall be inspected at time of installation and at
least every 12 months thereafter.
(2)
Double-check valve assemblies shall be inspected and tested for tightness
at the time of installation and at least every 12 months thereafter.
They shall be dismantled, inspected internally, cleaned and repaired
whenever needed and at least every 30 months.
(3)
Reduced-pressure zone backflow prevention devices shall be inspected
and tested for tightness at the time of installation and at least
every 12 months thereafter. They shall be dismantled, inspected internally,
cleaned and repaired whenever needed and at least every five years.
(4)
Interchangeable connections shall be inspected at the time of installation
and at least every 12 months thereafter.
B.
Inspections, tests and overhaul of backflow prevention devices shall
be made at the expense of the water consumer and shall be performed
by the Vanport Township Municipal Authority or a person qualified
to inspect, test and overhaul backflow prevention devices.
C.
Whenever backflow prevention devices required by this article are
found to be defective, they shall be repaired or replaced at the expense
of the consumer without delay.
D.
The water consumer must maintain a complete record of each backflow
prevention device from purchase to retirement. This shall include
a comprehensive listing that includes a record of all tests, inspections
and repairs. Records of inspections, tests, repairs and overhaul shall
be submitted to the public water supplier upon request.
E.
Backflow prevention devices shall not be bypassed, made inoperative,
removed or otherwise made ineffective without specific authorization
by the water supplier.
A.
Where a booster pump has been installed on the service line to or
within any premises, such pump shall be equipped with a low-pressure
cutoff device designed to shut off the booster pump when the pressure
in the service line on the suction side of the pump drops to 10 pounds
per square inch gauge or less for a period of 30 seconds or longer.
B.
It shall be the duty of the water consumer to maintain the low-pressure
cutoff device in proper working order and to certify to the public
water supplier, at least once a year, that the device is operating
properly.
A.
The Vanport Township Municipal Authority may deny or discontinue,
after reasonable notice to the occupants thereof, the water service
to any premises wherein any backflow prevention device required by
this article is not installed, tested and maintained in a manner acceptable
to the public water supplier, or if it is found that the backflow
prevention device has been removed or bypassed, or if an unprotected
cross-connection exists on the premises, or if a low-pressure cutoff
device required by this article is not installed and maintained in
working order.
B.
Water service to such premises shall not be restored until the consumer
has corrected or eliminated such conditions or defects in conformance
with this article and to the satisfaction of the public water supplier.
