Village of Canisteo backflow prevention requirements are administered
by Village departments as follows:
A. The Village of Canisteo Codes Enforcement/Building Inspection Department
is responsible for administering three portions of the NYS Department
of Health cross-connection prevention provisions.
(1) Existing service identification. In the year of 2020, the Village
of Canisteo initiated an annual commercial inspection process as mandated
by International Building Code (IBC) Section 1204.12. During these inspections, determinations are made as to
the level of cross-connection protection as required by IPC Table
608.1, Application for Backflow Preventers.
See Appendix B.
(a)
Where secondary backflow prevention is not required, this information
is noted on the commercial inspection form.
(b)
Where secondary backflows already exist, this information is
entered into the commercial inspection form as well as the backflow
prevention inventory record maintained by the Codes Enforcement Officer.
(c)
Where the occupancy or facility is inspected but no secondary
backflow device exists at the point of service, the water service
customer is provided with basic backflow prevention information and
the Codes Enforcement Officer shall determine whether additional backflow
prevention is required.
(2) Backflow inventory records. An inventory of all Village of Canisteo
required backflow prevention assemblies is to be maintained by the
Codes Enforcement Officer as required by the NYS Department of Health,
including copies of annual certification tests and maintenance records
for each required assembly.
(3) Incident response and enforcement. The Village of Canisteo Codes
Enforcement Officer and the Village of Canisteo Department of Public
Works are required to respond to all incidents of backflow into the
public water system; the Department of Public Works for termination
of water service if necessary to protect the public water supply.
The Codes Enforcement Officer is responsible for enforcement of compliance
with annual testing and maintenance of required backflow prevention
assemblies.
B. The Codes
Enforcement Officer is responsible for determining the type and location
of all required backflow prevention assemblies, including plan review,
permit issuance and installation inspection of all such assemblies.
As used in this article, the following terms shall have the
meanings indicated:
BACKFLOW
The undesirable reversal of flow of water or mixtures of
water and other liquids, gases or other substances into the distribution
system of the public water supply.
BACK PRESSURE
A form of backflow due to any elevation of pressure in the
downstream piping system (by pump, elevation of piping, or steam/or
air pressure) above the supply pressure at the point of service delivery
which could cause, or tend to cause, a reversal of the normal direction
of flow through the backflow prevention assembly.
BACKSIPHONAGE
A form of backflow due to a reduction in system pressure,
which causes a negative or subatmospheric pressure to exist at a point
in the system.
CERTIFIED TESTER
An individual certified to test backflow prevention assemblies
by the New York State Health Department, American Water Works Association
(AWWA) or other agencies or organizations involved in the training
and certification of testers if they are acceptable to the New York
State Department of Health Cross-Connection Control Division.
CODES ENFORCEMENT OFFICER
The person who has been trained by the Department of State,
of the State of New York, and has passed all qualifying testing required
to be licensed by such.
CROSS-CONNECTION
Any unprotected or potential connection or structural arrangement
between a public or a customer's potable water system and any other
source or system through which it is possible to introduce into any
part of the potable water system any used water, industrial fluid,
gas, or other substance than the intended potable water with which
the system is supplied. Bypass arrangements, jumper connections, removable
sections, swivel or changeover devices and other temporary or permanent
devices through which or because of which backflow can or may occur
are considered to be cross-connections. Compliance with this article
creates a rebuttable presumption that a cross-connection does not
exist.
DIRECTOR
The Water Services Director for the Village of Canisteo,
or his/her authorized deputy, agent, designee or representative.
PLANNING AND ZONING DIRECTOR
The director of the Planning and Zoning Services Department,
or his/her authorized deputy, agent, designee or representative.
POINT OF SERVICE DELIVERY
The terminal end or a service connection from the public
water system. If a meter is installed at the end of the service connection,
then the point of service delivery shall mean the downstream end (i.e.,
customer's side) of the meter. If an unmetered connection exists,
then the point of service delivery shall mean the point of the demarcation
between the public right-of-way or easements and private property.
WATER FROM ANY SOURCE
Any water, including reclaimed wastewater from a wastewater
treatment facility or cooling tower.
This includes all new buildings, additions, remodeling, tenant
improvements, changes in occupancy and new water services for existing
properties. Codes Enforcement staff reviews for and applies the backflow
prevention requirements of the NYS Department of Health and the IRC
as part of the standard plan review, permit issuance and inspection
process.
Three alternatives exist when the owner of an existing water
service is referred to Codes Enforcement for determination of compliance
with the IRC Section P2902.3.
A. The water service customer may choose to apply for a permit to install
a secondary backflow prevention assembly to be located as close as
practicable to the point of water service to the property. Codes Enforcement
will review and process this permit application in accordance with
standard procedures; or
B. The water service customer may choose to submit an alternative plan
for compliance with IRC/NYS Department of Health Codes by means of
alternative backflow prevention methods. This plan may be prepared
by the owner, by a qualified contractor, or by a professional engineer
depending upon the complexity of the existing plumbing system and/or
the complexity of the compliance plan. Evaluation of the plan by Codes
Enforcement requires payment of a plan review fee. Codes Enforcement
staff will approve, modify or disapprove of the plan in the same manner
as any plumbing alteration plan review. A permit is required for the
installation of any additional backflow prevention assembly(s) as
may be determined by this plan review; or
C. The water service customer may choose to request Codes to evaluate the customer's internal plumbing system for compliance with the required codes, without requiring the installation of additional backflow prevention assemblies. The form of this request must be a report or plan similar to that described in Subsection
B, above, documenting why the owner believes that the property already complies with the Code without requiring any additional devices. Evaluation of this request by Codes Enforcement also requires a payment of a plan review fee, and will result in either acceptance of the existing situation or orders to obtain a permit and install the proper backflow preventer indicated by the circumstances.
All decisions of Codes Enforcement regarding backflow prevention
are applicable as follows:
A. Codes Enforcement staff decisions as to the need for backflow prevention
assemblies, the type of assembly, the installation standards, or the
required location may be appealed to the Building Official and to
the Zoning Board.
B. Design review. Appeals from applicable design review guidelines may
be made to Codes Enforcement and the Zoning Board.
C. Zoning ordinance. Appeals from applicable zoning ordinance requirements
may be made to the Zoning Board.
Unless otherwise specified by the Codes Enforcement Officer
or the Steuben County Department of Health:
A. An approved backflow prevention method shall be one of the following
types:
(1) Air gap. An unobstructed vertical distance through the free atmosphere
between the opening of any pipe or faucet supplying potable water
to a tank, plumbing fixture or other device and the floodlevel rim
of said tank, plumbing fixture or other device. An approved air gap
shall be at least double the diameter of the supply pipe or faucet
and in no case less than one inch.
(2) Reduced pressure zone (hereafter RPZ). An assembly containing two
independently acting approved check valves, together with a hydraulically
operating mechanically independent pressure differential relief valve
located between the check valves and at the same time below the first
check valve. The assembly shall include properly located test cocks
equipped with brass plugs and tightly closing resilient seated shutoff
valves at each end of the assembly.
(3) Pressure vacuum breaker assembly (hereafter PVB). An assembly containing
an independently operating, loaded check valve and an independently
operating, loaded air inlet valve located on the discharge side of
the check valve. The assembly shall include properly located test
cocks equipped with brass plugs and tightly closing resilient seated
shutoff valves at each end of the assembly.
(4) Double check valve assembly (hereafter DCV). An assembly composed
of two independently acting approved check valves, including tightly
closing resilient shutoff valves at each end of the assembly and fitted
with properly located test cocks equipped with brass plugs.
B. Requirements for new services and existing services. An approved
backflow prevention method is required for the activities or facilities
listed in this paragraph that are connected to the public water system.
The backflow prevention method shall be in accordance with IPC Table
608.1. The location shall be as close as practicable to the point
of service delivery. In no case shall there be a connection between
the backflow device and the meter or upstream delivery point.
(1) Industrial facilities:
(a)
Laundry and dye works (air gap or RPZ).
(b)
Metal manufacturing, cleaning, processing, and fabrication plants
(air gap, RPZ, or DCV).
(c)
Sewage and storm drain facilities (air gap or RPZ).
(2) Medical facilities:
(a)
Hospitals, medical buildings, sanitariums, mortuaries, funeral
facilities, convalescent homes and clinics (air gap or RPZ).
(b)
Veterinary hospital, animal research, or animal grooming shops
(air gap or RPZ).
(3) Commercial and educational facilities:
(a)
Buildings. Any structure having a cross-connection in violation
of the IPC, or water operated sewage pumping facilities, auxiliary
water supplies or other sources of contamination which would create
a potential hazard to the public water system (air gap, RPZ, or DCV).
(b)
Car wash facilities (air gap or RPZ).
(c)
Multiple services (air gap, RPZ, or DCV).
(d)
Mobile home parks (RPZ or DCV).
(e)
Schools or colleges with laboratories (Air gap or RPZ).
(4) Portable or temporary services or equipment:
(a)
Construction sites or construction water services (air gap or
RPZ).
(b)
Mobile equipment using public potable water (i.e., water trucks,
street sweepers, hydro-vacs, etc.) (air Gap or RPZ).
(c)
Portable insecticide and herbicide spray trucks (air gap or
RPZ).
(5) Miscellaneous activities and equipment.
(a)
Auxiliary water systems (air gap or RPZ).
(b)
Chemically contaminated water systems (air gap or RPZ).
(c)
Fire systems; water, foam, deluge, chemical suppression (RPZ
or DCV).
(d)
Industrial fluid systems; any industrial systems interconnected
with the public water system and containing any fluid or solution
which would constitute a public health problem (air gap or RPZ).
(e)
Irrigation systems (RPZ).
(f)
Restricted, classified, or other closed facilities including
civil works (air gap or RPZ).
(g)
Solar heating systems, direct and auxiliary (RPZ).
(6) Exception. Once through solar heating systems.
C. The Codes Enforcement Officer (CEO) shall determine on a case-by-case
basis backflow prevention requirements for any facility or activity
not listed in this section in order to prevent contamination or pollution
of the public potable water system.
D. All assemblies shall be accessible for testing and maintenance. As
per code, 30 inches to center off finished floor, eight inches to
center off of wall. A reduced pressure zone assembly or a double check
valve assembly shall not be installed in a basement, meter box, pit,
or vault unless adequate clearance and drainage is provided. A pressure
vacuum breaker shall be installed above ground.
E. Unless a cross-connection problem is specifically identified, or
as otherwise provided in this article, the requirements of this article
do not apply to single-family residences used solely for residential
purposes.
F. "Close as practicable" is the point nearest the service delivery
area where the assembly can be installed. Where the assembly installation
may interfere with obstacles such as driveways and sidewalks, then
"close as practicable" is the nearest point after the obstacles, but
in no event the first tap.
G. An air gap separation shall be located as close as possible to the
customer's point of service delivery. All piping between the customer's
connection and receiving tank shall be entirely visible unless otherwise
approved by the CEO.