[HISTORY: Adopted by the Township Board of the Township of New Buffalo5-18-2020 by Ord. No. 2020-0518. Amendments noted where applicable.]
A. 
Purpose. The purpose of this chapter is:
(1) 
To protect the public potable water supply of New Buffalo Township from the possibility of contamination or pollution by isolating within the customer's internal distribution system(s) or the customer's private water system(s) such contaminates or pollutants that could backflow into the public water system; and
(2) 
To promote the elimination or control of existing cross-connections, actual or potential, between the customer's in-plant potable water system(s) and non-potable water systems, plumbing fixtures, and industrial piping systems; and
(3) 
To provide for the maintenance of a continuing program of cross-connection control that will systematically and effectively prevent the contamination or pollution of all potable water systems.
B. 
Responsibility. The Water Superintendent 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 said Water Superintendent, 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 Water Superintendent or his/her designated agent 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, the customer shall immediately install such approved assembly(s) at his/her own expense; and failure, refusal, or inability on the part of the customer to install, have tested, and maintain said assembly(s) shall constitute grounds for disconnecting water service to the premises until such requirements have been satisfactorily met.
A. 
The Township adopts by reference the water supply cross-connection rules of the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy, being R325.11401 to R325.11407 of the Michigan Administrative Code, and the procedures set forth in the Township's Cross-Connection Control Program.
B. 
It shall be the duty of the Township to cause inspections to be made of all properties served by the public drinking water supply where cross-connections with the public drinking water supply are deemed possible. The frequency of inspections and reinspections based on the potential health hazards involved shall be as established by the Township's Cross-Connection Control Program and as approved by the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy.
C. 
The representative of the Township shall have the right to enter at any reasonable time any property served by a connection to the public drinking water supply of the Township for the purpose of inspecting the piping system(s) thereof for cross-connections. On request, the owner, lessees, or occupants of any property so served shall furnish to the inspection agency any pertinent information regarding the piping system(s) on such property. The refusal of such information or refusal of access, when requested, shall be deemed evidence of the presence of a cross-connection.
D. 
The Township is hereby authorized and directed to discontinue water to any property wherein any cross-connection is found to exist in violation of this chapter, and to take such other precautionary measures deemed necessary to eliminate any danger of contamination of the public drinking water supply. Water service to such property shall not be restored until the cross-connection(s) has been eliminated in compliance with the provisions of this section and § 434-5B(12) of Chapter 434, Water System.
E. 
All testable backflow prevention assemblies shall be tested at the time of installation, relocation, and repairs. Subsequent testing of assemblies shall be conducted at a time interval specified by the Township and in accordance with Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy and Plumbing Code requirements. Only individuals that hold an active American Society of Sanitary Engineer (ASSE 5110) approved backflow testing certification shall perform such testing. Each tester shall also be approved by the Township. Individual(s) performing assembly testing shall certify the results of his/her testing and provide copies of such certification to the Township.
F. 
The potable water supply made available on the properties served by the public drinking water supply shall be protected from possible contamination as specified by this chapter and by the state plumbing code. Any water outlet which could be used for potable or domestic purposes and which is not supplied by the potable system must be labeled in a conspicuous manner as WATER UNSAFE FOR DRINKING.
Any person or water customer found guilty of violating any of the provisions of this section or any written order by the Township, in pursuance thereof, shall be deemed guilty of a misdemeanor and, upon conviction thereof, shall be punished by a fine of not less than $500 nor more than $1,000 for each violation that has not been corrected within the time frame as outlined by the Township in written form. Each day upon which a violation of the provisions of this section shall occur shall be deemed a separate and additional violation for the purpose of this section.
Ordinance No. 2007-11-19 is hereby repealed and replaced by this chapter. All ordinances or parts of ordinances in conflict herewith are hereby repealed.