(a)
To protect the public potable water supply of the city 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 contaminants or pollutants that could backflow into
the public water system;
(b)
To promote the elimination or control of existing cross-connections,
actual or potential, between the customer’s in-plant potable
water system(s) and nonpotable water systems, plumbing fixtures, and
industrial piping systems; and
(c)
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.
(2003 Code, sec. 13.1901)
The public works director or his/her designee 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 the public works director or his/her designee, 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 public works director or his/her
designee shall give notice in writing to said customer to install
such an approved backflow prevention assembly(ies) at specific location(s)
at the customer’s own expense, and failure, refusal, or inability
on the part of the customer to install, have tested and maintain said
assembly(ies) shall constitute grounds for discontinuing water service
to the premises until such requirements have been satisfactorily met.
(2003 Code, sec. 13.1902)
Approved by the authority responsible as meeting an applicable
specification stated or cited in this article or as suitable for the
proposed use.
Any water supply on or available to the premises other than
the purveyor’s approved public 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, and so forth; 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 sanitary control.
The undesirable reversal of flow in a potable water distribution
system as a result of a cross-connection.
An assembly or means designed to prevent backflow.
Air gap.
The unobstructed vertical distance through the free atmosphere
between the lowest opening from any pipe or faucet conveying water
or waste to a tank, plumbing fixture, receptor, or other assembly
and the flood level rim of the receptacle. These vertical physical
separations must be at least twice the diameter of the water supply
outlet, never less than 1 inch (25 mm).
Reduced pressure backflow prevention assembly.
The approved reduced pressure principle backflow prevention
assembly consists of two independently acting approved check valves
together with a hydraulically operating, mechanically independent
pressure differential relief valve located between the check valves
and below the first check valve. These units are located between two
tightly closing resilient-seated shut-off valves as an assembly and
equipped with properly located resilient-seated test cocks.
Double check valve assembly.
The approved double check valve assembly consists of two
internally loaded check valves, either spring loaded or internally
weighted, installed as a unit between two tightly closing resilient-seated
shut-off valves and fittings with properly located resilient-seated
test cocks. This assembly shall only be used to protect against a
non-health hazard (that is, a pollutant).
A pressure, higher than the supply pressure, caused by a
pump, elevated tank, boiler, or any other means that may cause backflow.
Backflow caused by negative or reduced pressure in the supply
piping.
An impairment of a potable water supply by the introduction
or admission of any foreign substance that degrades the quality and
creates a health hazard.
A connection or potential connection between any part of
a potable water system and any other environment containing other
substances in a manner that under any circumstance would allow such
substances to enter the potable water system. Other substances may
be gases, liquids, or solids such as chemicals, waste products, steam,
water from other sources (potable or nonpotable), or any matter that
may change the color or add odor to the water.
The installation of an approved backflow prevention assembly
at the water service connection to any customer’s premises,
where it is physically and economically unfeasible 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 that cannot be effectively
eliminated or controlled at the point of the cross-connection.
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.
The backflow inspector of the public works division of the
city is the designated official as assigned by the public works director
who is vested with the authority and responsibility for the implementation
of an effective cross-connection control program and for the enforcement
of the provisions of this article.
An evaluation of the potential risk to public health and
the adverse effect of the hazard upon the potable water system.
Health hazard.
A cross-connection or potential cross-connection involving
any substance that could, if introduced in the potable water supply,
cause death or illness, spread disease, or have a high probability
of causing such effects.
Non-health hazard.
A cross-connection or potential cross-connection involving
any substance that generally would not be a health hazard but would
constitute a nuisance or be aesthetically objectionable if introduced
into the potable water supply.
Plumbing hazard.
A plumbing-type cross-connection in a consumer’s potable
water system that has not been properly protected by an approved air
gap or an approved backflow prevention assembly.
System hazard.
An actual or potential threat of severe damage to the physical
properties of the public potable water system or the consumer’s
potable water system or of a pollution or contamination that would
have a protracted effect on the quality of the potable water in the
system.
Any system containing a fluid or solution that may be chemically,
biologically, or otherwise contaminated or polluted in a form or concentration
such as would constitute a health, system, pollution, or plumbing
hazard if introduced into an approved water supply. This may include,
but not be limited to: polluted or contaminated waters; all types
of process waters and used waters originating from the public potable
water system that may have been deteriorated in sanitary quality;
chemicals in fluid form; plating acids and alkalies; contaminated
natural waters, such as wells, springs, streams, rivers, bays, harbors,
seas, irrigation canals or systems, and so forth; oils, gases, glycerin,
paraffin, caustic and acid solutions; and other liquid and gaseous
fluids used in industrial or other purposes for firefighting purposes.
The presence of any foreign substance in water that tends
to degrade its quality so as to constitute a non-health hazard or
impair the usefulness of the water.
The terminal end of a service connection from the public
potable water system, that is, where the water purveyor loses jurisdiction
and sanitary control over the water at its point of delivery to the
customer’s water system. If a meter is installed at the end
of the service connection, then the service connection shall mean
the downstream end of the meter. There should be no unprotected takeoffs
from the service line ahead of any meter or backflow prevention assembly
located at the point of delivery to the customer’s water system.
Service connection shall also include the water service connection
from the public potable water system.
Water that is not safe for human consumption or that is of
questionable quality.
Water that is safe for human consumption as described by
the public health authority having jurisdiction.
Any water supplied by a water purveyor from a public potable
water system to a consumer’s water system after it has passed
through the point of delivery and is no longer under the sanitary
control of the water purveyor.
(2003 Code, sec. 13.1903)
Any person, firm, entity or corporation who violates any provision
of this article shall be deemed guilty of a misdemeanor, and upon
conviction therefor shall be fined in a sum not exceeding two thousand
dollars ($2,000.00). Each continuing day’s violation shall constitute
a separate offense. The penal provisions imposed under this article
shall not preclude the city from filing suit to enjoin the violation.
The city retains all legal rights and remedies available to it pursuant
to local, state and federal law.
(2003 Code, sec. 13.1906)
(a)
The water system shall be considered as made up of two parts: the
utility system and the customer system.
(b)
The utility system shall consist of the source facilities and the
distribution system, and shall include all those facilities of the
water system under the complete control of the utility, up to the
point where the customer’s system begins.
(c)
The source shall include all components of the facilities utilized
in the production, treatment, storage, and delivery of water to the
distribution system.
(d)
The distribution system shall include the network of conduits used
for the delivery of water from the source to the customer’s
system.
(e)
The customer’s system shall include those parts of the facilities
beyond the termination of the utility distribution system that are
utilized in conveying utility-delivered domestic water to points of
use.
(2003 Code, sec. 13.1904)
(a)
Protection required.
No water service connection to
any premises shall be installed or maintained by the water purveyor
unless the water supply is protected as required by state/provincial
laws and regulations and this article. Service of water to any premises
shall be discontinued by the water purveyor if a backflow prevention
assembly required by this article is not installed, tested, and maintained,
or if it is found that a backflow prevention assembly has been removed
or bypassed, or if an unprotected cross-connection exists on the premises.
Service will not be restored until such conditions or defects are
corrected.
(b)
Customer system inspection.
The customer’s system
should be open for inspection at all reasonable times to authorized
representatives of the city to determine whether cross-connections
or other structural or sanitary hazards, including violations of these
regulations, exist. When such a condition becomes known, the public
works director or his/her designee shall deny or immediately discontinue
service to the premises by providing for a physical break in the service
line until the customer has corrected the condition(s) in conformance
with state, federal and city statutes, ordinances and regulations
relating to plumbing and water supplies and the regulations adopted
pursuant thereto.
(c)
Backflow prevention assembly requirements.
An approved
backflow prevention assembly may be required on each service line
to a customer’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, wherever the following
conditions exist:
(1)
In the case of premises having an auxiliary water supply that is
not or may not be of safe bacteriological or chemical quality and
that is not acceptable as an additional source by the public works
director or his/her designee, the public water system shall be protected
against backflow from the premises by installing an approved backflow
prevention assembly in the service line, appropriate to the degree
of hazard.
(2)
In the case of premises on which any industrial fluids or any other
objectionable substances are handled in such a fashion as to create
an actual or potential hazard to the public water system, the public
system shall be protected against backflow from the premises by installing
an approved backflow prevention assembly in the service line, appropriate
to the degree of hazard. This shall include the handling of process
waters and waters originating from the utility system that have been
subject to deterioration in quality.
(3)
In the case of premises having (i) an internal cross-connection that
cannot be permanently corrected and controlled, or (ii) intricate
plumbing and piping arrangements, or where entry to all portions of
the premises is not readily accessible for inspection purposes, making
it impracticable or impossible to ascertain whether or not dangerous
cross-connections exist, the public water system shall be protected
against backflow from the premises by installing an approved backflow
prevention assembly in the service line, at the customer’s expense.
(d)
Degree of hazard.
The type of protective assembly required under subsections (c)(1) through (3) shall depend upon the degree of hazard that exists as follows:
(1)
In the case of any premises where there is an auxiliary water supply as stated in subsection (c)(1) of this section and it is not subject to any of the following rules, the public water system shall be protected by an approved air-gap separation or an approved reduced pressure principle backflow prevention assembly.
(2)
In the case of any premises where there is water or substances that
would be objectionable but not hazardous to health if introduced into
the public water system, the public water system shall be protected
by an approved double check valve assembly.
(3)
In the case of any premises where there is any material dangerous
to health that is handled in such a fashion to create actual or potential
hazard to the public water system, the public water system shall be
protected by an approved air-gap separation or an approved reduced
pressure principle backflow prevention assembly. Examples of premises
where these conditions will exist include sewage treatment plants,
sewage pumping stations, chemical manufacturing plants, hospitals,
mortuaries, and plating plants.
(4)
In the case of any premises where there are “uncontrolled”
cross-connections, either actual or potential, the public water system
shall be protected by an approved air-gap separation or an approved
reduced pressure principle backflow prevention assembly at the service
connection.
(5)
In the case of any premises where, because of security requirements
or other prohibitions or restrictions, it is impossible or impractical
to make a complete in-plant cross-connection survey, the public water
system shall be protected against backflow from the premises by either
an approved air-gap separation or an approved reduced pressure principle
backflow prevention assembly on each service to the premises.
(6)
In the case of any premises where, in the opinion of the public works
director or his/her designee, an undue health threat is posed because
of the presence of extremely toxic substances, the public works director
or his/her designee may require an air gap at the service connection
to protect the public water system. This requirement will be at the
discretion of the public works director or his/her designee [depending
on the degree] of hazard.
(e)
Approved backflow prevention assemblies.
(1)
Any backflow prevention assembly required herein shall be a model
and size approved by the public works director or his/her designee.
The term “approved backflow prevention assembly” shall
mean an assembly that has been manufactured in full conformance with
the standards established by the American Water Works Association
titled AWWA C510-89, Standard for Double Check Valve Backflow Prevention
Assembly, and AWWA C511-89, Standard for Reduced Pressure Principle
Backflow Prevention Assembly, and have met completely the laboratory
and field performance specifications of the Foundation for Cross-Connection
Control and Hydraulic Research of the University of Southern California
established by “Specification of Backflow Prevention Assemblies,”
section 10 of the most current issue of the Manual of Cross-Connection
Control. Said AWWA and FCCHR standards and specifications have been
adopted by the public works director or his/her designee. Final approval
shall be evidenced by a “certificate of approval” issued
by an approved testing laboratory certifying full compliance with
said AWWA standards and FCCHR specifications.
(2)
The following testing laboratory has been qualified by the public
works director or his/her designee to test and certify backflow preventers:
Foundation for Cross-Connection Control and Hydraulic Research, University
of Southern California, University Park, Los Angeles, CA 90089. Testing
laboratories other than the laboratory listed above will be added
to an approved list as they are qualified by the water commissioner
or health officer. Backflow preventers that may be subjected to backpressure
or backsiphonage that have been fully tested have been granted a certificate
of approval by said qualified laboratory and are listed on the laboratory’s
current list of approved backflow prevention assemblies may be used
without further testing or qualification.
(f)
Customer’s duties.
It shall be the duty of the
customer-user at any premises where backflow prevention assemblies
are installed to have certified inspections and operational tests
made at least once per year. In those instances where the public works
director or his/her designee deems the hazard to be great enough,
certified inspections may be required at more frequent intervals.
These inspections and tests shall be at the expense of the water user
and shall be performed by the assembly manufacturer’s representative,
by the public works director or his/her designee personnel, or by
a certified tester approved by the public works director or his/her
designee. The public works director or his/her designee shall have
authority to see that these tests are made in a timely manner. The
customer-user shall notify the public works director or his/her designee
in advance when the tests are to be undertaken so that the public
works director or his/her designee may witness the tests if so desired.
These assemblies shall be repaired, overhauled, or replaced at the
expense of the customer-user whenever said assemblies are found to
be defective. Records of such tests, repairs, and overhauls shall
be kept and made available to the public works director or his/her
designee.
(g)
Pre-existing conditions.
All presently installed backflow prevention assemblies that do not meet the requirements of this section, but were approved assemblies for the purpose described herein at the time of installation and that have been properly maintained, shall, except for the inspection and maintenance requirements under subsection (f) above, be excluded from the requirements of these rules so long as the public works director or his/her designee is assured that they will satisfactorily protect the utility system. Whenever the existing assembly is moved from the present location, requires more than the minimum maintenance, or when the public works director or his/her designee finds that the maintenance constitutes a hazard to health, the unit shall be replaced by an approved backflow prevention assembly meeting the requirements of this section.
(h)
Exhibits.
The exhibits attached to Ordinance 1225 are
made part of this article by reference as if fully set forth herein:
table 1 (Guide to the Assessment of Hazard & Selection of Assemblies
for Premises Isolation), and figures 1–6 (Class of Fire Protection
Systems). These exhibits are provided as a guide for selection of
the type of backflow prevention device which may be required.
(2003 Code, sec. 13.1905)
