No water service connection shall be made to any establishment where a potential or actual contamination hazard exists unless the water supply is protected in accordance with the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) Rules and Regulations for public water systems (290 rules) and this division. The water purveyor shall discontinue water service if a required backflow prevention assembly is not installed, maintained and tested in accordance with the 290 rules and this division.
(Ordinance 2011.2.2 adopted 2/8/11)
(a) 
All backflow prevention assemblies shall be tested upon installation by a licensed backflow prevention assembly tester and certified to be operating within specifications. Backflow prevention assemblies which are installed to provide protection against health hazards must also be tested and certified to be operating within specifications at least annually by a recognized backflow prevention assembly tester at the customer’s expense. It shall be the duty of the customer at any premises where backflow prevention devices are installed to have certified inspections and operational tests conducted annually.
(b) 
All backflow prevention assemblies shall be installed and tested in accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions, the American Water Works Association’s Recommended Practice for Backflow Prevention and Cross-Connection Control (manual M14) or The University of Southern California Manual of Cross-Connection Control.
(c) 
Assemblies shall be repaired, overhauled, or replaced at the expense of the customer whenever said assemblies are found to be defective. Original forms of such test, repairs, and overhaul shall be kept and submitted to the city within five (5) working days of the test, repair or overhaul of each backflow prevention assembly.
(d) 
No backflow prevention assembly or device shall be removed from use, relocated, or other assembly or device substituted without the approval of the city. Whenever the existing assembly or device is moved from the present location or can not be repaired, the backflow assembly or device shall be replaced with a backflow prevention assembly or device that complies with this section, The American Water Works Association’s Recommended Practice for Backflow Prevention and Cross-Connection Control (manual M14), current edition, University of Southern California Manual of Cross-Connection Control, current edition, or the current plumbing code of the city, whichever is more stringent.
(e) 
Test gauges used for backflow prevention assembly testing shall be tested for accuracy at least annually in accordance with The American Water Works Association’s Recommended Practice for Backflow Prevention and Cross-Connection Control (manual M14), current edition, or The University of Southern California’s Manual of Cross-Connection Control, current edition. The original gauge accuracy test form must be submitted to the city within five (5) working days after the gauge has been tested for accuracy.
(f) 
A recognized backflow prevention assembly tester must hold a current license from the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (commission) or any successor agency, a copy of which license shall be attached to any complete test or maintenance report of a testable prevention assembly that is installed, relocated, repaired, overhauled, tested or replaced.
(Ordinance 2011.2.2 adopted 2/8/11)
(a) 
The customer shall allow his property to be inspected for possible cross connections and other potential contamination hazards. These inspections shall be conducted by the water system or its designated agent prior to initiating new water service; when there is reason to believe that cross connections or other potential contamination hazards exist; or after any major changes to the private water distribution facilities. The inspections shall be conducted during the water system’s normal business hours.
(b) 
A customer service inspection shall be completed prior to providing continuous water service to all new construction, on any existing service when the water purveyor has reason to believe that cross connections or other contaminant hazards exist, or after any material improvement, correction, or addition to the private water distribution facilities.
(c) 
Only individuals with the following credentials shall be recognized as capable of conducting a customer service inspection:
(1) 
Plumbing inspectors and water supply protection specialists that have been licensed by the Texas State Board of Plumbing Examiners.
(2) 
Customer service inspectors that have been licensed by the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ).
(d) 
The customer service inspection must certify that:
(1) 
No direct connection between the public drinking water supply and a potential source of contamination is permitted. Potential sources of contamination shall be isolated from the public water system by a properly installed air gap or an appropriate backflow prevention assembly.
(2) 
No cross connection between the public water supply and a private water source exists. Where an actual properly installed air gap is not maintained between the public water supply and a private water supply, an approved reduced pressure-zone backflow prevention assembly is properly installed and a service agreement exists for annual inspection and testing by a recognized backflow prevention assembly tester.
(3) 
No connection exists which allows water to be returned to the public drinking water supply is permitted.
(4) 
No pipe or pipe fitting which contains more than 8% lead may be used for the installation or repair of plumbing at any connection that provides water for human use.
(5) 
No solder or flux which contains more than 0.2% lead can be used for the installation or repair of plumbing at any connection that provides water for human use. A minimum of one lead test shall be performed for each inspection.
(Ordinance 2011.2.2 adopted 2/8/11)
With the installation of backflow prevention assemblies at the service connection a closed system is created. This closed system could result in injury to the water system customer or damage to the customer’s property if adequate safety measures, such as the installation of thermal expansion tanks, are not implemented.
(1) 
Thermal expansion may cause damage ranging from leaking faucets to a ruptured water heater if the condition is not addressed.
(2) 
The city shall provide customers with information regarding thermal expansion when the city requires a backflow prevention assembly to be installed at the customer’s service connection. The city shall not accept any liability resulting from thermal expansion at a customer’s property.
(Ordinance 2011.2.2 adopted 2/8/11)
An approved double check valve backflow prevention assembly (DCVA) or reduced-pressure principle backflow prevention assembly (RPBA) shall be the minimum protection for fire hydrant water meters which are being used for a temporary water supply during any construction or other uses which would pose a potential hazard to the public water supply.
(1) 
An RPBA must be installed if any solution other than potable water can be introduced into the system.
(2) 
It is the responsibility of all persons engaging in the use and rental of a fire hydrant water meter to abide by the conditions of this article. All fire hydrant meter rentals shall meet the current requirements as provided for by the city.
(Ordinance 2011.2.2 adopted 2/8/11)
Any person who violates this division is guilty of a misdemeanor and, upon conviction, shall be punished by a fine of not less than five hundred dollars ($500.00) and not more than two thousand dollars ($2,000.00). Each day that one or more of the provisions in this division is violated shall constitute a separate offense. If a person is convicted of two or more distinct violations of this division, the city manager, public works/utilities superintendent or his designee shall, upon due notice to the customer, be authorized to discontinue water service to the premises where such violations occur. Services discontinued under such circumstances shall be restored only upon payment of a reconnection charge, hereby established at twenty-five dollars ($25.00), and any other costs incurred by the city in discontinuing service. In addition, suitable assurance must be given to the city manager, public works/utilities superintendent or his designee that the same action shall not be repeated while this division is in effect. Compliance with this division may also be sought through injunctive relief in the district court.
(Ordinance 2011.2.2 adopted 2/8/11)