(a) 
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 state regulations for public water systems and this article. The water purveyor shall discontinue water service if a required backflow prevention assembly is not installed, maintained, and tested in accordance with state regulations and this article.
(b) 
All types of backflow prevention assemblies shall be installed according to the hazards table inset below.
(1) 
Table 1 reflects types of property uses, their corresponding hazard classification and recommended backflow assemblies.
(2) 
Table 2 reflects different types of cross-connections, their corresponding hazard classifications and recommended backflow assemblies.
The following table lists many common hazards. It is not an all-inclusive list of the hazards which may be found connected to public water systems.
Table 1
Premises Isolation—Description of Premises
Assessment of Hazard
Required Assembly
Aircraft and other missile plants
Health
RPBA or AG
Animal feedlots
Health
RPBA or AG
Automotive plants
Health
RPBA or AG
Breweries
Health
RPBA or AG
Canneries, packing houses and rendering plants
Health
RPBA or AG
Commercial car wash facilities
Health
RPBA or AG
Commercial laundries
Health
RPBA or AG
Cold storage facilities
Health
RPBA or AG
Connection to sewer pipe
AG
 
Dairies
Health
RPBA or AG
Docks and dockside facilities
Health
RPBA or AG
Dye works
Health
RPBA or AG
Food and beverage processing plants
Health
RPBA or AG
Hospitals, morgues, mortuaries, medical clinics, dental clinics, veterinary clinics, autopsy facilities, sanitariums, and medical labs
Health
RPBA or AG
Metal manufacturing, cleaning, processing, and fabrication plants
Health
RPBA or AG
Microchip fabrication facilities
Health
RPBA or AG
Paper and paper products plants
Health
RPBA or AG
Petroleum processing or storage facilities
Health
RPBA or AG
Photo and film processing labs
Health
RPBA or AG
Plants using radioactive material
Health
RPBA or AG
Plating or chemical plants
Health
RPBA or AG
Pleasure-boat marinas
Health
RPBA or AG
Private/Individual/Unmonitored Wells
Health
RPBA or AG
Reclaimed water systems
Health
RPBA or AG
Restricted, classified or other closed facilities
Health
RPBA or AG
Rubber plants
Health
RPBA or AG
Sewage lift stations
Health
RPBA or AG
Sewage treatment plants
Health
RPBA or AG
Slaughter houses
Health
RPBA or AG
Steam Plants
Health
RPBA or AG
Tall buildings or elevation differences where the highest outlet is 80 feet or more above the meter
Nonhealth
DCVA
Table 2
Internal Protection—Description of Cross Connection
Assessment of Hazard
Required Assembly
Aspirators
Nonhealth*
AVB
Aspirator (medical)
Health
AVB or PVB
Autoclaves
Health
RPBA
Autopsy and mortuary equipment
Health
AVB or PVB
Bedpan washers
Health
AVB or PVB
Connection to industrial fluid systems
Health
RPBA
Connection to plating tanks
Health
RPBA
Connection to salt-water cooling systems
Health
RPBA
Connection to sewer pipe
Health
AG
Cooling towers with chemical additives
Health
AG
Cuspidors
Health
AVB or PVB
Degreasing equipment
Nonhealth*
DCVA
Domestic space-heating boiler
Nonhealth*
RPBA
Dye vats or machines
Health
RPBA
Fire-fighting system (toxic liquid foam concentrates)
Health
RPBA
Flexible shower heads
Nonhealth*
AVB or PVB
Heating equipment
 
 
Commercial
Nonhealth*
RPBA
Domestic
Nonhealth*
DCVA
Hose bibbs
Nonhealth*
AVB
Irrigation Systems
 
 
with chemical additives
Health
RPBA
without chemical additives
Nonhealth*
DCVA, AVB, or PVB
Kitchen equipment—Commercial
Nonhealth*
AVB
Lab bench equipment
Health or Nonhealth*
AVB or PVB
Ornamental fountains
Health
AVB or PVB
Swimming pools
 
 
Private
Nonhealth*
PVB or AG
Public
Nonhealth*
RPBA or AG
Sewage pump
Health
AG
Sewage ejectors
Health
AG
Shampoo basins
Nonhealth*
AVB
Specimen tanks
Health
AVB or PVB
Steam generators
Nonhealth*
RPBA
Steam tables
Nonhealth*
AVB
Sterilizers
Health
RPBA
Tank vats or other vessels containing toxic substances
Health
RPBA
Trap primers
Health
AG
Vending machines
Nonhealth*
RPBA or PVB
Watering troughs
Health
AG or PVB
NOTE: AG = air gap; AVB = atmospheric vacuum breaker; DCVA = double check valve backflow prevention assembly; PVB = pressure vacuum breaker; RPBA = reduced-pressure principle backflow prevention assembly.
+AVBs and PVBs may be used to isolate health hazards under certain conditions, that is, backsiphonage situations. Additional area of premises may be required.
*Where a greater hazard exists (due to toxicity or other potential health impact) additional area protection with RPBA is required.
(Ordinance 1735 adopted 10/8/2007)
(a) 
All backflow prevention assemblies, independent of the hazard identified, shall be tested upon installation by a certified 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 annually and certified to be operating within specifications. The City of Alamo Heights will provide written notification to the property owners thirty (30) days in advance stating when the annual test of their backflow prevention assembly is required. Results of all testing must be forwarded to the City of Alamo Heights Public Works Department by the date of expiration. Failure to receive notification does not relieve property owners of the responsibility of annual testing for each assembly.
(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 14, current edition) or the University of Southern California Manual of Cross-Connection Control (current edition), and the regulations set forth by the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality.
(c) 
Assemblies shall be repaired, overhauled, or replaced at the expense of the water 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 of Alamo Heights within five (5) business days of the test, repair or overhaul of each backflow prevention assembly.
(d) 
All existing backflow prevention assemblies which do not meet current state regulations but were approved devices at the time of installation and which have been properly maintained, may, except for the testing and maintenance requirements under subsections (a) through (c), continue in use until the assembly cannot meet all minimum annual testing performance standards. The City of Alamo Heights may require the assembly be replaced in the event that it is determined that the continued use of the assembly constitutes a health hazard.
(e) 
No backflow prevention assembly or device shall be removed from use, relocated, or other assembly or device substituted without the approval of the City of Alamo Heights. Whenever the existing assembly or device is moved from the present location or cannot be repaired, the backflow assembly or device shall be placed with a backflow prevention assembly or device that complies with this chapter.
(f) 
Gauges used for backflow prevention assembly testing shall be calibrated at least annually. The original calibration form shall be submitted to the City of Alamo Heights within five (5) business days after calibration.
(Ordinance 1735 adopted 10/8/2007)
It shall be the responsibility of the water customer where backflow prevention assemblies are installed to have a field test performed and repairs completed (if necessary) by a certified backflow prevention assembly tester. Tests and repairs shall be at the expense of the water user.
(Ordinance 1735 adopted 10/8/2007)