This article shall be known, cited, and referred to as the "Cross Connection Control Ordinance of the City of North Richland Hills, Texas," and shall be included as a part of the Code.
(Code 1975, § 23-100)
The following words, terms and phrases, when used in this article, shall have the meanings ascribed to them in this section, except where the context clearly indicates a different meaning:
means an assembly to counteract backpressure or prevent backsiphonage. This assembly must appear on the list of approved assemblies issued by the city department of public works or as otherwise designated by the city manager.
Reduced pressure principle backflow prevention assembly or reduced pressure principle assembly or RP assembly or RP
shall mean an assembly containing two independently acting approved check valves together with a hydraulically operated, mechanically independent pressure differential relief valve located between the valves and at the same time below the first check valve. The assembly shall include properly located test cocks and tightly closing shutoff valves at the end of the assembly.
Reduced pressure principle detector backflow prevention assembly or reduced pressure detector or RPDA
means an assembly composed of line-size approved reduced pressure principle assembly with a bypass containing a specific water meter and an approved reduced pressure principle backflow prevention assembly. The meter shall register accurately for very low rates of flow.
Double check valve backflow prevention assembly or double check assembly or double check or DC
means an assembly which consists of two independently operating check valves which are spring loaded or weighted. The assembly comes complete with a gate valve on each side of the checks, as well as test cocks to test the checks for tightness.
Double check detector backflow prevention assembly or double check detector or DCDA
means an assembly composed of line-size approved double check assembly with bypass containing a specific water meter and an approved double check valve assembly. The meter shall register accurately for very low rates of flow.
Pressure vacuum breaker backflow prevention assembly or pressure vacuum breaker or PVB
means an assembly which protects against backsiphonage, but does not provide adequate protection against backpressure backflow. The assembly is a combination of a single check valve with an AVB and can be used with downstream shutoff valves. In addition, the assembly has suction and discharge gate valves and test cocks which allows the full testing of the assembly.
Spill-resistant pressure vacuum breaker or SVB
means an assembly containing an independently operating, internally loaded check valve and independently operating, loaded air inlet valve located on the discharge side of the check valve. This assembly is to be equipped with a properly located test cock and shutoff valves on the suction and discharge ports of the assembly.
Atmospheric vacuum breaker backflow prevention device or atmospheric vacuum breaker or AVB.
This device cannot be tested and cannot prevent back pressure backflow, but is used to prevent backsiphonage in nonhealth hazard conditions.
Air gap
means a physical separation between the free flowing discharge end of a potable water supply piping and/or appurtenance and an open or nonpressure receiving vessel, plumbing fixture or other device. An "approved air gap separation" shall be at least double the diameter of the supply pipe measured vertically above the overflow rim of the vessel, plumbing fixture or other device, in no case less than one inch.
means any water source or system other than the public water system that may be available in the building or on the property.
means the flow in the direction opposite to the normal flow or the introduction of any foreign liquids, gases, or substances into the city's water system.
means any elevation of pressure in the downstream piping system (by any means) above the supply pressure at the point of consideration which would cause, or tend to cause, a reversal of the normal direction of flow and the introduction of fluids, mixtures or substances from any source other than the intended source.
means the flow of water or other liquids, mixtures or substances into the distribution pipes of a potable water supply system from any source other than its intended source caused by a sudden reduction of pressure in the potable water supply system.
means providing adequate drainage for backflow prevention assemblies installed in vaults through the use of an unobstructed drain pipe.
means the Texas Natural Resource Conservation Commission (TNRCC).
means the entry into or presence in a public water supply system of any substance which may be deleterious to health and/or the quality of the water.
means any physical arrangement where a potable water supply is connected, directly or indirectly (actual or potential), with any other nondrinkable water system, used water system, or auxiliary water supply, sewer, drain, conduit, swimming pool, storage reservoir, plumbing fixture, swamp coolers, air condition units, fire protection system, or any other assembly which contains, or may contain, contaminated water, sewage, or other liquid of unknown or unsafe quality which may be capable of imparting contamination into the public water system as a result of backflow. Bypass arrangements, jumper connections, removable sections, swivel or changeover assemblies, or other temporary or permanent assemblies through which, or because of which, backflow may occur are considered to be cross connections.
means the low or high hazard classification that shall be attached to all actual or potential cross connections.
High hazard
means the classification assigned to an actual or potential cross connection that potentially can allow a substance to backflow into the potable water supply that may cause illness or death.
Low hazard
means the classification assigned to an actual or potential cross connection that potentially could allow a substance that may be objectionable but not hazardous to a human's health to backflow into the potable water supply.
Health hazard
means an actual or potential threat of contamination of a physical or toxic nature to the public potable water system or the consumer's potable water system that would be a danger to health.
Plumbing hazard
means an internal or plumbing-type cross connection in a consumer's potable water system that may be either a pollution or a contamination hazard.
Pollution hazard
means an actual or potential threat to the physical properties of the water system or the potability of the public or the consumer's potable water system but which would not constitute a health or system hazard, as defined. The maximum degree of intensity of the pollution to which the potable water system could be degraded under this definition would cause a nuisance or be aesthetically objectionable or could cause minor damage to the system or its appurtenances.
System hazard
means an actual or potential threat of severe danger to the physical properties of the public or consumer's potable water supply or of a pollution or contamination that would have a detrimental effect on the quality of the potable water in the system.
means the city's director of the department of public works who is vested with the authority and responsibility for the implementation of an effective cross connection control program for the city and for the enforcement of the provisions of this article.
includes all uses not specifically included in "residential uses" defined under residential use.
means the appropriate backflow prevention within the consumer's water system at the point at which the actual or potential cross connection exists.
means any water supply intended or used for human consumption or other domestic use.
means any piece of property to which water is provided, including all improvements, mobile structures, and structures located on it.
means the appropriate backflow prevention at the service connection between the public water system and the water user.
means any public or privately owned water system which supplies water for public domestic use. The system must meet all the health requirements set forth by the TNRCC. The system will include all services, reservoirs, facilities, and any equipment used in the process of producing, treating, storing, or conveying water for public consumption.
means the department of public works of the city or designee.
means a person that is a state certified backflow prevention assembly tester.
General tester is qualified to test backflow prevention assemblies on any domestic, commercial, industrial or irrigation service except firelines.
Fireline tester is qualified to test backflow prevention assemblies on firelines only. The state fire marshal's office requires that a person performing maintenance on firelines must be employed by an approved fireline contractor.
means a person designated by the city to perform cross connection control duties that shall include, but are not limited to, cross connection inspections and water use surveys.
means and includes single-family dwellings, duplexes, multiplex housing and apartments where the individual units are each on a separate meter or the units are full-time dwellings in cases where two or more units are served by one meter.
means the point of delivery at which the water purveyor loses control of the water.
means heated water that does not have the space to expand.
means the Texas Natural Resource Conservation Commission.
means water supplied by a public water system to a water user's system after it has passed through the service connection.
(Code 1975, § 23-101)
The regulations contained herein are adopted to achieve the following purposes and shall be administered so as to:
(1)
Promote the health, safety, and general welfare of the city;
(2)
Promote and encourage the proper use and control of the city's water distribution system; and
(3)
Protect the public water in the city's water system from contamination or pollution due to any existing or potential cross connections.
(Code 1975, § 23-103)
It is hereby declared to be the policy of the city to have initially inspected all backflow prevention assemblies and all plumbing on new homes for cross connections. All backflow prevention assemblies which are installed to provide protection against high health hazard will be tested annually.
(Code 1975, § 23-104)
These rules and regulations contained herein shall apply to all backflow prevention assemblies and water service connections to be installed in the future as new or as a replacement within the service area or city limits of the city.
(Code 1975, § 23-105)
Except where indicated, these regulations are not intended to:
(1)
Interfere with, abrogate, or annual any other public ordinance, rule or regulation, statute, or other provision of law.
(2)
Abrogate any easement, deed restriction, covenant or any other private agreement or deed restriction.
(Code 1975, § 23-106)
Unless the context clearly indicates to the contrary, words used in the present tense include the future tense; words used in the plural number include the singular; the word "herein" means "in these regulations"; and the word "regulations" means "these regulations"; a "person" includes a corporation, a partnership, and an incorporated association of persons such as a club; and "shall" is always mandatory.
(Code 1975, § 23-107)
These regulations shall be held to be the minimum requirements concerning cross connections and backflow prevention. In addition to these requirements, each water customer of the city shall be in conformance with all applicable county, state, and federal laws.
(Code 1975, § 23-108)