[Adopted 7-25-1994]
The purposes of this Article are as follows:
A.
To protect the public potable water supply served
by the Oswego Water Department from the possibility of contamination
or pollution by isolating, within its customers internal distribution
system, such contaminants or pollutants which could backflow or backsiphon
into the public water system.
B.
To promote the elimination or control of existing
cross-connections, actual or potential, between its customers' in-plant
potable water system and nonpotable systems.
C.
To provide for the maintenance of a continuing program
of cross-connection control which will effectively prevent the contamination
or pollution of all potable water systems by cross-connection.
[Amended 10-28-1996 by L.L. No. 4-1996]
Authority for the adoption of this chapter is
derived from the following:
A.
In accordance with the Federal Safe Drinking Water Act of 1974 and the statutes of the State of New York, Chapter 879 Article II, Section 1100, which state that the water purveyor has the primary responsibility for preventing water from unapproved sources, or any other substances, from entering the public potable water system.
B.
The Oswego Water Department, Rules and Regulations,
as adopted.
The Superintendent of Water shall be responsible
for the protection of the public potable water distribution system
from contamination or pollution due to the backflow or backsiphonage
of contaminants or pollutants through the water service connection.
If, in the judgment of the Superintendent of Water, an approved backflow
device is required at the city's water service connection to any customer's
premises, the Superintendent of Water, or his delegated agent, shall
give notice, in writing, to said customer to install an approved backflow
prevention device at each service connection to his premises. The
customer shall, within ninety (90) days, install such approved device
or devices, at his own expense, and failure or refusal or inability
on the part of the customer to install said device or devices within
ninety (90) days shall constitute a ground for discontinuing water
service to the premises until such device or devices have been properly
installed or by fines of up to five hundred dollars ($500.) per month.
As used in this chapter, the following words
shall have the meanings indicated:
Accepted by the Superintendent of Water as meeting an applicable
specification stated or cited in this regulation, or as suitable for
the proposed use.
Any water supply on or available to the premises other than
the purveyor's approved public potable water supply.
The flow of water or other liquids, mixtures or substances
under positive or reduced pressure in the distribution pipes of a
potable water supply from any source other than its intended source.
A device or means designed to prevent backflow or backsiphonage.
Most commonly categorized as any of the following:
AIR GAPA physical separation sufficient to prevent backflow between the free-flowing discharge end of the potable water system and any other system. Physically defined as a distance equal to twice the diameter of the supply side pipe diameter but never less than one (1) inch.
ATMOSPHERIC VACUUM BREAKERA device which prevents backsiphonage by creating an atmospheric vent when there is either a negative pressure or subatmospheric pressure in a water system.
BAROMETRIC LOOPA fabricated piping arrangement rising at least thirty five (35) feet at its topmost point above the highest fixture it supplies. It is utilized in water supply systems to protect against backsiphonage.
DOUBLE-CHECK VALVE ASSEMBLYAn assembly of two (2) independently operating spring-loaded check valves with tightly closing shut off valves on each side of the check valves, plus properly located test cocks for the testing of each check valve.
DOUBLE-CHECK VALVE WITH INTERMEDIATE ATMOSPHERIC VENTA device having two (2) spring-loaded check valves separated by an atmospheric vent chamber.
HOSE BIBB VACUUM BREAKERA device which is permanently attached to a hose bibb and which acts as an atmospheric vacuum breaker.
PRESSURE VACUUM BREAKERA device containing one (1) or two (2) independently operated spring-loaded check valves and an independently operated spring-loaded air inlet valve located on the discharge side of the check or checks. Device includes tightly closing shut-off valves on each side of the check valves and properly located test cocks for the testing of the check valve(s).
REDUCED PRESSURE PRINCIPLE BACKFLOW PREVENTERAn assembly consisting of two (2) independently operating approved check valves with an automatically operating differential relief valve located between the two (2) check valves, tightly closing shut-off valves on each side of the check valves plus properly located test cocks for the testing of the check valves and the relief valve.
RESIDENTIAL DUAL CHECKAn assembly of two (2) spring-loaded, independently operating check valves without tightly closing shut-off valves and test cocks. Generally employed immediately downstream of the water meter to act as a containment device.
A condition in which the owners system pressure is greater
than the suppliers system pressure.
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 the sudden reduction
of pressure in the potable water supply system.
The State of New York Water Supply and Pollution Control
Commission.
A method of backflow prevention which requires a backflow
prevention preventer at the water service entrance.
A substance that will impair the quality of the water to
a degree that it creates a serious health hazard to the public leading
to poisoning or the spread of disease.
Any actual or potential connection between the public water
supply and a source of contamination or pollution.
City of Oswego Water Department.
A method of backflow prevention in which a backflow preventer
is located to correct a cross-connection at an in-plant location rather
than at a water service entrance.
Any person who has legal title to or license to operate or
habitat in a property upon which a cross-connection inspection is
to be made or upon which a cross-connection is present.
Any individual, partnership, company, public or private corporation,
political subdivision or agency of the State Department, agency or
instrumentality or the United States or any other legal entity.
A document issued by the Department which allows the use
of a backflow preventer.
A foreign substance that if permitted to get into the public
water system will degrade its quality so as to constitute a moderate
hazard or impair the usefulness or quality of the water to a degree
which does not create an actual hazard to the public health but which
does adversely and unreasonably affect such water for domestic use.
That point in the owners water system beyond the sanitary
control of the City; generally considered to be the outlet end of
the water meter and always before any unprotected branch.
The Superintended, or his delegated representative in charge
of the Oswego Department of Water, is invested with the authority
and responsibility for the implementation of a cross-connection control
program and for the enforcement of the provisions of the ordinance.
A.
The Department will operate a cross-connection control
program, to include the keeping of necessary records, which fulfills
the requirements of the Commission's Cross-connection Regulations
and is approved by the Commission.
B.
The owner shall allow his property to be inspected
for possible cross-connections and shall follow the provisions of
the Department's program and the Regulations if a cross-connection
is permitted.
C.
If the Department requires that the public supply
be protected by containment, the owner shall be responsible for water
quality beyond the outlet end of the containment device and should
utilize fixture outlet protection for that purpose. He may utilize
public health officials or personnel from the Department or their
delegated representatives to assist him in the survey of his facilities
and to assist him in the selection of proper fixture outlet devices
and the proper installation of these devices.
A.
Department.
(1)
On new installations, the Department will provide
on-site evaluation and/or inspection of plans in order to determine
the type of backflow preventer, if any, that will be required, issue
permits and perform inspections and testing. In any case, a minimum
of a dual-check valve will be required in any new construction.
(2)
For premises existing prior to the start of this program,
the Department will perform evaluations and inspections of plans and/or
premises and inform the owner by letter of any corrective action deemed
necessary, the method of achieving the correction and the time allowed
for the correction to be made. Ordinarily, ninety (90) days will be
allowed; however, this time period may be shortened depending upon
the degree of hazard involved and the history of the device(s) in
question.
(3)
The Department will not allow any cross-connection
to remain unless it is protected by an approved backflow preventer
for which a permit has been issued and which will be regularly tested
to ensure satisfactory operation.
(4)
The Department shall inform the owner by letter, of
any failure to comply, by the time of the first reinspection. The
Department will allow an additional fifteen (15) days for the correction.
In the event that the owner fails to comply with the necessary correction
by the time of the second reinspection, the Department will inform
the owner, by letter, that the water service to the owner's premises
will be terminated within a period not to exceed five (5) days. In
the event that the owner informs the Department of extenuating circumstances
as to why the correction has not been made, a time extension may be
granted by the Department, but in no case will exceed an additional
thirty (30) days.
(5)
If the Department determines at any time that a serious
threat to the public health exists, the water service will be terminated
immediately.
(6)
The Department shall have on file a list of private
contractors who are certified backflow device testers. All charges
for these tests will be paid by the owner of the building or property.
(7)
The Department will begin initial premises inspections
to determine the nature of existing or potential hazards following
the approval of this program during the calendar year 1994. Initial
focus will be on high-hazard industries and commercial premises.
B.
Owner.
(1)
The owner shall be responsible for the elimination
or protection of all cross-connections on his premises.
(2)
The owner, after having been informed by a letter
from the Department, shall, at his expense, install, maintain, and
test or have tested any and all backflow preventers on his premises.
(3)
The owner shall correct any malfunction of the backflow
preventer which is revealed by periodic testing.
(4)
The owner shall inform the Department of any proposed
or modified cross-connections and also any existing cross-connections
of which the owner is aware but has not been found by the Department.
(5)
The owner shall not install a bypass around any backflow
preventer unless there is a backflow preventer of the same type on
the bypass. owners who cannot shut down operation for testing of the
device(s) must supply additional devices necessary to allow testing
to take place.
(6)
The owner shall install backflow preventers in a manner
approved by the Department.
(7)
The owner shall install only backflow preventers approved
by the Department.
(8)
Any owner having a private well or other private water
source must have a permit if the well or source is cross-connected
to the Department's system. Permission to cross-connect may be denied
by the Department. The owner may be required to install a backflow
preventer at the service entrance if a private water source is maintained,
even if it is not cross-connected to the Department's system.
(9)
In the event that the owner installs plumbing to provide
potable water for domestic purposes which is on the Department's side
of the backflow preventer, such plumbing must have its own backflow
preventer installed.
(10)
The owner shall be responsible for the payment of
all fees for permits, annual or semiannual device testing, retesting,
in the case that the device fails to operate correctly, and second
reinspections for noncompliance with Department requirements.
The Department recognizes the threat to the
public water system arising from cross-connections. All threats will
be classified by degree of hazard and will require the installation
of approved reduced pressure principle backflow prevention devices
or double-check valves.
A.
The Department shall not permit a cross-connection
within the public water supply system, unless it is considered necessary
and that it cannot be eliminated.
B.
Cross-connection permits that are required for each
backflow prevention device are obtained from the Department. A fee
of twenty-five dollars ($25.) will be charged for the initial permit
and twenty-five dollars ($25.) for the renewal of each permit.
C.
Permits shall be renewed every three (3) years and
are nontransferable. Permits are subject to revocation and become
immediately revoked if the owner should so change the type of cross-connection
or degree of hazard associated with the service.
D.
A permit is not required when fixture isolation is
achieved with the utilization of a nontestable backflow preventer.
Any existing backflow preventer shall be allowed
by the Department to continue in service unless the degree of hazard
is such as to supersede the effectiveness of the present backflow
preventer or will result in an unreasonable risk to the public health.
Where the degree of hazard has increased, as in the case of a residential
installation converting to a business establishment, any existing
backflow preventer must be upgraded to a reduced pressure principle
device or a reduced pressure principle device must be installed in
the event that no backflow device was present.
A.
Reduced pressure principle backflow devices shall
be tested and inspected at least semiannually.
B.
Periodic testing shall be performed by the Department's
certified tester or his delegated representative. This testing will
be done at the owner's expense.
C.
The testing shall be conducted during the Department's
regular business hours. Exceptions to this, when at the request of
the owner, may require additional charges to cover the increased costs
to the Department.
D.
Any backflow preventer which fails during a periodic
test will be repaired or replaced. When repairs are necessary, upon
completion of the repair, the device will be retested at owners expense
to insure correct operation. High-hazard situations will not be allowed
to continue unprotected if the backflow preventer fails the test and
cannot be repaired immediately. In other situations, a compliance
date of not more than thirty (30) days after the test date will be
established. The owner is responsible for spare parts, repair tools
or a replacement device. Parallel installation of two (2) devices
is an effective means of the owner ensuring that uninterrupted water
service during testing or repair of devices and is strongly recommended
when the owner desires such continuity.
E.
Backflow prevention devices will be tested more frequently than specified in Subsection A above, in cases where there is a history of test failures and the Department feels that due to the degree of hazard involved, additional testing is warranted. Cost of the additional tests will be born by the owner.
