[Adopted 1-17-1977 by Ord. No. 77-3]
This article shall be known and may be cited as the "Cross Connection
Ordinance."
For purposes of this article, the following terms shall be defined as
follows:
Water of questionable quality, wastes or other contaminants entering
a public water supply system due to a reversal of flow.
A connection or arrangement of piping or appurtenances through which
water of questionable quality, wastes or other contaminants could enter the
public water supply system.
Any individual, firm, partnership, business, corporation, or any
other association of individuals of whatever nature.
The public water supply system of the City of Royal Oak.
It shall be unlawful for any person to make or maintain, or allow to
be made or maintained, upon property owned by such person, or under control
of such person, a cross connection between the public water supply system
and a secondary water supply system. The City of Royal Oak adopts, by reference,
the water supply Cross-Connection Rules of the Michigan Department of Public
Health, being R325.432 to R325.440 and Amendments, inclusive, of the Michigan
Administrative Code.
It shall be the duty of the City of Royal Oak Water Department or its
authorized agent to cause inspections to be made of all properties served
by the public water supply system, where cross connections with the public
water supply are deemed possible. The frequency of inspection and reinspections,
based upon potential health hazards involved, shall be established by the
City of Royal Oak Water Department, and as approved by the Michigan Department
of Public Health.
In no way shall this article relieve the Chief Building Inspector of
his duties and responsibilities to enforce the City of Royal Oak Plumbing
Code, through inspections of all new plumbing systems, or alterations to plumbing
systems.
[Amended 7-10-1978 by Ord. No. 78-15]
The testing for cross connections and backflow prevention devices shall
be accomplished by utilizing independent personnel properly trained and certified
for testing and/or repairing such devices. The test results shall be submitted
to the City of Royal Oak Water Department signed by a certified tester. The
City of Royal Oak Water Department may test or retest any device for the purpose
of confirmation of test results.
The City of Royal Oak Water Department, or its duly authorized agent,
upon determining that a violation of the provisions herein exists, shall notify
the owner and/or the occupant of the property so affected, in writing, of
the nature of the violation, said notice to include a period of time for compliance
which shall be commensurate with the degree of the hazard involved, but in
no case shall that period of time exceed nine months. Violations which pose
an extreme hazard shall be discontinued immediately. The failure to correct
the violation within the period of time prescribed, and each day thereafter,
shall constitute a separate violation of this article.
The City of Royal Oak Water Department or its representatives shall
have the right to enter, at any reasonable time, any property served by a
connection to the water supply system of the City for the purpose of inspecting
the piping system, or systems thereof, for the cross connections. Upon request,
the owner or occupants of any property so served shall furnish to the inspection
agency any pertinent information regarding the piping system or systems on
such property. The refusal of such information or refusal of access, when
requested, shall be deemed prima facie evidence of the presence of cross connections.
If there is a refusal, the City is authorized to discontinue services upon
60 days' written notice by regular mail, given to the last known address of
the owner and/or occupants.
The representative of the City of Royal Oak Water Department is hereby
authorized, and may direct the discontinuance of water service, after giving
60 days' written notice to any property owner and/or occupant, at their last
known address, wherein any connection is in violation of this article, and
to take such additional precautionary measures which may be deemed necessary
to eliminate any danger of contamination of the public water supply system.
Where it is determined that the public water supply system is being contaminated,
such services may be terminated immediately. Water service to such property
shall not be restored until any cross connection has been eliminated in compliance
with the provisions of this article.
The potable water supply made available on the properties served by
the public water supply shall be protected from possible contamination, as
specified by this article, and by the State and City of Royal Oak Plumbing
Code.[1] Any water outlet which could be used for potable or domestic purposes
and which is not supplied by the potable system shall be labeled in a conspicuous
manner as "Water Unsafe for Drinking."
[1]
Editor's Note: The City of Royal Oak Plumbing Code (Ord. No. 75-7,
as amended) was repealed 1-24-2005 by Ord. No. 2005-01.
This article shall supplement the State Plumbing Code and any plumbing
ordinances adopted by the City of Royal Oak. If a conflict should occur, the
code which is most restrictive shall govern.
A backflow prevention device properly installed in the water supply
service to a building does not exempt the internal piping system of such building
from inspection, and compliance to this article nor does it exempt such piping
system from City of Royal Oak Plumbing Ordinances.
Any person violating or neglecting or refusing to comply with any of
the provisions of this article shall, upon conviction thereof, be deemed guilty
of a misdemeanor and shall be punished by imposition of a fine not to exceed
$500 or by imprisonment in the Royal Oak Jail for a period not to exceed 90
days, or by imposition of both fine and imprisonment within the discretion
of the court.
