Chapter 13.16 — CROSS-CONNECTIONS

The purposes of the provisions of this chapter are:

A.

To protect the public water supply against actual or potential cross-connections by isolating within the premises contamination or pollution that may occur because of some undiscovered or unauthorized cross-connection on the premises;

B.

To eliminate existing connections between drinking water systems and other sources of water that are not approved as safe and potable for human consumption;

C.

To eliminate cross-connections between drinking water systems and other sources of water or process water used for any purpose whatsoever which jeopardize the safety of the drinking water supply;

D.

To prevent the making of cross-connections in the future;

E.

To encourage the exclusive use of public sources of water supply; and

F.

To protect the drinking water supply within the premises where plumbing defects or cross-connections may endanger the drinking water supply available on the premises.

It is the intent of this chapter to recognize that there are varying degrees of hazards and to apply the principle that the degree of protection should be commensurate with the degree of hazard.

(Prior code § 6-9.01)

For the purposes of this chapter unless otherwise apparent from the context, certain words and phrases used in this chapter are defined as follows:

"Air-gap separation" means a physical break between a supply pipe and a receiving vessel. The air-gap shall be at least double the diameter of the supply pipe, measured vertically above the top rim of the vessel, but shall in no case be less than one inch.

"Approved check valve" means a check valve meeting the specifications and approval of a recognized, approved testing agency for back-flow prevention devices.

"Approved double check valve assembly" means an assembly of at least two independently acting approved check valves, including tightly closing shut-off valves, on each side of the check valve assembly and suitable leak detector drains plus connections available for testing the water tightness of each valve. The entire assembly shall be made in the factory of the manufacturer and shall meet the specifications and approval of a recognized, approved testing agency for back-flow prevention devices. To be approved, these devices shall be readily accessible for maintenance testing.

"Approved reduced pressure principle back-flow prevention device" means a device approved by a recognized and approved testing agency for back-flow prevention devices. The entire assembly shall be made in the factory of the manufacturer and shall incorporate two or more check valves and an automatically differential relief valve located between the two cheeks, two shut-off valves, and equipped with necessary appurtenances for testing. The device shall operate to maintain the pressure in the zone between the two check valves less than the pressure on the public supply side of the device. At the cessation of normal flow, the pressure between the check valves shall be less than the supplied pressure. In case of leakage of either check valve, the differential relief valve shall operate to maintain this reduced pressure by discharging to the atmosphere. When the inlet pressure is two pounds per square inch or less, the relief valve shall open to the atmosphere, thereby providing an air-gap in the device. To be approved, these devices shall be readily accessible for maintenance and testing and shall be installed in a location where no part of the valve will be submerged.

"Approved water supply" means any water supply approved by, or under the supervision of, a public health agency of the state or the city.

"Auxiliary water supply" means any water supply on or available to the premises other than the approved public potable water supply. These auxiliary waters may include, but not be limited to, water from another purveyor's public potable water supply or any natural source, such as a well, spring, river, stream, harbor, etc., or used water or industrial fluids.

"Consumer" means the owner of a premises having a service from a potable water system.

"Contamination" means an impairment of the quality of the water to a degree which creates an actual hazard to the public health through poisoning or through the spread of disease.

"Cross-connection" or "cross-connected" means any real or potential connection between any part of a public water system or other water system supplying potable water to members of the public and any auxiliary water supply or any source or system containing water or any substance that is not or cannot be approved as safe, wholesome and potable for human consumption.

"Department" means the health department of the city.

"Health hazard" means an actual or potential threat of contamination of a physical or toxic nature to the public potable water system to such a degree of intensity that there would be a danger to health.

"Industrial fluids" means any fluid or solution which may be chemically, biologically, or otherwise contaminated or polluted in a form or concentration such as would constitute a health, system, pollutional or plumbing hazard if introduced into the water supply. This may include, but not be limited to, polluted or contaminated used waters; all types of processed waters and used waters originating from the public potable water system which may deteriorate in sanitary quality; chemicals in fluid form; acids and alkalids; circulating cooling waters connected to an open cooling tower and/or cooling waters that are chemically or biologically treated or stabilized with toxic substances;

contaminated natural waters, such as from wells, springs, streams, rivers, bays, harbors, seas, irrigation canals or systems, etc.; oil; gases; glycerine; paraffines; caustic and acid solutions; and other liquid and gaseous fluids used in industrial or other processes or for fire-fighting purposes.

"Plumbing hazard" means a plumbing type cross-connection in a consumer's potable water system that has not been properly protected by a vacuum breaker, air-gap separation, or other device. "Plumbing hazard" includes, but is not limited to, cross-connections to toilets, sinks, lavatories, wash trays, domestic washing machines, and lawn sprinkling systems.

"Pollution hazard" means an actual or potential threat to the physical properties of the public water system or the potability of the public water supply, but which would not constitute a health or system hazard, as defined in this section.

"Pollution" means an impairment of the quality of the water to a degree which does not create an actual hazard to the public health but which does adversely affect such waters for domestic use.

"Purveyor" means any person, corporation, public utility, municipality, district, or other agency or institution furnishing or supplying water for domestic purposes.

"Service connection" means the terminal end of a service connection from the public potable water system, i.e., where the water purveyor loses jurisdiction and sanitary control over the water at its point of delivery to the consumer's water system. If a meter is installed, then the service connection shall mean the downstream end of the meter. There should be no unprotected take-offs from the service line ahead of any meter or back-flow prevention device located at the point of delivery to the consumer's water system.

"System hazard" means an actual or potential threat of severe damage to the physical properties of the public potable water system.

"Water supervisor" means the consumer or a person on the premises appointed by the consumer who is charged by the consumer with the responsibility to the consumer of maintaining the consumer's water system from crossconnections and other sanitary defects, as required by regulations and laws. A certified back-flow prevention device tester may not act as a water supervisor unless he or she is a full-time employee of the consumer and has the day-today responsibility for the installation and use of pipelines and equipment on the premises and for the avoidance of cross-connections.

(Prior code § 6-9.02)

Consumers shall be responsible for the installation and use of pipelines and equipment for the avoidance of crossconnections, compliance with the provisions of this chapter, and for reporting to the department any changes in water usage. In the event of any cross-connection existing or occurring on or within the premises, the department shall be immediately notified by the consumer so that appropriate corrective measures may be taken.

(Prior code § 6-9.03)

A.

Each service connection from the public water system for supplying water to premises having an auxiliary water supply shall be protected against the back-flow of water from the premises into the public water system.

B.

Each service connection from the public water system for supplying water to premises on which any substance is or may be handled in such a fashion as to permit entry into the water system shall be protected against the back-flow of the substance from the premises into the public system. This shall include the handling of processed waters and waters originating from the public water supply system which have been subject to deterioration in sanitary quality.

C.

Back-flow prevention devices shall be installed on the service connection to any premises that have crossconnections. It shall be the responsibility of the consumer to provide, test and maintain protective devices as required.

(Prior code § 6-9.04)

The protective device required shall depend on the degree of hazard. In determining the degree of hazard and the type of back-flow prevention to be required, the following criteria shall be used:

A.

An air-gap separation shall be used where there is a health hazard. The air-gap shall be located as close as practicable to the meter, and all piping between the meter and the receiving tank shall be entirely visible. If these conditions cannot reasonably be met, the public water supply shall be protected with an approved reduced pressure principle back-flow prevention device providing the alternative is acceptable to the department.

B.

An air-gap separation or a reduced pressure principle back-flow prevention device shall be used where there is a system hazard or a plumbing hazard or any combination of the above. If an air-gap separation is used, the air-gap shall be located as close as practicable to the meter, and all piping between the meter and receiving tank shall be entirely visible. Where there is no meter, the protective device shall be located on the service connection pipeline at a point on the consumer's property nearest the public water supply pipeline.

C.

In all other cases of cross-connection, there shall be required a double check valve assembly.

D.

Notwithstanding any other provisions of this section, at the service connection to any sewage treatment plant, sewage pumping station, or stormwater pumping station, the public water supply shall be protected by an air-gap separation. The air-gap shall be located as close as practicable to the meter, and all piping between the meter and receiving tank shall be entirely visible. If these conditions cannot be reasonably met, the public water supply shall be protected with an approved reduced pressure principle back-flow prevention device providing this alternative is acceptable to the county. The final decision in this matter shall rest with the State Department of Health Services.

E.

Notwithstanding any other provisions of this section, on any premises where the department determines that a special hazard exists, the public water supply shall be protected by such approved back-flow prevention devices as designated by the county.

(Ord. 576 § 29, 2005; prior code § 6-9.05)

It shall be the duty of the consumer on any premises on which back-flow protective devices are installed to have competent inspections made at least once a year or more often in those instances where successive inspections indicate defective operation. These devices shall be repaired, overhauled or replaced at the expense of the water user whenever they are found to be defective. Records of such tests, repairs and overhaul shall be kept and submitted to the department.

(Prior code § 6-9.06)

A.

No person shall be qualified to inspect and maintain back-flow prevention devices unless his or her qualifications have been established to the satisfaction of the County of San Luis Obispo Environmental Health Services Division as set forth in this section. To determine the qualifications of any person to inspect and maintain back-flow prevention devices, the department shall have the authority to conduct examinations as necessary. Upon the successful completion of such examination and such training as the county shall prescribe, the person so examined shall receive from the county a certificate of competence. Any limitations or conditions imposed by the department on the examinee in the inspection and maintenance of back-flow prevention devices shall be stated upon the face of the certificate of competence issued to the examinee. The department shall make available to consumers a list of persons qualified to inspect and maintain back-flow prevention devices. Every person, after receiving a certificate of competence from the county, shall be issued such identification as the department shall deem appropriate, and such identification shall be kept in the immediate possession of every person holding a certificate of competence while such person is inspecting or maintaining any back-flow prevention device in the city.

B.

Every person desiring to qualify to inspect or maintain back-flow prevention devices shall make an application to the county.

C.

Every person holding a certificate of competence issued by the county pursuant to the provisions of this chapter shall be required to renew the certificate every three years. The requirements for reexamination may be waived at the discretion of the county.

D.

Every person receiving a certificate of competence pursuant to the provisions of this chapter shall be responsible for the competency and accuracy of all inspections and the maintenance performed by him or her on any back-flow prevention device.

E.

Any person issued a certificate of competency who violates or fails to comply with any of the provisions of this chapter or who willingly falsifies inspection or maintenance reports submitted to the department shall have the

certificate of competence immediately revoked and shall not be considered for recertification for a period of two years.

(Ord. 576 § 30, 2005: prior code § 6-9.07)

When it becomes necessary, because of low pressure or special operating conditions, to install a booster pump on the service of any premises, such pump shall be equipped with a low pressure cut-off switch designed to shut off the pump when the pressure on the inlet side is twenty-five (25) P.S.I.G. or lower. It shall be the duty of the consumer to maintain the cut-off device in proper working order and to certify to the department at least once a year that the device is operable.

(Prior code § 6-9.08)

A.

Whenever the county determines that drinking water systems on a premises cannot be protected against the entry of water from any piping system, equipment, or other source not safe or potable for human use, an entirely separate drinking water system shall be installed to supply water at convenient points.

B.

Water systems for fighting fires, derived from a supply that cannot be approved as safe or potable for human use, shall, wherever practicable, be kept wholly separate from drinking water pipelines and equipment. In cases where the domestic water system is used for both drinking and fire fighting purposes, approved back-flow prevention devices shall be installed to protect such individual drinking water lines as are not used for fire fighting purposes. The users of such drinking water systems shall be further protected as prescribed by the health departments of the state and county.

C.

Potable water pipelines connected to equipment for industrial processes or operations shall be disconnected therefrom if practicable. Where disconnection is not practicable, an approved back-flow prevention device, the type or kind depending on the degree of hazard, shall be located in the feedline to the process piping or equipment beyond the last point from which drinking water may be taken. In the event the particular processed liquid is especially corrosive or is apt to prevent reliable action of the back-flow prevention device, an air-gap separation shall be provided. These devices shall be repaired, overhauled or replaced whenever they are found to be defective. Records of tests, repairs and replacement shall be kept and submitted to the department.

D.

Sewage pumps and stormwater pumps shall not have priming connections directly off any drinking water system unless the drinking water system is protected by an air-gap, and no connection shall exist between the drinking water system and any other piping, equipment or tank in any sewage treatment plant, sewage pumping station, or stormwater pumping station.

E.

Back-flow protection by an approved back-flow protection device operating under the reduced pressure principle shall be provided on each drinking water outlet used for supplying ships or other vessels at piers or waterfronts.

These devices shall be located where they will prevent the return of water from any ship or vessel into another adjacent ship or vessel or into the public water system.

F.

Where the premises contain dual or multiple water systems and piping, the exposed portions of pipelines shall be painted, banded or marked at sufficient intervals to distinguish clearly which water is safe for drinking purposes and which is not safe. All outlets from other than approved water supply systems shall be posted as being unsafe for drinking purposes. All outlets intended for drinking purposes shall be plainly marked to indicate that fact.

(Ord. 576 § 31, 2005; prior code § 6-9.09)

The city shall have the authority to immediately discontinue service to any premises where cross-connections or other hazards to the water system are found to exist and shall not again render service to the premises until such conditions are eliminated in accordance with the provisions of this chapter. Any consumer who wilfully violates any of the provisions of this chapter or alters, bypasses or renders inoperative any back-flow prevention device installed pursuant to the provisions of this chapter shall, in addition to immediate discontinuance of water service, be subject to the penalties prescribed in Chapter 1.16 of this code. Service shall not again be rendered until such violation of noncompliance has been corrected.

(Ord. 576 § 33, 2005: prior code § 6-9.11)