Escondido Municipal Code Art. 4 Cross-Connection Control Regulations

The purposes of this article are:

(1) To protect the city water system from the possibility of contamination or pollution, by isolating within customer systems contaminants or pollutants which could backflow or back-siphon into the city water system; and

(2) To provide a continuing program of cross-connection control which will prevent the contamination or pollution of the city water system.

(3) In cooperation with the State Water Resources Control Board Division of Drinking Water, the city’s major goal is to ensure the distribution of a safe and potable water supply to all domestic water users. In order for the city to achieve this goal, a Cross-Connection Control Management Plan (CCCMP) is being developed with an effective date of July 1, 2025. The city’s CCCMP was developed pursuant to the requirements set forth in the Cross-Connection Control Policy Handbook (CCCPH) which replaced State of California Administrative Code Title 17, sections 7583 through 7605 and applies to all State of California Public Water Systems, as defined in California’s Health and Safety Code (CHSC, section 116275(h)).

(Ord. No. 88-27, § 1, 5-11-88; Ord. No. 2025-08, 12/17/2025)

Refer to the city’s CCCMP for any definition of terms outlined in Article 4.

(Ord. No. 88-27, § 1, 5-11-88; Ord. No. 2025-08, 12/17/2025)

The city may require an approved backflow prevention device at any metered water service connection to assure that no contamination enters the city system. The city shall give notice in writing to the affected customer to install an approved backflow prevention device at each of such customer's metered water service connections. Within the time prescribed by the notice, the customer shall install such approved device or devices at the customer's own expense. The failure, refusal or inability to install the device shall be grounds for discontinuance of water service to the metered water service connections until the device or devices have been properly installed.

(Ord. No. 88-27, § 1, 5-11-88; Ord. No. 2025-08, 12/17/2025)

(a) No metered water service connection to any premises shall be placed in service by the city unless the city system is protected as required by the CCCPH, city’s CCCMP and by this article. Service of water to any premises shall be immediately discontinued by the city if a backflow prevention device required by this article is not installed, tested and maintained, or if a backflow prevention device has been removed, bypassed, or if an unprotected crossconnection exists on the premises. Service will not be restored until such conditions or defects are corrected.

(b) All customer systems shall be open for inspection at all reasonable times to authorized representatives of the city to enable the city to ascertain the existence of cross-connections and compliance with this article of this Code. Any violation of this article shall be grounds for the city to deny or immediately discontinue service to the premises by providing for a physical break in the service line until the customer has corrected the condition(s).

(c) An approved backflow prevention device shall be installed on each metered water service connection to a customer system at or near the property line or immediately inside the building being served; but, in all cases, such device shall be installed before the first branch line leading off the service wherever the following conditions exist:

(1) In the case of premises having an auxiliary water supply.

(2) In the case of premises on which any industrial fluid is handled in such a fashion as to create an actual or potential hazard to the city system, including the handling of process waters and waters originating from the city system which have been subject to deterioration in quality, the city system shall be protected against backflow.

(3) In the case where internal cross-connections cannot be permanently corrected or controlled.

(4) In the case where there are intricate plumbing and piping arrangements.

(5) Where entry to all portions of the premises is not readily accessible for inspection purposes, making it impracticable or impossible to ascertain whether or not dangerous cross-connections exist.

(d) The type of protective device required by section 31-203(c) shall depend upon the degree of hazard which exists as follows:

(1) In the case of any premises where there is an auxiliary water supply as stated in subsection (c)(1), and such supply is not subject to any of the following rules, the city system shall be protected by an approved air-gap separation or an approved reduced pressure principle backflow prevention device.

(2) In the case of any premises where there is water or substance that would be objectionable, but not hazardous to health, if introduced into the city system, the city shall be protected by an approved reduced pressure principle backflow prevention device.

(3) In the case of any premises where there is any material dangerous to health which is handled in such a fashion as to create an actual or potential hazard to the city system, the city system shall be protected by an approved air-gap separation or an approved reduced pressure principle backflow prevention device. Examples of premises where these conditions will exist include sewage treatment plants, sewage pumping stations, chemical manufacturing plants, hospitals, mortuaries and plating plants.

(4) In the case of any premises where there are cross-connections, either actual or potential, the city system shall be protected by an approved air-gap water separation or an approved reduced pressure principle backflow prevention device.

(5) In the case of any premises where, because of security requirements or other prohibitions or restrictions, it is impossible or impractical to make a complete a hazard assessment, the city system shall be protected against backflow on back-siphonage from the premises by the installation of a backflow prevention device. In this case, maximum protection will be required; that is, an approved air-gap separation or an approved reduced pressure principle backflow prevention device shall be installed in each metered water service connection to the premises.

(6) A lead-free reduced pressure backflow preventer will be required by the City for any hazard identified on the premises as outlined in Appendix E of the CCCMP.

(7) An air-gap system installed as near to the metered water service connection as possible will be required where toxic wastes injurious materials are pumped or where reclaimed water is used to supplement the city supplied water.

(e) Any backflow prevention device required by this article shall be of a model and size approved by the city. The term "approved backflow prevention device" shall mean a device that has been manufactured in full conformance with the standards established by the American Water Works Association, as set forth in its publication entitled, "AWWA C511-17 Standards for Reduced-Pressure Principle Backflow Prevention Assembly" and, that has met completely the laboratory and field performance specifications of the Foundation for Cross-Connection Control and Hydraulic Research of the University of Southern California, as set forth in its publication entitled, "Specifications of Backflow Prevention Devices - 2079-84 dated March 1982" or the most recent edition. Final approval shall be evidenced by a "certificate of approval" issued by an approved testing laboratory, certifying full compliance with the standards and specifications set forth above.

(f) It shall be the duty of the customer/user at any premises where backflow prevention devices are installed to have certified inspections and operational tests made at least once per year. These inspections and tests shall be at the expense of the customer/user, and shall be performed by persons who have demonstrated their competency in the testing of these devices to the city. The city shall establish deadlines as to when these tests shall be performed. The customer/user shall notify the city in advance when the tests are to be undertaken so that city personnel may witness the tests if it is so desired. These devices shall be repaired, overhauled or replaced at the expense of the customer/user whenever the devices are defective. Records of such test, repairs and overhaul shall be kept and made available to the city for at least three years.

(Ord. No. 88-27, § 1, 5-11-88; Ord. No. 2025-08, 12/17/2025)

§ 31-204. through § 31-224. (Reserved)