Hanford Municipal Code Ch. 13.16 Cross-Connections

A. Purpose. The purpose of this chapter is:

1. To protect the public potable water supply of the city from the possibility of contamination or pollution by isolating within its customers' internal distribution systems or its customers' internal distribution systems or its customers' private water systems such contaminants or pollutants which could backflow or backsiphon into the public water supply system; and

2. To promote the elimination or control of existing cross-connections. actual or potential, between its customers' in-plant potable water systems and nonpotable water systems, plumbing fixtures, and industrial piping systems: and

3. To provide for the maintenance of a continuing program of cross-connection control which will systematically and effectively prevent the contamination or pollution of all potable water systems.

B. Responsibility. The director of public works shall be responsible for the protection of the public potable water distribution system from contamination or pollution due to the backflow or back-siphonage of contaminants or pollutants through water service connections. If, in the judgment of the director. an approved backflow prevention device is required at the city's water service connection to any customer's premises for the safety of the water system, the director or his designated agent shall give notice in writing to such customer to install such an approved backflow prevention device at each service connection to his premises. The customer shall immediately install such approved device or devices at his own expense, and the failure, refusal or inability on the part of the customer to install such device or devices immediately shall constitute a ground for discontinuing water service to the premises until such device or devices have been properly installed.

(Prior code § 6-7.01)

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

"Director"

means the director of public works in charge of the water department of the city who is vested with the authority and responsibility for the implementation of an effective cross-connection control program and for the enforcement of the provisions of this chapter.

"Approved"

means accepted by the director as meeting an applicable specification stated or cited in this chapter or as suitable for the proposed use.

"Auxiliary water supply"

means any water supply on or available to the premises, other than the city's approved public potable water supply. Such auxiliary waters may include water from another public potable water supply or any natural source, such as a well, spring, river, stream, harbor or the like, or used waters or industrial fluids. Such waters may be polluted or contaminated, or they may be objectionable and constitute an unacceptable water source over which the city does not have sanitary control.

"Backflow"

means the flow of water or other liquids, mixtures or substances under pressure into the distributing pipes of a potable water supply system from any source other than its intended source.

"Back-siphonage"

means the flow of water or other liquids, mixtures or substances into the distributing 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.

"Backflow preventer"

means a device or means designed to prevent backflow or back-siphonage.

"Air-gap"

means the unobstructed vertical distance through the free atmosphere between the lowest opening from any pipe or faucet supplying water to a tank, plumbing fixture or other device and the flood level rim of such vessel. An approved air-gap shall be at least double the diameter of the supply pipe, measured vertically, above the top of the rim of the vessel and in no case less than one inch. When an air-gap is used at the service connection to prevent the contamination or pollution of the city's potable water system, an emergency bypass shall be installed around the air-gap system, and an approved reduced pressure principle device shall be installed in the bypass system.

"Reduced pressure principle device"

means an assembly of two independently operating approved check valves with an automatically operating differential relief valve between the two check valves. tightly closing shutoff valves on either side of the check valves, plus properly located test cocks for the testing of the check and relief valves. The entire assembly shall meet the design and performance specifications and approval of a recognized and city approved testing agency for backflow prevention assemblies. The device shall operate to maintain the pressure in the zone between the two check valves at a level less than the pressure on the city water supply side of the device. At the cessation of normal flow, the pressure between the check valves shall be less than the supply pressure. In case of the leakage of either check valve, the differential relief valve shall operate to maintain such 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. To be approved, such devices shall be readily accessible for in-line maintenance and testing and shall be installed in a location where no part of the device will be submerged.

"Double check valve assembly"

means an assembly of two independently operating approved check valves with tightly closing shutoff valves on each side of the check valves, plus properly located test cocks for the testing of each check valve. The entire assembly shall meet the design and performance specifications and approval of a recognized and city approved testing agency for backflow prevention devices. To be approved, such devices shall be readily accessible for in-line maintenance and testing.

"Contamination"

means an impairment of the quality of the potable water by sewage, industrial fluids or waste liquids, compounds, or other materials to a degree which creates an actual hazard to the public health through poisoning or through the spread of disease.

"Cross-connection"

means any physical connection or arrangement of piping or fixtures between two otherwise separate piping systems, one of which contains potable water and the other nonpotable water or industrial fluids of questionable safety, through which, or because of which, backflow or back-siphonage may occur into the potable water system. A water service connection between a public potable water distribution system and a customer's water distribution system which is cross-connected to a contaminated fixture or industrial fluid system, or with a potentially contaminated supply or auxiliary water system, constitutes one type of cross-connection. Other types of cross-connections include connectors, such as swing connections, removable sections, four-way plug valves, spools, dummy sections of pipe, swivel or change-over devices, sliding multiport tube, solid connections, and the like.

"Cross-connection, controlled"

means a connection between a potable water system and a non- potable water system with an approved backflow prevention device properly installed which will continuously afford the protection commensurate with the degree of hazard.

"Cross-connection control by containment"

means the installation of an approved backflow prevention device at the water service connection to any customer's premises where it is physically and economically infeasible to find and permanently eliminate or control all actual or potential cross-connections within the customer's water system; or "cross-connection control by containment" means the installation of an approved backflow prevention device on the service line leading to and supplying a portion of a customer's water system where there are actual or potential cross-connections which cannot be effectively eliminated or controlled at the point of cross-connection.

Hazard, Degree Of.

Hazard, Health.

"Health hazard" means any condition, device or practice in the water supply system and its operation which could create or, in the judgment of the director, may create a danger to the health and well-being of the water consumer. An example of a health hazard is a structural defect, including cross-connections, in a water supply.

Hazard, Plumbing.

"Plumbing hazard" means a plumbing-type cross-connection in a consumer's potable water system which has not been properly protected by a vacuum breaker, air-gap separation, or backflow prevention device. Unprotected plumbing type cross-connections are considered to be health hazards.

Hazard, Pollutional.

"Pollutional hazard" means an actual or potential threat to the physical properties of the water system or to the potability of the public or the consumer's potable water system, but which would constitute a nuisance or be aesthetically objectionable or could cause damage to the system or its appurtenances, but would not be dangerous to health.

Hazard, System.

"System hazard" means an actual or potential threat of severe damage to the physical properties of the city's potable water system or the consumer's potable water system or of pollution or contamination which would have a protracted effect on the quality of the potable water in the system.

"Industrial fluids system"

means any system containing a 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 an approved water supply. This may include, but not be limited to, polluted or contaminated waters; all types of process waters and used waters originating from the public potable water system which may have deteriorated in sanitary quality; chemicals in fluid form; plating acids and alkalis, circulated cooling waters connected to an open cooling tower, and/or cooling towers which 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, and the like; and oils, gases, glycerine, paraffins, caustic and acid solutions, and other liquid and gaseous fluids used for industrial or other purposes or for fire-fighting purposes.

"Pollution"

means the presence of any foreign substance (organic, inorganic or biological) in water which tends to degrade its quality so as to constitute a 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 waters for domestic use.

Water, Potable.

"Potable water" means any water which, according to recognized standards, is safe for human consumption.

Water, Nonpotable.

"Nonpotable water" means any water which is not safe for human consumption or which is of questionable potability.

"Water service connection"

means the terminal end of a service connection from the city's potable water system, that is, where the city loses jurisdiction and sanitary control over the water at its point of delivery to the customer's water system. If a meter is installed at the end of the service connection, then the service connection shall mean the downstream end of the meter. There should be no unprotected takeoff from the service line ahead of any meter or backflow prevention device located at the point of delivery to the customer's water system. "Water service connection" shall also include a water service connection from a fire hydrant and all other temporary or emergency water service connections from the public potable water system.

Water, Used.

"Used water" means any water supplied by the city from the potable water system to a consumer's water system after such water has passed through the point of delivery and is no longer under the sanitary control of the city.

(Prior code § 6-7.02)

A. The water system shall be considered as made up of two parts: the city system and the customer system.

B. The city system shall consist of the source facilities of the distribution system and shall include all those facilities of the water system under the complete control of the city up to the point where the customer's system begins.

C. The source shall include all components of the facilities utilized in the production, treatment, storage and delivery of water to the distribution system.

D. The distribution system shall include the network of conduits used for the delivery of water from the source to the customer's system.

E. The customer's system shall include those parts of the facilities beyond the termination of the city distribution system which are utilized in conveying city delivered domestic water to points of use.

(Prior code § 6-7.03)

No water service connection to any premises shall be installed or maintained unless the water supply is protected as required by state laws and regulations and this chapter. The service of water to any premises shall be discontinued if a prevention device required by this chapter is not installed, tested and maintained, or if it is found that a backflow prevention device has been removed or bypassed, or if an unprotected cross-connection exists on the premises. Service will not be restored until such conditions or defects are corrected.

(Prior code § 6-7.04)

The customer's system should be open for inspection at all reasonable times to authorized representatives of the public works water division to determine whether cross-connections or other structural or sanitary hazards, including violations of this chapter, exist. When such a condition becomes known, the director shall 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 in conformance with state and city statutes relating to plumbing and water supplies and the regulations adopted pursuant thereto.

(Prior code § 6-7.05)

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

A. In the case of premises having an auxiliary water supply which is not or may not be of safe bacteriological or chemical quality and which is not acceptable as an additional source by the director, the city water system shall be protected against backflow from the premises by installing a backflow prevention device in the service line appropriate to the degree of hazard.

B. In the case of premises on which any industrial fluid or any other objectionable substance is handled in such a fashion as to create an actual or potential hazard to the city water system, the city system shall be protected against backflow from the premises by installing a backflow prevention device in the service line appropriate to the degree of hazard. This shall include the handling of process waters and waters originating from the city system which have been subject to deterioration in quality.

C. In the case of premises having: (1) internal cross-connections which cannot be permanently corrected and controlled, or (2) intricate plumbing and piping arrangements or 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, the city water system shall be protected against backflow from the premises by installing a backflow prevention device in the service line.

(Prior code § 6-7.06)

The type of protective device required by Section 13.16.060 shall depend upon the degree of hazard which exists as follows:

A. In the case of any premises where there is an auxiliary water supply as set forth in Section 13.16.060(A) and it is not subject to any of the following rules, the city water system shall be protected by an approved air-gap separation or an approved reduced pressure principle backflow prevention device.

B. In the case of any premises where there is water or a substance which would be objectionable, but not hazardous to health, if introduced into the city water system, the city water system shall be protected by an approved double check valve assembly.

C. 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 water system, the city water system shall be protected by an approved air-gap separation or an approved reduced pressure principle backflow prevention device. Examples of premises where such conditions will exist include sewage treatment plants, sewage pumping stations, chemical manufacturing plants, hospitals, mortuaries and plating plants.

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

E. 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 in-plant cross-connection survey, the city water system shall be protected against backflow or back-siphonage from the premises by the installation of a backflow prevention device in the service line. In such 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 service to the premises.

(Prior code § 6-7.07)

Any backflow prevention device required by this chapter shall be of the model and size approved by the director. The term "approved backflow prevention device" means a device which has been manufactured in full conformance with the standards established by the American Water Works Association, entitled "AWWA C506-78 Standards for Reduced Pressure Principle and Double Check Valve Backflow Prevention Devices," and 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 established by "Specifications of Backflow Prevention Devices" - No. 69-2, dated March, 1969. or the most current issue.

The AWWA and FCCC&HR standards and specifications have been adopted by the director. Final approval shall be evidenced by a certificate of approval issued by an approved testing laboratory certifying full compliance with said AWWA standards and FCCC&HR specifications.

The following testing laboratory has been qualified by the director to test and certify backflow preventers:

Foundation for Cross-Connection Control & Hydraulic Research

University of Southern California

University Park

Los Angeles, California 90008

Testing laboratories other than said laboratory will be added to an approved list as they are qualified by the director.

Backflow preventers which may be subjected to back pressure or back siphonage which have been fully tested and have been granted a certificate of approval by said qualified laboratory and are listed on the laboratory's current list of approved devices may be used without further testing or qualifications.

(Prior code § 6-7.08)

Every customer of the city water system shall have a certified inspections and operational tests performed on all backflow prevention devices located upon their property or premises at least once a year. The director of public works may require any customer of the city water system to perform such certified inspections or tests more frequently than once a year if the public works director deems it necessary for reasons of health and safety. All such certified inspections and tests shall be at the sole expense of the customer and shall be performed by a certified tester approved by the director of public works. Each customer shall notify the director of public works in advance when the certified inspections and tests are to be performed so that the director of public works or his representative may witness the inspections and tests if desired. If, at any time, an customer's backflow prevention device is determined to be defective or in need of repair, all such repairs, and replacements shall be at the sole expense of the customer. Should a customer fail to have its back flow devices tested and repaired as required by this section, the city may contract to have such inspections, tests and repairs performed and the city or its contractor may enter upon the customer's property or premises in order to perform such inspections, tests and repairs. upon completing such inspections, tests or repairs, the city will bill the customer for all costs incurred by the city, plus an administration fee to be established by city council resolution. Payment by the customer shall be made to the city within 10 days of the date of such invoice.

The records of any and all inspections, tests, repairs or replacements of a customer's backflow prevention device shall be kept by the customer for a period of three years and made available to the director of public works upon request.

(Prior code § 6-7.09; Ord. 99-02, 1999)

All backflow devices installed on or before January 17, 1985, which do not meet the requirements of this chapter but were approved devices for the purposes described in this chapter at the time of installation and which have been properly maintained, except for the inspection and maintenance requirements set forth in Section 13.16.090 of this chapter, shall be excluded from the requirements of this chapter so long as the director is assured that they will satisfactorily protect the city system. Whenever such an existing device is moved from the present location or requires more than minimum maintenance, or when the director finds that the maintenance constitutes a hazard to health, the unit shall be replaced by a backflow prevention device meeting the requirements of this chapter.

(Prior code § 6-7.10)