Huron Municipal Code Ch. 13.16 Cross-Connection Control Program

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

"Applicant" means the person making an application for a service connection and/or water services.

"Building" means any structure used for human habitation or a place of business, recreation, or other purpose, which building contains water facilities.

"City inspection" means the inspector acting for the City.

"Contractor" means an individual, firm, corporation, partnership or association duly licensed by the State to perform the type of work to be done pursuant to the permit and shall mean the owner or his agent.

"Cost" means the cost of labor, materials, transportation, supervision, engineering and all other necessary overhead expenses.

"Cross-connection" is an unprotected actual or potential connection between a potable water system used to supply water for drinking purposes and any source or system containing unapproved water or a substance that is not or cannot be approved as safe, wholesome, and potable. By-pass arrangements, jumper connections, removable sections, swivel or change-over devices, or other devices through which backflow could occur, shall be considered to be cross-connections.

"Distribution main" means the water lines in streets, highways, alleys and easements used for public and private fire protection or for the general distribution of water for irrigation, industrial and municipal purposes.

"Engineer" means the engineer appointed by, and acting for, the City. The engineer shall be a registered civil engineer.

"Owner" means the person owning the fee, or the person in whose name the legal title to the property appears, by deed duly recorded in the office of the county recorder or the person in possession of the property or building under claim of, or exercising acts of, ownership over such property or building for himself or as executor, administrator, guardian, or trustee of the owner.

"Permit" means any written authorization required pursuant to the provisions of this chapter or any other rule, regulation or law of the City for the installation of any water works.

"Premises" shall mean a lot or parcel of real property under one ownership, except that any separate structure under one roof shall be deemed a separate premises. Apartment house, motels, office buildings, and structures of a like nature may be classified as a single premises.

"Private fire protection service" means the water services and facilities for buildings sprinkler systems, hydrants, hose reels, and other facilities installed on private property for fire protection and the water available therefor.

"Public fire protection service" means the services and facilities of the entire water supply, storage and distribution system of the City, including the fire hydrants affixed thereto and the water available for fire protection, excepting house service connections and appurtenances thereto.

"Regular water service" means the water services and facilities rendered for normal domestic, commercial and industrial purposes on a permanent basis and the water available therefor.

"Service" or "service connection" means the pipeline and appurtenant facilities, such as the curb stop, meter, and meter box, if any, all used to extend water services from the distribution main to the premises. Where pipelines are divided at the curb or property line to serve several customers, each such branch service shall be deemed a separate service.

"Street" means any public highway, road, street, avenue, alley, way, easement or right-of-way.

"Temporary water service" means the water services and facilities rendered for construction work and other uses of limited duration and the water available therefor.

"Water department" means the council performing functions related to the municipal water service, together with the city superintendent and other duly authorized representatives.

"Water user" is any person obtaining water from a public water supply.

(Ord. 313 § 1, 1995)

A. Purpose. The purpose of this chapter is to protect the public water supply system from contamination due to potential and actual cross-connections. This shall be accomplished by the establishment of a cross-connection control program as required by State regulations. The ordinance codified in this chapter is adopted pursuant to Title 17, Sections 7583 through 7605, inclusive, of the California Code of Regulations, entitled "Regulations Relating to Cross-Connections."

B. Responsibility. The water department shall be responsible for implementing and enforcing the cross-connection control program. An appropriate backflow prevention assembly shall be installed by and at the expense of the water user at each user connection where required to prevent backflow from the water user's premises to the domestic water system. It shall be the water user's responsibility to comply with the water department's requirements.

C. Cross-Connection Protection Requirements. The type of protection that shall be provided to prevent backflow into the public water supply system shall be commensurate with the degree of hazard, actual or potential, that exists on the water user's premises. Unprotected cross-connections with the public water supply are prohibited. The type of backflow prevention assembly that may be required (listed in decreasing level of protection) includes: air-gap separation (AG), reduced pressure principle backflow prevention assembly (RP), and a double check valve assembly (DC). The water user may choose a higher level of protection that required by the water department. The minimum type of backflow protection required to protect the approved water supply at the user's water connection to premises with varying degrees of hazard are listed in Table 1 of Section 7604, Title 17, of the California Code of Regulations. Situations which are not covered in Table 1 shall be evaluated on a case-by-case basis and the appropriate backflow protection shall be determined by the water department or health agency.

D. Backflow Prevention Assemblies. Only the backflow prevention assemblies which have been approved by the water department shall be acceptable for installation by a water user. A list of approved backflow prevention assemblies will be provided upon request to any affected customer. Backflow prevention assemblies shall be installed in a manner prescribed in Section 7603, Title 17, of the California Code of Regulations. Location of the assemblies shall be as close as practical to the user's connection. The water department shall have the final authority in determining the required location of a backflow prevention assembly.

Testing of backflow assemblies shall be conducted only by qualified testers and testing will be the responsibility of the water user. Backflow prevention assemblies must be tested at least annually and immediately after installation, relocation or repair. More frequent testing may be required if deemed necessary by the water department. No assembly shall be placed back in service unless it is functioning as designed. These assemblies shall be serviced, overhauled or replaced whenever they are found to be defective and all costs of testing, repair and maintenance shall be borne by the water user. Approval must be obtained from the water department prior to removing, relocation or replacing a backflow prevention assembly.

E. Administration. The cross-connection control program shall be administered by the water department. The water department will establish and maintain a list of approved backflow prevention assemblies as well as a list of approved backflow prevention assembly testers. The water department shall conduct necessary surveys of water user premises to evaluate the degree of potential health hazards. The water department shall notify user when an assembly needs to be tested. The notice shall contain the date when the test must be completed.

F. Water Service Termination. When the water department encounters water uses that represent a clear and immediate hazard to the potable water supply that cannot be immediately abated, the procedure for terminating water service shall be instituted. Conditions or water uses that create a basis for water service termination shall include, but are not limited to, the following:

1. Refusal to install or to test a backflow prevention assembly, or to repair or replace a faulty backflow prevention assembly;

2. Direct or indirect connection between the public water system and a sewer line;

3. Unprotected direct or indirect connection between the public water system and a system or equipment containing contaminants;

4. Unprotected direct or indirect connection between the public water system and an auxiliary water system.

For condition 1, the water department will terminate service to a water user's premises after notification has been sent. If no action is taken immediately, the water service shall be terminated.

For conditions 2, 3 or 4, the water department shall take the following steps:

1. Make reasonable effort to advise the water user of intent to terminate water service;

2. Terminate water service and lock service valve. The water service shall remain inactive until correction of violations has been approved by the water department.

(Ord. 313 § 2, 1995)