Shafter Municipal Code Art. II Control of Backflow and Cross-Connections

The purpose of this article is:

A. To protect the public potable water supply of the city from the possibility of contamination or pollution by isolating within its customers' internal distribution system(s) or its customers' internal distribution system(s) or its customers' private water system(s) such contaminants or pollutants which could backflow or back-siphon into the public water supply system; and

B. To promote the elimination or control of existing cross-connections, actual or potential, between its customers' in-plant potable water system(s) and nonpotable water systems, plumbing fixtures and industrial piping systems;

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

D. To comply with the state water resources control board's cross-connection control policy handbook ("CCCPH"). To the extent that any provision within this chapter conflicts with the CCCPH, as may be amended from time to time, the CCCPH shall control.

(Ord. 376 § 1 (part), 1988: prior code § 4-10(6-7.01 (a)))

(Ord. No. 771, § 2(Exh. A), 9-16-2025)

Except as otherwise specified herein, the terms used in this chapter shall have the meanings ascribed to them in Section 3.1.1. of the CCCPH.

A. "Director" shall refer to the director of public works for the city of Shafter or his designee.

(Ord. 376 § 1 (part), 1988: prior code § 10-4(6-7.02(b)—(t)))

(Ord. No. 771, § 2(Exh. A), 9-16-2025)

A. The water system shall be considered as made up of two parts:

1. The city system; and

2. The customer system.

B. The city system shall consist of the source facilities and 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.

(Ord. 376 § 1 (part), 1988: prior code § 4-10(6-7.03))

(Ord. No. 771, § 2(Exh. A), 9-16-2025)

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

(Ord. 376 § 1 (part), 1988: prior code § 4-10(6-7.04))

(Ord. No. 771, § 2(Exh. A), 9-16-2025)

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 these regulations, 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(s) in conformance with state and city statutes relating to plumbing and water supplies and the regulations adopted pursuant thereto. If the customer refuses to allow authorized representatives of the public works water division to inspect the system, the customer shall be required to install an approved backflow prevention device.

(Ord. 376 § 1 (part), 1988: prior code § 4-10(6-7.05))

(Ord. No. 771, § 2(Exh. A), 9-16-2025)

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 fluids 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 that 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.

D. In the case of premises identified in Appendix D, or whenever any other hazard is identified by the director following a hazard assessment.

(Ord. 376 § 1 (part), 1988: prior code § 4-10(6-7.06))

(Ord. No. 771, § 2(Exh. A), 9-16-2025)

The type of protective device required under Subsections 13.04.070(A), (B) and (C) 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 stated in Subsections 13.04.070(A), (B) and (C) 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 substance that 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 these 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 cross-connection survey or hazard assessment, 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 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 service to the premises.

(Ord. 376 § 1 (part), 1988: prior code § 4-10(6-7.07))

(Ord. No. 771, § 2(Exh. A), 9-16-2025)

A. Any backflow prevention device required herein shall be of model and size approved by the director. The term "approved backflow prevention device" means a device that 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 have 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—#69-2 dated March, 1969 or the most current issue. Said 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.

B. 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, CA 90008

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

C. Backflow preventers which may be subjected to back pressure or back siphonage that 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 test or qualifications.

(Ord. 376 § 1 (part), 1988: prior code § 4-10(6-7.08))

(Ord. No. 771, § 2(Exh. A), 9-16-2025)

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. In those instances where the director deems the hazard to be great enough, he may require certified inspections at more frequent intervals. These inspections and tests shall be at the expense of the water user and shall be performed by the device manufacturer's representative, by public works water division personnel or by a certified tester approved by the director. It shall be the duty of the director to see that these timely tests are made. The customer-user shall notify the director in advance when the tests are to be undertaken so that he or his representative may witness the tests if so desired. These devices shall be repaired, overhauled or replaced within thirty days at the expense of the customer-user whenever the devices are found to be defective. Records of such tests, repairs and overhauls shall be kept and made available to the director.

(Ord. 376 § 1 (part), 1988: prior code § 4-10(6-7.09))

(Ord. No. 771, § 2(Exh. A), 9-16-2025)

In accordance with the CCCPH, Section 3.2.2(3)(f), the state water resources control board or the city may, at their discretion, require a customer to designate a user supervisor when the user premises has a multi-piping system that conveys various types of fluids and where changes in the piping system are frequently made. The user supervisor is responsible for the avoidance of cross-connections during the installation, operation and maintenance of the customer's pipelines and equipment. The user supervisor must be trained on the fluids used and backflow protection for the premises, and must inform the city of changes in piping, and maintain current contact information on file with the city.

(Ord. No. 771, § 2(Exh. A), 9-16-2025)

Editor's note— Ord. No. 771, § 2(Exh. A), adopted Sept. 16, 2025, repealed the former § 13.04.110, and enacted a new § 13.04.110 as set out herein. The former § 13.04.110 pertained to backflow prevention devices—presently installed nonconforming devices and derived from the prior code, § 4-10(6-7.10); and Ord. 376 § 1 (part), adopted in 1998.

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 the water service connection. 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 is his designated agent shall give notice in writing to the 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 failure, refusal or inability on the part of the customer to install the device or devices immediately shall constitute a ground for discontinuing water service to the premises until such device or devices have been properly installed.

(Ord. 376 § 1 (part), 1988: prior code § 4-10(6-7.01(b)))

(Ord. No. 771, § 2(Exh. A), 9-16-2025)

The director is invested with the authority and responsibility for the implementation of an effective crossconnection control program and for enforcement of the provisions of this article.

(Ord. 376 § 1 (part), 1988: prior code § 4-10(6-7.02(a)))

(Ord. No. 771, § 2(Exh. A), 9-16-2025)