Vallejo Municipal Code Ch. 11.38 Control of Backflow and Cross-Connection to Municipal Water System

The purpose of this chapter 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) 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 inplant potable water system(s) and nonpotable water systems, plumbing fixtures and industrial piping systems; and

C. 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.

(Ord. 922 N.C.(2d) § 2 (part), 1987.)

The director shall be responsible for the protection of the public potable water distribution system from contamination or pollution due to the backflow or backsiphonage 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 or his/her designated agent shall give notice in writing to the customer to do one of the following:

A. For standard installations pay to the city the fee specified by council resolution for the purchase and installation of a protective device required under the terms of this chapter; and a failure, refusal or inability on the part of the customer to pay for the installation of 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.

B. For nonstandard installations install an approved backflow prevention device at each service connection to his/her premises. The customer shall immediately install such approved device or devices at his/her own expense; and a 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. 1579 N.C. (2d) § 1, 2007: Ord. 922 N.C. (2d) § 2 (part), 1987.)

In this chapter:

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

B. "Auxiliary water supply" means any water supply on or available to the premises other than the city's approved public potable water supply. These auxiliary waters may include water from another purveyor's public potable water supply or any natural source(s) such as a well, spring, river, stream, harbor, etc., or "used waters" or "industrial fluids." These 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.

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

D. "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.

E. "Backflow preventer" means a device or means designed to prevent backflow or back-siphonage.

F. "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 the vessel. An approved air-gap shall be at least double the diameter of the supply pipe, 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 public 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.

G. "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 the level less than the pressure on the public water supply side of the device. At cessation of normal flow, the pressure between the two check valves shall be less than the pressure on the public water supply side of the device. In case of leakage of either of the check valves, the differential relief valve shall open to the atmosphere. To be approved, these devices must be readily accessible for in-line maintenance and testing and be installed in a location where no part of the device will be submerged.

H. "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 hall meet the design and performance specifications and approval of a recognized and city-approved testing agency for back flow prevention devices. To be approved, these devices must be readily accessible for in-line maintenance and testing.

I. "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.

J. "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. 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 changeover devices, sliding multiport tube, solid connections, etc.

K. "Cross-connections - Controlled" means a connection between a potable water system and a nonpotable water system with an approved backflow prevention device properly installed that will continuously afford the protection commensurate with the degree of hazard.

L. "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 it shall mean 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.

M. "Director" means the director of the public works department of the city or his/her designee.

N. "Hazard, degree of" means the elevation of the potential risk to public health and the adverse effect of the hazard upon the potable water system as:

1. Hazard — Health. 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 system.

2. Hazard — Plumbing. 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 backflow prevention device. Unprotected plumbing type cross-connections are considered to be a health hazard.

3. Hazard — Pollutional. 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.

4. Hazard — System. An actual or potential threat of severe damage to the physical properties of the public potable water system or the consumer's potable water system or of a pollution or contamination which would have a protracted effect on the quality of the potable water in the system.

O. "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 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.; oils, gases, glycerine, paraffins, caustic and acid solutions, and other liquid and gaseous fluids used in industrial or other purposes or for firefighting purposes.

P. "Nonstandard installation" means an installation of an approved backflow prevention device at the water service connection to any customer's premises at a location, other than at or near the property line or immediately outside the building being served, to conform with design standards adopted by the city council, or due to site constraints making a standard installation physically infeasible, as determined by the water superintendent; but in all cases before the first branch line leading off the service line. The cost of installation and all future maintenance and inspection shall be borne by the water user or property owner of a nonstandard installation.

Q. "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.

R. "Standard installation" means an installation of an approved backflow prevention device at or near the property line or immediately outside the building being served; but in all cases located outside the building being served and before the first branch line leading off the service line.

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

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

U. "Water 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 to 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 takeoffs from the service line ahead of any meter or backflow prevention device located at the point of delivery to the customer's water system. Service connection shall also include water service connection from a fire hydrant and all other temporary or emergency water service connections from the public potable water system.

V. "Water — Used" means any water supplied by the city through its potable water system to a consumer's water system after it has passed through the point of delivery and is no longer under the sanitary control of the water purveyor.

(Ord. 1579 N.C. (2d) § 2, 2007: Ord. 922 N.C. (2d) § 2 (part), 1987.)

A. Water System.

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

2. 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, from the source of supply up to the point where the customer's system begins. The source shall include all components of the facilities utilized in the production, treatment, storage and delivery of water to the distribution system.

3. The distribution system shall include the network of conduits used for the delivery of water from the source to the customer's system, and shall extend to the downstream end of the water meter. In the case of fire service connections, the city system shall cease at the property line intersected by the water service.

4. 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.

B. Policy.

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

2. The customer's system should be open for inspection at all reasonable times to authorized representatives of the public works department 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(s) in conformance with state and city laws relating to plumbing and water supplies and the regulations adopted pursuant thereto.

3. 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 outside 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 public 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 public water system, the public 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 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 any internal cross-connection that cannot be permanently corrected and controlled, or 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 public water system shall be protected against backflow from the premises by installing a backflow prevention device in the service line.

4. The type or protective device required under subsections (B)(3)(a), (b) and (c) of this section, 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 subsection (B)(3)(a) of this section, which is not otherwise subject to the provisions of this chapter, the public water system shall be protected by an approved air-gap separation or an approved reduced pressure principal backflow prevention device.

b. In the case of any premises where there is any water or substance that would be objectionable but not hazardous to health if introduced into the public water system, the public 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 public water system, the public 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 plans, hospitals, mortuaries and plating plants.

d. In the case of any premises where there are "uncontrolled" cross-connections, either actual or potential, the public 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 impracticable to make a complete in-plant cross-connection survey, the public 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.

5. The following specific types of uses and other uses as designated by the director shall be required to install a backflow prevention indicated as a minimum.

6. Any backflow prevention device required in this chapter shall be of a mold 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 (AWWA) entitled:

AWWA C506-69 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 (FCCC&HR) 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 of any device or system proposed for installation under the terms of this chapter 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 and Hydraulic Research University of Southern California University Park Los Angeles, California 90007

Testing laboratories other than the laboratory listed above will be added to an approved list as they are qualified by the director. Backflow preventers which may be subject to back pressure or back siphonage that have been fully tested and have been granted a certificate of approval by such qualified laboratory and are listed on the laboratory's current list of "Approved Devices" may be used without further test or qualification.

7. It shall be the duty of the city at any premises where backflow prevention devices are installed to ensure a certified inspection or operation test is made at least once per year. These inspections and tests shall be at the expense of the customer and shall be performed by city maintenance division personnel for standard installations after applicable fees are paid, or by a certified tester, approved by the director, hired by customer, for nonstandard installations.

Certified testers shall:

a. Maintain current American Water Works Association certification;

b. Perform field testing in accordance with the test procedures outlined in the State of California Department of Health Services' Manual of Cross-Connection Control;

c. Use a differential pressure gauge that is calibrated annually;

d. Use and submit required city certification forms; and

e. Have a business license to operate in the city of Vallejo prior to conducting any tests.

In those instances where the director deems the hazard to be great enough he may require certified inspections at more frequent intervals. These additional inspections and tests shall be at the expense of the customer and shall be performed by a certified tester approved by the director. It shall be the duty of the director to see that these timely tests are made. Those devices found to be defective shall be repaired, overhauled or replaced at the expense of the customer. Records of all such tests, repairs and overhaul shall be submitted to the city water maintenance division within seven days of testing.

(Ord. 1579 N.C. (2d) § 3, 2007: Ord. 922 N.C. (2d) § 2 (part), 1987.)

A. The customer or property owner of a standard installation shall pay to the city the fee specified by council resolution for each initial and/or annual inspection and maintenance of a backflow prevention device made under the terms of this chapter and performed by city personnel. The customer or property owner shall pay the city the fee specified for any inspection that reveals a failure to comply with the provisions of this chapter. Any request by a customer or property owner to inspect a backflow prevention device shall be accompanied by the fee specified. The inspecting official shall have the discretion to waive or reduce fees in the event that unusual circumstances, not the fault of the customer or property owner, necessitate repeated inspection.

B. The customer or property owner of a nonstandard installation shall pay to the city the administrative fee specified by council resolution for the city's collection and maintenance of submitted testing, maintenance, and certification records for each initial and/or annual inspection and maintenance of a backflow prevention device performed by a certified tester other than city personnel.

(Ord. 1579 N.C. (2d) § 4, 2007: Ord. 922 N.C. (2d) § 2 (part), 1987.)