ORDINANCE 1271
AN ORDINANCE REQUIRING BACKFLOW AND CROSS-CONNECTION CONTROL, INCLUDING REGISTRATION AND FEES, FOR THE CONTINUANCE OF WATER SERVICE FOR THE PURPOSE OF HEALTH, SAFETY AND WELFARE OF THE CITIZENS OF ANDREWS, AND PROVIDING A PENALTY.
THEREFORE BE IT ORDAINED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF ANDREWS.
1.1 Purpose
The purpose of this ordinance is:
1.1.1 To protect the public potable water supply of CITY OF ANDREWS from the possibility of contamination or pollution by isolating within the customer’s internal distribution system(s) or the customer’s private water system(s) such contamination or pollutants that could backflow into the public water system; and
1.1.2 To comply with the Texas Health and Safety Code statutes, Chapter 341,Subchapter C as prescribed by the TNRCC rules and regulations 290.44(h)-290.44(h)(5).
1.1.3 To promote the elimination or control of existing cross connections, actual or potential, between systems, plumbing fixtures, and industrial piping systems; and,
1.1.4 To provide for the maintenance of a continuing program of cross connection control that will systematically and effectively prevent the contamination or pollution of all potable water systems.
1.2 Responsibility
The Water Superintendent/Plumbing Inspector shall be responsible for the protection of the public potable water distribution system from contamination or pollution due to the backflow of
Contaminants or pollutants through the water service connection. If, in the judgement of said water superintendent/plumbing inspector, an approved backflow-prevention assembly is required
(at the customer’s water service connection; or, within the customer’s private water system) for the safety of the water, the water superintendent or his/her designated agent shall give notice in writing to said customer to install such an approved back-flow prevention assembly(s) at specific location(s) on his/her premises. The customer shall immediately install such approved assembly(s) at his/her expense; and, failure, refusal, or the inability on the part of the customer to install, have tested, and maintain said assembly(s) shall constitute grounds for disconnecting water service to the premises until such requirements have been satisfactorily met.
SECTION 2 DEFINITIONS
2.1 Water Superintendent
The water superintendent in charge of the CITY OF ANDREWS utilities is invested with the authority and responsibility for the implementation of an effective cross-connection control program and for the enforcement of the provisions of this ordinance.
2.2 Approved
Accepted by the authority responsible as meeting an applicable specification stated or cited in this ordinance or as suitable for the proposed use.
2.3 Auxiliary Water Supply
Any water supply on or available to the premises other than purveyor’s approved public 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; and so forth; used waters; or industrial fluids. These waters may be contaminated or polluted, or they may be objectionable and constitute an unacceptable water source over which the water purveyor does not have sanitary control.
2.4 Backflow
The undesirable reversal of flow in a potable water distribution system as a result of a cross connection.
2.5 Backpressure
A pressure, higher than the supply pressure, caused by a pump, elevated tank, boiler, or any other means that may cause backflow.
2.6 Backsiphonage
Backflow caused by negative or reduced pressure in the supply piping.
2.7 Backflow Preventer
An assembly or means designed to prevent backflow.
2.7.1 Air gap. The unobstructed vertical distance through the free atmosphere between the lowest opening from any pipe or faucet conveying water or waste to a tank, plumbing fixture, receptor, or other assembly and the flood level rim of the receptacle. These vertical, physical separations must be at least twice the diameter of the water supply outlet, never less than 1 in. (25mm.).
2.7.2 Reduced-pressure backflow-prevention assembly. The approved reduced-pressure principle backflow-prevention assembly consists of two independently acting approved check valves together with a hydraulically operating, mechanically independent pressure differential relief valve located between the check valves and below the first check valve. These units are located between two tightly closing resilient-seated shutoff valves as an assembly and equipped with properly located resilient-seated test cocks.
2.7.3 Double check valve assembly. The approved double check valve assembly consists
of two internally loaded check valves, either spring loaded or internally weighted, installed as a unit between two tightly closing resilient-seated shutoff valves and fittings with properly located resilient-seated test cocks. This assembly shall only be used to protect a nonhealth hazard (that is, a pollutant).
2.8 Contamination
An impairment of a potable water supply by the introduction or admission of any foreign substance that degrades the quality and creates a health hazard.
2.9 Cross Connection
A connection or potential connection between any part of a potable water system and any other environment containing other substances in a manner that, under any circumstances would allow such substances to enter the potable water system. Other substances may be gases, liquid, or solids, such as chemicals, waste products, steam, water from other sources (potable or nonpotable), or any matter that may change the color or add odor to the water.
2.10 Cross Connections-Controlled
A connection between a potable water system and a potable water system with an approved backflow-prevention assembly properly installed and maintain so that it will continuously afford the protection commensurate with the degree of hazard.
2.11 Cross Connection Control by Containment
The installation of an approved backflow-prevention assembly at the water service connection to any customer’s premises, where it is physically and economically unfeasible 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 assembly on the service line leading to and supplying a portion of a customer’s water system where there are actual or potential cross connections that cannot be effectively or controlled at the point of cross connection.
2.12 Hazard, Degree of
The term is derived from an evaluation of the potential risk to the public health and adverse effect of the hazard upon the potable water system.
2.12.1 Hazard-health. A cross connection or potential cross connection involving any substance that could, if introduced in the potable water supply, cause death, illness, spread disease, or have a high probability of causing such effects.
2.12.2 Hazard-plumbing. A plumbing-type cross connection in a consumer’s potable water
system that had not been properly protected by an approved air gap or an approved backflow-prevention assembly.
2.12.3 Hazard-nonhealth. A cross connection or potential cross connection involving any substance that generally would not be a health hazard but would constitute a nuisance or be
aesthetically objectionable, if introduced into the potable water supply.
2.12.4 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 that would have a protracted effect on the quality of the potable water in the system.
2.13 Industrial Fluids System
Any system containing a fluid or solution that may be chemically, biologically, or otherwise contaminated or polluted in a form or concentration, such as would constitute a health, system, pollution, or plumbing hazard, if introduced into an approved water supply. This may include, but not limited to: polluted or contaminated waters; all types of process waters and used waters originating from the public potable water system that may have deteriorated in sanitary quality; chemicals in fluid form; plating acids and alkalies; circulating 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 wells, springs, streams, rivers, or systems, and so forth; oils, gases, glycerin, paraffins, caustic and acid solutions, and other liquid and gaseous fluids used in industrial or other purposes for fire-fighting purposes.
2.14 Pollution
The presence of any foreign substance in water that tends to degrade its quality so as to constitute a nonhealth hazard or impair the usefulness of the water.
2.15 Water-Potable
Water that is safe for human consumption.
2.16 Water-Nonpotable
Water that is not safe for human consumption or that is of questionable quality.
2.17 Service Connection
The terminal end of a service connection from the public potable water system, that is, where the water purveyor 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 takeoffs from the service line ahead of any meter or backflow-prevention assembly 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.
2.18 Water-Used
Any water supplied by a water purveyor from a public 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.
3.1 Water System
3.1.1 The water system shall be considered as made up of two parts: the utility system and the customer system
3.1.2 Utility 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 utility, up to the point where the customer’s system begins.
3.1.3 The source shall include all components of the facilities utilized in the production, treatment, storage, and delivery of the water to the distribution system.
3.1.4 The distribution system shall include the network of conduits used for the delivery of water from the source to the customer’s system.
3.1.5 The customer’s system shall include those parts of the facilities beyond the termination of the utility distribution system that are utilized in conveying utility-delivered domestic water to points of use.
3.2 Policy
3.2.1 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 regulations and this ordinance. The water purveyor shall discontinue Service of water to any premises if a backflow-prevention assembly required by this ordinance is not installed, tested, and maintained, or if it is found that a backflow-prevention assembly had been removed, bypassed, of if unprotected cross connection exists on the premises. Service will not be restored until such conditions or defects are corrected.
3.2.2 The customer’s system should be open for inspection at all reasonable times to authorized representatives of the CITY OF ANDREWS to determine whether cross connections or other structural or sanitary hazards, including violations of these regulations, exist. When such a condition becomes known, the water superintendent shall deny or immediately discontinue service to the premises by providing for a physical break in the service line until the customer has corrected to condition(s) in conformance with state and city statues relating to plumbing and water supplies and the regulations adopted pursuant thereto.
3.2.3 An approved backflow-prevention assembly shall 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:
3.2.3a In the case of premises having auxiliary water supply that is not or may not be of safe bacteriological or chemical quality and that is not acceptable as an additional source by the CITY OF ANDREWS, the public water system shall be protected against backflow from the premises by installing an approved backflow-prevention assembly in the service line, appropriate to the degree of hazard.
3.2.3b In the case of premises on which any industrial fluids or any other objectionable substances are 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 an approved backflow-prevention assembly in the service line, appropriate to the degree of hazard. This shall include the handling of process waters and waters originating from the utility system that have been subject to deterioration in quality.
3.2.3c 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 public water system shall be protected against backflow from the premises by installing an approved backflow-prevention assembly in the service line.
3.2.4 The type of protection assembly required under subsections 3.2.3a, 3.2.3b, and 3.2.3c shall depend upon the degree of hazard that exists as follows:
3.2.4a In the case of any premises where there is an auxiliary water supply as stated in subsection 3.2.3a of this section and it is not subject to any of the following rules, the public water system shall be protected by an approved air-gap separation or an approved reduced-pressure principle backflow-prevention assembly.
3.2.4b 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 public water system, an approved double check valve assembly shall protect the public water system.
3.2.4c In the case of any premises where there is any material dangerous to health that is handled in such a fashion as to create an actual or potential hazard to the public water system, shall be protected by an approved air-gap separation or an approved reduced-pressure principle backflow-prevention assembly. Examples of premises where these conditions will exist include sewage treatment plants, sewage pumping stations, chemical manufacturing plants, hospitals, mortuaries, and plating plants,
3.2.4d In the case of any premises where, because 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 assembly at the service connection.
3.2.4e 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 from the premises by either an approved air-gap separation or an approved reduced-pressure principle backflow-prevention assembly in each service to the premises.
3.2.4f In the case of any premises where, in the opinion if the water superintendent/plumbing inspector, an undue health threat is posed because of the presence of extremely toxic substances, the water superintendent/plumbing inspector may require an air gap at the service connection to protect the public water system. This requirement will be at the discretion of the water superintendent/plumbing inspector and is dependent on the degree of hazard.
3.2.5 Any backflow-prevention assembly required herein shall be a model and size approved by the water superintendent/plumbing inspector. The term approved backflow-prevention assembly shall mean an assembly that had been manufactured in full conformance with the standards established by the American Water Works Association titled:
AWWA C510-89-Standard for Double Check Valve Backflow-Prevention Assembly, and
AWWA C511-89-Standard for Reduced-Pressure Principle Backflow Assembly,
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 Assemblies”-Sec. 10 of the most current issue of the Manual of Cross Connection Control.
Said AWWA and FCCHR standards and specifications have been adopted by the CITY OF ANDREWS. Final approval shall be evidenced by a “Certificate of Approval” issued by an approved testing laboratory certifying full compliance with said AWWA standards and FCCHR specifications.
The following testing laboratory had been qualified by the CITY OF ANDREWS to test and certify backflow preventers:
Foundation for Cross-Connection Control and Hydraulic Research
University of Southern California
University Park
Los Angeles, CA 90089
Testing laboratories, other than the laboratory listed above, will be added to an approved list as they are qualified by the CITY OF ANDREWS.
Backflow preventers that may be subjected to backpressure or backsiphonage 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 backflow-prevention assemblies may be used without further testing or qualification.
3.2.6 It shall be the duty of the customer-user at any premises where backflow-prevention assemblies are installed to have certified inspections and operational tests made at least once per year. In those instances where the water superintendent/plumbing inspector deems the hazard to be great enough, certified inspections may be required at more frequent intervals. These inspections and tests shall be at the expense of the water user and shall be performed by the assembly manufacturer’s representative, or by a certified tester approved by the CITY OF ANDREWS. It shall be the duty of the customer to see that these tests are made in a timely manner. The customer-user shall notify the CITY OF ANDREWS in advance when the tests are to be undertaken so that the customer-user may witness the tests if so desired. These assemblies shall be repaired, overhauled, or replaced at the expense of the customer-user whenever said assemblies are found defective. Records of such tests, repairs, and overhaul shall be kept and made available to the CITY OF ANDREWS.
3.2.7 All presently installed backflow-prevention assemblies that do not meet the requirements of this section and that have been properly maintained, shall, except for the inspection and maintenance requirements under subsection 3.2.6, be excluded from the requirements of these rules so long as the CITY OF ANDREWS is assured that they will satisfactorily protect the utility system. Whenever the existing assembly is moved from the present location, requires more than minimum maintenance, or when the CITY OF ANDREWS finds that the maintenance constitutes a hazard to health, the unit shall be replaced by an approved backflow-prevention assembly meeting the requirements if this section.
4.1 TESTERS AND INSTALLER
4.1.1 All installers and testers shall be properly registered through the CITY OF ANDREWS with proof of TNRCC certification and gauges used must have annual test certification.
There will be an annual registration fee shown on Schedule A.
5.1 Reports
5.1 The recognized backflow prevention assembly tester must complete a Test Report for each assembly tested. The signed and dated original must be submitted to the CITY OF ANDREWS for record keeping purposes. Approved test forms are available from the CITY OF ANDREWS.
The proper fee will be required when obtaining a test report. That fee will be found in Schedule B.
6.1 Penalty
6.1 Failure to comply with the provisions of this ordinance may result in discontinuance of service as provided in Section 3.2.1 of this ordinance or upon conviction in municipal court a fine not to exceed $1,000 per day.
APPROVED ON FIRST READING THIS 9TH day of November, 2000.
APPROVED ON SECOND READING THIS 14TH day of December, 2000
______________________________
Robert Zap, Mayor
ATTEST:
_______________________________
Kitty F. Bristow
City Secretary
Schedule A:
Registration fee will be $7.50 annually, based on calendar year. Due by January 31.
Schedule B:
Assembly test report permit will be $7.50 for up to three assemblies, thereafter $20.00 for more than three assemblies at same location.
Schedule A
City of Andrews
Backflow Prevention Program
Backflow prevention and cross connection certification documentation, originals only, a $7.50 Fee and gauge certification must accompany this application form.
Print or Type
Technician Information:
NAME: _________________________________________________________________________
Last First MI
Certification #: ______________________ Certification/Recertification Date: _____/_____/_____
Mailing Address:__________________________________________________________________
City: _______________________________ State: ______________ Zip Code: _____________
Home Phone Number: (_____) _______-______________________
Employer Information:
Employer: ________________________________________________________________________
Mailing Address: ___________________________________________________________________
City: _________________________________ State: ______________ Zip Code: _____________
Work Phone Number: (_____) _______-_______________ Fax: (_____) ______-________________
Manufacturer: ____________________________ Model: _________________________________
Complete the following if you want your name to be added to a list of certified backflow prevention technicians registered with the City of Andrews. Upon request, this list will be made available to the general public by the City of Andrews.
Company Name: ___________________________________
Name: ___________________________________________
Phone Number: (_____) _______-______________________
I, the undersigned, certify that the above information is true and correct.
FEES: $7.50 1-3 ASSEMBLIES (Same Location)
$20.00 MORE THAN 3 ASSEMBLIES (Same Location)
A separate Report form Required for Each Assembly Tested.
Illegible or incomplete reports will not be accepted |
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Backflow Assembly Information |
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Serial Number: |
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Is this commercial property? |
CHECK ONE |
Yes [ ] No [ ] |
Phone: (____) ______-________ |
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Occupant/Business Name: |
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Physical Address: |
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Assembly location on the property: |
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Reason the assembly is installed: |
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Customer Information |
Please Print |
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Property Owner/Agent: |
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Mailing Address: |
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Bldg: |
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Suite: |
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City: |
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Initial Test |
Reduced Pressure Backflow Prevention Assembly
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Pressure Vacuum Breaker |
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Double-Check Valve Assembly |
Differential Pressure Relief Valve |
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SW Vacuum Breaker |
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#1 Check Valve |
#2 Check Valve |
Air Relief |
Check Valve |
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DCVA___.___ PSI |
DCVA___.___ PSI |
Opened at ___.___ PSID |
Opened at ___.___ |
Closed at ___.___ |
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RPZ___.___PSID |
RPZ |
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PSID |
PSID |
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Leaked[ ] |
Closed tight [ ] |
Did Not Open[ ] |
Did not open [ ] |
Did Not Close [ ] |
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Repairs
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TestAfter Repairs |
DCVA ___.___ PSI |
DCVA___.___ PSI |
Opened at ___.___PSI |
Opened at___.___PSI |
Closed at___.___PSI |
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RPZ___.___PSID |
RPZClosed Tight [ ] |
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I certify that all information on this report is true and correct.
Backflow Test Status - - - - - - - Pass [ ] |
Fail [ ]
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Certification #: ________________________ |
Gauge Serial #: _________________________
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Phone: (___)______-___________________ CERTIFIED TECHNICIAN’S PHONE NUMBER |
Backflow Technician: ___________________ PLEASE PRINT |
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Date: _______/_______/________ |
Signature: _____________________________ |
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TECHNICIAN’S SIGNATURE |