[HISTORY: Adopted by the Town Board of the
Town of Seneca Falls 10-1-2013 by L.L. No. 3-2014. Amendments noted where applicable.]
GENERAL REFERENCES
Water — See Ch. 285.
The purpose of this chapter is to:
A.
Protect the public potable water supply of the Town
of Seneca Falls from the possibility of contamination by isolating
within its customers' internal distribution system(s) or its customers'
private water system(s) contaminants or pollutants which could backflow
into the public water supply system; and
B.
Comply with the requirements of the New York State
Sanitary Code § 5-1.31.
As used in this chapter, the following terms
shall have the meanings indicated:
That individual or firm approved by the Town Board to accomplish
the necessary inspections and operational tests of backflow prevention
devices.
The Town Clerk of the Town of Seneca Falls.
A device containing a minimum of two independently acting
check valves, together with an automatically operated pressure differential
relief valve located between the two check valves. During normal flow
and at the cessation of normal flow, the pressure between these two
checks shall be less than the upstream (supply) pressure. In case
of leakage of either check valve, the differential relief valve, by
discharging to the atmosphere, shall operate to maintain the pressure.
The unit must include tightly closing shutoff valves located at each
end of the device, and each device shall be fitted with properly located
test cocks.
A.
The Town of Seneca Falls shall be responsible for
the protection of the water distribution system from contamination
due to the backflow of contaminants through the water service connection.
If, in the judgment of the Town Board, an acceptable backflow prevention
device is required at the Town's water service connection to any customer's
premises, for the safety of the water system, the Clerk or his or
her designated agent shall give notice, in writing, to said customer
to install such backflow prevention device approved of by the Town
Board at each service connection to this premises.
B.
Consumer responsibility. It shall be the responsibility
of each consumer, at his or her own expense, to furnish, install and
keep in good working order and safe condition any and all protective
devices required by this chapter. The Town shall not be responsible
for any loss or damage directly or indirectly resulting from or caused
by the improper or negligent installation, operation, use, repair
or maintenance of or interfering with any protective device by any
customer or any other person.
C.
Design and approval. The design for the installation
of a backflow prevention device must be prepared in accordance with
New York State laws and regulations and must be approved by the Town
Board and all agencies required by state laws and regulations.
It shall be the duty of the customer at any
premises where backflow prevention devices are installed to contact
the Town's certified tester/inspector to have certified inspections
and operational tests made at least once a year. In those instances
where the Town Board deems the hazard to be great enough, it may require
certified inspections at more frequent intervals. Certified inspections
and operational tests must also be made when any backflow prevention
device is to be installed, repaired, overhauled or replaced, in addition
to the requirement of an annual certified inspection and operational
test. All inspections and tests shall be at the expense of the customer
and shall be performed by the Town's certified tester/inspector or
any other qualified firm or persons approved of in advance by the
Town. These devices shall be repaired, overhauled or replaced by and
at the expense of the customer whenever said devices are found to
be defective. Records of such tests, repairs and overhauls shall be
maintained. Copies of all testing and maintenance records shall be
sent to the Town immediately after the work is performed.
All presently installed prevention devices which
do not meet the requirements of this chapter but were approved devices
for the purposes described herein at the time of installation and
which have been properly maintained shall, except for the inspection
and maintenance requirements under this chapter, be excluded from
the requirements of these rules, so long as the Town is assured that
they will satisfactorily protect the utility system. Whenever the
existing device is moved from the present location or requires more
than minimum maintenance or constitutes a hazard to health, the unit
shall be replaced by a backflow prevention device meeting the requirements
of this chapter.
No water service connection to any customer's
water system shall be installed or maintained by the Town unless the
water supply is protected as required by state laws and regulations
and this chapter. Service of water to any premises shall be discontinued
if a backflow 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. Service will not be restored
until such conditions or defects are corrected.
An offense against the provisions of this chapter
shall be punishable by a fine of not more than $500 or by imprisonment
for not more than 15 days, or both.
