Town of Warwick, NY Cross-Connection Control

The purpose of this article is to safeguard the potable water supply from potential contamination by preventing backflow from a water user's system into the public water supply system and to comply with the requirements of the New York State Sanitary Code, Title 10 New York Codes, Rules and Regulations, Part 5, § 5-1.31. This is to be accomplished by:

Requiring an approved air gap, reduced pressure zone device, double check valve assembly or equivalent protective device consistent with the degree of hazard posed by any service connection.

Requiring the users of such connections to submit plans for the installation of protective devices to the Building Inspector for approval; and

Assuring that all protective devices be tested at least annually, records of which shall be submitted by the property owner to and maintained by the Building Department.

§ 157-24 Backflow prevention devices required.

All nonresidential users of the public water system and all residential users of the public water system having auxiliary water supply, including but not limited to a private well, lawn sprinkler or irrigation system, shall be required to comply with this article.

Any installation, service, maintenance, testing, repair or modification of a backflow prevention device shall be performed in accordance with the requirements of the Town and the New York State Plumbing Code. For purposes of this article, a backflow prevention device is an approved air gap, reduced pressure zone device, double check valve assembly or equivalent protection device designed to prevent potential contamination of a public water system.

Backflow prevention devices conforming to the most current requirements of the New York State Department of Health and the Orange County Department of Health shall be installed by the owner of those systems pursuant to the rules of those Departments in force at the time of the installation.

A certificate of occupancy shall not be issued by the Building Inspector for new or modified, renovated or rehabilitated structures having a system classified by the Department of Health or determined by the Building Inspector as hazardous, unless a backflow prevention device has been installed and approved pursuant to this article and Department of Health requirements.

The cost to install a backflow prevention device shall be borne by the owner of the property.

The Town Building Department or designee shall make a determination as to whether a property owner requires a backflow prevention device and the type of device in accordance with this article and the New York State Department of Health and the Orange County Department of Health requirements and regulations.

§ 157-25 Upgrade of preexisting systems.

Any preexisting system that does not contain a backflow prevention device shall be upgraded so as to comply with the current requirements of this article and of the New York State Department of Health and the Orange County Department of Health within 120 days following the service of notice by certified mail to install said device.

§ 157-26 Determination of type of backflow prevention device.

The Building Inspector or designee shall determine the type of device required for each property and facility. In making his determination, the Building Inspector shall utilize the Sample List of Facilities Requiring Backflow Prevention, prepared by the Department of Health, and, if necessary, shall consult with the Orange County Department of Health.

Cross-connection control by facility type.

(1)

The types of facilities which shall require installation of an approved reduced pressure zone (RPZ) or air gap in the service connection to the public water distribution system include, but are not limited to:

(a)

Sewage and industrial wastewater treatment plants and pumping stations, sewer flushers;

(b)

Paper manufacturing or processing, dye plants, petroleum processing, printing plants, chemical manufacturing or processing, industrial fluid systems, steam generation, rubber processing, tanneries;

(c)

Canneries, breweries, food processing, milk processing, ice manufacturing, meat packers, poultry processing, rendering companies;

(d)

Hospitals, clinics, laboratories, veterinary hospitals, mortuaries, embalmers;

(e)

Shipyards, marinas;

(f)

Metal-plating, photo-processing, laundries, commercial car washes, commercial refrigeration systems, dry-cleaning establishments;

(g)

Commercial greenhouses, spraying and irrigation systems using weedicides and herbicides, exterminators;

(h)

Boiler systems, cooling towers or internal fire-fighting systems using conditioners, inhibitors, corrosion-control chemicals;

(i)

Residential units with lawn irrigation systems with chemical injection.

(2)

The types of facilities which shall require installation of an approved double check valve in the service connection of the public water distribution system include, but are not limited to:

(a)

Customer fire protection loops, fire storage tanks with no chemical additives;

(b)

High temperature potable water;

(c)

Utilization of food-grade dyes;

(d)

Complex plumbing systems in commercial buildings, such as, but not limited to: beauty salons, churches, apartment buildings, gas stations, supermarkets, nursing homes, construction sites, carnivals;

(e)

Residential units with lawn and irrigation systems.

(3)

The above lists are not all-inclusive. The type of backflow prevention device required for each facility shall be determined by the Building Inspector or designee as set forth above.

§ 157-27 Testing: owner liability for costs.

The testing of backflow prevention devices shall be performed on an annual basis by the owner of any system requiring same, and the cost of such testing shall be borne by the owner of the system. The testing procedures shall conform to the requirements of the New York State Department of Health and the Orange County Department of Health. Test results shall be submitted to the Building Inspector.

§ 157-28 Department of Health requirements.

The Building Inspector shall enforce this article and the cross-connection and backflow prevention requirements, specification, guidelines, and facilities classifications of the New York State Department of Health and the Orange County Department of Health. Specification, guidelines, facilities classifications and other administrative requirements and information which shall be used to implement the requirements shall be on file in the Building Inspector's office.

§ 157-29 Penalties for offenses.

In addition to, and not in lieu of, any other penalty set forth in this chapter, any person who violates a provision of this article shall be subjected to a fine not to exceed $250 for each day the violation continues after notice by the Building Inspector. In addition, the service of water to any premises may be discontinued by the Town if backflow prevention devices required by this article or regulations adopted pursuant thereto are not installed, tested, and maintained; if any defects are found in an installed backflow prevention device; if it is found that the backflow prevention device has been removed or bypassed; or if an unprotected cross-connection exists on the premises; and water service shall not be restored until such condition or defect is corrected.