[Adopted 3-11-1991 by L.L. No. 1-1991]
A.
Responsibility of the Department of Public Works Superintendent.
The Superintendent of Public Works, or his designated agent, shall inspect
the plumbing in every building or premises in the village as frequently as
in his judgment may be necessary to ensure that such plumbing has been installed
in such a manner as to prevent the possibility of pollution of the water supply
of the village by the plumbing. The DPW Superintendent shall notify or cause
to be notified in writing the owner or authorized agent of the owner of any
such building or premises, to correct, within a reasonable time set by the
DPW Superintendent, any plumbing installed or existing contrary to or in violation
of this article and which, in his judgment, may, therefore, permit the pollution
of the village water supply or otherwise adversely affect the public health.
B.
Inspection. The DPW Superintendent, or his designated
agent, shall have the right of entry into any building, during reasonable
hours, for the purpose of making inspection of the plumbing systems installed
in such building or premises, provided that, with respect to the inspection
of any single-family dwelling, consent to such inspection of any single-family
dwelling shall first be obtained from a person of suitable age and discretion
therein or in control thereof.
As used in this article, unless the context or subject matter otherwise
requires, the following terms shall have the following meanings:
An acceptable air gap, reduced pressure zone device or double-check
valve assembly as used to contain potential contamination within a facility.
Those devices or assemblies found to be acceptable for containment
control in New York State in accordance with the Genesee County Department
of Health requirements, as outlined in § 8 of the Cross Connection
Control Guide, January 1981. See appendix for determination of acceptability
as taken from this section.
One in which substances are present which if introduced into the
public water supply system could be a nuisance to other water customers, but
would not adversely affect human health. Typical examples of such substances
are: food-grade dyes, hot water, stagnant water from fire protection systems
in which no chemical additives are used, etc.
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 receptacle. The differential
distance shall be at least double the diameter (d) of the supply pipe. In
no case shall the air gap be less than one inch. (See Figure 1-A.)
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Figure 1-A
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A check valve that seats readily and completely and meets New York State Department of Health list of acceptable devices, as outlined in § 8-1 of the Cross Connection Control Guide, January 1981.
Any water supply approved by the New York State Department of Health.
Any water supply on or available to the premises other than the approved
public water supply.
A condition, induced by a differential in pressure, that causes the
flow of water or other liquids and/or gases into the distribution pipes of
a public water supply from any source other than its intended source.
The resulting backflow of contaminated, polluted or otherwise unacceptable
quality water from a plumbing fixture or other customer source(s) into a public
water supply system due to a greater pressure within the customer's water
system. (See Figure 1-B.)
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Figure 1-B
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EXAMPLE: Only the valve at A separates the potable and the fire tank
water in a large factory. The factory's potable water system, at B, is
being filled from the public water supply system at C, which is delivering
water at a pressure of 60 pounds per square inch. At the same time, the firefighting
system is activated, which provides potentially stagnant tank water at a pressure
of 120 pounds per square inch. If valve A is open or leaks, the tank water
will be forced into the public water supply system.
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The backflow of contaminated or polluted water, or water of questionable
quality from a plumbing fixture or other customer source(s), into a public
water supply system main due to a temporary low or subatmospheric pressure
within the public water supply system. (See Figure 1-C.)
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Figure 1-C
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EXAMPLE: A hose is submerged in a laboratory sink at A. Both buildings
are connected to the same public water supply system C. This main could develop
a low pressure due to a main break elsewhere in the system. The building on
the right has installed a booster pump in the basement at B, in order to augment
available pressures. The booster pump could deplete the water in main C, thereby
subjecting the customer's water system to a pressure less than atmospheric,
thus causing a reversal of flow from the laboratory in the opposite building.
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A person who is New York State Department of Health certified and
found competent for the testing of backflow prevention devices. He or she
shall be provided with an appropriate unexpired identification card. Failure
to perform his or her duties competently and conscientiously will result in
prompt withdrawal of his or her authority to test devices under this article.
A water user served by a public water system. All water districts,
including individual private users outside the village corporate limits, as
well as all outside-of-village customers.
The piping used to convey water supplied by a public water supply
system from the point of supply throughout the customer's facility.
Cross-connection control which isolates the customer's entire
facility from the public water system so as to provide the protection necessary
to prevent contamination of the public water supply in the event of backflow
from the customer's facility.
The presence in water of a substance that tends to degrade its quality.
A physical connection between the public water system and a customer
water system.
Whether a facility is rated as hazardous, aesthetically objectionable
or nonhazardous.
Two single independently acting check valves, including tightly closing
shutoff valves located at each end of the assembly and suitable connections
for testing the watertightness of each check valve. This device must be approved
as a complete assembly and listed on the New York State Department of Health
list of acceptable devices in § 8, Cross Connections Control Guide.
(See Figure 1-D.)
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Figure 1-D
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One in which substances may be present which if introduced into the
public water system would or may endanger or have an adverse effect on the
health of other water customers. Typical examples include laboratories, sewage
treatment plants, chemical plants, hospitals and mortuaries.
A joining of two independently operated public water supply distribution
systems.
The Genesee County Health Department Engineer having jurisdiction.
One which does not require the installation of an acceptable backflow
prevention device.
Prevention and elimination of cross-connections within the customer's
water system by enforcement of building or plumbing codes.
A New York State approved supplier of water, including the source,
treatment works, transmission mains, distribution system and storage facilities
serving the public.
A reduced pressure zone device is acceptable if found on the New
York State Department of Health list of devices as described in § 8
of the Cross Connection Control Guide, January 1981. The unit must include
tight-closing shutoff valves located at each end of the device, and each device
shall be fitted with properly located test cocks. This device must be approved
as complete assembly. (See Figure 1-E.)
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Figure 1-E
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Any water source or system, other than the public water supply, that
is available within the water customer's facility.
The owner or operator of a New York State approved public water system.
The consumer or a person on the premises charged with the responsibility
of complete knowledge and understanding of the water supply piping within
the premises and for maintaining the consumer's water system free from
cross-connections and other sanitary defects, as required by regulations and
laws.
A.
Hazardous cross-connections must be promptly eliminated.
B.
Cross-connection control is the joint responsibility
of the supplier of the water and the water customer (Part 5, New York State
Sanitary Code, Subpart 5-1, Public Water Supplies, § 5-1-31).
C.
Cross-connection control by containment must be employed
and requires the installation of an acceptable backflow device in every water
service line to a facility for which a potential hazard exists. Control devices
will be installed at or as near the point of entry into the facility as possible,
immediately downstream of the water meter.
D.
These regulations are enacted and enforced to protect
the public water system in accordance with provisions mandated by the New
York State Department of Health, as described in the Public Water Supply Guide,
Cross Connection Control, dated January 1981. If questions arise of interpretation
or conflict of degree of application, this New York State publication and
EPA Cross Connection Control Manual, dated June 1989, will be the source of
final information.
E.
All water districts, as well as any out-of-village water
customers, must comply with these regulations.
F.
All cross-connection control devices in the water system
will be tested by a New York State Department of Health certified tester annually.
A copy of all test results will be supplied to the DPW Superintendent annually
by the property owner. Testing and maintenance records shall be kept by the
supplier of water for each required backflow prevention device. Records of
such tests, repairs and overhaul shall also be kept and made available to
the water purveyor and Genesee County Health Department upon request.
G.
All plans and specifications for cross-connection control
devices installed or to be installed in the village water system must be prepared
by a New York State licensed professional engineer.
H.
Should access to any facility or dwelling be denied to
DPW Superintendent or his agent for the purpose of determining if and/or what
cross-connection control device is necessary, then the maximum protection
device will automatically be mandated with no further investigation.
I.
Failure to provide the required protective device or to adhere to prescribed testing requirements will result in proceedings to terminate service to the violating part per § 210-32 of these regulations.
J.
All plans and specifications relating to cross-connection
control must be approved by the Water/Sewer Board, DPW Superintendent and
the Genesee County Health Department. A completed works approval is also required
for the installation of acceptable backflow prevention devices at all new
customer facilities and for corrections to installation at existing customer
facilities.
K.
Availability of a supplementary supply of water. The
existence of a supplementary supply of water available to a facility creates
a situation wherein a backflow preventor must be installed on the service
connection from the public water supply system by the water customer.
A.
It shall be the duty of the water user on any premises in which backflow protective devices are installed to have competent inspections made at least once a year, per § 210-26F of these regulations, or more often in those instances where successive inspections indicate repeated failure.
B.
These devices shall be repaired, overhauled or replaced
at the expense of the water user whenever they are found to be defective.
These tests shall be performed by a New York State Department of Health certified
backflow prevention device tester, and all tests results will be provided
to the water purveyor within 72 hours after the test is made.
Whenever possible, cross-connection control will be achieved by the
containment method. Any user employing a device which will achieve control
by any other method will make written application to the DPW Superintendent
to request such authorization. The DPW Superintendent, Water/Sewer Board and
the Genesee County Department of Health will be the final authority determining
the applicability of any and all devices so used.
A.
The containment method. Using the containment approach
to cross-connection control results in totally isolating a facility with a
potential hazard from the public water supply system. Each water service line
to such a facility will be protected in a manner commensurate with the degree
of hazard. When any portion of a consumer's water supply system is rated
hazardous, then the entire system receives the same rated degree of hazard;
that includes piping for potable as well as nonpotable water.
B.
Under certain conditions, fire-sprinkler-system connections
to the public water supply system may warrant a separate evaluation of the
type of protective device required.
A.
Degree of hazard.
(1)
To achieve containment, an acceptable backflow prevention
device must be installed in every service connection where deemed necessary
under this chapter by the DPW Superintendent or his designee.
(3)
Based on these considerations, a facility will be rated
as hazardous, aesthetically objectionable or nonhazardous.
(4)
This cross-connection control program will enact a major
emphasis on isolating those facilities that pose the greatest hazard in the
most vulnerable portions of the distribution system.
B.
Degree of protection.
(1)
The degree of protection shall be commensurate with the
degree of hazard.
(2)
A hazardous facility must be contained through the use
of a RPZ or an air gap.
(3)
An aesthetically objectionable facility must be contained
through the use of DCV.
(4)
Nonhazardous facilities may be, but are not mandated
by these regulations to be, protected through internal plumbing control to
ensure that plumbing cross-connections are adequately protected or eliminated.
(5)
It is not possible to list every circumstance and facility
type that may be encountered while evaluating all water users in the water
system. Therefore, while evaluating a facility, the inspector will rely on
these regulations, good common sense and the Genesee County Health Department
Engineer, as needed, to adequately ensure the basic protection desired by
this program.
(6)
Internal plumbing control necessary for the protection
of the on-premise user is not equivalent to containment, but is a necessary
adjunct to a totally protection program. The water customer is responsible
to prevent cross-connection within his facility.
The protective device required shall depend on the degree of hazard
as tabulated below:
A.
Any premises on which there is an auxiliary water supply,
the public water supply system shall be protected by an air gap separation
or an approved reduced pressure principle backflow prevention device.
B.
At the service connection to any premises on which a
substance that would be objectionable (but not hazardous to health if introduced
into the public water supply) is handled so as to constitute a cross-connection,
the public water supply shall be protected by an approved double-check valve
assembly.
C.
At the service connection to any premises on which a
substance of unusual toxic concentration or danger to health is or may be
handled, but not under pressure, the public water supply shall be protected
by an air gap separation or an approved reduced pressure principle backflow
prevention device. This device shall be located at or near the point of entry
into the facility as possible immediately downstream of the water meter, and
all piping between the water meter and receiving tanks shall be entirely visible.
D.
At the service connection to any premises on which any
material dangerous to health, or toxic substance in toxic concentration, is
or may be handled under pressure, the public water supply shall be protected
by an air gap separation. The air gap shall be located as close as practicable
to the property line, and receiving tanks shall be entirely visible. If these
conditions cannot reasonably be met, the public water supply shall be protected
with an approved reduced pressure principle backflow prevention device, provided
that this alternative is acceptable to the DPW Superintendent and Genesee
County Department of Health.
E.
At the service connection to any sewage treatment plant
or sewage pumping station, the public water supply shall be protected by an
air gap separation. The air gap shall be located as close as practicable to
the property line, and all piping between the water meter and receiving tanks
shall be entirely visible. If these conditions cannot be reasonably met, the
public water supply shall be protected with an approved reduced pressure principle
backflow prevention device.
A.
A separate evaluation of the fire-fighting system in
use at a facility is required because of the number of variables involved
in making the determination of adequate protection of the public water supply
system. The sprinkler system service connection is usually an independent
connection to the public water supply and as such will be separately evaluated
as to the hazard posed. Fire Department connections are used to pump water
into sprinkler system. The quality of water pumped into the sprinkler system
may be of concern.
B.
The following outlines the type of acceptable backflow
prevention device required by class of sprinkler system used ("AWWA Manual
No. M-14, Backflow Prevention and Cross-Connection Control"). The device is
the minimum needed to satisfy containment requirements and applies only to
sprinkler systems connected to public water supply water mains.
(1)
Class 1: direct connections from public water mains only;
no pumps, tanks or reservoirs; no physical connection from other water supplies;
no antifreeze or other additives of any kind; all sprinkler drains discharging
to atmosphere, dry wells or other safe outlets.
(2)
Class 2: same as Class 1, except that booster pumps may
be installed in the connections from the street mains (Booster pumps do not
affect the potability of the system). It is necessary, however, to avoid drafting
so much water that pressure in the water main is reduced below 20 pounds per
square inch.
(3)
Class 3: direct connection from public water supply main,
plus one or more of the following: elevated storage tanks; fire pumps taking
suction from above-ground covered reservoirs or tanks; and pressure tanks.
All storage facilities are filled with or connected to public water only,
the water in the tanks to be maintained in a potable condition. Otherwise,
Class 3 systems are the same as Class 5.
(4)
Class 4: directly supplied from public mains, similar
to Classes 1 and 2, and with an auxiliary water supply on or available to
the premises; or an auxiliary supply may be located within 1,700 feet of the
pumper connection.
(5)
Class 5: directly supplied from public mains and interconnected
with auxiliary supplies, such as: pumps taking suction from reservoirs exposed
to contamination, or rivers and ponds; driven wells, mills or other industrial
water systems; or where antifreeze or other additives are used.
(6)
Class 6: combined industrial and fire protection systems
supplied from the public water mains only with or without gravity storage
or pump suction tanks.
C.
Corresponding backflow protection recommended; AWWA M-14.
The corresponding backflow protection recommended is as follows:
(1)
Class 1: none, other than the check valve required by
the National Fire Code.
(2)
Class 2: none, other than the check valve required by
the National Fire Code.
(3)
Class 3: will generally require minimum protection (approved
DCV) to prevent stagnant waters from backflowing into the public potable water
system.
(4)
Class 4: will normally require backflow protection at
the service connection. The type (air gap, RPZ or DCV) will generally depend
on the quality of the auxiliary supply; will normally need maximum protection
(air gap or RPZ) to protect the public potable water system.
(5)
Class 5: will normally need maximum protection (air gap
or RPZ) to protect the public potable water systems.
(6)
Class 6: protection would depend on the requirements
of both industry and fire protection and could only be determined by a survey
of the premises.
A.
Notification of violation. The DPW Superintendent shall
notify the owner, or authorized agent of the owner, of any building or premises
in which there is found a violation of this article of such violation. The
DPW Superintendent shall set a reasonable time for the owner to have the violation
removed or corrected. Upon failure of the owner to have the defect corrected
by the end of the specified time interval, the DPW Superintendent may, if
in his judgment an imminent health hazard exists, cause the water service
to the building or premises to be terminated and/or recommend such additional
fines or penalties to be invoked as herein may be provided.
B.
Fines. The owner or authorized agent of the owner responsible for the maintenance of plumbing systems in the building who knowingly permits a violation to remain uncorrected after the expiration of time set by the DPW Superintendent shall, upon conviction thereof by the court, be required to pay a fine of not more than $100 for each violation. Each day of failure to comply with the requirements of this chapter, after the specified time provided under Subsection A of this section shall constitute a separate violation.
