[Adopted 6-22-1995 by Ord. No. MC-3128 (Ch. 564, Part 3,
of the 1987 Code)]
[Amended 5-28-1998 by Ord. No. MC-3389; 4-16-2009 by Ord. No.
MC-4460]
The purpose of this article is:
A.
To protect the public water supply of the City of Camden 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 contaminants or pollutants that could backflow
into the public water system.
B.
To promote the elimination or control of existing cross-connections,
actual or potential, between the customer's in-plant water system(s)
and nonpotable water system(s), plumbing fixtures and industrial piping
systems.
C.
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.
The Director of Public Works for the City of Camden shall be
responsible for the protection of the public potable water distribution
system from contamination or pollution due to the backflow of contaminants
or pollution through the water service connection. If, in the judgment
of the Director of Public Works, an approved backflow assembly is
required (at the customer's water service connection or within the
customer's private water system) for the safety of the water system,
the Director of Public Works or his/her designated agent shall give
notice, in writing, to said customer to install such an approved backflow
prevention assembly(ies) at a specific location(s) on his/her premises.
The customer shall immediately install such approved assembly(ies)
at his/her own expense, and failure, refusal or inability on the part
of the customer to install, have tested and maintain said assembly(ies)
shall constitute grounds for the discontinuing of water service and/or
the assessment of a fine to the premises until such requirements have
been satisfactorily met.
As used in this article, the following terms shall have meanings
indicated:
Accepted by the Department of Public Works as meeting an
applicable specification stated or cited in this article or as suitable
for the proposed use.
Any water supply on or available to the premises other than
the purveyor's approved water supply. These auxiliary waters may include
water from another purveyor's public 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.
The undesirable reversal of flow in a potable water distribution
system as a result of a cross-connection.
An assembly or means designed to prevent backflow.
AIR GAPThe 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 rim of the receptacle. These vertical, physical separations must be at least twice the diameter of the water supply outlet but never less than one inch (25 millimeters).
DOUBLE CHECK-VALVE ASSEMBLYThe approved double check-valve assembly consists of two internally loaded resilient-seated check-valves constructed and installed as a unit between two tightly closing, resilient-seated shutoff valves and fittings with property located resilient-seated test cocks. This assembly shall only be used to protect against a nonhealth hazard (that is, a pollutant).
REDUCED-PRESSURE BACKFLOW PREVENTION ASSEMBLYThe 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 check-valves as an assembly and equipped with properly located resilient-seated test cocks.
A pressure higher than the supply pressure caused by a pump,
elevated tank, boiler or any other means that may cause backflow.
Backflow caused by negative or reduced pressure in the supply
piping.
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.
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, liquids or solids, such as chemicals, waste products, steam,
water from other sources (potable or nonpotable) or any matter that
may change the color of or add odor to the water.
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
eliminated or controlled at the point of the cross-connection.
A connection between a potable water system and a nonpotable
water system with an approved backflow prevention assembly properly
installed and maintained so that it will continuously afford the protection
commensurate with the degree of hazard.
Derived from an evaluation of the potential risk to public
health and the adverse effect of the hazard upon the potable water
system.
HAZARD, HEALTHA cross-connection or potential cross-connection involving a substance that could, if introduced in the potable water supply, cause death or illness, spread disease or have a high probability of causing such effects.
HAZARD, NONHEALTHA 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.
HAZARD, PLUMBINGA plumbing-type cross-connection in a customer's water system that has not been properly protected by an approved air gap or an approved backflow prevention assembly.
HAZARD, SYSTEMAn 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.
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 be limited to, polluted or contaminated waters and used waters
originating from the public potable water supply that may have deteriorated
in sanitary quality; chemicals in fluid form; plating acids and alkalis;
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, bays, harbors, seas, irrigation canals or
systems, and so forth; oils, gases, glycerin, paraffins and caustic
and acid solutions; and other liquid and gaseous fluids used for industrial
or other purposes or fire-fighting purposes.
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.
The Director of Public Works in charge of the Department
of Public Works is vested with the authority and responsibility for
the implementation of an effective cross-connection control program
and for the enforcement of the provisions of this article. In the
event that the Director is not the licensed operator of record, then
he shall defer to the licensed operator of record on matters of a
technical nature.
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 shall 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 potable water system.
Water that is not safe for human consumption or that is of
questionable quality.
Water that is safe for human consumption as described by
the Environmental Protection Agency and the New Jersey State Department
of Environmental Protection.
Any water supplied by a water purveyor from a public water
supply 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.
A.
The water system shall be considered to be made up of two parts:
the utility system and the customer system.
B.
The 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.
C.
The source shall include all components of the facilities utilized
in the production, treatment, storage and delivery of water to the
distribution system.
D.
The distribution system shall include the network of water mains
located within the geographic limits of the City of Camden used for
the delivery of water from the source to the customer's system.
E.
The customer's system shall include those parts of the facilities
beyond the service connection to the water main, not including the
water meter, that are utilized in conveying utility-delivered domestic
water to points of use.
A.
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 article. Service
of water to any premises shall be discontinued by the water purveyor
if a backflow prevention assembly required by this article is not
installed, tested, removed or bypassed or if an unprotected cross-connection
exists on the premises. Service will not be restored until such conditions
or defects are corrected.
B.
The customer's system should be open for inspection at all reasonable
times to authorized representatives of the Department of Public Works
to determine whether cross-connections or other structural or sanitary
hazards, including violations of these regulations, exist. When such
a condition becomes known, the Director of Public Works 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 laws and regulations and
local ordinances relating to plumbing and water supplies and the regulations
adopted pursuant thereto.
C.
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:
(1)
In the case of premises having an 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 Director of
Public Works, 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.
(2)
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)
In the case of premises having an 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 an approved backflow prevention assembly
in the service line.
D.
The type of protective assembly required under Subsections C(1), (2) and (3) of this section shall depend upon the degree of hazard that exists, as follows:
(1)
In the case of any premises where there is an auxiliary water supply as stated in Subsection C(1) 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-principal backflow prevention assembly.
(2)
In the case of any premises where there is water or a 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.
(3)
In 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, 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.
(4)
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 assembly at the service connection.
(5)
In the case of any premises where, because of security requirements
or other prohibitions or restrictions, it is impossible or impractical
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 on each service to the premises.
(6)
In the case of any premises where, in the opinion of the Director
of Public Works, an undue health threat is posed because of the presence
of extremely toxic substances, the Director of Public Works may require
an air gap at the service connection to protect the public water system.
This requirement will be at the discretion of the Director of Public
Works and is dependent on the degree of hazard.
E.
Required backflow prevention assembly.
(1)
Any backflow prevention assembly required herein shall be a model
and size approved by the Director of Public Works. The term "approved
backflow prevention assembly" shall mean an assembly that has 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 Prevention Assembly,"
and has 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 Specification
of Backflow Prevention Assemblies, Section 10, of the most current
issue of the Manual of Cross-Connection Control.
(2)
Said AWWA and FCCHR standards and specifications have been adopted
by the Director of Public Works. 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.
(3)
The following testing laboratory has been qualified by the Director
of Public Works to test and certify backflow preventers:
|
Foundation for Cross-connection Control and Hydraulic Research
University of Southern California University Park Los Angeles, CA
90089
|
(4)
Testing laboratories, other than the laboratory listed above, will
be added to an approved list as they are qualified by the Director
of Public Works.
(5)
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.
F.
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 every 90 days. These inspections
and tests shall be at the expense of the water user and shall be performed
by a certified tester approved by the Director of Public Works. It
shall be the duty of the Director of Public Works to see that these
tests are made in a timely manner. The customer-user shall notify
the Director of Public Works in advance when the tests are to be undertaken
so that the Director of Public Works 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 to
be defective. Records of such tests, repairs and overhaul shall be
kept and made available to the Director of Public Works. The Director
of Public Works shall set the minimum requirement for backflow prevention
device tests.
G.
All presently installed backflow prevention assemblies that do not meet the requirements of this section but were approved assemblies for the purpose described herein at the time of installation and that have been properly maintained shall, except for the inspection and maintenance requirements under Subsection F, be excluded from the requirements of these rules so long as the Director of Public Works 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 Director of Public Works finds that the maintenance constitutes a hazard to health, the unit shall be replaced by an approved backflow prevention assembly meeting the requirements of this section.
The following fees shall be remitted to the Department of Public
Works, Water and Sewer Billing, on or before the 15th of the calendar
month that they are due:
The following fees shall be remitted to the Department of Public
Works, Water and Sewer Billing, on or before the 15th of the calendar
month that they are due:
After the initial survey or an inspection, the following restrictions
apply:
A.
Installation of a new cross-connection control assembly: 30 days.
B.
Repair of a cross-connection assembly that can be removed from service
without constituting an uncontrolled cross-connection: 10 days.
C.
Repair of a cross-connection assembly in a nonhazardous location
that cannot be removed from service without constituting an uncontrolled
cross-connection: five days.
D.
Repair of a cross-connection assembly in a hazardous location that
cannot be removed from service without constituting an uncontrolled
cross-connection: 48 hours.
Any person or entity who or which violates the provisions of this article shall, upon conviction thereof, be punished by a fine, imprisonment or community service as provided in § 1-15 of the Code of the City of Camden.
