This article shall be known as the "Cross-Connection Control
Ordinance of the Township of Shaler."
A.
Protect the safe drinking water supply of the Township of Shaler
from the possibility of contamination or pollution by requiring compliance
with state and local plumbing codes, health regulations, OSHA and
other applicable industry standards for water system safety within
the consumer's internal distribution systems or private water
system.
B.
Promote the reasonable elimination or control of cross-connections
in the plumbing fixtures and industrial piping systems of the consumer,
as required by state and local plumbing codes, health regulations,
OSHA and other applicable industry standards to assure water system
safety.
C.
Provide for the administration of a continuing program of backflow
prevention which will systematically and effectively prevent the contamination
or pollution of all water systems.
The following words and phrases, when used in this article,
shall have the meanings ascribed to them in this section, unless the
context clearly indicates a different meaning:
The unobstructed vertical distance through the free atmosphere
between the lowest opening from any pipe or faucet supplying potable
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 (2 x D) of the supply pipe, measured vertically,
above the top of the rim of the vessel. In no case, shall the air
gap be less than one inch.
That a backflow prevention device or method has been accepted
by the public water supplier as suitable for the proposed use.
A device containing a shutoff valve followed by a valve body
containing a float check, a check seat and an air inlet port. When
the shutoff valve is open, the flow of water causes the float to close
the air inlet port. When the shutoff valve is closed, the float falls
and forms a check valve against backsiphonage and at the same time
opens the air inlet port.
Any water source or system on the premises of or available
to the customer, except connections to other approved community water
supply systems.
A flow condition, induced by a differential in pressure,
that causes the flow of water or mixtures of water and other liquids,
gases or other substances into the distribution pipes of a potable
water supply system from a source other than its intended source.
A device or other means which will prevent the backflow of
water or liquids of questionable quality into the public water supply
system.
The backflow of water or mixture of water and other liquid,
gases or other substances from a plumbing fixture or other customer
source into a public water supply system main due to a temporary negative
or subatmospheric pressure within the public water supply system.
The owner or person in control of any premises supplied by
or in any manner connected to a public water supply system.
Any water system located on the consumer's premises,
supplied by or in any manner connected to a public water supply system.
A household plumbing system is considered to be a "consumer's
water system."
Cross-connection control which isolates the customer's
entire facility from the public water supply 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 degradation of the quality of the drinking water to a
quality less than accepted drinking water quality. The degradation
would be to a degree which would create an actual hazard to the public
health through poisoning or through the spread of disease and/or to
lessen the quality of the water in the public water supply system.
An arrangement allowing either a direct or indirect connection
through which backflow, including backsiphonage, can occur between
the drinking water in a public water system and a system containing
a source or potential source of contamination.
An evaluation of the potential risk to health and the adverse
effect upon the public water supply system.
An assembly composed of 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.
Any condition, device or practice in a water system or its
operation that creates or may create a danger to the health and well-being
of its users. The word "severe" as used to qualify "health hazard"
means a hazard to the health of the user that could reasonably be
expected to result in significant morbidity or death.
An arrangement or device that will allow alternative, but
not simultaneous, use of two sources of water.
Water not safe for drinking, personal or culinary use.
Any individual, partnership, association, company, corporation,
municipality, municipal authority, political subdivision or any agency
of the federal or state government.
An independent building contractor hired by the consumer
who is a registered plumber and has jurisdiction to perform plumbing
work in the County of Allegheny.
The presence in water of any foreign substance that tends
to degrade its quality or degrades its quality so as to constitute
a hazard or impair the usefulness or quality of the water to a degree
which does not create an actual hazard to the public health, but which
does adversely and unreasonably affect such waters for domestic use.
Water which is satisfactory for drinking, culinary and domestic
purposes and meets the requirements of the Department of Environmental
Protection.
Any fluid or solution which may be chemically, biologically
or otherwise contaminated or polluted in a form or concentration such
as would constitute a health, pollutional or system hazard if introduced
into the public or a consumer's water system. This includes,
but is not limited to:
Polluted or contaminated waters.
Process waters.
Used waters originating from the public water system which may
have deteriorated in sanitary quality.
Cooling waters.
Contaminated natural waters taken from wells, lakes, streams
or irrigation systems.
Chemicals in solution or suspension.
Oils, gases, acids, alkalis and other liquid and gaseous fluids
used in industrial or other processes or for firefighting purposes.
Heating system waters from boilers or heat pumps.
A person who owns or operates a public water system.
A system which provides water to the public for human consumption,
which has at least 15 service connections or regularly serves an average
of at least 25 individuals daily at least 60 days out of the year.
The term is either a community or noncommunity water system and includes
any collection, treatment, storage and distribution facilities not
under such control which are used in connection with the system. The
term also includes a system which provides water for bottling or bulk
hauling for human consumption.
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 the two checks shall
be less than the 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 between the checks at less
than the supply 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.
The terminal end of a service line from the public water
supply system. If a meter is installed, then the "service connection"
means the downstream end of the meter.
A condition posing an actual or potential threat of damage
to the physical properties of the public water system or the consumer's
potable water system.
A.
Authority.
(1)
An authority supplying water service to customers in the Township
is authorized to protect the drinking water distribution system from
foreseeable conditions leading to possible contamination or pollution
of the drinking water system due to the backflow of contaminants or
pollutants into the drinking water supply.
(2)
An authority supplying water service to customers in the Township
or its representative is authorized to protect its community water
system and require, at the customer's expense, installation of
an approved backflow prevention device at the water service connection
commensurate with the degree of hazard. The authority may require
annual testing of, as well as proper maintenance, repair and records
for, each backflow prevention device installed on a public, commercial
or industrial water account.
B.
Consumer's responsibility.
(1)
It shall be the responsibility of the consumer to comply with this
article as a term and condition of supply of water by an authority,
and the consumer's acceptance of service is admittance of his/her
awareness.
(2)
It shall be the responsibility of the consumer to purchase, install,
test and maintain any backflow prevention device/assembly required
to comply with this article and with construction standards developed
by the Township, authority and/or any governmental or independent
agency, who or which may have an interest in cross-connection control
(i.e., county health agency, Building Code Inspector, etc.).
C.
Plumbing Official's responsibility.
(1)
The Plumbing Official's responsibility to enforce the applicable
sections of the Plumbing Code begins at the point of service (consumer
side of curb stop) and continues throughout the developed length of
the consumer's water system.
(2)
Water vacating the drinking water supply must do so via an approved
air gap, properly installed, and in accordance with the local plumbing
code.
D.
Responsibilities of certified backflow assembly technicians, surveyors
or repair persons. Whether employed by the consumer or the authority
to survey, test, repair or maintain backflow prevention assemblies,
the certified backflow technicians, surveyors or repair persons shall
have the following responsibilities:
(1)
Ensuring acceptable testing equipment and procedures are used for
testing, repairing or overhauling backflow prevention assemblies and
complying with all state, Allegheny County Health Department, Township
of Shaler and any other governmental regulations.
(2)
Making reports of such testing and/or repair to the consumer, the
authority and any other agency designated by the authority on forms
approved for such use by the authority and within the time frames
prescribed by the authority. The report shall include the list of
materials or replacement parts used.
(3)
The certified technician conducting the test must tag each double
check valve, pressure vacuum breaker, reduced-pressure backflow assembly
and high-hazard air gap, showing the serial number, date tested and
by whom. The technician's license number must also be on this
tag.
A.
All water service connections to any authority customer in Shaler
Township shall be installed and maintained in compliance with the
rules and regulations of that authority supplying water to the customer.
B.
Installation.
(1)
All consumers served by the public water supply system shall install,
within the consumer's water system, an approved backflow preventer
in accordance with the rules and regulations of the authority and
this article, as follows:
(2)
All installations shall be in accordance with the authority's
adopted standards.
C.
An authority is authorized to discontinue the delivery of water immediately
and without notice to the customer if a duly authorized regulatory
agency determines that the authority's water distribution system is
being or is in immediate danger of being contaminated or polluted.
D.
The customer's water system shall be open for inspection at
all reasonable times to authorized representatives of the authority
to determine the adequacy of devices installed and to ensure that
these devices have been installed.
E.
An approved backflow prevention device shall be installed at the
expense of the customer on each service connection after the water
meter or immediately inside the building being served, but, in all
cases, before the first branch line leading off the service connection
lines.
F.
It shall be unlawful and no person or persons shall alter, bypass
or render ineffective or inoperable any backflow prevention device
covered by the rules and regulations of an authority.
Any person, individual, partnership, association or corporation
who shall violate this article, upon summary conviction before a Magisterial
District Judge, shall be sentenced to pay a fine or penalty of not
more than $1,000 and may be subject to imprisonment for a term not
exceeding 90 days for each offense. The continuance of any violation
of this article for each period of 24 hours after notice of the same
by the Township shall be deemed a separate and distinct offense for
each twenty-four-hour period. Nothing contained herein shall be deemed
to preclude the Township of Shaler or the authority supplying water
to such customer to seek other relief or avail itself of any remedy
that may be at law or in equity to prevent continuing violation of
the terms of this article or to restrain or abate such violation.
