For the purpose of this subchapter, the following definitions apply unless the context clearly indicates or requires a different meaning. If a word or term used in this subchapter is not contained in the following list, its definition, or other technical terms used, shall have the meanings or definitions listed in the most recent adopted edition of the City of Chico Plumbing Code and/or Manual of Cross Connection Control published by the Foundation for Cross Connection Control and Hydraulic Research, University of Southern California:
Air gap shall mean a physical separation between free flowing discharge end of a potable water supply piping and/or appurtenance and an open or nonpressure receiving vessel, plumbing fixture or other device. An "approved airgap separation" shall be at least twice the diameter of the supply pipe measured vertically above the overflow rim of the vessel, plumbing fixture or other device in no case less than one (1) inch.
Atmospheric vacuum breaker backflow prevention device or atmospheric vacuum breaker or AVB shall mean a device used to prevent backsiphonage in non-health hazard conditions. This device cannot be tested and cannot prevent backpressure backflow.
Auxiliary supply shall mean any water source or system other than the public water system that may be available in the building or on the property, including ground water or surface waters used for industrial, irrigation or any other purpose.
Backflow shall mean flow in the direction opposite to the normal flow or the introduction of any foreign liquids, gases, or substances into the water system of the city's water.
Backflow prevention assembly or assembly shall mean an assembly to counteract backpressure or prevent backsiphonage.
Backpressure shall mean any elevation of pressure in the downstream piping system (by any means) above the supply pressure at the point of consideration which would cause, or tend to cause, a reversal of the normal direction of flow and the introduction of fluids, mixtures, or substances from any source other than the intended source.
Backsiphonage shall mean the flow of water or other liquids, mixture, or substances into the distribution pipes of a potable water supply system from any source other than its intended source caused by a sudden reduction of pressure in the potable water supply system.
Boresight or Boresight to daylight shall mean providing adequate drainage for backflow prevention assemblies installed in vaults through the use of an unobstructed drainpipe.
City or the city shall mean the City of Chico through the Director of Public Works or any representative, inspector, or employee designated by the Director of Public Works.
Commercial establishment shall mean property or location which is used primarily for manufacture, production, storage, wholesaling, or retailing of services which is or may be placed in the flow of commerce or any property or location which is used primarily for the provision of any service.
Commission shall mean the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ).
Contaminants shall mean any foreign material, solid or liquid, not common to the potable water supply, which makes the water unfit or undesirable for human or animal consumption.
Contamination means the admission of contaminants into the potable water supply system.
Cross-connection shall mean any connection, physical or otherwise, between a potable water supply system and any plumbing fixture or any tank, receptacle, equipment or device, through which it is possible for any nonpotable, used, unclean, polluted and contaminated water, or other substances, to enter into any part of such potable water system under any condition or set of conditions.
Customer Service Inspection shall mean the low or high hazard classification that shall be attached to all actual or potential cross-connection hazards and/or exceed the lead action level in solder or flux, pipe or pipe fittings.
Degree of hazard shall mean the low or high hazard classification that shall be attached to all actual or potential cross-connection hazards as follows:
(1) Health hazard means an actual or potential threat of contamination of a physical or toxic nature to the public potable water system or the consumer's potable water system that would be a danger to health.
(2) High hazard means the classification assigned to an actual or potential cross-connection that potentially could allow a substance that may cause illness or death to backflow into the potable water supply.
(3) Low hazard means the classification assigned to an actual or potential cross-connections that potentially could allow a substance that may be objectionable but not hazardous to one's health to backflow into the potable water supply.
(4) Pollution hazard means an actual or potential threat to the physical properties of the water system or the potability of the public or the consumer's potable water system but which would not constitute a health or system hazard, as defined. Maximum degree of intensity of pollution, by which the potable water system could be degraded under this definition, would cause a nuisance or be aesthetically objectionable or could cause damage to the system or its appurtenances.
(5) System hazard means an actual or potential threat of severe danger to the physical properties of the public or consumer's potable water supply or of a pollution or contamination that would have a detrimental effect on the quality of the potable water in the system.
Director shall mean the Director of Public Works, the Director of Public Works' designated Water Operations Superintendent, or his or her designee who 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 subchapter.
Double check detector backflow prevention assembly or double check detector or DCDA shall mean an assembly composed of a line-size approved double check assembly with a bypass containing a specific water meter and an approved double check valve assembly. The meter shall register accurately for very low rates of flow.
Fireline tester shall mean a tester who is employed by a state approved fireline contractor and is qualified to test backflow prevention assemblies on firelines only.
General tester shall mean a tester who is qualified to test backflow prevention assemblies on any domestic, commercial, industrial, or irrigation service except firelines.
Mobile unit shall mean any operation that may have the potential to introduce contaminants into a potable water system from a mobile source. These include, but are not limited to, carpet-cleaning vehicles, water-hauling vehicles, street-cleaning vehicles, liquid-waste vehicles, power-wash operations and pest-control vehicles.
Non-residential use shall mean water used by any person other than a residential customer of the water supply and include all uses not specifically included in "residential uses" as defined in this section.
Person shall mean any individual, partnership, associations, corporations, firms, clubs, trustees, receivers, and bodies politico and corporate.
Point-of-use isolation shall mean the appropriate backflow prevention within the consumer's water system at the point at which the actual or potential cross-connection exists.
Potable water supply shall mean any water supply intended or used for human consumption or other domestic use.
Premise isolation shall mean the appropriate backflow prevention at the service connection between the public water system and the water user.
Premises shall mean any piece of property to which is provided, including all improvements, mobile structures, and structures located on it.
Pressure vacuum breaker backflow prevention assembly or pressure vacuum breaker or PVB shall mean an assembly which provides protection against backsiphonage, but does not provide adequate protection against back pressure backflow. The assembly is a combination of a single check valve with an AVB and can be used with downstream resilient seated shutoff valves. In addition, the assembly has suction and discharge gate valves and resilient seated test cocks, which allow the full testing of the assembly.
Public water system or systems shall mean any public or privately owned water system, which supplies water for domestic use in the process of producing, treating, storing, or conveying water for public consumption.
Reduced pressure principle backflow prevention assembly or reduced pressure principle assembly or RP assembly or RP shall mean an assembly containing two independently acting approved check valves together with a hydraulically-operated, mechanically independent pressure differential relief valve located between the check valves and at the same time below the first check valve. The assembly shall include properly located resilient seated test cocks and a tightly closing resilient seated shutoff valve at the end of the assembly.
Reduced pressure principle detector backflow prevention assembly or reduced pressure detector or RPDA shall mean an assembly composed of a line-size approved reduced pressure principle assembly with a bypass containing a specific water meter and an approved reduced pressure principle back/low prevention assembly. The meter shall register accurately for very low rates of flow.
Representative of the water system shall mean a person designated by the city to perform cross-connection control duties that shall include, but are not limited to, cross-connection inspections and water use surveys.
Residential use shall mean water used by any residential customer of the water supply and include single family dwellings, duplexes, multiplex, housing and apartments where individual units are each on a separate meter; or, in cases where two or more units are served by one (1) meter, the units are full-time dwellings.
Services connection shall mean the point of delivery which the water purveyor loses control of the water.
Spill-resistant pressure vacuum breaker or SVB shall mean an assembly containing an independently operating, internally loaded check valve and independently operating, loaded air inlet valve located on the discharge side of the check valve. This assembly is to be equipped with a properly located resilient seated test cock and tightly closing resilient seated shutoff valves attached at each end of the assembly.
TCEQ shall mean the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality.
Tester shall mean a person that is a certified backflow prevention assembly technician approved by and registered with the city and the TCEQ.
Thermal expansion shall mean heated water that does not have the space to expand.
Used water shall mean water supplied by a public water system to a water user's system after it has passed through the service connection.
Water use survey shall mean a survey conducted or caused to be conducted by the local authority designed to identify any possible sources of contamination to the potable water supply.
(Ord. 7-15-03-1, passed 7-15-03)