(A) All backflow prevention assemblies shall be installed in accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions. Only backflow preventers approved by the County Public Utilities Department and meeting the North Carolina State Plumbing Code shall be installed.
(B) All backflow prevention assemblies required by this subchapter must be installed and maintained above ground on the customer’s premises as part of the customer’s water system.
(C) Ownership, testing, and maintenance of the backflow prevention assembly will be the responsibility of the customer. Each assembly required in this subchapter must be functioning properly at all times.
(D) Testing of backflow prevention assemblies shall be conducted by a certified tester (approved by the County Public Utilities Department) at the customer’s expense. Tests shall be conducted upon installation and annually thereafter with a record of all testing and repairs retained by the customer. A copy of the certified record for each test or repair must be sent to the County Public Utilities Department by such customer within 30 days after the completion of each test or repair. Such records must be maintained on forms provided by the County Public Utilities Department.
(E) Each backflow prevention assembly required under this subchapter must be accessible (above ground) to the County Public Utilities Department.
(F) When it is not possible to interrupt water service, the customer shall provide for the parallel installation of an approved backflow prevention assembly. The Cross-Connection Inspector will not accept an unprotected bypass around a backflow prevented when the assembly is in need of testing, repair, or replacement.
(G) Any time that repairs to backflow assemblies are deemed necessary, whether through annual testing or routine inspection by the owner, these repairs must be completed within a time specified in accordance with the degree of hazard. Repairs on a private water system considered to be an imminent hazard shall be completed within 24 hours, a high hazard shall be completed within ten days, and all other repairs within 20 days for any other private water system. Failure to comply can result in termination of a customer’s water service.
(H) Upon determination that a backflow prevention assembly is required to be installed on a customer’s private water system, the customer will be notified in writing of the approved backflow prevention assembly which is required. On existing systems, the customer will have the following time periods within which to install the specified backflow prevention assembly:
(1) Air gap separation, 30 days;
(2) Reduced pressure principle assembly (three-fourths inch times two), 30 days;
(3) Reduced pressure principle assembly (two and one-half inches and larger), 60 days; and
(4) Other approved backflow prevention assembly, 30 days.
(I) The Director or his or her designee may require the installation of the required backflow prevention assembly immediately or within a shorter time period than specified above if he or she determines that any condition poses an unreasonable threat of contamination to the public water supply system. All devices required for new construction shall be installed and inspected by the County Plumbing Inspector prior to occupancy. All new construction plans and specifications shall be made available to the Director for approval and to determine the degree of hazard.
(J) Before a backflow preventer is placed in service, it will require a permit and inspection by the County Plumbing Inspector. The Plumbing Inspector’s responsibility begins at the point of delivery downstream of the customer side of the meter and continues throughout the entire length of the consumer’s water system. When cross-connections or potential cross-connections are discovered by the Plumbing Inspector, they shall require a backflow prevention assembly approved by the North Carolina State Plumbing Code and the County Public Utilities Department. These incidents shall be reported to the County Public Utilities Department.
(K) The Director shall be notified by the customer when the nature of the use of property changes so as to change the hazard classification of the property if necessary.
(1996 Code, § 52.73) (Ord. passed 8-4-2008)