(A) Backflow prevention assemblies shall be installed in connection with water service connections or within any premises where, in the judgment of the city, the nature and extent of the activities, or the materials stored on the premises, would present an immediate and dangerous hazard to health and/or be deleterious to the quality of water should a cross-connection occur; even though such cross-connection does not exist at the time the backflow prevention assemblies shall be installed under circumstances including, but not limited to, the following:
(1) On premises having an auxiliary water supply, a cross-connection is the physical connection between the public water system and anything else. An auxiliary water supply that is not part of the drinking water system is a cross-connection and shall not be allowed without properly protecting the public water system;
(2) Premises having internal cross-connections that are not correctable, or intricate plumbing arrangements which make it impractical to ascertain whether or not cross-connections exist;
(3) Premises where entry is restricted so that inspections for cross-connections cannot be made with sufficient frequency or at sufficiently short notice to ensure the cross-connections do not exist;
(4) Premises having a repeated history of cross-connections being established or re-established;
(5) Premises on which any substance is handled under pressure so as to permit entry into the city water supply, or where a cross-connection could reasonably be expected to occur. This shall include the handling of process waters and cooling waters;
(6) Premises where materials of a toxic or hazardous nature are handled in such a way that if back-siphonage should occur, a serious health hazard might result; and
(7) The following types of facilities will fall into one of the above categories where a backflow prevention assembly is required to protect the city water supply. A backflow prevention assembly shall be installed at these facilities unless the city and applicable state, county, and federal authorities and agencies determine that no hazard exists:
(a) Hospitals, mortuaries, clinics;
(b) Laboratories, including school laboratories;
(c) Metal plating industries;
(d) Sewage treatment plants;
(e) Food or beverage processing plants;
(f) Chemical plants using a water process;
(g) Petroleum processing or storage plants;
(h) Car washes;
(i) Dry cleaners; or
(j) Other premises as specified by the city, where backflow prevention assemblies are required to protect the city water supply.
(B) The type of protective device(s) and/or assemblies required shall depend on the degree of hazard which exists.
(1) An air-gap separation or a reduced pressure principle backflow prevention assembly shall be installed where the city water supply may be contaminated with sewage, industrial waste of a toxic nature, or other contaminates which could cause a health or system hazard.
(2) In the case of a substance which may be objectionable but not hazardous to health, a double check valve assembly, air prevention device shall be installed.
(C) Backflow prevention assemblies required by this subchapter shall be installed at the meter, at the property line of the premises when meters are not used, or at a location designated by the city. The assembly shall be located so as to be readily accessible for maintenance and testing and, furthermore, where no part of the assembly will be submerged.
(D) Backflow prevention assemblies required by this subchapter shall be installed under the supervision of, and with the approval of, the city.
(E) Any protective device required by this subchapter shall be approved by the city, applicable state, county, and federal authorities and comply with the University of Southern California Foundation for Cross-Connections Control and Hydraulic Research standards. These assemblies shall be furnished and installed by and at the expense of the landowner.
(F) Backflow prevention device assemblies installed pursuant to this code shall be inspected and tested annually, or more often if necessary. Inspections, tests, and maintenance shall be at the landowner’s expense, and by an IBOL licensed tester retained and paid for by the landowner. Whenever the assemblies are found to be defective, they shall be repaired, overhauled, or replaced at the landowner’s expense. Assemblies that cannot pass annual inspections or are defective shall be repaired, replaced, or isolated within ten business days of the testing results. Inspections, tests, repairs, and records thereof shall be accomplished in accordance with all standards, rules, and regulations of this code of ordinances, the state’s code, the state’s Department of Environmental Quality, and any other federal, state, county or city authority and comply with the University of Southern California Foundation for Cross-Connections Control and Hydraulic Research standards and paid by the landowner.
(G) No underground sprinkling device will be installed without adequate backflow prevention assemblies at the point from which the water for irrigation is taken from the city water supply.
(H) Failure of the landowner to cooperate in the installation, maintenance, testing, or inspection of backflow prevention assemblies required by this subchapter, the state’s code, and all standards, rules, and regulations of the state, the state’s Department of Environmental Quality, and any other federal, state, county, or city authority or agency thereof shall be grounds for the termination of water service to the premises.
(I) In the event that documentation of tests and repairs are not received by June 15 of the year when required, the city, at the property owner’s expense, may hire a state licensed backflow prevention tester to test the backflow assemblies and add the cost of the tests, plus a handling fee of $10 to the property owner’s utility bill.
(Ord. 2018-02, passed 8-29-2018) Penalty, see § 51.999