A. Purpose: The purpose of these rules and regulations is:
1. To protect the public water supply system from contamination or pollution by isolating within the customer's water system contaminants or pollutants which could backflow through the service connection into the public water supply system.
2. To promote the elimination or control of existing cross connections, actual or potential, between the public or consumer's potable water system and nonpotable water systems, plumbing fixtures and sources or systems containing substances of unknown or questionable safety.
3. To provide for the maintenance of a continuing program of cross connection control which will prevent the contamination or pollution of the public and consumer's potable water systems. (Ord. 01-0204, 2-5-2001)
B. Application Of Provisions: These rules and regulations shall apply to all premises served by the public potable water supply system. (Ord. 01-0204, 2-5-2001; amd. Ord. 10-1213, 12-20-2010)
C. City Of East Dubuque Policy: The owner or official custodian shall be responsible for protection of the public water supply system from contamination due to backflow or back siphonage of contaminants through the customer's water service connection. If, in the judgment of the director of public works or his authorized representative, an approved backflow prevention device is necessary for the safety of the public water supply system, the director of public works shall give notice to the consumer to install such approved backflow prevention device at each service connection to the premises. The consumer shall immediately install such approved device or devices at his own expense; failure, refusal or inability on the part of the consumer to install such device or devices immediately shall constitute grounds for discontinuing water service to the premises until such device or devices have been installed. The consumer shall retain records of installation, maintenance, testing and repair as required in subsection G4d of this section for a period of at least five (5) years. The director of public works may require the consumer to submit a cross connection inspection report to the public works department to assist in determining whether or not service line protection will be required. All cross connection inspections shall be conducted by a cross connection control device inspector certified by the Illinois environmental protection agency. (Ord. 10-1213, 12-20-2010)
D. Definitions: The following words, terms and phrases shall apply in the interpretation and enforcement of these regulations:
AGENCY: The Illinois environmental protection agency, and in particular the division of public water supplies of the agency.
AIR GAP: The unobstructed vertical distance through the free atmosphere between the water discharge point and the flood level rim of the receptacle.
APPROVED: Backflow prevention devices or methods approved by the research foundation for cross connection control of the University Of Southern California, Association Of State Sanitary Engineers, American Water Works Association, American National Standards Institute or certified by the National Sanitation Foundation.
ATMOSPHERIC VACUUM BREAKER: A device designed to admit atmospheric pressure into a piping system whenever a vacuum exists on the upstream side of such device.
AUXILIARY SUPPLY: Any water source or system on or available to the premises other than the public water supply system and includes the water supplied by the system. These auxiliary waters may include water from another purveyor's public water supply system; or water from a source such as wells, lakes, or streams, or process fluids; or used water. These waters may be polluted or contaminated or objectionable or constitute a water source or system over which the water purveyor does not have control.
BACK SIPHONAGE: Backflow resulting from negative pressures in the distributing pipes of a potable water supply.
BACKFLOW: The flow of water or other liquids, mixtures, or substances into the distribution pipes of a potable water system from any source other than the intended source of the potable water supply.
BACKFLOW PREVENTION DEVICE: Any device, method or type of construction intended to prevent backflow into a potable water system. All devices used for backflow prevention in Illinois must meet the standards of the Illinois plumbing code and the Illinois environmental protection agency.
CHECK VALVE: A self-closing device which is designed to permit the flow of fluids in one direction and to close if there is a reversal of flow.
CONSUMER OR CUSTOMER: The owner, official custodian or person in control of any premises supplied by or in any manner connected to a public water system.
CONSUMER'S WATER SYSTEM: Any water system located on the customer's premises. A building plumbing system is considered to be a customer's water system.
CONTAMINATION: An impairment of the quality of the water by entrance of any substance to a degree which could create a health hazard.
CROSS CONNECTION: Any physical connection or arrangement between two (2) otherwise separate piping systems, one of which contains potable water and the other a substance of unknown or questionable safety or quality, whereby there may be a flow from one system into the other. "Direct cross connection" means a cross connection formed when a water system is physically joined to a source of unknown or unsafe substance. "Indirect cross connection" means a cross connection through which an unknown substance can be forced, drawn by vacuum or otherwise introduced into a safe potable water source.
DEPARTMENT AND OFFICIALS: The public works department, the waterworks department, and the director of public works or the duly authorized agents of the municipality.
DOUBLE CHECK VALVE ASSEMBLY: An assembly composed of single, independently acting check valves approved under ASSE standard 1015. A double check valve assembly must include tight shutoff valves located at each end of the assembly and suitable connections for testing the watertightness of each check valve.
DRAIN: Any pipe which carries wastewater or waterborne wastes in a building drainage system.
FIXTURE, PLUMBING: Any arrangement of plumbing, including piping and fixtures, whereby a cross connection is created.
FLOOD LEVEL RIM: The top edge of a receptacle from which water overflows.
HAZARD, PLUMBING: Any arrangement of plumbing, including piping and fixtures, whereby a cross-connection is created.
HEALTH HAZARD: Any condition, device or practice in a water system or its operation resulting from a real or potential danger to the health and well-being of consumers. The word "severe" as used to qualify "health hazard" means a hazard to the health of the user that could be expected to result in death or significant reduction in the quality of life.
INSPECTION: A plumbing inspection to examine carefully and critically all materials, fixtures, piping and appurtenances, appliances and installations of a plumbing system for compliance with requirements of the Illinois plumbing code, 77 Illinois administrative code 890.
NONPOTABLE WATER: Water not safe for drinking, personal, or culinary use as determined by the requirements of 35 Illinois administrative code 604.
OUTLET: The open end of a water supply pipe through which the water is discharged into a plumbing fixture.
PLUMBING: The actual installation, repair, maintenance, alteration or extension of a plumbing system by any person. Plumbing includes all piping, fixtures, appurtenances and appliances for a supply of water for all purposes, including without limitation lawn sprinkler systems, from the source of a private water supply on the premises or from the main in the street, alley or at the curb to, within and about any building or buildings where a person or persons live, work, or assemble. Plumbing includes all piping, from discharge of pumping units to and including pressure tanks in water supply systems. Plumbing includes all piping, fixtures, appurtenances, and appliances for a building drain and a sanitary drainage and related ventilation system of any building or buildings where a person or persons live, work or assemble from the point of connection of such building drain to the building sewer or private sewage disposal system, five feet (5') beyond the foundation walls.
POLLUTION: The presence of any foreign substance, organic, inorganic, radiological or biological, in water that tends to degrade its quality so as to constitute a hazard or impair the usefulness of the water.
POTABLE WATER: Water which meets the requirements of 35 Illinois administrative code 604 for drinking, culinary, and domestic purposes.
POTENTIAL CROSS-CONNECTION: A fixture or appurtenance with threaded hose connection, tapered spout, or other connection which would facilitate extension of the water supply line beyond its legal termination point.
PROCESS FLUIDS: 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 potable water system. This includes, but is not limited to:
1. Polluted or contaminated waters;
2. Process waters;
3. Used waters originating from the public water supply system which may have deteriorated in sanitary quality;
4. Cooling waters;
5. Questionable or contaminated natural waters taken from wells, lakes, streams, or irrigation streams;
6. Chemicals in solution or suspension;
7. Oils, gases, acids, alkalis and other liquid and gaseous fluids used in industrial or other processes, or for firefighting purposes.
PUBLIC WATER SUPPLY: All mains, pipes and structures through which water is obtained and distributed to the public, including wells and well structures, intakes and cribs, pumping stations, treatment plants, reservoirs, storage tanks and appurtenances, collectively or severally, actually used or intended for use for the purpose of furnishing water for drinking or general domestic use and which serve at least fifteen (15) service connections or which regularly serve at least twenty five (25) persons at least sixty (60) days per year. The city of East Dubuque is the legal custodian for the Frentress and East Dubuque water supply systems.
REDUCED PRESSURE PRINCIPLE BACKFLOW PREVENTION DEVICE: A device containing a minimum of two (2) independently acting check valves together and an automatically operated pressure differential relief valve located between the two (2) check valves and approved under ASSE standard 1013. During normal flow and at the cessation of normal flow, the pressure between these two (2) 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 check valves 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.
SERVICE CONNECTION: The opening, including all fittings and appurtenances, at the water main through which water is supplied to the user.
SURVEY: The collection of information pertaining to a customer's piping system regarding the location of all connections to the public water supply system and must include the location, type, and most recent inspection and testing data of all cross connection control devices and methods located within that customer's piping system. The survey must be in written form, and should not be an actual plumbing inspection.
SYSTEM HAZARD: A condition through which an aesthetically objectionable or degrading material not dangerous to health may enter the public water supply system or a consumer's potable water system.
USED WATER: Any water supplied by a public water supply system to a consumer's water system after it has passed through the service connection and is no longer under the control of the water supply official custodian.
VACUUM: Any pressure less than that exerted by the atmosphere.
VACUUM BREAKER: A device designed to prevent the creation or formation of a vacuum by admitting air at atmospheric pressure into a pipe.
VACUUM BREAKER, NONPRESSURE TYPE: A vacuum breaker not designed to be subjected to static line pressure.
VACUUM BREAKER, PRESSURE TYPE: A vacuum breaker designed to operate under conditions of static line pressure.
WATER, NONPOTABLE: Water that is not safe for human consumption or that is of questionable potability.
WATER, POTABLE: Water free from contaminants in amounts sufficient to cause disease or harmful physiological effects. Its bacteriological, chemical and radiological quality shall conform with the requirement of federal and state drinking water regulations and with any regulations of the county health department.
WATER PURVEYOR: The owner or official custodian of a public water system. (Ord. 01-0204, 2-5-2001; amd. Ord. 10-1213, 12-20-2010)
E. Description Of Water System:
1. The water system shall be considered as made up of two (2) parts: the public water supply system and the consumer's water system.
2. The public water supply system shall consist of the source facilities and the distribution system, and shall include all those facilities of the potable water system under the control of the public works director up to the point where the consumer's water system begins.
3. The source shall include all components of the facilities utilized in the production, treatment, storage, and delivery of water to the public water supply distribution system.
4. The public water supply distribution system shall include the network of conduits used to deliver water from the source to the consumer's water system.
5. The consumer's water system shall include all parts of the facilities beyond the service connection used to convey water from the public water supply distribution system to points of use.
F. Cross Connection Prohibited:
1. Connections between public potable water systems and other systems or equipment containing water or other substances of unknown or questionable quality are prohibited; except when and where approved cross connection control devices or methods are installed, tested and maintained to ensure proper operation on a continuing basis.
2. No physical connection shall be permitted between the potable portion of a supply and any other water supply not of equal or better bacteriological and chemical quality as determined by inspection and analysis by the agency. There shall be no arrangement or connection by which an unsafe substance may enter a supply.
G. Surveys And Investigations:
1. The consumer's premises shall be open at all reasonable times to the approved cross connection control device inspector for the inspection of the presence or absence of cross connections within the consumer's premises, and testing, repair and maintenance of cross connection control devices within the consumer's premises.
2. On request by the director of public works, or his authorized representative, the consumer shall furnish information regarding the piping system or systems of water use within the customer's premises. The consumer's premises shall be open at all reasonable times to the director of public works for the verification of information submitted by the consumer inspection to the public water supply custodian regarding cross connection inspection results. (Ord. 01-0204, 2-5-2001)
3. It shall be the responsibility of the water consumer to arrange periodic surveys of water use practices on his premises to determine whether there are actual or potential cross connections to his water system through which contaminants or pollutants could backflow into his or the public potable water system. All cross connection control or other plumbing inspections must be conducted in accordance with 225 Illinois Compiled Statutes section 320/3(1). (Ord. 01-0204, 2-5-2001; amd. 2001 Code)
4. It is the responsibility of the water consumer to prevent backflow into the public water system by ensuring that:
a. All cross connections are removed; or approved cross connection control devices are installed for control of backflow and back siphonage.
b. Cross connection control devices shall be installed in accordance with the manufacturer's instructions.
c. Cross connection control devices shall be inspected at the time of installation and at least annually by a person approved by the agency as a cross connection control device inspector (CCCDI). The inspection of mechanical devices shall include physical testing in accordance with the manufacturer's instructions.
d. A maintenance log shall be maintained and include: 1) date of installation; 2) date of each test; 3) name and approval number of person performing the test; 4) test results; 5) repairs or servicing required; 6) repairs and date completed; and 7) service performed and date completed.
H. Where Protection Is Required:
1. An approved backflow device shall be installed on all connections to the public water supply as described in the plumbing code, 77 Illinois administrative code 890, and the agency's regulations, 35 Illinois administrative code 680. In addition, an approved backflow prevention device shall be installed on each service line to a consumer's water system serving premises, where in the judgment of the director of public works, actual or potential hazards to the public water supply system exist.
2. An approved backflow prevention device shall be installed on each service line to a consumer's water system serving premises where the following conditions exist:
a. Premises having an auxiliary water supply, unless such auxiliary supply is accepted as an additional source by the public works director and the source is approved by the Illinois environmental protection agency.
b. Premises on which any substance is handled which can create an actual or potential hazard to the public water supply system. This shall include premises having sources or systems containing process fluids or waters originating from the public water supply system which are no longer under the sanitary control of the public works director.
c. Premises having internal cross-connections that, in the judgment of the public works director and/or the cross- connection control device inspector, are not correctable or intricate plumbing arrangements which make it impractical to determine whether or not cross-connections exist.
d. Premises where, because of security requirements or other prohibitions or restrictions, it is impossible or impractical to make a complete cross-connection survey.
e. Premises having a repeated history of cross-connections being established or reestablished.
3. An approved backflow device shall be installed on all connections to the public water supply as described in the plumbing code, 77 Illinois administrative code 890, and the agency's regulations, 35 Illinois administrative code 653. In addition, an approved backflow prevention device shall be installed on each service line to a consumer's water system serving, but not necessarily limited to, the following types of facilities unless the public works director determines that no actual or potential hazard to the public water supply system exists:
Car washes.
Chemical plants.
Farm service and fertilizer plants and trucks.
Food or beverage processing plants.
Hospitals, mortuaries, clinics, nursing homes.
Laboratories.
Metal plating industries.
Pesticide, or herbicide or extermination plants and trucks.
Petroleum processing or storage plants.
Piers, docks, waterfront facilities.
Radioactive material processing plants or nuclear reactors.
Sewage treatment plants, sewage pumping stations or storm water pumping stations.
I. Type Of Protection Required:
1. The type of protection required under subsection H of this section shall depend on the degree of hazard which exists, as follows:
a. An approved fixed proper air gap separation shall be installed where the public water supply system may be contaminated with substances that could cause a severe health hazard.
b. An approved fixed proper air gap separation or an approved reduced pressure principle backflow prevention assembly (RPZ) shall be installed where the public water supply system may be contaminated with a substance that could cause a system or health hazard.
c. An approved fixed proper air gap separation or an approved reduced pressure principle backflow prevention assembly or a double check valve assembly shall be installed where the public water supply system may be polluted with substances that could cause a pollution hazard not dangerous to health.
2. The type of protection required under subsection H of this section shall be an approved fixed proper air gap separation or an approved reduced pressure principle backflow prevention device.
3. Where a public water supply or an auxiliary water supply is used for a fire protection system, reduced pressure principle backflow preventers shall be installed on fire safety systems connected to the public water supply when:
a. The fire safety system contains antifreeze, fire retardant or other chemicals.
b. Water is pumped into the system from another source; or
c. Water flows by gravity from a nonpotable water source; or water can be pumped into the fire safety system from any other source;
d. There is a connection whereby another source can be introduced into the fire safety system.
4. All other fire safety systems connected to the potable water supply shall be protected by a double check valve assembly on metered service lines and double detector check valve assembly on unmetered service lines.
J. Backflow Prevention Devices:
1. All backflow prevention devices or methods required by these rules and regulations shall be approved by the research foundation for cross-connection control of the University of Southern California, American water works association, American society of sanitary engineering, or American national standards institute or certified by the national sanitation foundation to be in compliance with applicable industry specification.
2. Installation of approved devices shall be made in accordance with the manufacturer's instructions. Maintenance as recommended by the manufacturer of the device shall be performed. Manufacturer's maintenance manual shall be available on-site.
K. Inspection And Maintenance:
1. It shall be the duty of the consumer at any premises on which backflow prevention devices required by these regulations are installed to have inspections, tests, maintenance and repair made in accordance with the following schedule or more often where inspections indicate a need or are specified in manufacturer's instructions:
a. Fixed proper air gap separations shall be inspected to document that a proper vertical distance is maintained between the discharge point of the service line and the flood level rim of the receptacle at the time of installation and at least annually thereafter. Corrections to improper or bypassed air gaps shall be made within twenty four (24) hours.
b. Double check valve assemblies shall be inspected and tested at time of installation and at least annually thereafter, and required service performed within five (5) days.
c. Reduced pressure principle backflow prevention assemblies shall be tested at the time of installation and at least annually or more frequently if recommended by the manufacturer, and required service performed within five (5) days.
2. Testing shall be performed by a person who has been approved by the agency as competent to service the device. Proof of approval shall be in writing.
3. Each device shall have a tag attached listing the date of most recent test or visual inspection, name of tester, and type and date of repairs.
4. A maintenance log shall be maintained and include: a) date of installation; b) date of each test or visual inspection; c) name and approval number of person performing the test or visual inspection; d) test results; e) repairs or servicing required; f) repairs and date completed; and g) servicing performed and date completed.
5. Whenever backflow prevention devices required by these regulations are found to be defective, they shall be repaired or replaced at the expense of the consumer without delay as required by this subsection.
6. Backflow prevention devices shall not be bypassed, made inoperative, removed or otherwise made ineffective without specific authorization by the public works director.
L. Booster Pumps:
1. Where a booster pump has been installed on the service line to or within any premises, such pump shall be equipped with a low pressure cutoff device designed to shut off the booster pump when the pressure in the service line on the suction side of the pump drops to twenty (20) psi or less.
2. It shall be the duty of the water consumer to maintain the low pressure cutoff device in proper working order and to certify to the director of public works, at least once a year, that the device is operable.
M. Violations:
1. The public works director shall deny or discontinue, after reasonable notice to the occupants thereof, the water service to any premises wherein any backflow prevention device required by these regulations is not installed, tested, maintained and repaired in a manner acceptable to the public works director, or if it is found that the backflow prevention device has been removed or bypassed, or if an unprotected cross-connection exists on the premises, or if a low pressure cut-off required by this section is not installed and maintained in working order.
2. Water service to such premises shall not be restored until the consumer has corrected or eliminated such conditions or defects in conformance with these regulations and to the satisfaction of the public works director, and the required reconnection fee is paid.
3. Water service to such premises shall not be restored until the consumer has corrected or eliminated such conditions or defects in conformance with these regulations and to the satisfaction of the public works director.
4. Neither the city, the public works director, or their agents or assigns shall be liable to any customers of the city for any injury, damages or lost revenues which may result from termination of said customer's water supply in accordance with the terms of this chapter, whether or not said termination of the water supply was with or without notice.
5. The consumer responsible for back-siphoned material or contamination through backflow, if contamination of the potable water supply system occurs through an illegal cross- connection or an improperly installed, maintained or repaired device, or a device which has been bypassed, must bear the cost of cleanup of the potable water supply system.
6. Any person found to be violating any provision of this chapter, shall be served with written notice stating the notice of the violation and providing a reasonable time limit for the satisfactory correction thereof. The offender shall, within the period of time stated in such notice, permanently cease all violation.
7. Any person violating any of the provisions of this chapter in addition to the fine provided, shall become liable to the city for any expense, loss or damage occasioned by the city by reason of such violations, whether the same was caused before or after notice. (Ord. 01-0204, 2-5-2001)