(A) Utility.
(1) On new installations, the utility will provide on-site evaluation and/or inspection of plans in order to determine the type of backflow preventer, if any, that will be required, will issue a permit, and perform an inspection.
(2) For premises existing prior to the start of this program, the utility will perform evaluations and inspections of plans and/or premises, and inform the owner by letter of any corrective action deemed necessary.
(a) Ordinarily 90 days will be allowed for the correction; and
(b) This 90-day period may be shortened depending on the degree of hazard or the history of the device.
(3) The utility will not allow any cross-connection to remain unless it is protected by an approved backflow preventer for which a permit has been issued, and which will be regularly tested to ensure satisfactory operation.
(4) The utility will inform the owner by letter of any failure to comply within ten working days of the first re-inspection.
(a) The utility will allow an additional 15 days for the correction.
(b) At the end of the additional 15 days, a second re-inspection will be made to determine if corrections have been made.
(c) If corrections have not been made, the utility will inform the owner by letter that the water service to the owner’s premises will be terminated five days from the date of this notice.
(d) In the event that the owner informs the utility of extenuating circumstances as to why the correction has not been made, a time extension may be granted by the utility, but in no case will exceed an additional 30 days.
(5) If the utility determines at any time that a serious threat to the public health exists, the water services will be terminated immediately.
(6) The utility shall have on file a list of private contractors who are certified backflow device testers. All charges for these tests will be paid by the owner of the building or property.
(B) Owner.
(1) The owner shall be responsible for the elimination or isolation of all cross-connections on his or her premises.
(2) The owner, after having been informed by a letter from the utility, shall, at his or her expense, install, maintain, and test or have tested any and all backflow preventers on his or her premises.
(3) The owner shall correct any malfunctions of the backflow preventer which is revealed by periodic testing.
(4) The owner shall inform the utility of any proposed or modified cross-connections, and also any existing cross-connections of which the owner is aware but has not been found by the utility.
(5) The owner shall not install a bypass around any backflow preventer unless there is a backflow preventer of the same type on the bypass. Owners shall not tamper with backflow devices.
(6) The owner shall install backflow preventers in a manner approved by the utility.
(7) The owner shall install only backflow preventers approved by the Health Division.
(8) Any owner having a private well or other private water source must have a permit if the well or source is cross-connected to the utility’s system. Permission to cross-connect may be denied by the utility. The owner may be required to install a backflow preventer at the service entrance if a private water source is maintained, even if it is not cross-connected to the utility’s system.
(9) In the event the owner installs plumbing to provide potable water for domestic purposes, which is on the utility’s side of the backflow preventer, the plumbing must have its own backflow preventer installed.
(Prior Code, § 52.04) (Ord. 97-464, passed 3-3-1997)