(A) CROSS-CONNECTION shall mean any physical connection or arrangement between two otherwise separate systems, one of which contains potable water from the town water system and the other, water from a private source, water of unknown or questionable safety, or steam, gases or chemicals, whereby there may be a flow from one system to the other, the direction of flow depending on the pressure differential between the two systems.
(B) No person shall establish or permit to be established or maintain or permit to be maintained any cross-connection or cross-connection potential. No interconnection shall be established whereby potable water from a private, auxiliary or emergency water supply other than the regular public water supply of the town may enter the supply or distribution system of the municipality, unless the private, auxiliary or emergency water supply and the method of connection and use of the supply shall have been approved by the Town Municipal Water Utility and by the State Department of Environmental Management in accordance with 327 I.A.C. 8-10, as amended.
(C) It shall be the duty of the Superintendent of the Town Water Utility to cause inspections to be made of all properties served by the public water system where cross-connection with the public water system is deemed possible. The frequency of inspections and reinspections based on potential health hazards involved shall be as established by the Superintendent.
(D) Upon presentation of credentials, the representative of the town, or its agent, shall have the right to request entry at any reasonable time to examine any property served by a connection to the public water system of the town for cross-connections. On request, the owner, lessee or occupant of any property so served shall furnish to the inspection agency any pertinent information regarding the piping system or systems on the property. The refusal of access or refusal of requested pertinent information shall be deemed evidence of the presence of cross-connections.
(E) The Town Municipal Water Utility is hereby authorized and directed to discontinue water service to any property wherein any connection in violation of this chapter exists, and to take other precautionary measures deemed necessary to eliminate any danger of contamination of the public water system. Water service shall be discontinued only after reasonable notice is served on the owner, lessee or occupant of the property or premises where a violation is found or suspected to exist. Water service to the property shall not be restored until the cross-connection(s) has been eliminated in compliance with the provisions of this chapter.
(F) If it is deemed by the Town Municipal Water Utility that a cross-connection, cross-connection potential or an emergency endangers public health, safety or welfare and requires immediate action, and a written finding to that effect is filed with the Clerk-Treasurer of the town and delivered to the consumer’s premises, service may be immediately discontinued. The consumer shall have an opportunity for a hearing before the Town Council within ten days of the emergency discontinuance.
(G) All consumers using toxic or hazardous liquids, including, but not limited to, clinics, fertilizer plants, mortuaries, wastewater treatment plants, laboratories and all other known hazardous chemical users, shall install and maintain a reduced-pressure principal backflow preventer in the main water line servicing each building on the premises. The backflow preventer must be installed in an easily accessible location not subject to flooding or freezing.
(H) All backflow preventer devices shall be tested by an inspector licensed to do so by the state as and when required by any applicable state or federal law, regulations and reports of all tests shall be forwarded in writing to the Superintendent of the Town Water Utility within ten days after the testing.
(I) This section does not supersede the State Uniform Plumbing Code or any ordinance of the town, but is supplementary to them.
(1998 Code, § 17-9)