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It shall be unlawful for any person to willfully or carelessly break, injure or deface any building, machinery, apparatus, fixture, attachment or appurtenance of the Water Department. No person may deposit anything in a stop box or commit any act tending to obstruct or impair the intended use of any of the above-mentioned property without the written permission of the Utilities Superintendent.
(Prior Code, § 6-123) Penalty, see § 51.999
No person, partnership, corporation or other entity shall be allowed to hook up a mechanical heat pump device to the city water system.
(Prior Code, § 6-124) Penalty, see § 51.999
BACKFLOW REGULATIONS
(A) The purpose of these backflow regulations is to protect the public water supply system of the city from the possibility of contamination or pollution which may backflow into the system. These regulations provide for the maintenance of a continuing program of cross-connection controls which will systematically and effectively prevent the contamination or pollution of the potable water supply system. Any reference to a SUPERINTENDENT or UTILITIES SUPERINTENDENT within these backflow regulations shall mean a certified backflow operator.
(B) The Utilities Superintendent shall be responsible for the implementation of the backflow prevention program as outlined within these regulations. If, in the judgment of the Superintendent, an approved backflow prevention device is required for the safety of the public water supply system, then he or she shall give notice in writing to the consumer to install said device at each recommended location. The Superintendent shall inspect and approve all installations of the required backflow prevention devices. The costs for purchasing, installing and maintaining a backflow prevention device shall be the responsibility and sole expense of the consumer. The installation of backflow prevention devices, except for outlet fixture vacuum breakers, shall be by a licensed plumber. Annual testing of all double check valves and reduced pressure zone devices shall be performed by the Superintendent. If maintenance or repairs are deemed necessary, the consumer shall be contacted and issued an order to do all necessary repairs or maintenance. The consumer shall complete all maintenance or repairs within 30 days; if not, he or she shall be considered in violation of the backflow regulations and will be subject to disconnection of the service.
(C) No person shall install or maintain a water service connection containing cross-connections to a public water supply system or a consumer’s potable water supply system unless such cross-connections are abated or controlled in accordance with this rule, and as required by the laws and regulations of the state’s Department of Health.
(D) For the purposes of these backflow prevention regulations, whenever the Superintendent is to make any decision or interpretation, or whenever reference is made to the fact that the Superintendent is to exercise judgment, such decision, interpretation or judgment shall be in accordance with the provisions of these backflow prevention regulations and any other applicable provisions of this municipal code and state and federal law.
(Prior Code, § 6-125) (Ord. 329, passed 2-24-2005)
For the purpose of this subchapter, the following definition shall apply unless the context clearly indicates or requires a different meaning.
AIR GAP SEPARATION. The unobstructed vertical distance through the free atmosphere between the lowest opening from any pipe or faucet supplying water to a tank, plumbing fixture or other device and the flood level rim of the receptacle. An approved air gap shall be at least double the diameter of the supply pipe, measured vertically, above the top of the rim of the receptacle and in no case less than one inch.
ANTI-SIPHON VACUUM BREAKER. A device which restricts the backflow of water into a potable water system by a simple check valve. The vacuum is broken by allowing air to enter upstream of the check valve.
APPROVED. A backflow prevention device or method has been accepted by the Superintendent as being suitable for the intended use.
AUXILIARY WATER SYSTEM. Any water supply system available to the premises other than the public water supply system, and includes the water supplied by such system. These AUXILIARY WATER SYSTEMS may include water from another owner’s public water supply system, polluted or contaminated water, process fluids, used water or other sources of water over which the city does not have sanitary control.
BACKFLOW or BACKSIPHONAGE. The flow of water or other liquids, mixtures or substances into the water distribution system from any other source than the intended source of the potable water supply.
CONSUMER. The owner or person in control of any premises supplied by or in any manner connected to a public water supply system.
CONSUMER’S WATER SUPPLY SYSTEM. Any water supply system located on the consumer’s premises supplied by or in any manner connected to a public water supply system. A household plumbing system is considered to be a CONSUMER’S WATER SUPPLY SYSTEM. A fire suppression system is also considered a CONSUMER’S WATER SUPPLY SYSTEM.
CONTAMINATION. An impairment of the quality of the water by sewage or waste to a degree which could cause an actual hazard to the public health through poisoning or through the spread of disease by exposure.
CROSS-CONNECTION. Any arrangement whereby contamination due to backflow or backsiphonage can occur.
DEGREE OF HAZARD. A term derived from an evaluation of the potential risk to health and the adverse effects upon the potable water system.
DOUBLE CHECK VALVE ASSEMBLY. An assembly composed of two single, independently acting check valves, including 100% closing shutoff ball valves located at each end of the assembly and suitable connections for testing the water tightness of each check valve.
HEALTH HAZARD. Any condition, device or practice in a water system or its operation that creates a real or potential danger to the health and well being of the consumer.
INTERCHANGEABLE CONNECTION. An arrangement or device that will allow alternate but not simultaneous uses of two sources of water.
LICENSED PLUMBER. A person who has obtained approval from the Mayor and City Council to perform plumbing-related work within the city limits. A list of approved plumbers shall be kept by the City Administrator.
NON-POTABLE WATER. Water not safe for drinking, personal or culinary use, or which does not meet the requirements of the state’s Department of Health.
OWNER. The entity delivering water through a public water supply system. The OWNER is the City of Ponca.
PLUMBING HAZARD. A plumbing-type cross-connection in a consumer’s potable water system that has not been properly protected by air gap separation or backflow prevention devices.
POLLUTION. The presence in water of any foreign substances (organic, inorganic or biological) that degrade the quality of water to a degree which does not necessarily cause an actual hazard to the public health but which does adversely and unreasonably affect such waters for any desired use.
POTABLE WATER. Water which is satisfactory for drinking, culinary and domestic purposes and meets the requirements of the state’s Department of Health.
PUBLIC WATER SUPPLY SYSTEM. A water supply system designed and intended to provide potable water to a designated consumer. The WATER SUPPLY shall include the water supply source and distribution piping network. WATER SUPPLY SOURCE is defined as any artificial or natural accumulation of water used to supply the potable water system. The DISTRIBUTION PIPING NETWORK includes all piping, pumping and treatment devices used to convey an adequate quality and quantity of potable water to the consumer.
REDUCED PRESSURE ZONE BACKFLOW PREVENTION DEVICE. A device containing a minimum of two independently acting check valves together with an automatically operated pressure differential relief valve located between two check valves. During normal flow and at the cessation of normal flow, the pressure between these two 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 100% closing shutoff ball valves located at each end of the device, and each device shall be fitted with properly located test cocks.
SERVICE CONNECTION. The terminal end of a service line from the public water system. If a meter is installed at the end of the service line, then the service connection means the downstream end of the meter.
SYSTEM HAZARD. A condition posing an actual or potential threat of damage to the physical properties of the public’s or the consumer’s water supply system.
USED WATER. Any water supplied by the public water supply system to a consumer’s water supply system after it has passed through the service connection and is no longer under the sanitary control of the water supplier.
(Prior Code, § 6-126)
(A) It shall be the responsibility of the water consumer to conduct or cause to be conducted periodic surveys of water use practices on his or her premises as necessary to determine whether there are actual or potential cross-connections in the consumer’s water supply system. The Superintendent shall have the authority to conduct or cause to be conducted periodic surveys and investigations of water use practices within a consumer’s premises to determine whether there are actual or potential cross-connections to the consumer’s water supply system through which contaminants or pollutants could backflow into the public water system. The Superintendent may conduct these surveys to provide information in determining what level of protection will be necessary to protect the public health and safety.
(B) On request by the Superintendent, the consumer shall furnish information on water use practices within his or her premises. If the consumer refuses to submit the proper information or to cooperate in obtaining the proper information, the Superintendent shall treat the premises as if no appropriate cross-connection survey has been completed, and in such event, the consumer shall be required to install an approved backflow prevention device as required in § 51.073 of this chapter.
(C) The Superintendent shall have the right to enter a premises served by the public water supply system at all reasonable times for the purpose of making surveys and investigations of water use practices. In order to inspect a premises, the Superintendent shall give notice setting forth a proposed date and time to the consumer at least ten days in advance. If the consumer cannot make the premises available for inspection at the proposed date and time, the consumer shall contact the Superintendent and arrange for another date and time for the inspection. If the Superintendent and the consumer cannot agree on a date and time, then the Superintendent shall treat the premises as if no appropriate cross-connection survey has been completed, and in such event, the consumer shall be required to install an approved backflow prevention device as required in § 51.073 of this chapter.
(D) (1) The Board of Public Works is hereby appointed as a hearing board to hear differences between the Superintendent and any consumer on matters concerning interpretation and execution of the provisions of this subchapter by the Superintendent. Any consumer aggrieved by being required to pay the expense of installing, furnishing and/or maintaining a backflow prevention device may, within 14 days of the act or event causing the grievance, request a hearing in writing to present such grievance to the hearing board. Said board shall schedule the matter for hearing within 30 days and provide written notice of the meeting by first-class mail to the consumer. The notice shall be mailed to the consumer at least seven days and not more than 21 days before the hearing.
(2) At the hearing, the consumer shall first state the nature of the grievance and the Superintendent shall be entitled to respond thereto, whereupon the hearing board shall render its decision, which will be binding upon the consumer and the Superintendent.
(Prior Code, § 6-127)
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