(A) Public water supply protection required. In accordance with the requirements of 17 Cal. Code of Regs. §§ 7583 through 7622 and Cal. Health & Safety Code §§ 116800 et seq., no water service connection to any premises shall be installed or maintained by the city unless the public water supply is protected as required by state regulations and the requirements stated below. This section supplements and does not supersede local plumbing regulations, codes or ordinances or state Department of Public Health Regulations relating to water supply.
(B) Where protection is required. In general, backflow prevention devices shall be installed on the service connection to any premises having:
(1) Any service connection having an auxiliary water supply, or internal systems containing water of deteriorating quality.
(2) Any service connection to any sewage treatment plant, sewage pumping station, or any premises which handle or transport sewage;
(3) Any service connection where any substance is handled under pressure in such fashion as to permit entry into the water system;
(4) Any service connection where material dangerous to health or toxic substance that might possibly be introduced into the water system;
(5) Any premises which is served by more than one meter connection.
(6) Any service where lawn or garden sprinkling systems are present shall have a backflow prevention device installed on the lawn or garden sprinkler supply line.
(7) The type of protection required for each type of premises shall be as stipulated in the city standards.
(C) Private wells prohibited. No person may drill, dig, install or operate a water well within the city for any purpose without the consent of the city.
(D) Existing wells. No person owning or operating an existing well within the city may furnish water for sale or gift to any other premises. If request is received to connect to the city water system, from an owner having a well on his property, that well shall be properly abandoned in accordance with state and city standards, or an approved reduced pressure principle backflow prevention device shall be installed before the connection can be made.
(E) Responsibility for installation, inspection and maintenance. Backflow prevention devices required herein shall be installed in accordance with city standards at the expense of the customer.
(1) All backflow preventers shall be inspected, tested, and maintained by a certified backflow prevention device tester, on a regular basis and a report of such activity shall be submitted to the city on forms provided by the city.
(2) In general, the backflow prevention device shall be inspected and tested at time of installation and thereafter according to the following schedule:
Type of Device | Frequency of Test |
Air Gap | Annually |
Reduced Pressure Principle | Annually |
Double Check Valve | Annually |
(3) All inspections, testing, maintenance and reporting shall be done at the expense of the customer.
(F) Discontinuance of service. The city may shut off service to any premises and may physically disconnect the customer's piping from the city's water distribution system if a backflow prevention device required by this section is not installed, tested, and maintained as required, or if any defect is found in an installed backflow prevention device, or if it is found that a backflow prevention device has been removed or bypassed, or if unprotected cross-connection exist on the premises; and service will not be restored until such conditions or defects are corrected.
(`67 Code, § 4-6-47) (Ord. 85-03, passed 6-24-85)