(A) The purpose of this policy is to protect the public water supply system of the city from the possibility of contamination by isolating real or potential sources of contamination or pollution which may backflow into the public water supply system. This policy provides for the maintenance of a continuing program of cross-connection control which will systematically and effectively prevent the contamination or pollution of the public water supply system. The Department of Utilities shall be responsible for the implementation of the backflow prevention program as outlined in this policy.
(B) No person shall install or maintain a water service connection to any premises where actual or potential cross-connections exist and where an auxiliary water supply may enter the public water supply system. The actual or potential cross-connections will be abated or controlled in accordance with this policy and as required by DHHS. This shall apply to all premises serviced by the public water supply system.
(C) On request by the Department of Utilities, the consumer shall conduct or cause to be conducted periodic surveys of water use practices on his or her premises and provide the results to the Department of Utilities, to determine whether there are actual or potential cross-connections in the consumers water system. The consumer's premises shall be open at all reasonable times to the Department of Utilities for the conduction of surveys and investigations, of a frequency as determined by the Department of Utilities, of water use practices within a consumers water supply system through which contaminants of pollutants could backflow into the public water supply.
(D) On request by the Department of Utilities, the consumer shall furnish information on water use practices within the consumer's premises. If the consumer refuses to submit the proper information or to cooperate in obtaining it, the Department of Utilities shall treat the premises as if no appropriate cross-connection survey has been completed, and the consumer shall considered in violation of §§ 52.30 through 52.33 and the penalties as stated in §§ 52.30 through 52.33 may apply and the consumer may be required to install an approved backflow prevention device as required by §§ 52.30 through 52.33.
(E) An approved backflow prevention device shall be installed between the service connection and the point of potential backflow into a consumers water supply system when, in the judgment of the Department of Utilities, a health, plumbing, pollution, or system hazard exists.
(F) An approved backflow prevention device shall be installed between the service connection and the point of potential backflow within any premises where, in the judgment of the Department of Utilities, the nature and extent of activities on the premises, or the materials used in connection with the activities or materials stored on the premises, would present an immediate and dangerous hazard to health should a cross-connection occur, even though the cross-connections may not exist at the time the backflow prevention device is required to be installed. This includes, but is not limited to, the following situations:
(1) Premises having auxiliary water supply;
(2) Premises having internal cross-connections that are not correctable, or intricate plumbing arrangements which make it impractical to ascertain whether or not a cross-connection exists;
(3) Premises where entry is restricted so that inspections for cross-connections cannot be made with sufficient frequency or impractical to make a complete cross-connection survey;
(4) Premises having a repeated history of cross-connections being established or reestablished;
(5) Premises which due to the nature of the enterprise therein, are subject to recurring modification or expansion;
(6) Premises on which any substance is handled under pressure so as to permit entry into the public water supply system, or where a cross-connection could reasonably be expected to occur. This shall include the handling of process waters and cooling waters; and
(7) Premises where toxic or hazardous material is used or handled.
(G) An approved backflow prevention device shall be installed at these facilities if required by the Department of Utilities or its authorized representative of the Nebraska Department of Health to protect the public water supply system unless all hazardous or potentially hazardous conditions have been eliminated or corrected by other methods to the satisfaction of the Department of Utilities or DHHS:
(1) Agricultural chemical facilities;
(2) Auxiliary water systems, wells;
(3) Premises having water recircling systems as used for boilers or cooling systems;
(4) Beauty salons, barbershops, massage parlors, and health clubs;
(5) Bulk water loading facilities;
(6) Car washes, automobile servicing facilities;
(7) Chemical and petroleum processing storage plants;
(8) Chill water systems, ice machines and compressors;
(9) Fire protection systems;
(10) Food or beverage processing plants;
(11) Hazardous waste storage and disposal sites;
(12) Hospitals, mortuaries, dental clinics, nursing and convalescent homes, and medical buildings;
(13) Irrigation and lawn sprinkling systems;
(14) Laundries and dry cleaners;
(15) Metal de-greasing, plating industries, machine tool plants, dye and metal processing or production;
(16) Multi-storied buildings greater than three stories in height;
(17) Packing houses;
(18) Power plants;
(19) Premises having radioactive materials such as laboratories, industries, and hospitals;
(20) Rendering plants;
(21) Schools, universities, and colleges;
(22) Sewage treatment plants, sewage pumping stations, or storm water pumping stations;
(23) Soft drink dispensers;
(24) Testing laboratories, film laboratories, and film processing laboratories;
(25) Veterinary establishments, kennels, feedyards, stables, rodeo grounds, stockyards, and pet grooming salons; and
(26) Other commercial or industrial facilities which may constitute potential cross-connection.
(1972 Code, § 3-430) (Ord. 878, passed 5-6-1997; Ord 2012-03, passed 4-3-2012)