A. Public Works Director: The Public Works Director shall be responsible for keeping the public potable water distribution system free from contamination or pollution due to the backflow of contaminates or pollutants through the water service connection. If, in the judgment of said Public Works Director, an approved backflow prevention assembly is required (at the customer's water service connection; or, within the customer's private water system) for the safety of the water system, the Public Works Director or his designated agent shall give notice in writing to said customer to install such an approved backflow prevention assembly at a specific location on his premises. The customer shall immediately install such approved assembly at the customer's own expense; and, failure, refusal or inability on the part of the customer to install, have tested and maintain said assembly shall constitute grounds for discontinuing water service to the premises until such requirements have been satisfactorily met. (1989 Code § 14-162; amd. 1998 Code)
B. Building Inspector: The Building Inspector of the City has the responsibility to not only review building plans and inspect plumbing as it is installed, but, has the explicit responsibility of preventing cross-connections from being designed and built into the structures within the City. Where the review of building plans suggests or detects the potential for a cross-connection being made an integral part of the plumbing system, the Building Inspector has the responsibility to require such cross-connections be either eliminated, or provided with an approved backflow prevention assembly in accordance with the Plumbing Code. The Building Inspector's responsibility begins at the point of service (the downstream side of the meter) and carries throughout the entire length of customer's water system. The Building Inspector should inquire about the intended use of water at any point where it is suspected that a cross-connection might be made or where one is actually called for by the plans. When such a cross- connection is discovered, it will be mandatory that a suitable, approved backflow prevention assembly be required by the plans and be properly installed in accordance with the International Plumbing Code. (1989 Code § 14-163; amd. 1998 Code)
C. Technician:
1. When employed by the customer or the Public Works Director to test, repair, overhaul and/or maintain backflow prevention assemblies, a backflow assembly technician will have the following responsibilities: (1989 Code § 14-164; amd. 1998 Code)
a. Be responsible for ensuring acceptable testing equipment and procedures are used for testing, repairing or overhauling backflow prevention assemblies. (1989 Code § 14-164)
b. Make reports of such testing and/or repair to the customer, Public Works Director and the Bureau of Drinking Water/Sanitation on forms approved for such use by the Bureau of Drinking Water/Sanitation. The report shall include the list of materials or replacement parts used. (1989 Code § 14-164; amd. 1998 Code)
c. It is the technician's responsibility to ensure replacement parts are equal in quality to parts originally supplied by the manufacturer of the assembly being repaired.
d. It will be the technician's responsibility not to change the design, material or operational characteristics of the assembly during repair or maintenance.
e. A certified technician shall perform the work and be responsible for the competence and accuracy of all tests and reports.
f. It will be the technician's responsibility to ensure his license is current, the testing equipment being used is acceptable to the State and is in proper operating condition. (1989 Code § 14-164)
g. Failure to report a failing assembly to the Bureau of Drinking Water/Sanitation and the Public Works Director within five (5) working days, may be grounds for revocation of the technician's certification. (1989 Code § 14-164; amd. 1998 Code)
h. The technician shall be equipped with, and be competent to use, all necessary tools, gauges and other equipment necessary to properly test, repair and maintain backflow prevention assemblies. (1989 Code § 14-164; amd. 1998 Code)
i. The certified technician must tag each double-check valve, pressure vacuum breaker, reduced pressure backflow assembly and air gaps, showing the serial number, date tested and by whom. The technician's license number must also be on this tag. (1989 Code § 14-164)
2. In the case of a customer requiring a commercially available technician, any certified technician is authorized to make the test and report the results of that test to the customer, Public Works Director and the Bureau of Drinking Water/Sanitation. If such a commercially tested assembly is in need of repair, the City requires a licensed plumber make the actual repair. (1989 Code § 14-164; amd. 1998 Code)