For the purpose of this subchapter, the following definitions 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 potable water to a tank, plumbing fixture or other device and the flood level rim of the receptacle. The differential distance shall be at least double the diameter (2 x D) of the supply pipe measured vertically, above the top of the rim of the vessel. In no case shall the air gap be less than one inch.
ANSI. American National Standards Institute.
APPROVED. That a backflow prevention device or method that has been accepted by the Water Department as suitable for the proposed use.
ASSE. American Society of Sanitary Engineers.
ATMOSPHERIC VACUUM BREAKER. (Also known as the non-pressure type vacuum breaker), shall mean a device containing a shut-off valve followed by a valve body containing a float-check, a check seat and an air inlet port. When the shut-off valve is open, the flow of water causes the float to close the air inlet port. When the shut-off valve is closed, the float falls and forms a check valve against back-siphonage and at the same time opens the air inlet port.
AUXILIARY WATER SYSTEM. Any water source or system of the premises of or available to the consumer except connections to other approved community water supply systems.
AWWA. American Water Works Association.
BACK-SIPHONAGE. The backflow of water or mixture of water and other liquids, gases or other substances from a plumbing fixture or other consumer source, into a water system main due to a temporary negative or sub-atmospheric pressure within the water system.
BACKFLOW. A flow condition, induced by a differential in pressure, that causes the flow of water or mixtures of water and other liquids, gases or other substances into the distribution pipes of the water system from a source other than its intended source.
BACKFLOW PREVENTER or BACKFLOW PREVENTION DEVICE. A device or other means which will prevent the backflow of water or liquids of questionable quality into the water system.
BOROUGH. The Borough of Topton, Berks County, Pennsylvania, acting through its Borough Council or duly designated employee or representative.
CONSUMER. The owner of any premises who, prior to, upon or after the effective date of this subchapter, has contracted, shall contract or is otherwise by ordinance of the borough responsible for water service to a consumer unit. The term CONSUMER shall mean and include, as applicable, each of the following: a residential or nonresidential (commercial, industrial or institutional) establishment.
CONSUMER UNIT OR PREMISES.
(1) A building under one roof and occupied by one family or business;
(2) A combination of buildings in one enclosure or group and occupied by one family or business;
(3) One side of a double building or house having a solid vertical partition wall;
(4) Each room or group of rooms in a building occupied or intended for occupancy as a separate business or separate living quarters by a family and/or other group of persons living together or by a person living alone;
(5) Any trailer or mobile home occupied by one family or business;
(6) Any public building devoted entirely to public use, such as a school house, house of worship, fire house; or
(7) Each apartment, condominium, office, or suite of offices in a building or house having several such apartments, condominiums, offices or suites of offices and using in common one or more hallways and one or more means of entrances.
CONSUMER’S WATER SYSTEM. Any water system, located on the consumer’s premises, supplied by or in any manner connected to the water system. A household plumbing system is considered to be a CONSUMER’S WATER SYSTEM.
CONTAINMENT. Cross-connection control which isolates the consumer’s entire facility from the water system so as to provide the protection necessary to prevent contamination of the water system in the event of backflow from the consumer’s facility.
CONTAMINATION. The degradation of the quality of the drinking water by wastewaters, processed fluids or any water of a quality less than accepted drinking water quality to a degree which would create an actual hazard to the public health through poisoning or through the spread of disease.
CROSS-CONNECTION. An arrangement allowing either a direct or indirect connection through which backflow, including back-siphonage, can occur between the drinking water in the water system and a system containing a source or potential source of contamination.
DEGREE OF HAZARD. An evaluation of the potential risk to health and the adverse effect upon the water system.
DOUBLE CHECK VALVE ASSEMBLY. An assembly composed of two single, independently acting, check valves including tightly closing shut-off 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, or may create, a danger to the health and well being of its users. The word SEVERE as used to quality HEALTH HAZARD means a hazard to the health of the user that could reasonably be expected to result in significant morbidity or death.
INTERCHANGEABLE CONNECTION. An arrangement or device that will allow alternate but not simultaneous, use of two sources of water.
NON-POTABLE WATER. Water not safe for drinking, personal or culinary use.
OWNER. Any person vested with ownership, legal or equitable, sole or partial, of any premises.
PERSON. Any individual, firm, partnership, company, association, society, corporation, trust, governmental body or any agency, department or political subdivision thereof, or any other group or entity.
POLLUTION. The presence in water of any foreign substance that tends to degrade its quality so as to constitute a hazard or impair the usefulness or quality of the water to a degree which does not create an actual hazard to the public health but which does adversely and unreasonably affect such waters for domestic use.
POTABLE WATER. Water which is satisfactory for drinking, culinary and domestic purposes and meets the requirements of the Department of Environmental Protection of the commonwealth.
PREMISES. See CONSUMER UNIT.
PROCESS FLUIDS.
(1) Any fluid or solution which may be chemically, biologically or otherwise contaminated or polluted in a form or concentration such as would constitute a health, pollution or system hazard if introduced into the water system or a consumer’s water system.
(2) This includes, but is not limited to:
(a) Polluted or contaminated waters;
(b) Process waters;
(c) Used waters originating from the water system which may have deteriorated in sanitary quality;
(d) Cooling waters;
(e) Contaminated natural waters taken from wells, lakes, streams or irrigation systems;
(f) Chemicals in solution or suspension;
(g) Oils, gases, acids, alkalis and other liquid and gaseous fluids used in industrial or other processes, or for firefighting purposes; and
(h) Heating system waters from boilers or heat pumps.
psi. Pounds per square inch.
REDUCED PRESSURE ZONE (RPZ) DEVICE. A minimum of two independently acting check valves, together with an automatically operated pressure differential relief valve located between the 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 checks at less than the supply pressure. The unit must include tightly closing shut-off valves located at each end of the device, and each device shall be fitted with properly located test stops.
SERVICE CONNECTION. The water service pipe from the borough’s water distribution main in the street or right-of-way to the premises, owned and/or maintained by the consumer, except the water meter.
SYSTEM HAZARD. A condition posing an actual or potential threat of damage to the physical properties of the water system or a consumer’s water system containing potable water.
TENANT. A person who leases or rents premises from an owner.
WATER DEPARTMENT. The operating department organized and supervised by the Council of the borough to manage and operate the water system.
WATER METER ASSEMBLY. The water meter with remote reader, and the backflow prevention device.
WATER SYSTEM. The existing waterworks, water supply works and water transmission and distribution system lines and other facilities and storage facilities and properties, together with all appurtenant facilities and properties which the borough has acquired or hereafter shall acquire, from time to time, in connection therewith, including all property, real, personal, mixed, rights, powers, licenses, easements, rights-of-way, privileges, licenses, franchises and other property or interest in property of whatsoever nature used or useful in connection with such facilities, and together with all additions, extension, alterations and improvements thereof or thereto which may be made or acquired, from time to time, by the borough.
(Ord. 5-1989, passed 8-14-1989)