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(a) Whenever the following items exist or activities are conducted on premises served by the public water systems, a potential hazard to the public water supplies shall be presumed, and a backflow prevention method of the type specified herein for that item or activity must be utilized or installed at each service connection for that premises. If an activity or item is not on the following list, it shall be evaluated by Tucson Water and a method of backflow prevention will be determined.
(1) Cooling tower, boiler, condenser, chiller, and other cooling systems: RPA.
(2) Tank, vessel, receptacle, and all other water connections, including mobile units, except emergency vehicles and private swimming pools: RPA.
(3) Icemaker (other than a residential service): RPA.
(4) Water-cooled equipment, boosters, pumps or autoclaves: RPA.
(5) Water treatment facilities and all water processing equipment (other than residential water softeners): RPA.
(6) Bottle washer, bedpan washer, garbage can washer: RPA.
(7) Pesticide, herbicide, fertilizer, and chemical applicators (other than typical in- home use): RPA.
(8) Aspirator: RPA.
(9) Commercial dishwashers, food processing and/or preparation equipment, carbonation equipment, or other food service processes: RPA.
(10) Decorative fountain, baptismal, or any location water is exposed to atmosphere: RPA.
(11) X-ray equipment, plating equipment, or any other photographic processing equipment: RPA.
(12) Auxiliary water supply and/or connections to unapproved water supply systems: RPA.
(13) Reclaimed water sites with potable water connection: RPA.
(14) Recreational vehicle dump stations (sewer), or any other location where water may be exposed to bacteria, virus or gas: RPA.
(15) Any premises on which chemicals, oils, solvents, pesticides, disinfectants, cleaning agents, acids or other pollutants and/or contaminants are handled in a manner by which they may come in direct contact with water, or there is evidence of the potential to contact water: RPA.
(16) Materials and piping systems unapproved by the City Plumbing Code or Environmental Protection Agency for potable water usage: RPA.
(17) Separately metered or unprotected irrigation systems, and construction water services: RPA or PVB/SVB as allowed.
(18) Any premises where a cross-connection is maintained or where internal backflow protection is required pursuant to the City Plumbing Code: RPA.
(19) Multimetered properties with more than one (1) meter connected: RPA.
(20) Fire systems--AWWA Classes 1 and 2 and all systems constructed of a piping material not approved for potable water pursuant to the City Plumbing Code: DCVA or Double Detector CVA. Furthermore, fire systems, Classes 1 and 2, that are under the jurisdiction of the fire department or a fire district that requires periodic sprinkler system testing similar to the city's are exempt from this article: DCVA.
(21) Fire systems--AWWA Class 3, 4, 5, 6: RPA or RPA with detector.
(22) Fire systems which require backflow protection and where backflow protection is required on the industrial/domestic service connection that is located on the same premises, both service connections will have adequate backflow protection for the highest degree of hazard affecting either system: RPA (Requirement may be waived by Tucson Water).
(23) Any premises which has a source of water supply that is not accepted by the public water system and or not approved by the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality: As determined by Tucson Water.
(24) Any premises where an unprotected cross-connection exists or where there has previously occurred a cross connection problem within the premises: As determined by Tucson Water.
(25) Any premises where there is a significant possibility that a cross-connection problem will occur and entry onto the premises is restricted to the extent that cross-connection inspections can not be made with sufficient frequency or on sufficiently short notice to assure that unprotected cross-connections do not exist: As determined by Tucson Water.
(26) Multi-use commercial property: RPA.
(27) Properties with active private wells: RPA.
(28) Consecutive systems, when required by Tucson Water: RPA.
(29) Fire hydrant/construction water: RPA.
(30) Jumper connection to new water mains: RPA.
(31) Any building three (3) stories or greater than thirty-four (34) feet in height as measured from the service level: RPA.
(32) Any premise on which there is a pressurized gray water system: RPA.
(33) Any premise on which there is pressurized rain water harvesting system: RPA.
(b) When two (2) or more of the activities listed above are conducted on the same premises and served by the same service connection or multiple service connections, the most restrictive backflow prevention method required for any of the activities conducted on the premises shall be required to be installed at each service connection. The order of most restrictive to least restrictive backflow prevention methods shall be as follows:
(1) Air gap (AG).
(2) Reduced pressure principle assembly (RPA).
(3) Reduced pressure principal detector assembly (RPDA).
(4) Double check valve assembly (DCVA).
(5) Double check detector assembly (DCDA).
(6) Pressure vacuum breaker assembly (PVB).
(7) Spill resistant pressure vacuum breaker (SVB).
(Ord. No. 9976, § 2, 5-24-04; Ord. No. 10867, § 1, 12-21-10)
(a) Backflow prevention assemblies shall be installed and maintained by the customer, at the customer's expense and in compliance with the standards and specifications adopted by the city, at each service connection. The customer is responsible for notifying Tucson Water of any installation, repair, relocation or replacement. A backflow prevention assembly shall be installed as close as practicable to the service connection. Any backflow prevention method shall be installed in accordance with the manufacturer's specifications and Tucson Water's standard details for installation.
(b) The assembly shall have a diameter at least equal to the diameter of the service connection or service line at point of connection. Each service connection will require its own backflow prevention assembly.
(c) The assembly shall be in an accessible location approved by Tucson Water. The RPA, RPDA, DCVA, DCDA, PVB, and SVB shall be installed above ground and per Tucson Water standard details.
(d) When a customer desires a continuous water supply, two (2) backflow prevention assemblies shall be installed parallel to one another at the service connection to allow a continuous water supply during testing and maintenance of the backflow prevention assemblies. When backflow prevention assemblies are installed parallel to one another, the sum of the cross-sectional areas of the assemblies shall be at least equal to the cross-sectional area of the service connection or service line piping at the point of installation, and the assemblies shall be of the same type, size, and manufacturer.
(e) For an AG installation all piping installed between the user's connection and the receiving tank shall be entirely visible unless otherwise approved in writing by Tucson Water.
(f) Backflow prevention assemblies shall not be installed in a meter box, pit or vault.
(g) A PVB or SVB assembly may be installed for use on a landscape water irrigation system if:
(1) The water use beyond the assembly is for irrigation purposes only;
(2) The PVB/SVB is installed in accordance with manufacturer's specifications;
(3) The irrigation system is designed and constructed to be incapable of inducing backpressure;
(4) Chemigation, the injection of chemical pesticides and fertilizers, is not used or provided for in the irrigation system; and
(5) No other source of water is available on the premises.
If these five criteria are not met, then an RP assembly is required.
(h) No person shall alter, modify, bypass or remove a backflow prevention method without the approval of Tucson Water.
(i) Installation of the backflow prevention assembly must be completed within the time specified in the notice to install or within forty-five (45) days of the water meter installation. A time extension may be granted by Tucson Water.
(j) If a customer fails to install a backflow prevention assembly pursuant to this article, Tucson Water shall discontinue water service and assess a compliance fee pursuant to this article.
(Ord. No. 9976, § 2, 5-24-04; Ord. No. 10867, § 1, 12-21-10)
In addition to the requirements of section 27-75 the following shall also apply.
(a) Fire systems:
(1) Fire protection systems may consist of sprinklers, hose connections, and hydrants. Sprinkler systems may be dry or wet, open or closed. Systems consisting of fixed-spray nozzles may be used indoors or outdoors for protection of flammable-liquid and other hazardous processes. It is standard practice, especially in cities, to equip automatic sprinkler systems with fire department pumper connections.
(2) A meter (compound, detector check) should not normally be permitted as part of a backflow prevention assembly. An exception may be made, however, if the meter and backflow prevention assembly are specifically designed for that purpose.
(3) For cross-connection control, fire protection systems shall be classified on the basis of water source and arrangement of supplies as follows:
a. Class 1: Direct connections from public water mains only; no pumps, tanks or reservoirs; no physical connection from other water supplies; no antifreeze or other additives of any kind; all sprinkler drains discharging to atmosphere, dry wells or other safe outlets.
b. Class 2: Same as class 1, except that booster pumps may be installed in the connections from the street mains. It is necessary to avoid drafting so much water that pressure in the water main is reduced below twenty (20) psi.
c. Class 3: Direct connection from public water supply main plus one (1) or more of the following: elevated storage tanks; fire pumps taking suction from above-ground covered reservoirs or tanks; and pressure tanks (all storage facilities are filled or connected to public water only, the water in the tanks to be maintained in a potable condition).
Otherwise, Class 3 systems are the same as class 1. Class 3 systems will generally require minimum protection (approved double check valves) to prevent stagnant waters from backflowing into the public potable water system.
d. Class 4: Directly supplied from public mains similar to classes 1 and 2, and with an auxiliary water supply on or available to the premises; or an auxiliary supply may be located within seventeen hundred (1,700) feet of the pumper connection. Class 4 systems will normally require backflow protection at the service connection. The type (air gap or reduced pressure) will generally depend on the quality of the auxiliary supply.
e. Class 5: Directly supplied from public mains, and interconnected with auxiliary supplies, such as: pumps taking suction from reservoirs exposed to contamination, or rivers and ponds; driven wells, mills or other industrial water systems; or where antifreeze or other additives are used. Classes 4 and 5 systems normally would need maximum protection (air gap or reduced pressure) to protect the public water system.
f. Class 6: Combined industrial and fire protection systems supplied from the public water mains only, with or without gravity storage or pump suction tanks. Class 6 system protection would depend on the requirements of both industry and fire protection, and could only be determined by a survey of the premises.
(b) Installation of assembly: When a backflow prevention assembly is required for a water service connection supplying water only to a fire system, the assembly shall be installed on the service line in compliance with standard specifications adopted by the city. (Installation of DCVA's or DDCVA's in a vertical position on the riser may be allowed on fire systems with Tucson Water approval.)
(Ord. No. 9976, § 2, 5-24-04)
(a) A customer's water systems shall be available at all times during business operations for premises inspection and backflow prevention assembly testing by Tucson Water. The inspection shall be conducted to determine whether any cross-connection or other hazard potentials exist and to determine compliance with this article and modifications, if any, pursuant to section 27-81.
(b) Tucson Water shall inspect all new sites, assembly installations, assembly relocations and assemblies that have been repaired for compliance.
(c) A waived premise is a property for which Tucson Water has determined there are currently no hazard potentials. All waived premises shall be inspected periodically or when there has been a change in owner/tenant or there has been a use change.
(d) If a customer refuses entry to a premises for inspection during business operations, Tucson Water may discontinue water service, require backflow prevention or take any steps allowed by law to gain entry to the premises.
(e) Tucson Water shall inspect all new reclaimed water sites prior to the delivery of reclaimed water to ensure that no cross-connections with Tucson Water's potable system exist and that the site complies with all applicable state and local regulations.
(f) Beginning on January 1, 2015 all reclaimed water sites, except single family residences, are required to have an annual reclaimed water site inspection and cross-connection test performed by a reclaimed water site tester certified by and registered with Tucson Water. The inspection will ensure that no cross-connections with Tucson Water's potable system exist and that the site complies with all applicable state and local regulations, including regulations pertaining to signage, ponding, overspray, site plan, and discharge off of the site. The reclaimed water site inspection program will be administered as provided in section 27-80.
(g) All single family sites will be inspected once every five years by Tucson Water at no cost to the customer. The inspection will ensure that no cross-connections with Tucson Water's potable system exist and that the site complies with all applicable state and local regulations, including regulations pertaining to signage, ponding, overspray, site plan, and discharge off of the site.
(Ord. No. 9976, § 2, 5-24-04; Ord. No. 10867, § 1, 12-21-10)
(a) Installation permits for the installation of all backflow prevention assemblies required by Tucson Water shall be obtained from Tucson Water prior to installation. A separate permit shall be obtained for each required backflow prevention assembly to be installed, including replacement or relocation.
(b) It shall be the duty of the person doing the work authorized by the permit to notify Tucson Water, orally or in writing, that the work is ready for inspection. Such notification shall be given not less than twenty-four (24) hours before the work is to be inspected and shall be given only if there is reason to believe that the work done will meet current city codes and regulations.
(c) Whenever any work is being done contrary to the provisions of the City Plumbing Code or this article, Tucson Water or an authorized representative may order the work stopped by notice in writing served on any persons engaged in the doing or causing such work to be done; and any such person shall forthwith stop such work until authorized by Tucson Water to proceed with the work.
(d) Any Tucson Water employee may, in writing, suspend or revoke a permit issued under provisions of this article, whenever the permit is issued in error or on the basis of incorrect information supplied, or in violation of any ordinance or regulation of any provision of the City Plumbing Code or this article.
(Ord. No. 9976, § 2, 5-24-04)
(a) The compliance date shall be set by Tucson Water.
(b) Tucson Water shall notify the customer at least forty-five (45) days before the compliance date for each backflow prevention assembly and/or reclaimed water site inspection.
(c) The customer shall test each backflow prevention assembly at least once a year. Test intervals for any backflow prevention assembly may not exceed twelve (12) months. If an inactive water service is reactivated, the backflow prevention assembly associated with that service shall be tested if more than twelve (12) months have passed since the last test.
(d) For compliance testing or inspection the customer shall not test any backflow prevention assembly or inspect any reclaimed water site more than forty-five (45) days prior to the compliance date.
(e) The customer may request in writing a change of the compliance date for any backflow prevention assembly and/or reclaimed water site. No annual compliance date may be changed to be more than twelve (12) months after the most recent test or inspection. No five (5) year compliance date may be changed to be more than sixty (60) months after the most recent inspection.
(f) If any testing reveals the assembly to be defective or is in improper operating condition, the customer shall perform any necessary repairs, including replacement of the assembly, which will return the assembly to proper operating condition. If an assembly is replaced, relocated or repaired, a new test shall be performed on such assembly and submitted to Tucson Water.
(g) If by the compliance date Tucson Water has not received the required backflow prevention assembly test and/or reclaimed water site inspection results, Tucson Water shall provide a four (4) day notice in writing to the site that Tucson Water will discontinue potable/reclaimed water service if the required backflow prevention assembly test and/or reclaimed water site inspection results are not received by the date specified in the four (4) day notice. Tucson Water shall assess a fee when the four (4) day notice is delivered. If the test and/or inspection results are not received by Tucson Water by the date specified in the four (4) day notice Tucson Water shall discontinue water service and add a compliance fee to the customer's water bill.
(h) If Tucson Water determines at any time between compliance dates that a backflow method is not operating correctly or does not meet applicable codes or that a reclaimed water site does not comply with regulations, Tucson Water shall provide a courtesy notice in writing to the customer and/or site specifying the date by which the backflow method must meet applicable codes and be operating properly or the reclaimed water site must be in compliance. If by the date specified in the courtesy notice the backflow method or reclaimed water site does not meet applicable codes and regulations, Tucson Water will provide a four (4) day notice to the site specifying the date by which the backflow method or reclaimed water site must meet applicable codes/regulations. Tucson Water shall add a fee to the customer's water bill when the four (4) day notice is delivered. If by the date specified in the four (4) day notice the backflow method or reclaimed water site does not meet applicable codes/regulations, Tucson Water shall discontinue water service and add a compliance fee to the customer's water bill.
(i) If Tucson Water or a customer learns or discovers during any interim period between tests/inspections that an assembly is defective or is in improper operating condition or that the reclaimed water site is noncompliant, the customer shall perform any necessary repairs including replacement of the assembly, which will return the assembly or reclaimed water site to proper operating/compliant condition.
(j) The backflow prevention assembly testing shall be performed by an individual certified to conduct such testing by the California-Nevada Section of the AWWA, the Arizona State Environmental Technical Training Center or other certifying authority approved by the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality. A list of certified testers registered with Tucson Water shall be maintained by Tucson Water and shall be available upon request to all persons required to install or maintain a backflow prevention assembly.
(k) Test procedures shall be performed as required by the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality as set forth in chapter nine of the Manual for Cross-Connection Control. The tester shall provide test/inspection results to the customer and to Tucson Water, and shall maintain a copy of the results for their records.
(l) The customer shall maintain records, of all test/inspection results and of all servicing, repairs, and replacements of the backflow prevention assembly. Test and/or inspection results shall be submitted electronically to Tucson Water within five (5) days after completion of the activity for which the record is made.
(m) Fire systems shall not be out of service for more than eight (8) consecutive hours due to testing, maintenance or repairs. The fire department shall be notified immediately of any changes in fire service status.
(n) Tucson Water may test any backflow prevention assembly or inspect any reclaimed water site at any time.
(o) Test equipment shall be maintained and calibrated annually by an agency approved by Tucson Water as required by the cross connection manual. A copy of the annual equipment calibration certificates shall be submitted to Tucson Water to maintain equipment registration and certification. Test equipment for testing backflow prevention assemblies in Tucson Water's service area shall be registered with and approved by Tucson Water. Test equipment used on anything other than potable water backflow prevention assemblies shall not be used to test such assemblies and shall be identified as non-potable test equipment.
(p) Backflow prevention assembly/reclaimed water site testers shall register with Tucson Water if they are conducting backflow prevention assembly testing/reclaimed water site inspections in Tucson Water's service area. Testers shall submit a current copy of their certification or recertification upon registration. A Tucson Water registration issued to a backflow prevention assembly/reclaimed water site tester may be revoked or suspended upon certification expiration or for improper testing, maintenance, inspections, reporting or other improper practices.
(Ord. No. 9976, § 2, 5-24-04; Ord. No. 10563, §§ 2, 3, 7-8-08; Ord. No. 10867, § 1, 12-21-10)
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