For the purpose of this subchapter, the following definitions shall apply unless the context indicates or requires a different meaning.
AIR GAP. The unobstructed vertical distance through the free atmosphere between the lowest opening from any pipe or faucet conveying water or waste to a tank, plumbing fixture, receptor or other assembly and the flood level rim of the receptacle. These vertical, physical separations must be at least twice the diameter of the water supply outlet, never less than one inch (25 cm).
APPROVED. Accepted by the authority responsible as meeting an applicable specification stated or cited in this subchapter or as suitable for the proposed use.
ATMOSPHERIC VACUUM BREAKER (AVB). A device consisting of an air inlet valve or float check, a check seat and air inlet port(s). This device is designed to protect against a non-health hazard or a health hazard under a backsiphonage condition only.
AUXILIARY WATER SUPPLY. Any water supply on or available to the premises other than the city’s approved water supply. AUXILIARY WATERS may include water from another purveyor’s public potable water supply or any natural source(s), such as a well, spring, river, stream, harbor and so forth, used waters or industrial fluids. These waters may be contaminated or polluted, or they may be objectionable and constitute an unacceptable water source over which the city does not have sanitary control.
BACKFLOW. The undesirable reversal of flow in a potable water distribution system as a result of a cross-connection.
BACKFLOW DEVICE INSTALLER. A person who is a plumber, an irrigation installer or a pipe fitter all licensed by the State of Oregon or a private homeowner doing work on his or her own property. All installers are required to buy a plumbing permit through the State of Oregon Buildings Code Division and to also obtain a permit from the City of Union in order to perform the work.
BACKFLOW PREVENTER. An assembly, device or means designed to prevent backflow.
BACKPRESSURE. A pressure, higher than the supply pressure, caused by a pump, elevated tank, boiler or any other means that may cause backflow.
BACKSIPHONAGE. Backflow caused by negative or reduced pressure in the supply piping.
CERTIFIED BACKFLOW ASSEMBLY TESTER. A person who is certified by the Oregon State Department of Human Services, and holds a contractor’s license with the Construction Contractors Board.
CONTAMINATION. An impairment of a potable water supply by the introduction or admission of any foreign substance that degrades the quality and creates a health hazard.
CROSS-CONNECTION. Any physical arrangement where a public water system is connected, directly or indirectly (actual or potential), with any other non-potable water system, used water system or auxiliary supply, sewer, drain conduit, swimming pool, storage reservoir, plumbing fixture, swamp coolers, air conditioner units, fire protection system or any other assembly which contains, or may contain, contaminated water, sewage or other liquid of unknown or unsafe quality which may be capable of imparting contamination to the public water system as a result of backflow. Bypass arrangements, jumper connections, removable sections, swivel or change-over assemblies, or other temporary or permanent assemblies through which, or because of which, backflow may occur are considered to be cross-connections.
CROSS-CONNECTIONS; CONTROLLED. A connection between a potable water system and a non-potable water system with an approved backflow-prevention assembly properly installed and maintained so that it will continuously afford the protection commensurate with the degree of hazard.
CROSS-CONNECTION CONTROL BY CONTAINMENT. The installation of an approved backflow-prevention assembly at the water service connection to any customer’s premises, where it is physically and economically unfeasible to find and permanently eliminate or control all actual or potential cross-connections within the customer’s water system, or it shall mean the installation of an approved backflow-prevention assembly on the service line leading to and supplying a portion of a customer’s water system where there are actual or potential cross-connections that cannot be effectively eliminated or controlled at the point of the cross-connection.
DOUBLE CHECK VALVE ASSEMBLY. The approved double check valve assembly consists of two internally-loaded check valves, either spring loaded or internally weighted, installed as a unit between two tightly closing resilient-seated shutoff valves and fittings with properly located resilient-seated cocks. This assembly shall only be used to protect against a non-health hazard that is a pollutant.
HAZARD, DEGREE OF. The term is derived from an evaluation of the potential risk to public health and the adverse effect of the hazard upon the potable water system.
HAZARD, HEALTH. A cross-connection or potential cross-connection involving any substance that could, if introduced in the potable water supply, cause death, illness, spread disease or have a high probability of causing the effects.
HAZARD, PLUMBING. A plumbing-type cross-connection in a consumer’s potable water system that has not been properly protected by an approved air gap or an approved backflow prevention assembly.
HAZARD, NON-HEALTH. A cross-connection or potential cross-connection involving any substance that generally would not be a health hazard but would constitute a nuisance or be aesthetically objectionable, if introduced into the potable water supply.
HAZARD, SYSTEM. An actual or potential threat of severe damage to the physical properties of the public potable water system or the consumer’s potable water system or of a pollution or contamination that would have a protracted effect on the quality of the potable water in the system.
INDUSTRIAL FLUIDS SYSTEM. Any system containing a fluid or solution that may be chemically, biologically or otherwise contaminated or polluted in a form or concentration, such as would constitute a health, system, pollution or plumbing hazard, if introduced into an approved water supply. This may include, but not be limited to: polluted or contaminated waters, all types of process waters and used waters originating from the public potable water system that may have deteriorated in sanitary quality, chemicals in fluid form, plating acids and alkalis, circulating cooling waters connected to an open cooling tower and/or cooling waters that are chemically or biologically treated or stabilized with toxic substances, contaminated natural waters, such as wells, springs, streams, rivers, bays, harbors, seas, irrigation canals or systems, and so forth, oils, gases, glycerine, paraffins, caustic and acid solutions and other liquid and gaseous fluids used in industrial or other purposes or fire-fighting purposes.
POLLUTION. The presence of any foreign substance in water that tends to degrade its quality so as to constitute a non-health hazard or impair the usefulness of the water.
REDUCED-PRESSURE BACKFLOW ASSEMBLY. The approved reduced-pressure principle backflow-prevention assembly consists of two independently acting approved check valves together with a hydraulically operating, mechanically independent pressure differential relief valve located between the check valves and below the first check valve. These units are located between two tightly closing resilient-seated shutoff valves as an assembly and equipped with properly located resilient-sealed test cocks.
SERVICE CONNECTION. The terminal end of a service connection from the public potable water system, that is, where the city loses jurisdiction and sanitary control over the water at its point of delivery to the customer’s water system. If a meter is installed at the end of the service connection, then the SERVICE CONNECTION shall mean the downstream end of the meter. There should be no unprotected takeoffs from the service line ahead of any meter or backflow-prevention assembly located at the point of delivery to the customer’s water system. SERVICE CONNECTION shall also include water service connection from a fire hydrant and all other temporary or emergency water service connections from the public potable water system.
WATER, POTABLE. Water that is safe for human consumption as described by the public health authority having jurisdiction.
WATER, NON-POTABLE. Water that is not safe for human consumption or that is of questionable quality.
WATER, USED. Any water supplied by a water purveyor from a public potable water system to a consumer’s water system after it has passed through the point of delivery and is no longer under the sanitary control of the water purveyor.
(Ord. 490, passed 4-11-2005)