A. Installation: Installation of an approved backflow prevention assembly shall be installed on each service line to a customer's water system, at or near the property line or immediately inside the building being served. In all cases, the assembly shall be installed before the first branch line leading off the service line.
B. Specifications: Backflow prevention assemblies shall be installed in water supply lines to provide at least the degree of protection stipulated in the international residential code, or replacements thereof. All backflow prevention assemblies shall be exposed for easy observation and be readily accessible.
C. Maintenance: It is the responsibility of the person or persons (including owners and lessees) having control of backflow prevention assemblies installed in a potable water supply system for protection against backflow to assure that such assemblies are maintained in good working condition. Upon inspection, any assembly found to be defective or inoperative shall be replaced or repaired. No assembly shall be removed from use, relocated or substituted without the approval of the water superintendent.
D. Testing:
1. Only certified backflow assembly technicians shall do the testing, maintenance and/or repair of backflow prevention assemblies. The certified technician shall tag each double check valve, pressure vacuum breaker, reduced pressure backflow assembly and air gap, showing the serial number of the assembly, date tested and by whom. The technician's license number shall also be on this tag. Tests are made according to the regulations set forth by the state department of health, bureau of drinking water/sanitation.
2. A technician making any test shall report the results of that test to the customer, the water superintendent and the bureau of drinking water/sanitation. If such a commercially tested assembly is in need of repair, a licensed plumber shall make the actual repair.
3. Backflow prevention assemblies shall be inspected and tested at least once per year at the expense of the owner, lessee or user of the premises. In those instances where the water superintendent deems the hazard to be great, he may require certified inspections and tests at a more frequent interval. These inspections and tests shall be performed by a certified backflow assembly technician.
4. All backflow prevention assemblies shall be tested within ten (10) working days of initial installation.
5. No backflow prevention assembly shall be installed so as to create a safety hazard or in violation of any plumbing, building or other codes.
E. Nonconforming Backflow Prevention Assemblies: All presently installed backflow prevention assemblies which do not meet the requirements of this chapter but were approved assemblies for the purposes described herein at the time of installation and which have been properly maintained, shall, except for the inspection and maintenance requirements under this chapter, be excluded from the requirements of these rules if the water superintendent determines they will satisfactorily protect the public water system. The unit shall be replaced by an approved backflow prevention assembly meeting the requirements of this chapter whenever the existing assembly is moved from the present location or requires more than minimum maintenance, or when the water superintendent finds that the maintenance of this assembly constitutes a hazard to health. (Ord. 90-17, 12-13-1990)