(a) The potable public water system shall be protected against backflow and syphonage, both natural and induced. All equipment connected to the potable public water system that is capable of polluting or contaminating the potable water distribution system or any part thereof by means of flow, pressure drop, pressure loss or induced vacuum, or by injection because of any primary or auxiliary pumping system connected thereto, must be isolated and contained by means of approved backflow devices or accepted engineering practices. Water consumers required to utilize backflow devices must participate in the Water Division's Backflow Prevention Program.
(b) If, in accordance with Ohio R.C. 6109.01 et seq. and applicable federal and state law, an approved backflow prevention device is necessary for the safety of the public water system, the Director of Public Service shall give notice to the water consumer to install such an approved device immediately. The water consumer shall, at his or her own cost and expense, install such an approved device at a location and in a manner approved by the Director of Public Service and shall have inspections and tests made of such approved devices as required by the Director of Public Service as part of the Backflow Prevention Program.
(c) Backflow devices meeting ASSE Standards 1013, 1015 and 1020 must be tested, at the time of installation and at least once every 12 months thereafter, by a person certified by the Ohio Department of Health or other recognized agency in the use of the proper testing equipment designed for this purpose. In accordance with accepted engineering practices, backflow preventers meeting ASSE Standard 1013 must be completely rebuilt every five years and backflow preventers meeting ASSE Standards 1015 and 1020 must be completely rebuilt every 30 months.
(d) No person shall establish or permit to be established, or maintain or permit to be maintained, any connection whereby a private, auxiliary or emergency water supply, other than the regular public water supply of the City of Xenia, may enter the supply or distribution system of the municipality, unless such private, auxiliary or emergency water supply and the method of connection and use of such supply shall have been approved by the Director of Public Service and by the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency.
(e) It shall be the duty of the Director of Public Service to cause surveys and investigations to be made of industrial and other properties serviced by the public water supply where actual or potential hazards to the public water supply may exist. Such surveys and investigations shall be made a matter of public record and shall be repeated as often as the Director of Public Service shall deem necessary.
(f) The Director of Public Service or his or her duly authorized representative shall have the right to enter, at any reasonable time, upon any property or premises served by a connection to the public water supply or distribution system of the City of Xenia, for the purpose of inspecting the piping system or systems thereof. On demand, the owner, lessee or occupant of any property so served shall furnish to the Director of Public Service any information which he or she may request regarding the piping system or systems or the water use on such property. The refusal to provide such information, when demanded, shall, within the discretion of the Director of Public Service, be deemed evidence of the presence of improper connections as provided in this section.
(g) The Director of Public Service is hereby authorized and directed to discontinue, after reasonable notice to the occupant thereof, the water service to any property wherein any connection in violation of the provisions of this section is known to exist, and to take such other precautionary measures as he or she may deem necessary to eliminate any danger of contamination of the public water supply distribution mains. Water service to such property shall not be restored until such conditions shall have been eliminated or corrected in compliance with the provisions of this section.
(h) The Director of Public Service is hereby authorized to adopt and promulgate rules, regulations and practices necessary and proper to implement and enforce this section.
(Ord. 91-17, passed 4-25-1991; Am. Ord. 11-05, passed 1-27-2011; Am. Ord. 13-05, passed 2-14-2013)