§ 2-31-302. Operation policy and requirements.

(a)

Except as otherwise provided in subsection (d) of this section, no service connection that creates a hazard to the county's public water system shall be installed or maintained by the county unless the county's public water system is protected as required by this article. Service of water to any premises shall be discontinued by the county if a backflow prevention assembly is not installed, tested, and maintained as required by this article, or if it is found that a backflow prevention assembly has been removed or tampered with. Service shall not be restored until such conditions or defects are corrected.

(b)

The facility owner shall be responsible for monitoring the changes in use of the facility and the degree of hazard that those changes represent to the county's public water system in accordance with this article. Failure to provide this information to the department in a timely manner may result in discontinuance of water service to the facility until the facility owner has corrected the hazard and reported the information to the department, as required by this article.

(c)

An appropriate and approved backflow prevention assembly shall be installed as part of each new service connection wherever and whenever any of the following conditions exist:

(1)

An auxiliary water supply exists.

(2)

Industrial fluids or any other objectionable substances are handled in such a manner as to create a hazard to the county's public water system.

(3)

Internal plumbing or piping arrangements are not known, making it impracticable or impossible to ascertain whether or not cross-connections exist.

(4)

A commercial, industrial, multistory, or multifamily residential facility exists.

(5)

The property is located in a flood zone.

(6)

Any cross-connection is found.

(d)

An appropriate and approved backflow prevention assembly shall be installed at any facility wherever and whenever:

(1)

A cross-connection is found; or

(2)

A plumbing permit is required for any improvement, renovation, or repairs at any facility existing on or before July 20, 1987, and any of the following conditions exist:

a.

An auxiliary water supply exists.

b.

Industrial fluids or any other objectionable substances are handled in such a manner as to create a hazard to the county's public water system.

c.

Internal plumbing or piping arrangements are not known, making it impracticable or impossible to ascertain whether or not cross-connections exist.

d.

A commercial, industrial, multistory, or multifamily residential facility exists.

e.

The property is located in a flood zone.

f.

A swimming pool is constructed or renovated.

g.

An irrigation system is installed or replaced.

(e)

All backflow prevention assemblies installed on or after July 20, 1987, and existing as of the effective date of this article that do not meet the requirements of this article, but that were approved by the county at the time of original installation and that have been properly maintained, shall be exempt from the installation standards of this article, provided that any such backflow prevention assembly will satisfactorily protect the county's public water system. Whenever any such existing backflow prevention assembly is moved from its present location or requires replacement, the backflow prevention assembly shall be replaced by an approved backflow prevention assembly that meets all the requirements of this article.

(f)

The type of backflow prevention assembly required shall depend upon the degree of hazard that may exist as follows:

(1)

In cases where there is a surface water auxiliary supply, the county's public water system shall be protected by an approved air-gap separation or an approved reduced pressure principle backflow prevention assembly.

(2)

In cases where there is a ground water auxiliary water supply, the county's public water system shall be protected by an approved reduced pressure principle backflow prevention assembly.

(3)

In cases where there are any substances that would be objectionable but not hazardous to health, the county's public water system shall be protected by either an approved double check valve assembly or an approved reduced pressure principle backflow prevention assembly.

(4)

In cases of any facility where material is stored or handled so as to create a hazard to the county's public water system, the county's public water system shall be protected by an approved air-gap separation or an approved reduced pressure principle backflow prevention assembly.

(5)

In cases of any facility where, because of security requirements or other prohibitions or restrictions, it is impossible or impractical to make a complete cross-connection survey, the county's public water system shall be protected against backflow by either an approved air-gap separation or an approved reduced pressure principle backflow prevention assembly.

(6)

In cases of any facility where the department determines an undue health threat is posed because of the presence of extremely toxic substances, the department may require an approved air-gap separation at the service connection to protect the county's public water system.

(7)

In cases of any facility located in a flood zone, the county's public water system shall be protected by an approved double check valve assembly.

(8)

In cases of any facility where two (2) or more conditions listed in paragraphs (1) through (7) above exist, the approved backflow prevention assembly shall provide the highest degree of protection for any of the conditions existing at the same service connection.

(g)

Any approved backflow prevention assembly and its configuration shall be as specified in this article.

(h)

In cases of any facility where a backflow prevention assembly is installed, it shall be the responsibility of the facility owner to comply with the requirements for facility owners specified in this article.

(i)

All persons or companies providing services to the county or the facility owner specified in this article shall comply with all provisions and requirements of this article. Failure to comply with the requirements contained in this article shall be grounds for removal from the approved list or termination of any county contracts for the provision of services under this article.

(Ord. No. 13-35, § 3, 10-22-13)