Chapter 14.10
WATER SUPPLY CROSS-CONNECTIONS

Sections:

14.10.010    Chapter compliance required.

14.10.020    Customer defined.

14.10.030    Compliance by district or organization required.

14.10.040    Regulations interpretation.

14.10.050    Definitions.

14.10.060    Cross-connection prohibited.

14.10.070    Use of backflow prevention devices.

14.10.080    Backflow prevention device – Types required.

14.10.090    Backflow prevention device – Installation – Location.

14.10.100    Backflow prevention device – Installation – Supervision.

14.10.110    Backflow prevention device – Model.

14.10.120    Backflow prevention device – Inspection and testing.

14.10.130    Violation – Service termination.

14.10.010 Chapter compliance required.

Any customer, regardless whether residing within or without the city limits of the city of Marysville, who is now receiving water from the Marysville water system or who will in the future receive water from the city of Marysville, shall comply with the rules and regulations contained in this chapter. (Ord. 788 § 1, 1972).

14.10.020 Customer defined.

For the purpose of this chapter, “customer” means any person, family, business, corporation, partnership or firm connected to the city of Marysville water supply. (Ord. 788 § 2, 1972).

14.10.030 Compliance by district or organization required.

In addition, any water district, municipal organization or other organization which is connected to the Marysville water supply for water and/or which is furnished to people or members within the district or organization as well as the district or organization itself to comply with the rules and regulations contained in this chapter. (Ord. 788 § 3, 1972).

14.10.040 Regulations interpretation.

These regulations are to be reasonably interpreted. It is their intent to recognize the varying degrees of hazard and to apply the principle that the degree of protection should be commensurate with the degree of hazard. (Ord. 788 § 4, 1972).

14.10.050 Definitions.

As used in this chapter, unless the context states otherwise, the following definitions shall apply:

(1) “Air gap separation” means the unobstructed vertical distance through the free atmosphere between the lowest opening from any pipe or faucet supplying water to a tank, plumbing fixture, or other device and the flood level rim of the receptacle, and is at least double the diameter of the supply pipe measured vertically above the flood level rim of the vessel. In no case shall the gap be less than one inch;

(2) “Auxiliary supply” means any water source or system, other than the public water supply, that may be available in the building or premises;

(3) “Backflow” means the flow other, than the intended direction of flow, of any foreign liquids, gases or substances into the distribution system of a public water supply:

(a) “Back pressure” means backflow caused by a pump, elevated tank, boiler or other means that could create pressure within the system greater than the supply pressure,

(b) “Back siphonage” means a form of backflow due to a negative or subatmospheric pressure within a water system;

(4) “Backflow prevention device” means a device to counteract back pressures or prevent back siphonage;

(5) “Cross-connection” means any physical arrangement whereby a public water supply is connected, directly or indirectly, with any other water supply system, sewer, drain, conduit, pool, storage reservoir, plumbing fixture or other device which contains, or may contain, contaminated water, sewage or other waste or liquid of unknown or unsafe quality which may be capable of imparting contamination to the public water supply as a result of backflow, bypass arrangements, jumper connections, removable sections, swivel or change-over devices, and other temporary or permanent devices through which, or because of which, backflow could occur are considered to be cross-connections;

(6) “Double check valve assembly” means an assembly composed of two single, independently acting check valves, including tightly closing shutoff valves located at each end of the assembly and suitable connections for testing the watertightness of each check valve;

(7) “Reduces pressure principle backflow prevention device” means a device incorporating two or more check valves and an automatically operating differential relief valve located between the two checks, two shutoff valves and equipped with necessary appurtenances for testing. The device shall operate to maintain the pressure in the zone between the two check valves, less than the pressure on the public water supply side of the device. At cessation of normal flow, the pressure between the check valves shall be less than the supply pressure. In case of leakage of either check valve the differential relief valve shall operate to maintain this reduced pressure by discharging to the atmosphere. When the inlet pressure is two pounds per square inch or less the relief valve shall open to the atmosphere thereby providing an air gap in the device. (Ord. 788 § 5, 1972).

14.10.060 Cross-connection prohibited.

(1) Except as provided in MMC 14.10.070, all cross-connections, as defined in MMC 14.10.050, whether or not such cross-connections are controlled by automatic devices such as check valves or by hand-operated mechanisms such as a gate valve or stop cocks, are prohibited.

(2) Failure on the part of persons, firms or corporations to discontinue the use of any and all cross-connections and to physically separate such cross-connections will be sufficient cause for the discontinuance of the public water service to the premises on which the cross-connection exists.

(3) The purveyor shall, in cooperation with the health officer or the local plumbing inspection authority, make periodic inspections of premises served by the water supply to check for the presence of cross-connections. Any cross-connections found in such inspection shall be ordered removed by the responsible agency. If an immediate hazard to health is caused by the cross-connection, water service to the premises shall be discontinued until it is verified that the cross-connection has been removed. (Ord. 788 § 6, 1972).

14.10.070 Use of backflow prevention devices.

Backflow prevention devices shall be installed at the service connection or within any premises where in the judgment of the purveyor or the secretary the nature and extent of activities on the premises, or the materials used in connection with the activities, or materials stored on the premises would present an immediate and dangerous hazard to health should a cross-connection occur, even though such cross-connection does not exist at the time the backflow prevention device is required to be installed. This includes but is not limited to the following situations:

(1) Premises having an auxiliary water supply, unless the quality of the auxiliary supply is in compliance with WAC 248-54-430 of the rules and regulations of the State Board of Health, three copies of which are on file with the city clerk;

(2) Premises having internal cross-connections that are not correctable, or intricate plumbing arrangements which make it impracticable to ascertain whether or not cross-connections exist;

(3) Premises where entry is restricted so that inspections for cross-connections cannot be made with sufficient frequency or at sufficiently short notice to assure that cross-connections do not exist;

(4) Premises having a repeated history of cross-connections being established or reestablished;

(5) Premises on which any substance is handled under pressure so as to permit entry into the public water supply, or where a cross-connection could reasonably be expected to occur. This includes the handling of process waters and cooling waters;

(6) Premises where materials of a toxic or hazardous nature are handled such that if back siphonage should occur, a serious health hazard may result;

(7) The following types of facilities will fall into one of the above categories where backflow prevention device is required to protect the public water supply. A backflow prevention device shall be installed at these facilities as set forth herein unless the city and the secretary determines no hazard exists:

(a) Hospitals, mortuaries, clinics,

(b) Laboratories,

(c) Piers and docks,

(d) Sewage treatment plants,

(e) Food or beverage processing plants,

(f) Chemical plants using a water process,

(g) Metal plating industries,

(h) Petroleum processing or storage plants,

(i) Radioactive material processing plants or nuclear reactors,

(j) Others specified by the secretary. (Ord. 788 § 7(A), 1972).

14.10.080 Backflow prevention device – Types required.

The type of protective device required herein shall depend on the degree of hazard which exists as follows:

(1) An air gap separation or a reduced pressure principle backflow prevention device shall be installed where the water supply may be contaminated with sewage, industrial waste of a toxic nature or other contaminant which would cause a health or system hazard;

(2) In the case of a substance which may be objectionable but not hazardous to health, a double check valve assembly, air gap separation or a reduced pressure principle backflow prevention device shall be installed. (Ord. 788 § 7(B), 1972).

14.10.090 Backflow prevention device – Installation – Location.

Backflow prevention devices required in MMC 14.10.070 through 14.10.120 shall be installed at the meter, at the property line of the premises when meters are not used, or at a location designated by the secretary or city. The device shall be located so as to be readily accessible for maintenance and testing, and where no part of the device will be submerged. (Ord. 788 § 7(C), 1972).

14.10.100 Backflow prevention device – Installation – Supervision.

Backflow prevention devices required in MMC 14.10.070 through 14.10.120 shall be installed under the supervision of, and with the approval of, the city. (Ord. 788 § 7(D), 1972).

14.10.110 Backflow prevention device – Model.

Any protective device required in MMC 14.10.070 through 14.10.120 shall be a model approved by the secretary. A double check valve assembly or a reduced pressure principle backflow prevention device will be approved if it has successfully passed performance tests of the University of Southern California Engineering Center or other testing laboratories satisfactory to the secretary. (Ord. 788 § 7(E), 1972).

14.10.120 Backflow prevention device – Inspection and testing.

Backflow prevention devices installed under MMC 14.10.070 through 14.10.120 shall be inspected and tested annually, or more often where successive inspections indicate repeated failure. The devices shall be repaired, overhauled or replaced whenever they are found to be defective. Inspections, tests and repairs and records thereof shall be done under the city’s supervision. (Ord. 788 § 7(F), 1972).

14.10.130 Violation – Service termination.

Failure of any customer or any district organization to cooperate in the installation, maintenance, testing or backflow prevention device or the requirements of an air gap separation shall be grounds for the termination of the water services at a point where such flow, which is to be terminated by the city of Marysville, would best prevent possible contamination of the public water supply. (Ord. 788 § 8, 1972).