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A. No Cross-Connection Allowed between Plumbing and Water Pipes. It is unlawful for any person, firm, or corporation at any time to make or maintain or cause to be made or maintained, temporarily or permanently, for any period of time whatsoever, any cross-connection between plumbing pipes or water fixtures being served with water by the City Water Department and any other source of water supply or to maintain any sanitary fixture or other appurtenances or fixtures which by reason of their construction may cause or allow back-flow of water or other substances into the water supply system of the City and/or the service of water pipes or fixtures of any consumer of the City.

B. Permit Required for Water Cross-Connections.

1. The regulations of the California State Department of Health prohibit unprotected cross-connections between the public water supply and any unapproved source of water. All water cross-connections must be approved by the City and a permit issued by the City Building Official prior to installation.

2. To comply with the regulations of the health agencies, the City may require the installation of approved back-flow prevention devices for continued services or before a new service will be granted.

3. Where Protection Is Required.

a. Each service connection from the City water system for supplying water to premises having an auxiliary water supply shall be protected against back-flow of water from the premises into the public water system unless the auxiliary water supply is accepted as an additional source by the City, and is approved by the public health agency having jurisdiction;

b. Each service connection from the City water system for supplying water to any premises on which any substance is handled under pressure in such fashion as to permit entry into the water system shall be protected against back-flow of the water from the premises into the public system. This shall include the handling of process waters and waters originating from the City water system which have been subjected to deterioration in sanitary quality;

c. Back-flow prevention devices shall be installed on the service connection to any premises that have internal cross-connections unless such cross-connections are abated to the City’s satisfaction and approved by the State or local health department.

4. Type of Protection Required. The type of protection that shall be provided to prevent back-flow into the public water supply shall be commensurate with the degree of hazard that exists on the consumer’s premises. The types of protective devices that may be required (listed in an increasing level of protection) include double check valve assembly (DC), reduced pressure principle back-flow prevention device (RP), and an air-gap separation (AG). The water user may choose a higher level of protection than required by the water supplier. The minimum types of back-flow protection required to protect the public water supply, at the user’s water connection to premises with varying degrees of hazard, are given in Table 1. Situations which are not covered in Table 1 shall be evaluated on a case-by-case basis and the appropriate back-flow protection shall be determined by the water supplier or health agency.

Table 1 
TYPE OF BACK-FLOW PROTECTION REQUIRED

Degree of Hazard

Minimum Type of Back-Flow Prevention

(a) Sewage and Hazardous Substances

(1) Premises where the public water system is used to supplement the reclaimed water supply.

AG

(2) Premises where there are wastewater pumping and/or plants and there is no interconnection with the potable water system. This does not include a single-family residence that has a sewage lift pump. An RP may be provided in lieu of an AG if approved by the health agency and the water supplier.

AG

(3) Premises where reclaimed water is used and there is no interconnection with the potable water AG system. An RP may be provided in lieu of an AG approved by the health agency and the water supplier.

AG

(4) Premises where hazardous substances are handled in any manner in which the substances may enter a potable water system. This does not include a single-family residence that has a sewage lift pump. An RP may be provided in lieu of an AG if approved by the health agency and the water supplier.

AG

(5) Premises where there are irrigation systems into which fertilizers, herbicides, or pesticides are, or can be, injected.

RP

(b) Auxiliary Water Supplies

(1) Premises where there is an unapproved auxiliary water supply which is interconnected with the public water system. An RP or DC may be provided in lieu of an AG if approved by the health agency and the water supplier.

AG

(2) Premises where there is an unapproved auxiliary water supply and there are no interconnections with the public water system. A DC may be provided in lieu of an RP if approved by the health agency and supplier.

RP

(c) Fire Protection Systems

(1) Premises where the fire system is directly supplied from the public water system and there is an unapproved auxiliary water supply on or to the premises (not interconnected).

DC

(2) Premises where the fire system is supplied from the public water system and interconnected with an unapproved auxiliary water supply. An RP may be provided in lieu of an AG if approved by the health agency and water supplier.

AG

(3) Premises where the fire system is supplied from the public water system and where either elevated storage tanks or fire pumps which take suction from the private reservoirs or tanks are used.

DC

(d) 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.

RP

(e) Premises where there is a repeated history of cross-connections being established or reestablished.

RP

C. Back-Flow Prevention Devices – Installation and Maintenance. Wherever back-flow protection has been found necessary on a water supply line entering a customer’s premises, any and all water supply lines from the City’s mains entering such premises, buildings, or structures shall be protected by an approved back-flow prevention device. Installation and maintenance of the approved back-flow prevention device must comply with the following:

1. A permit shall be obtained from the City Building Official prior to installing any devices.

2. Only back-flow prevention devices which have been constructed to the applicable AWWA standard and have passed laboratory and field evaluation test performed by a recognized testing organization which has demonstrated their competency to perform such tests to the State Department of Health Services shall be approved for installation.

3. Back-flow prevention devices shall be installed in a manner prescribed in Section 7603, Title 22 of the California Administrative Code. Location of the devices should be as close as practical to the user’s connection. The City shall have the final authority in determining the required location of a back-flow prevention device.

4. Section 7605, Title 22 of the California Administrative Code requires that any premises in which back-flow prevention devices are installed shall be tested by a person who has demonstrated their competency in testing of these devices to the City. Back-flow prevention devices must be tested at least annually and immediately after installation, relocation or repair. No device shall be placed back in service unless they are functioning as required.

Annual inspection reports shall be kept on file at the City’s Water Department. Devices shall be serviced, overhauled, or replaced whenever they are found to be defective.

D. Timing of Installation of Back-Flow Prevention Devices for Services with Existing Connections. The City will conduct a survey to determine the current number of existing premises receiving water from the City’s public water supply system that have an actual or potential cross-connection. A list of these services will be prepared and a program developed by the City providing installation of required devices within an 18-month time period from the effective date of the ordinance codified in this chapter.

During said 18-month period, the City will install approved back-flow prevention devices on existing services with an actual or potential cross-connection between the public water supply and any source of water.

E. Protection Against Inter-Street Main Flow. Two or more services supplying water from different street mains to the same building, structure, or premises through which an inter-street main flow may occur, shall have a standard check valve on each water service to be located adjacent to and on the property side of the respective meters. Such check valve shall not be considered adequate if back-flow protection is deemed necessary to protect the City’s mains from pollution or contamination; in such cases, the installation of approved back-flow devices at such meters shall be required to satisfy the requirements for standard check valves.