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I. PURPOSE
Cross
connections between water supplies and non-potable sources of
contamination represent one of the most significant threats to
health in the water supply industry. This program is, therefore,
designed to maintain the safety and potability of the water in the
Portland Water District's system by preventing the introduction of
any substance other than water from the intended source.
II. AUTHORITY
This program
derives its enforceability from Title 22, MRSA, c601, sub-chapter
2, Sec. 2612(5), Maine Department of Human Services,
Cross-Connection Rules 10-144A CMR226. In addition, authority
rises from the Rules and Regulations as published by the Portland
Water District and as approved by the Public Utilities Commission
of the State of Maine and from provisions of the Occupational
Safety and Health Act, and from provisions of the State Plumbing
Code, part I, 10-144A CMR 238.
III. DEFINITIONS
A.
Approved: Accepted by the
District as meeting the applicable specification or procedures as
stated or cited in these regulations.
B.
Backflow: The flow of
water or other foreign liquids, gases or other substances into the
District's distribution system from any source other than the
intended source.
C.
Backflow Preventer: A device to prevent
backflow.
1.
Air
Gap: A physical separation of
two (2) pipe diameters, but not less than one inch, to prevent
backflow between the free-flowing discharge end of the potable
water system and any other system.
2.
Atmospheric Non-Pressure Type Vacuum BreakeR:
A breaker which prevents back-siphonage by
creating an atmospheric vent where there is either a negative
pressure or sub-atmospheric pressure in a water system. This
device must be located downstream of the normally closed valve,
where it will not be subjected to line pressure for more than
twelve (12) continuous hours.
3.
Backflow Preventer with Intermediate
Atmospheric Vent: A device
having two check valves separated by an atmospheric vent.
4.
Double
Check Valve Assembly: A device
having two independently operating, spring-loaded, bronze faced
with rubber disc check valves, with shutoff valves and test
cocks for periodic testing. The following installation
specifications shall apply unless otherwise approved by the
District: 30 in. maximum height, 12 in. minimum height and 24
in. clearance on all sides. A single check valve is not an
approved backflow preventer.
5.
Hose
Bibb Vacuum Breaker: A device
which is permanently attached to a hose bibb and which acts as
an atmospheric vacuum breaker.
6.
Pressure Vacuum Breaker: A
device containing a spring-loaded check valve and a
spring-loaded atmospheric vent which opens when pressure
approaches atmospheric. It contains valves and fittings which
allow the device to be tested.
7.
Reduced
Pressure Principle Backflow Preventer:
An assembly of check valves and a reduced pressure zone which
spills water to the atmosphere in the even
t of the failure of the check valves. It has
valves and fittings which allow the device to be tested. The
following installation specifications shall apply unless
otherwise approved by the District: 30 in. maximum height, 12
in. minimum height, and 24 in. clearance on all sides.
D.
Back-Pressure: A
condition in which the owner's system pressure is greater than the
District's system at the service entrance.
E.
Back-Siphonage: Backflow
resulting from negative or less than atmospheric pressure in the
District's distribution system.
F.
Containment: A method of
backflow prevention which requires an approved backflow preventer
at the water service entrance to prevent backflow of contaminated
water into the District's distribution system. Protection by
containment only protects the District's distribution system and
in no way is meant to protect the fixture or personnel within the
structure involved.
G.
Containment Device: An
approved backflow preventer that includes a strainer as
recommended by the manufacturer. The containment device shall be
installed down-stream of the water meter and any by-pass.
H.
Cross-Connection: Any
physical connection or arrangement between two otherwise separate
piping systems, one of which contains potable water and the other
water or other substances of unknown or questionable safety,
whereby water or other substances may flow from one system to the
other, the direction of flow depending on the pressure
differential between the two systems.
I.
Department: State of
Maine Department of Human Services.
J.
District: The Portland
Water District.
K.
Fixture Isolation: A
method of backflow prevention in which a backflow preventer is
located at or near the potential source of contamination or
pollution to correct a cross-connection within the owner's
premises rather than at the water service entrance.
L.
Owner: Any person who has
legal title to, or license to operate or inhabit, a property upon
which a cross-connection inspection is to be made or upon which a
cross-connection is present.
M.
Permit: A document issued
by the Department with the approval of the District which allows
the use of a backflow preventer. A cross-connection permit
application (HHE-616) must be completed before a permit is issued.
N.
Person: Any individual,
partnership, company, public or private corporation, political
subdivision or agency of the State, department, agency or
instrumentality of the United States or any other legal entity.
O.
Potable Water: An
approved water, free from impurities present in any amount
sufficient to cause disease or harmful physiological effects. Its
physical, chemical, bacteriological and radiological quality
conforms to the Maine Safe Drinking Water Regulations or any
regulations pertaining thereto.
P.
Water Service Entrance:
That point in the owner's water system beyond the sanitary control
of the District. This will ordinarily be at the point where the
service enters the building and always before an unprotected
branch.
Q.
Private Water Source: Any
source of water, which may or may not be approved by the
Department, utilized by any Owner for consumptive and/or other
purposes, and which is not under the immediate control of the
District.
R.
Plumbing System: The
plumbing system means and includes all potable water supply and
distribution pipes, all plumbing fixtures and traps, all drainage
and vent pipes and all building drains, including their respective
joints and connections, devices, receptacles and appurtenances
within the property lines of the premises and shall include
potable water piping, potable water treating or using equipment,
and water heaters.
S.
District's Distribution System:
Any publicly or privately owned system of pipes, structures, and
facilities through which potable water is sold, furnished or
distributed to the public for human consumption, and which is
under control of the District. The system shall not include any
portion of service pipe owned and maintained by the Owner.
T.
Submerged Inlet: The
water pipe or extension thereof from a potable water supply
terminating less than two pipe diameters above the flood level rim
of a tank, vessel, fixture or appliance which may contain a water
of questionable quality, waste or other contaminant or pollutant.
U.
13D Life Safety Sprinkler Systems:
Automatic sprinkler systems for one and two family
dwellings and mobile homes.
IV. ADMINISTRATION
A. An employee
of the District, having properly identified himself, shall have
free access during the District's normal business hours, to all
premises supplied with water to permit inspection of the plumbing
system for possible cross connections. The Owner shall follow the
provisions of these rules and the Department's Cross Connection
Rules; if a cross connection is found to exist.
B. Both the
District and the Owner shall attempt to eliminate all cross
connections.
V. RESPONSIBILITIES
1. The
District's inspections for cross connections or potential cross
connections shall be made during the District's normal working
hours unless otherwise arranged with the Owner. If for security
requirements or other prohibitions, it is impossible or
impractical to make a complete cross-connection survey; or if
access is denied, a Class III hazard as defined in Section VI C
will be assumed and a reduced pressure principle backflow
preventer will be required.
2. The
District will, after the initial inspection of the premises,
inform the owner by letter of any correction deemed necessary, the
method of making the correction. Thirty (30) working days will be
allowed for correction.
3. Cross
connections will not be allowed to remain unless they are
protected by an approved backflow preventer, installed, tested and
maintained at the owner's expense. Certain fixtures are exempted
from this provision and are listed in Section VIII.
4. The
District shall inform the Owner by letter of any failure to comply
by the time of the first re-inspection. The District will allow
an additional 15 days for the correction. If there is a failure
to comply by the time of the second re-inspection, the District
shall inform the Owner by letter that the water service to the
Owner's premises will be terminated 14 days from the postmark date
of the notice.
5. If the
District determines at any time that a serious threat to the
public health exists, service shall be terminated immediately.
6.
Re-establishment of service before the installation of a backflow
preventer may be allowed by the District, when the District
determines that no immediate threat to the public exists, and
after an agreement has been made between the District, the
Department, and the Owner indicating the intention of the Owner to
comply with the provisions of these rules. A confirmed purchase
order and installation date shall be evidence of good intention to
comply by the Owner.
7. The
District will allow temporary water service for construction
purposes of new commercial or industrial services only if a
double-check valve with atmospheric vent has been installed at the
service entrance. A copy of the plumbing system's plans,
specifications and/or drawings will be required prior to granting
service. Permanent water service will only be given after the
required backflow preventers have been installed.
8. Upon
application for a new industrial or commercial service, the Owner
shall supply plumbing plans to the District. The plans shall be
of sufficient detail to allow the District to ascertain the degree
of hazard and type of backflow prevention needed.
9. The Owner,
upon the request of the District, shall at his expense install,
maintain and have tested by a District tester any backflow
preventer on his premises.
10. The Owner
shall correct any malfunction of the backflow preventer which is
revealed by periodic testing. This shall include the replacement
of any parts or the replacement of the backflow preventer, if
deemed necessary by the District.
11. The Owner
shall inform the District of any new, proposed or modified cross
connections and also any existing cross connection which the Owner
is aware of but has not been found by the District. The District
shall not be responsible for any cross connections which may have
been missed during the course of the inspection.
12. Any Owner
having a private well or other private water source shall not have
it connected to the District's system. The Owner will be required
to have a Reduced Pressure Principle Backflow Preventer at the
Service entrance, if a private water source is maintained, even if
it is not cross connected to the District's system.
13. The Owner
shall not install a by-pass around any backflow preventer unless
there is the same type of backflow preventer on the bypass.
Owners who cannot shut down operation during the District's normal
business hours for testing must supply the additional devices
necessary to allow testing to take place.
14. The Owner
shall only install backflow preventers specified and approved by
the District and the Department.
15. The Owner
shall install the backflow preventer in a manner approved by the
District.
16.
Installations of reduced pressure backflow preventers in confined
spaces below ground level, i.e. pit installations, will not be
allowed.
17.
If the Owner installs plumbing to provide potable water for
domestic purposes which is on the District's side of the approved
backflow preventer, such plumbing must have its own approved
backflow preventer or individual fixture isolation.
18. If the
District requires that its distribution system be protected by
containment, the Owner shall be responsible for water quality
beyond the outlet end of the containment device.
VI. DEGREE OF HAZARD
The District
recognizes the difference in the threat to its distribution system
arising from different types of cross connection. These hazards
can be classified as follows:
A.
Class I - Low Degree of Hazard
If backflow were to occur, the resulting
health significance would be limited to minor changes in the
esthetic quality such as taste, odor or color. The foreign
substance must be non-toxic and non-bacterial in nature and have
no significant health effect.
B.
Class II - Moderate Degree of Hazard
If backflow were to occur, the resulting effect on the water
supply would be significant changes in esthetic quality such as
taste, odor or color. The foreign substance must be non-toxic to
humans and non-bacterial in nature and have no significant health
effect.
C.
Class III - High Degree of Hazard
If backflow were to occur, the resulting effect on the water
supply could cause illness or death if consumed by humans. The
foreign substance may be toxic to humans either chemically,
bacteriological or radiologically. Toxicity may result from
either short or long-term exposure.
D. The
following are considered Class III hazards and must be protected
by containment:
a. Waste
water installations.
b. Industries where a health hazard exists.
c. Hospitals, nursing homes, clinics.
d. Vessel watering points or fixtures.
e. Tank trucks, street sweepers, and other similar units which
receive water at the District's shop or any of its hydrants.
The District will provide a reduced pressure principle backflow
preventer with hydrant meters. A service charge will become
part of the meter rental.
f. Mortuaries or funeral homes where embalming is performed.
g. Lawn irrigation systems where chemicals are added.
h. Swimming Pools.
i. Car wash facilities.
j. Farms where water is used for other than domestic
purposes.
k. Commercial photo developing establishments.
l. Automotive repair garage.
m. Laboratories.
n. Commercial florists.
o. Health spas.
E. Class III
hazards which must be protected by fixture isolation include:
a. Cooling
towers
b. Chemically treated boilers.
c. X-ray developers/processors.
VII.
PERMITS
A. Permits
will be issued by the Department upon recommendation of the
District for any backflow preventer except those listed as
exemptions in Section VIII.
B. Permits
will only be issued if the cross connection is deemed necessary
and cannot be reasonably eliminated.
C. The degree
of hazard will be stated on the permit.
D. The
frequency of testing required for each backflow preventer will be
stated on the permit.
E. The type,
model and make of the backflow preventer will be listed on the
permit. If more than one device is used to protect a single cross
connection, it shall be listed on the permit.
F. Special
conditions will be listed on the permit.
VIII. EXEMPTIONS
Certain fixtures
which constitute cross connections may be controlled by
non-testable backflow preventers and will not require a permit.
Examples of these fixtures are as follows:
1. Hose bibbs
which are only potential cross connections.
2. Below the
rim outlets which can be replaced by a gooseneck device.
3. Toilets
with anti-siphon ballcocks.
4. Any fixture
with a built-in atmospheric vacuum breaker which cannot be
bypassed.
5. Others as
listed in Appendix A of the State regulations.
IX.
PERIODIC TESTING
It is recognized
that any backflow preventer can fail and any method of protection
can be subverted; thus, periodic testing and inspection is
necessary. This includes air gap protection.
A. Periodic
testing shall be performed by District or Department personnel.
B. The
District will bill the owner of the device for testing the device.
C. Any
backflow preventer that fails during testing will be repaired as
soon as possible. The district shall require that repair parts be
ordered within 24 hours and that shipment be by the fastest means
possible. Any extended delay (more than seven days) shall require
discontinuance of service or other means to insure protection of
public water system unless an exemption is granted by the
District. Any exemption shall be granted only after evidence has
been shown to the District that the parts are on order.
D. Certain
Class III degree of hazard will not be allowed to continue
unprotected for more than 24 hours if the backflow preventer fails
the test and cannot be immediately repaired. The owner will be
the person responsible for the provision of spare parts and shall
have a supply on hand.
E. The minimum
testing frequency for backflow preventers in the District's system
shall be as follows:
1. Reduced
pressure backflow preventers on Class III degree of hazard cross
connections shall be tested at least annually. The frequency of
testing to be determined by the District.
2.
Double-check valves, reduced pressure principle backflow
preventers and pressure type vacuum breakers on Class I or Class
II degree of hazard cross connections shall be tested annually.
3.
Mechanical air gaps shall be inspected annually. If the air gap
has been circumvented, a reduced pressure principle backflow
preventer shall be installed at the service entrance.
X. FIRE PROTECTION
SERVICE LINES
A. Approved
backflow preventers will not be required for fire sprinkler
systems with direct connections from the District's distribution
system which have sprinkler drains discharging to the atmosphere
or other safer outlet provided that the owner has none of the
following: tanks or reservoirs; physical connections from other
water supplies; toxic antifreeze or other additives of any kind.
All new wet pipe fire sprinkler systems installed after January
1, 2000 will be protected from backflow by the installation of a
double-check valve assembly at the service entrance and before the
fire sprinkler valve. All newly installed antifreeze loop
type fire systems will be protected from backflow by the
installation of a double check valve assembly at the juncture of
the standard wet fire system and the antifreeze loop. The device
will be tested annually. Owners of facilities with antifreeze
loops existing on or before June 1, 1992 will be required to
certify annually that the antifreeze loop has been serviced and
tested by a professional fire sprinkler system firm. Failure to
provide certification will result in the District requiring a
double check valve installation.
B. Fire
sprinkler systems with direct connections from the District's
distribution system and with an auxiliary water supply on or
available to the premises; or an auxiliary supply located within
1700 feet of the pumper connection, shall be required to have an
underwriter-approved double-check valve assembly installed prior
to the auxiliary supply connection or pumper connection.
C. Fire
sprinkler systems directly supplied from the District's
distribution system and interconnected with auxiliary supplies,
such as: pumps taking suction from reservoirs exposed to
contamination, or rivers and ponds, driven wells, mills or other
industrial water systems; or where additives are used shall be
required to have a reduced pressure backflow preventer installed
at the fire service entrance.
D. The rules
in this section do not apply to Section XI 13D and Life Safety
Sprinkler Systems.
XI. 13D AND LIFE SAFETY
SPRINKLER SYSTEMS
A. If the
customer's domestic supply line is used without a separate branch
line for the sprinkler heads, then a dual-check valve shall be
installed after the meter and before the first branch line.
B. If a branch
line is used to service the sprinkler heads only, and is
dead-ended, then a dual-check valve shall be installed on the
branch line.
C. If the head
loss of the dual-check valve becomes detrimental to the effect of
the sprinkler system, then a State-approved testable backflow
preventer that meets with flow design requirements shall be
installed.
XII. LIABILITY
The District,
its employees or agents, shall not be liable to any person for any
damage, injuries or loss arising out of any act or omission by the
District, its employees or agents, in connection with these rules.
APPENDIX
Exempted Devices
and Situations.
1. Water
closets fitted with anti-siphon ballcocks and installed in
accordance with §1006b of the Maine State Plumbing Code shall be
permitted without further protection.
2. Urinal
and water closet flushometer valves fitted with approved vacuum
breakers and installed in accordance with §1003a,c of the Maine
State Plumbing Code shall be permitted without further protection.
3. Boilers
in non-industrial application and not containing toxic chemicals
may be fitted with approved double-check valve assemblies with
intermediate atmospheric vent.
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