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A. The city is required to eliminate or control all cross-connections throughout its service area. Therefore, anyone wanting or using water from the city is required to comply with these regulations. The owner of the property in which a cross-connection occurs is fully responsible for all damages incurred.

B. The city superintendent will enforce the provisions of this section. The city superintendent may delegate responsibilities to a certified cross-connection control specialist/inspector. The provisions of this section may supersede state regulations but in no case shall they be less stringent. All approved standards shall be approved by the city and the city superintendent. All back-flow-prevention assemblies required by this section shall be a model approved by the Kittitas County department of health. Approved backflow prevention assemblies required by this section shall be installed under the direction of the city superintendent and/or under the supervision of the cross-connection specialist/inspector utilizing the city standards.

C. All RPBAs, RPDAs, DCVAs, DCDAs and PVBAs are required to be tested at least annually and all air gaps installed in lieu of an approved backflow prevention assembly shall be inspected at least annually. Completed test reports shall be returned to the city within thirty days after receipt of the yearly test notification. Tests and inspections may be required on a more frequent basis at the discretion of the city superintendent.

D. Authorized employees of the city with proper identification shall have free access at reasonable hours of the day to all parts of a premises or within buildings to which water is supplied. Water service shall be refused or terminated to any premises for failure to allow necessary inspections.

E. Failure of the customer to cooperate in the installation, maintenance, repair, inspection or testing of backflow prevention assemblies required by this section shall be grounds for termination of water services to the premises or the requirement for an air gap separation.

F. As used in this section, the following words shall have the following meanings:

“Air gap (AG)” means the vertical physical separation between the free-flowing discharge end of the potable supply line and the overflow rim of the receiving vessel. This separation must be at least twice the inside diameter of the supply line, but never less than one inch. When located near walls, the air gap separation must be increased.

“Approval/approved” means approved in writing by the Kittitas County health department or other agency having jurisdiction.

“Atmosphere vacuum breaker (AVB)” means a device which contains a float check (poppet), a check seat and air inlet vent. When water pressure is reduced to a gauge pressure of zero or below, air enters the device, preventing backsiphonage. It is designed to protect against backsiphonage only.

“Auxiliary water supply” means any water supply on, or available to, a premises other than the city’s approved public potable water supply.

“Auxiliary water supply – approved” means an auxiliary water supply which has been investigated and approved by the Kittitas County health department, meets water quality regulations, and is accepted by the city.

“Auxiliary water supply – unapproved” means an auxiliary water supply which is not approved by the health authority.

“Backflow” means the flow of water or other liquids, gases or solids from any source back into the distribution piping of the public potable supply system.

“Backflow prevention assembly” means an assembly which prevents the backflow of water or other liquids, gases or solids into the city’s potable water supply and appears on the Kittitas County department of health’s “approved” list.

“Backflow prevention device” means a device which prevents the backflow of water or other liquids, gases or solids into the city’s potable water supply and does not appear on the Kittitas County department of health’s “approved” list.

“Backpressure” means water pressure which exceeds the operating pressure of the public potable water supply.

“Backsiphonage” means backflow due to a negative or reduced pressure within the public potable water supply.

“Barometric loop (BL)” means a loop of pipe rising at least thirty-five feet at its uppermost point, above the highest point on the downstream piping.

“Certified backflow assembly tester” means a person who is certified by the Kittitas County department of health to test backflow prevention assemblies.

“Certified cross-connection control specialist/inspector” means person who is certified by the Kittitas County department of health, or other approval agency, to administer a cross-connection control program and to conduct cross-connection surveys.

“Confined space” means any space having a limited means of egress which is subject to the accumulation of toxic or flammable contaminants or any oxygen deficient atmosphere.

“Contamination” means an impairment of the quality of the potable water which creates an actual hazard to the public health through poisoning or through the spread of diseases by sewage, industrial fluids or waste. Also defined as high hazard.

“Critical level” means the point on a vacuum breaker which determines the minimum elevation above the flood level rim of the fixture or receptacle served at which the vacuum breaker may be installed.

“Cross-connection” means a point in the plumbing system where the public potable water supply is connected directly, or has the potential of being connected, to a source of nonpotable substance that is not a part of the public potable water supply.

“Double check detector assembly (DCDA)” means an approved assembly consisting of two approved double check valve assemblies, set in parallel, equipped with a meter on the bypass line to detect small amounts of water leakage or use. This unit must be purchased as a complete assembly. The assembly may be allowed on fire line water services in place of an approved double check valve assembly upon approval by the city superintendent.

“Double check valve assembly (DCVA)” means an approved assembly operating check valves, loaded to the closed position by springs or weights, and installed as a unit with, and between, two resilient seated shutoff valves and having suitable connections for testing.

“Flood level” means the highest level to which water, or other liquid, will rise within a tank or fixture (i.e., the overflow rim of the receiving vessel).

“Health authority” means the Kittitas County department of health or other appropriate state agency having jurisdiction.

“High hazard” means a physical or toxic hazard which could be detrimental to one’s health.

“In-plant protection” means the practice of installing backflow prevention assemblies at the point of hazard to protect one or more actual or potential cross-connections within a premises.

“Internally loaded check valve” means a check valve which is internally loaded, either by springs or weights, to the extent it will be drip-tight with a one psi differential in the direction of flow.

“Local enforcement authority” means an authorized agent of the regulatory authority and/or the city of Cle Elum.

“Low hazard” means a hazard which could cause aesthetic problems or have a detrimental effect on the quality of the public potable water supply.

“Nonpotable fluid” means any water, other liquid, gas or other substance which is not safe for human consumption, or is not a part of the public potable water supply as described by the Kittitas County health department.

“Pollution” means an impairment of the quality of the public potable water supply which does not create a hazard to the public health but which does adversely affect the aesthetic qualities of such potable waters for domestic use. Also defined as “low hazard.”

“Potable water” means water which is safe for human consumption, free from harmful or objectionable materials, as described by the Kittitas County health department.

“Premises isolation” means the practice of protecting the public potable water supply by installing backflow prevention assemblies at or near the point where water enters the premises. This type of protection does not provide protection to personnel on the premises.

“Pressure vacuum breaker assembly (PVBA)” means an approved assembly consisting of a spring loaded check valve loaded to the closed position, an independently operating air inlet valve loaded to the open position and installed as a unit with and between two resilient seated shutoff valves and with suitable connections for testing. It is designed to protect against backsiphonage only.

“Private hydrant” means any hydrant which is not owned, operated or maintained by the city.

“Process water” means water that is directly connected to, or could come in contact with, an extreme high hazard situation, and must never be consumed by humans.

“Reduced pressure backflow assembly (RPBA)” means an approved assembly consisting of two independently operating check valves, spring loaded to the closed position, separated by a spring loaded differential pressure relief valve loaded to the open position, and installed as a unit with and between two resilient seated shutoff valves and having suitable connections for testing.

“Reduced pressure detector assembly (RPDA)” means an approved assembly consisting of two approved reduced pressure backflow assemblies, set in parallel, equipped with a meter on the bypass line to detect small amounts of water leakage or use. This unit must be purchased as a complete assembly. The assembly may be allowed on fire line water services in place of an approved reduced pressure backflow assembly upon approval by the city.

“Used water” means any potable water which is no longer in the city’s distribution system. In most cases, the potable water has moved past (downstream of) the water meter and/or the property line.

(Ord. 938 § 1, 1991)