§ 40-457. Definitions.

[The following words, terms and phrases, when used in this chapter, shall have the meanings ascribed to them in this section, except where the context clearly indicates a different meaning:]

Air gap means the unobstructed vertical distance through the free atmosphere between the lowest opening from any pipe or faucet conveying water or waste to a tank, plumbing fixture, receptor, or other assembly and the flood level rim of the receptacle. These vertical, physical separations must be at least twice the diameter of the water supply outlet, never less than one inch (25mm).

Approved means accepted by the authority responsible as meeting an applicable specification stated or cited in this article or as suitable for the proposed use.

Auxiliary water supply means any water supply on or available to the premises other than the purveyor's approved public water supply. These auxiliary waters may include water from another purveyor's public potable water supply or any natural source(s), such as a well, spring, river, stream, harbor, and so forth; used waters; or industrial fluids. These waters may be contaminated or polluted, or they may be objectionable and constitute an unacceptable water source over which the water purveyor does not have sanitary control.

Backflow means the undesirable reversal of flow in a potable water distribution system as a result of cross-connection.

Backflow preventer means an assembly or means designed to prevent backflow.

Backpressure means a pressure, higher than the supply pressure, caused by a pump, elevated tank, boiler, or any other means that may cause backflow.

Backsiphonage means backflow caused by negative or reduced pressure in the supply piping.

Contamination means an impairment of potable water supply by the introduction or admission of any foreign substance that degrades the quality and creates a health hazard.

Cross-connection means a connection or potential connection between any part of a potable water system and any other environment containing other substances in a manner that, under any circumstances would allow such substances to enter the potable water system. Other substances may be gases, liquids, or solids, such as chemicals, waste products, steam, and water from other sources (potable or nonpotable) or any matter that may change the color or add odor to the water.

Cross-connection—Controlled means a connection between a potable water system and a nonpotable water system with an approved backflow-prevention assembly properly installed and maintained so that it will continuously afford the protection that will commensurate with the degree of hazard.

Cross-connection control by containment means the installation of an approved backflow-prevention assembly at the water service connection to any customer's premises, where it is physically and economically unfeasible to find and permanently eliminate or control all actual or potential cross-connections within the customer's water system; or it shall mean the installation of an approved backflow-prevention assembly on the service line leading to and supplying a portion of a customer's water system where there are actual or potential cross-connections that cannot be effectively eliminated or controlled at the point of the cross-connection.

Double check valve assembly means the approved double check valve assembly consists of two internally loaded check valves, either spring-loaded or internally weighted, installed as a unit between two tightly closing resilient-seated shutoff valves and fittings with properly located resilient-seated test cocks. This assembly shall only be used to protect against a non-health hazard (that is, a pollutant).

Hazard, degree of means the term is derived from an evaluation of the potential risk to public health and the adverse effect of the hazard upon potable water system.

Hazard—Health means a cross-connection or potential cross-connection or potential cross-connection involving any substance that could, if introduced into the potable water supply, cause death or illness, spread disease, or have a high probability of causing such effects.

Hazard—Non-health means a cross-connection or potential cross-connection involving any substance that generally would not be a health hazard but would constitute a nuisance or be aesthetically objectionable, if introduced into potable water supply.

Hazard—Plumbing means a plumbing-type cross-connection in a consumer's potable water system that has not been properly protected by an approved air gap or an approved backflow-prevention assembly.

Hazard—System means an actual or potential threat of severe damage to the physical properties of the public potable water system or the consumer's potable water system or of a pollution or contamination that would have a protracted effect on the quality of the potable water in the system.

Industrial—Fluids system means any system containing a fluid or solution that may be chemically, biologically, or otherwise contaminated or polluted in a form or concentration such as would constitute a health, system, pollution, or plumbing hazard, if introduced into an approved water supply. This may include, but not be limited to; polluted or contaminated waters, all types of process waters and used waters originating from the public potable water system that may have deteriorated in sanitary quality, chemicals in fluid from; plating acids and alkalis, circulating cooling waters connected to an open cooling tower, and/or cooling towers that are chemically or biologically treated or stabilized with toxic substances; contaminated natural waters, such as wells, springs, streams, rivers, bay harbors, seas, irrigation canals or systems, and so forth, oils, gases, glycerin, paraffin, caustic and acids solutions, and other liquid and gaseous fluids used in industrial or other purposes for firefighting purposes.

Pollution means the presence of any foreign substance in water that tends to degrade its quality so as to constitute a non-health hazard or impair the usefulness of the water.

Reduced-pressure backflow-prevention assembly means the approved reduced-pressure principle backflow-prevention assembly consists of two independently acting approved check valves together with hydraulically operating, mechanically independent pressure differential relief valve located between the check valves and below the first check valve. These units are located between two tightly closing resilient-seated shutoff valves as an assembly and equipped with properly located resilient-seated test cocks.

Service connection means the terminal end of a service connection from the public potable water system, that is, where the water purveyor loses jurisdiction and sanitary control over the water at its point of delivery to the customer's water system. If a meter is installed at the end of the service connection, then the service connection shall mean the down-stream end of the meter. There should be no unprotected takeoffs from the service line ahead of any meter or backflow-prevention assembly located at the point of delivery to the customer's water system. Service connection shall also include water service connection from a fire hydrant and all other temporary or emergency water service connections from the public potable water system.

Water commissioner or health official means the utilities director in charge of the water department of the city is vested with the authority and responsibility for the implementation of an effective cross-connection control program and for the enforcement of the provisions of this article.

Water—Nonpotable means water that is not safe for human consumption or that is of questionable quality.

Water—Potable means water that is safe for human consumption as described by the public health authority having jurisdiction.

Water used means any water supplied by a water purveyor from a public potable water system to a consumer's water system after it has passed through the point of delivery and is no longer under the sanitary control of the water purveyor.

(Ord. No. 06-17-01, 7-11-2017)