|
Cross Connection -
As defined by the
Environmental Protection Agency,
is any actual or
potential connection
between the public water supply
and a source of contamination or pollution. Such cross
connections constitute a hazard to the building occupants
and can jeopardize the cleanliness and potability of the
public water
system, in the event of a backflow or
backsiphonage event.
Backflow - Means the reversal of flow of water or mixtures of
water and other
liquids, gases or other substances into the distribution pipes of a potable
water supply from
any sources other than an approved water supply source.
Backflow prevention assembly - Means an assembly which,
when properly
installed between the city water supply system and the terminus or point of
ultimate use will prevent backflow.
Examples
-
Include, but not limited to, Reduced
Pressure Zone Assemblies
(RPZ), Double Check
Valves (DC) & Anti-Siphon
Vacuum Breakers.
Backflow Prevention Assembly Tester - Means an individual licensed in
accordance with (TCEQ) Texas Commission on Environmental Quality rules
as
amended, for the purpose of testing backflow prevention assemblies &
providing cross connection control.
January 2002
Newsletter - Texas Turf Irrigation Association
Gene Reagan:
Formally known as - Texas Natural Resource Conservation Commission.
Currently known as - Texas Commission on Environmental Quality.
A Keller Texas homeowner was surprised to find dozens of squiggly little
worms in
his upstairs
toilet bowl recently. Later as he was pouring
water into his coffee maker,
he noticed something
moving in the water,
another little worm. He collected samples
of the worms and presented
them
to Angela Wallis, Environmental Services
Coordinator for the City
of Keller, Water Utilities Dept. Angela, who is also a
Certified
Backflow Prevention Assembly Tester, advised him they were nematodes
and
that they most likely came through his landscape irrigation system. It turns out
the irrigation system had a nine-year old Double Check Valve Assembly (DC) that
had not been
tested since it was installed. When
the homeowner tried to turn off the
water to the
irrigation system at the
device, both gate valve handles crumbled. He
was able to turn one
valve
off with a wrench, though. The story gets a little more
interesting. When the homeowner contacted a
company to test the DC, the person
who arrived to do the test told him it would
be cheaper to replace the device than to
test it. $275 later, he had a new DC. However, the
homeowner later discovered that
the
company did not obtain a permit from the city, nor had
they
tested the new
device. At the time of this writing, Ms. Wallis is investigating possible
City of
Keller
ordinance
violations. TNRCC Landscape
Irrigation Program is inquiring into
possible
violations of State law.
|
