The BACKFLOW PREVENTION TECHZONE is a regularly updated compendium of backflow prevention / drinking water related resource materials & information links collected from around the world.  Recent to archived news stories' excerpts, links, and web site reviews are this collection's focus, for anyone involved or interested in the safety of potable water distribution systems, and backflow prevention or cross connection control programs.  Backflow prevention or cross-connection control education and training, for waterworks personnel, public health and municipal officials, architects, engineers, contractors, plumbers, backflow preventer testers, and students of all ages, are the central point of a series of references and links to basic through advanced technical information about the appropriate use and correct installation of drinking water system backflow preventer devices.  Why they are essential to drinking water plumbing safety and our health  will be explored extensively.  Historical to current web page links,  information, ideas, and techniques from around the world, related to backflow prevention and cross connection control between potable water plumbing, and drainage or non-potable systems, as well as other safe drinking water supply issues encompass the aim of the Backflow Prevention TechZone. (Introduction continues after the following featured sponsors & recent weblinks)  --- Gerald Flis, TechZone Editor

Sprinkler requirement a hot topic in Belvidere "Linda Draheim’s home had a smoke detector when a fire broke out on Christmas Eve 1999. It never sounded, however, because its batteries weren’t pushed in correctly. If Brooke Draheim, then 11 years old, hadn’t woken up and alerted the family, they likely wouldn’t have made it out alive. “I lost everything, but I got my kids out. I could never live with losing my kids,” Linda Draheim said. “If you fall asleep and nothing wakes you up, you’re done.” Situations like the Draheims’ highlight the need for in-home sprinkler systems, fire officials say. But when left up to choice, homeowners rarely decide to pay the extra cash to put sprinklers in. Belvidere’s City Council will vote tonight on a law that would take choice out of the matter. The city may mandate that any new home be built with residential fire sprinklers. The concept sounds great to firefighters, but it upsets homebuilders because it forces their clients to pay thousands of dollars more for an addition they didn’t request. “That’s up to the consumer whether they wish to pay for that,” said Conor Brown, government affairs director for the Rockford Area Association of Realtors and Belvidere Board of Realtors. “We’re not against sprinklers, per se, we’re just against forcing residents to own a particular piece of equipment they don’t want to own.” The debate of personal choice versus personal safety is hardly new. It’s been heard when seat belt laws were put in place and has resurfaced as several communities around the state and nation have weighed what Belvidere will decide on tonight. ...“The people are going to choose the granite countertops and lawn sprinklers before fire sprinklers because they aren’t educated on what the fire sprinkler can do. That’s why it has to be mandated,” he said. ...Brown argues that’s the homeowner’s right. “I would suggest that the fire sprinkler lobby focus its efforts on educating the public, as opposed to forcing it through City Council,” he said.  ...Cost estimates for the systems vary. Sprinklers can run about $1.75 to $3 a square foot, or about $3,850 to $6,600 for a 2,200-square-foot home. A yearly backflow test — which one former installer quoted around $50 to $60 — and repairs also could increase costs. “Certainly with any plumbing, you’re going to have leaks and repairs to make,” said Mayor Fred Brereton." Rockford Register Star, June 15, 2008  

Warnings from city may be in error - No consensus exists on need for inspections "The Jackson Public Works Department is sending letters to city homeowners saying they have 60 days to have anti-contamination systems (i.e. backflow preventers) on their pools, lawn sprinklers and fountains inspected. But the Legislature exempted (from testing, not installations) such so-called low-hazard water residential systems from the requirement to have the devices, known as backflow preventers, seven years ago. That's why the city's letter caught Mary Margaret Yeager by surprise. Before lawmakers passed the exemptions in 2001, she spent nearly $1,000 to have a backflow device installed. During a hard freeze after the law was enacted, the device froze, so Yeager removed it and never had it replaced. "I called the guy that signed this letter," she said. "He said, 'Well, you'll have to have it put back in.' I said, 'According to who? He said, 'Let's just put it this way: If you don't, you'll hear from us.' "That burns state Rep. Bill Denny, R-Jackson, who pushed to exclude homeowners from the backflow requirement in 2001. "That city of Jackson is just totally incompetent," he said. "It's got to be stopped."  ...Public Works Deputy Director David Willis said the city merely is trying to bring its inspections database up to date to get into compliance with requirements imposed by the state Department of Health. Inspections of backflow prevention devices had not been done for a number of years because the city did not have anyone to do them. ...Melissa Parker, deputy director of the state Health Department's Public Water Supply Bureau, said the department does not require low-risk connections to be inspected (i.e. tested). Public Works Director Thelman Boyd said some people are misreading the intent of the letter. If someone has removed a backflow device from a low-risk system, all the person needs to do is inform the city. "We just need to know where they are," he said. In case of a water contamination incident, the city wants to have its records straight on who has these devices and who doesn't, he said. ...Denny has asked Attorney General Jim Hood to issue an official opinion on the law. If the law is not iron-clad enough to keep such letters from being sent in the first place, he said he will address the issue again in the next legislative session. In the meantime, Yeager said, she will hold off on doing anything "until this is more clear." Clarion Ledger, June 11, 2008

Contractor charged with using alias -- Case part of probe of city inspectors "Prosecutors have fired their first shot in a long-running probe of Corpus Christi building inspectors and contractors, and they say the bulk of the case will be presented to a grand jury June 19. Everett Michael Skipper, a contractor who did work for numerous local nightclubs, was charged Tuesday with filling out plumbing permit applications using an alias. The charge is a misdemeanor. If convicted, Skipper faces as long as a year in jail and fines of as much as $4,000. ...The probe into the city's building inspectors began in September 2006 and was believed to involve financial relationships between contractors and the inspectors who were supposed to check their work. Prosecutors have said the investigation involved inspectors who owned companies that received work from contractors. ...Gleimer did not discuss what role Skipper played in the larger probe. The applications he filled out were for backflow prevention fixtures, a crucial piece of plumbing. The fixtures are basically one-way valves that keep water that has sat in plumbing -- such as fire sprinklers -- from entering the water supply. Skipper is accused of using the name Mike Edwards, the name of someone with whom he was a co-defendant in a 1999 civil lawsuit.  ...Bob Nix, the assistant city manager for development services, said Skipper had filled out permit applications for years under the name Mike Edwards. "Obviously, if we had realized he was using a false ID to get permits, we wouldn't have issued permits," Nix said. "We had a management staff meeting today where someone said he's known the guy since the '80s. He never had a clue that the guy had another identity." Caller-Times, June 6, 2008

Back down on backflow "A "backflow" problem sounds like something drug companies would offer treatment for in tasteful TV ads. But it isn't an embarrassing medical condition. A backflow problem is a plumbing problem that could become a cash flow problem for tens of thousands of Floridians.  For decades, as The Post reported, the state Department of Environmental Protection has required backflow prevention devices at homes, apartments, and businesses that could pose a threat to public drinking water. Since, under the right circumstances, nearly every building could pose a threat, the rule could require just about everybody who doesn't have a backflow device to install one at a cost - for a typical homeowner - of about $500. Existing underground backflow valves might not be good enough. The state could begin requiring above-ground, 18-inch-tall brass devices; they are easier to check.  So, what is this dire threat that could suddenly prompt DEP to lean on local utilities to strictly enforce rules that usually are ignored? Water from a house or business contaminated with bacteria or chemicals could flow backward into the main service line - which could happen if water pressure suddenly dropped - and be piped on into other homes. West Palm Beach got an inkling of the problem when the city - incorrectly, as it turned out - blamed a laundry with improperly connected plumbing for a bacteria outbreak.  For complete information on backflow and links to horror stories - including a case in which inspectors found "that blood was coming from drinking fountains at a mortuary" - visit www.dep.state.fl.us/water/drinkingwater/bfp.htm. ...Mr. Hoofnagle understands that requiring lots of people to install lots of costly plumbing will be a sensitive topic. The DEP, he says, will hold hearings this summer before issuing any new rules in the fall, and will try to find solutions that "won't be so expensive as to be mind-boggling." Those could include different types of valves or other measures. Given the rotten economy and the hammering homeowners are taking from property insurance, Floridians could get several years to comply. Flexibility would help. Backflow can be a real problem. But homeowner expenses are overflowing." Palm Beach Post, June 2, 2008

Cross-Connection Data Collection for Support of State CCC Program  EPA presentation made in Washington State last year... "...Mandatory Isolation (they mean containment) for High Hazard Premises... Typical facilities including: *Sewage  *Nuclear   *Medical/dental/veterinary  *Industrial/chemical  *Interconnected auxiliary water supplies  *Restricted survey access  *List not all-inclusive  ***Provisions for exceptions..." TCR-DS Workshop, Jan. 2007

NYC Health Department: Mice at Met Opera (and backflow/cross-connection hazards!) "On-stage villains aren't the only vermin at the Metropolitan Opera. The grand theater at Lincoln Center, where much of New York's society gathers to show off gowns and jewels, has been cited for sanitary violations by the city Department of Health and Mental Hygiene. During an April 9 restaurant inspection at the Met, the department found "evidence of mice or live mice present in facility's food and/or nonfood areas," according to reports on the department's Web site. ...But that wasn't the only bad note struck by the Met, where tickets cost up to $12,500 each on some gala nights. The nation's largest musical organization also was cited for "food not protected from potential source of contamination during storage, preparation, transportation, display or service." On March 28, the department said the Met had "plumbing not properly installed or maintained; anti-siphonage or backflow prevention device not provided where required; equipment or floor not properly drained; sewage disposal system in disrepair or not functioning properly." The Met, which opened in 1966, also was penalized for using "unacceptable material."  Associated Press, May 28, 2008

Plumbing device may be a must for homes "What is a backflow prevention device? If you are a homeowner in Palm Beach County and don't know, you may soon find out. The Florida Department of Environmental Protection this fall could require almost all county homeowners to install the outdoor 18-inch-tall brass gadgets, which prevent the accidental contamination of the public drinking-water Rupply. The cost per homeowner would be about $500 to a private contractor whom he or she selects. In addition, homeowners would be required to pay a licensed plumber about $60 every year to test the backflow prevention device. If a homeowner does not have the test, water utility officials can suspend water service. The DEP "is smoking wacky tobaccy making this requirement," said Bevin Beaudet, director of the county's water utilities department. "The backflows should have been  installed when the homes were built. Making people pay for this during these tough economic times is crazy." Increasing concerns about water safety and potential contamination, especially in more-populated South Florida, have prompted the DEP to enforce the regulations, which have been on the books for years. Meetings are being scheduled with local and statewide utility, environmental and health representatives. The DEP, which will make the final decision, expects to announce new requirements in October, said Van Hoofnagle, administrator for the agency's drinking-water program. "It's an expensive form of protection," Hoofnagle said. "The system we have is not good enough." ..."Contractors who install the backflows and plumbers who check them will love this. The people who will suffer are the homeowners," he said. All homes without backflow devices that use water from canals, wells or lakes for irrigation would be required to install them. ..."We're talking about retrofitting thousands of homes in Florida: from ) little cottages in North Florida to mansions in gated communities," Beaudet said. The backflow device prevents mixing of drinking and treated water from flowing into the public water system by maintaining a constant higher pressure in its pipes. Such contamination required West Palm Beach water customers to boil water for 10 days in October. Backflow devices "are another level of protection," Brown said. "Concentrated contaminants can do major damage." ...Backflow devices "are an unnecessary redundancy," said Bob Berman, a resident of Palm Beach Country Estates, a rural community west of Jupiter that's required to install the devices to get its drinking water connected to Jupiter Utilities. "I'm not convinced there is a health risk."... Palm Beach Post, May 24, 2008

Potential Contamination Due to Cross-Connections and Backflow and the Associated Health Risks  "The purpose of this document is to review existing literature, research, and information on the occurrence, magnitude, and nature of the public health risks associated with cross-conections and backflow, from both acute and chronic exposures, and methods for detecting and controlling the occurrence of cross-connections and backflow within distribution systems. More specifically, the goal of this document is to review what we know regarding: (1) causes of contamination through cross-connections; (2) the magnitude of risk associated with cross-connections and backflow; (3) costs of backflow contamination incidents; (4) other problems associated with backflow incidents; (5) suitable measures for preventing and correcting problems caused by cross-connections and backflow; (6) possible indicators of a backflow incident; and (7) research opportunities..." EPA Office of Ground Water and Drinking Water, September 27, 2001 (Referenced by an EPA speaker at this week's ABPA conference)

Suspected valve thief arrested again by police "Police arrested Michael M. Ruiz, 20, of Edison for the second time on May 5 and charged him with three more counts of theft of brass backflow valves from businesses and residences in the borough. Ruiz was first arrested and charged on April 18 with 15 counts of theft of brass backflow valves and sprinkler system pumps from businesses and residences in the borough. The total amount of victim loss in all of the thefts accounted for $5,850 in stolen parts." Sentinel, May 14, 2008 

Citizens uniting against fluoride - Large-scale lawsuit seeks to ban chemical poisoning of water supply "A group of private citizens in San Diego County is planning to file a large-scale lawsuit in federal court against public water districts and challenge the constitutionality of using industrial-grade hydrofluosilicic acid to fluoridate drinking water. Jeff Green, national director of Citizens for Safe Drinking Water in San Diego, told WND, "We are raising funds for a lawsuit that has been prepared for plaintiffs who are asserting their constitutional rights under the Ninth and 14th Amendments to be free of what they term 'bodily intrusions' by a water wholesaler adding an unapproved drug into their water." ...As WND previously reported, there is growing and fierce opposition to plans to fluoridate public drinking water after shocking new studies that seriously question a practice routine among U.S. municipalities for nearly the last 50 years. Green said many citizens are usually unaware of how dangerous the chemical can actually be. "Most people think that fluoride is what you have in your toothpaste or water, but they are unaware of the fact that Prozac and Zoloft are fluoride products," Green said. "Almost all psychotropic drugs are fluoride products. ...Contrary to popular belief, Green said medical and scientific research indicates water fluoridation does not prevent tooth decay and that U.S. water districts have asked chemical suppliers to make statements that fluoride is effective at doing so. "There's not one chemical supplier in the entire United States that will make that statement," he said. He hopes the lawsuit will send a message to chemical suppliers and water districts across the nation that citizens will not tolerate general poisoning of their water supply with fluoride or a variety of other contaminants. "It's not OK for them to come out and say it's the greatest thing in the world, and then we find hazardous waste that has arsenic, lead, cadmium and mercury in it," Green said. "Where did they get the ability to add these toxins? There wasn't anything people voted for, anywhere, that said it was a reasonable implementation of public policy of fluoridation to add arsenic. The levels that are allowable would allow as much as one in every 3,000 people to have lung or bladder cancer over a lifetime of use." ..."In essence, we're saying that these water districts may have made a determination that they want to fluoridate; that's public policy, but when it comes down to implementing it and actually pushing a substance that has never been approved by the FDA, they are actually treating people and intending to prevent disease with an unapproved drug." Worldnetdaily, May 13, 2008

Fluoride: Miracle drug or poisonous chemical? "Safety debate over public water treatments heats up with release of shocking new studies... From Pennsylvania to Nebraska and from Europe to New Zealand, there is growing and fierce opposition to plans to fluoridate public drinking water, fueled by a battery of shocking new studies that seriously question a practice routine among U.S. municipalities for nearly the last 50 years. ...It has been going on throughout much of the United States for a half century, say proponents. So what's the problem? Sweden's Dr. Arvid Carlsson, the 2000 Nobel Prize winner in physiology or medicine, objects to the practice, saying that everyone reacts differently to medication and what is beneficial for one person may be harmful for another. He calls community fluoridation "obsolete." Opponents like Carlsson point out that each person drinks a different amount of water, meaning dosage cannot be controlled, and could become toxic for someone who drinks more water. Add to that variable the widespread use of fluoride toothpastes by the American public and the fact that much of the food supply is grown or raised using fluoridated water, and you can see the great potential for overdosing, they say. A study released in February by the Collaborative on Health and the Environments Learning and Development Disabilities Initiative found excessive ingestion of fluoride can decrease thyroid hormone levels. It also cited a recent Chinese study that links lower IQ levels in children with fluoridated drinking water. ...The EPA's Headquarters Professionals Union, made up of scientists, lawyers and other professionals, also now opposes community fluoridation. In January, the New York State Dental Journal reported fluoride overexposure is resulting in children developing tooth disorders including white spots, brownish discoloration and pitting. It also warned children 6 months to 3 years should consume no more than ¼ of a gram of fluoride per day – the equivalent of one 8 ounce glass of water in a fluoridated community. And, despite the CDC's conclusion that fluoridation is one of the greatest medical achievements of the 20th century, it recommends infant formulas should never be mixed with fluoridated water." Worldnetdaily, May 5, 2008

Poison in the kitchen...How tap water could damage your brain, blind or even kill you "(ED:emphases added) As he dipped his hand into the River Wear to quench his thirst, William Sproat could not have known he was about to unleash the horror of cholera on Britain. Sunderland in 1831 was a hectic place. The Industrial Revolution was redefining our cities, while filth and squalor grew with urban populations. ...Within hours of drinking from the river, Sproat was racked by vomiting fits and excruciating stomach cramp. Most water-borne diseases kill, ironically, by dehydrating their victims. Sproat's wife and two children watched in horror as his pulse faded and his face took on a deathly pallor. Cholera strikes quickly. Within a day or two, its victims are writhing, immobilised in its terrifying grip. The parasite that causes the disease comes to life in the warmth of the human gut and depends on its unfortunate host for survival. ...Asiatic cholera had arrived in Britain; Sproat was its first victim. Soon, the country was in the grip of an epidemic - but no one knew what caused this disease, or how to cure it. ...The prevailing medical science of the time suggested it must be caused by a miasma, a foul smelling, airborne poison. A British doctor, John Snow, suspected otherwise. In 1849, he put forward his theory that cholera is spread through microscopic agents in water. He tracked an outbreak in Soho, central London, to a single public pump. A total of 623 people died in this outbreak - before Dr Snow removed the handle from the Broad Street pump, stopping people using it and thus halting cholera in its tracks. This was a medical breakthrough which redefined our understanding of the world. Initially, Dr Snow was greeted with derision and disbelief, but his work led to a revolution in the way we look at our water supplies. His early research inspired my investigation into modern-day water and its impact on our health. Beneath the world's streets, water races through pipes to fill tens of billions of glasses and bottles each day. ...For millions of years, intimate knowledge about the source of water was among the most important pieces of information our ancestors carried. Perhaps they were wiser men than we. Today, that intimacy is lost. We turn on a tap and water flows as if by magic. Most of us have little awareness of its source. We assume it will be there. We assume it will be safe. The road to disaster is paved with assumptions. ...The operation of our water supplies is, to most of us, invisible. Invisibility encourages complacency. We have come to think of these systems as fail- safe, but the technology for treating most of our drinking water is almost a century old. ...The history of drinking water is a story of disaster and response. From cholera to cryptosporidium, disasters have forced change. We now face new risks: emerging diseases, changing climates, poorly understood pollutants, terrorism, decaying infrastructure (ED  CMNT: backflow through unprotected cross-connections?) and 'gender bending' chemicals. ...Terrorism is the newest threat to our water. In February 2002, four terrorists were seized in a Rome apartment with sealed containers holding four kilos of a cyanide compound. Beside it lay a map of the city's water distribution system, and the location of the U.S. embassy. A raid by the Italian anti-terrorist squad thwarted this attack, but it highlighted a new and dangerous risk to our water supplies. So what can be done to make our water safer? ...Think when you next turn on the tap. Water is the ultimate resource. The world has it in abundance, but accessible, safe water is scarce, and we would be wise to protect it. Instead, we have forgotten the lessons of history and expect our water supply to work as we focus on other problems. We do so at our peril."   Daily Mail, April 30, 2008

Suspect charged in sprinkler theft "After an investigation conducted by Metuchen police Detective James Connolly and Edison police Detective Tom Lacik, police arrested and charged Michael M. Ruiz, 20, of Edison, onApril 23 with 15 counts of theft of brass backflow valves and sprinkler system pumps from businesses and residences in the borough over a two-month period. The thefts of the 11-backflow valves, which prevent sewage from backing up into a structure, and four sprinkler system pumps, occurred between Feb. 23 and April 13, police said. Ruiz was released on his own recognizance, police said. The total amount of victim loss in all of the thefts accounted for $5,850 in stolen parts, police said. "Primarily, victims have not realized that they are victims of theft until they were preparing their sprinkler systems for use this spring," said Patrolman David Liantonio..." Sentinel, April 30, 2008 

 City Council tables backflow ordinance "The Killeen City Council tabled an ordinance Tuesday that would bring the city into compliance with state law. City Manager Connie Green and Assistant City Attorney Scott Osburn said there is no urgency to approve the ordinance to bring the Killeen law in line with the state's law for backflow prevention. Councilman Kenny Wells asked for the ordinance to be tabled, saying he was not satisfied with everything the ordinance would accomplish. The ordinance requires a backflow prevention system and annual inspection for any place where there is an actual or potential contamination hazard, such as a car wash. However, Wells said the ordinance was not specific enough about who would and would not need a prevention device. Osburn said the ordinance is intended, in addition to meeting state standards, to clarify statements and fix shortfalls in the existing ordinance. The shortfalls, according to a memo to the council, include lack of standardized recordkeeping requirements as mandated by the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, established procedures for certified tester registration monitoring and registration revocation, putting responsibility for program compliance entirely with the building inspection department rather than with the public works' water and sanitary sewer department, and specific parameters and direction to delineate what is required of each stakeholder, among other shortfalls. Goals of the ordinance include establishing a more comprehensive backflow and cross connection program that will delineate the specific responsibilities of each party involved from the city to the certified testers, installers and ultimately the end user or customers, clarify and transfer between city departments the department responsible for ensuring the integrity of the city's potable water system and the safety of its customers in relation to backflow and cross connection control, among other goals. ...Councilman Larry Cole said he was also concerned that the ordinance was not clear about what is a potential hazard. ...Mayor Timothy Hancock asked if the ordinance was time-sensitive. Green and Osburn said it is not. The council, in a workshop, gave consensus to send the ordinance back to the staff and Water/Sewer/Drainage Committee for further review. At the meeting, the council voted to remove the ordinance as an item on the agenda."  Kileen Daily Herald, March 26, 2008

Fire foam contaminates water supply "Fire trucks' water pressure overwhelmed the city's drinking supply lines and pushed fire-suppression foam into them as firefighters tried to extinguish a burning Strip District warehouse, Pittsburgh's director of public safety said Wednesday. Two pumper trucks were connected to fire hydrants for a long time Tuesday afternoon, said Public Safety Director Mike Huss, and as the pressure built up in the truck lines, it overwhelmed the drinking water lines' force. "It's highly unusual, and we're surprised that it did it," (backpressure backflow) Huss said. The Pittsburgh Water and Sewer Authority advised people Downtown and in the Strip District not to use water for a few hours into yesterday morning, until the foam could be flushed from the system. Ingesting less than an ounce of the biodegradable foam wouldn't pose a health threat, but it can irritate skin and eyes, said Bob Hutton, a project coordinator for the authority. Callers began complaining about soapy-looking water Tuesday afternoon. Firefighters allowed the four-alarm fire, which started Tuesday morning in the former Otto Milk Co. complex at 25th and Smallman streets, to burn overnight because of difficulties extinguishing it in cork- and foam-insulated walls. The building continued smoldering yesterday. Fire Chief Darryl Jones said he had not seen the foam problem in the 20 years he has fought fires. "We are going to make some adjustments to make sure it doesn't happen again," he said. The fire apparently started when a construction crew's cutting torch ignited insulation in the building, the construction crew manager said...." Pittsburgh TSibune-Review, March 13, 2008 

Lawn Irrigation Inspection Program Protects Water Supply "With the arrival of spring, comes the inevitable return of routine lawn maintenance. The City of Olathe Municipal Services Department would like to remind Olathe water customers of the City's Cross-Connection Program, which includes an annual inspection and testing for all backflow prevention devices installed on underground lawn irrigation systems. ...The installation of an approved backflow prevention device on lawn irrigation systems can prevent possible contamination of the City's water supply with contaminates such as lawn fertilizers, chemicals and pesticides. The Olathe Municipal Code and Cross-Connection Program require that an approved backflow prevention device be installed on all cross-connections that are considered "high risk" by the International Plumbing Code, including lawn irrigation systems. These devices must be tested and inspected by a certified backflow tester, available through many licensed plumbing and irrigation companies, with results recorded on a City of Olathe report form and submitted to the City. Additional program information is being mailed to all Olathe residential and commercial water customers with underground lawn irrigation systems..."  Kansas City Info Zine, March 28, 2008

Bacteria found in Stafford water "Leaders of the West Linn-Wilsonville School District were surprised twice last week. And both surprises were bad news. Just a few days after receiving word from Coffey Laboratories that water at Stafford Primary School contained coliform bacteria, the district was informed Monday that the Northeast Portland lab had its certification suspended by the state Division of Public Health. According to Mike Skeels, interim Public Health Division administrator, Coffey’s certification was suspended because of alleged inaccurate test results and ineffective quality assurance measures for Coffey’s testing procedures. ...Besides turning the water off at Stafford, School District Facilities Manager Pat McGough said the district already had protected itself – without knowing about Coffey’s problems – because the school’s current water problem is significant. Instead of having the quarterly test conducted only by Coffey, as it has done for at least the past decade, water also was sent to another lab for the proverbial “second opinion.” ...Alexin Analytical Laboratories of Tigard performed the same tests and reported the same results: that coliform bacteria was found in Stafford’s drinking water. The water faucets and drinking fountains at Stafford were immediately shut off, and all of the students and staff began drinking bottled water and cleaning with hand sanitizer – a scenario that started March 3 and will continue until after the spring break, McGough said Monday. ...Currently, the district can’t do much about finding and fixing the source of the problem. In order to fix the source of contamination, the wellwater system would have to be shut down. The school would therefore not have the use of restrooms, a situation that no one could tolerate. ...This week, the district will gain approval and begin installation of the chlorination system. The rest of the work begins Saturday, he said, including installation of a new pressure tank and well pump. The backflow devices on the irrigation system and fire pump have either been repaired or replaced. “The failed backflow device on the fire pump is potentially the source of contamination,” McGough said. “It’s not the only possible source, but it is a likely leading candidate.” ...By next Monday afternoon, McGough is hoping that all work will be completed, and the system can be chlorinated."  West Linn Tidings, March 20, 2008

Cross-Connection Hazards Illustrated  In case you haven't already seen them, a select few of the thousand+ cross-connection hazard pictures I've taken over the past 36 years are posted here (and in other areas of the Forum).... "American Backflow Prevention Association's Discussion Forum... This area is for pictures demonstrating connections that could possibly cause a backflow condition to occur." ABPA, March 18, 2008
Also see (Industrial Cross-Connection Hazards), and other areas.... 

Plumbing parts new target for area metal thefts "Police and plumbing contractors say that in recent months metal thieves in Barstow have turned to a new target. Stolen backflow prevention devices are turning up with increasing frequency in area scrap metal yards. State law requires most commercial buildings to install the devices, which are usually made out of brass and sit above ground, as a means of keeping nonpotable water out of the city drinking water system. With copper wiring and piping, once popular theft targets, becoming scarcer, thieves have turned to the backflow preventers as a new source of scrap metal. The Barstow Police Department did not know the exact number of thefts, but city spokesman John Rader said police have noticed a spike in the backflow prevention device thefts in the past three months. Among the victims that reported thefts to the Barstow Police Department were area apartment complexes, Barstow Community College and several city parks. Andy Ziemer, owner of Ziemer Plumbing in Barstow, said he has heard of eight thefts in the past six months. The thieves take a $300 brass valve, cause an average $2,000 in damages and sell the part to a scrap yard for about $30, according to Rader. When the Desert Cities Dialysis clinic was hit, cutting off the building’s water supply, Ziemer said, that could have been a matter of life and death. “It could have been a catastrophe if it was a day when they were seeing patients,” he said. “This is way beyond the call of duty. For $25, they’re putting lives in danger.”  ... Dennis Haefele, owner of Heart Plumbing, places the blame for the epidemic with the scrap yards that buy stolen goods. “If there wasn’t an easy way for (the thieves) to dispose of it and make money, they wouldn’t do it,” he said. “The people that are buying it create the market.” Barstow Police Department constantly monitors the scrap metal yards and contacts them when they receive a report of stolen metal, Rader said, which has led to some property being recovered in the past. If caught, scrap metal thieves face felony charges for possession of stolen property and potential vandalism charges, which are also felony charges if the damage totals more than $400. Maria Gomez, office secretary at the headquarters of Central Metal, Inc., which runs a scrap yard in Hinkley, said the company requires all sellers to show identification and in some cases, a company letter authorizing them to sell the metal. Gomez acknowledged, however, that stolen property does slip through. “It’s very hard,” she said. “There’s a lot of people that just do it all the time.”"  Desert Dispatch, March 5, 2008

Pullman officials say drinking water contamination unlikely after incident "City officials in Pullman say a "cross connection" Tuesday afternoon between the city's potable water system and equipment at the wastewater treatment plant lasted about an hour, but probably did not result in contaminated drinking water.  The City issued a news release saying that the incident happened at approximately 1:00 p.m. Officials said contamination of the city water system "is unlikely, but possible." The Department of Health was notified and City crews initiated precautionary measures by flushing and increasing chlorination of the water system in the area of the treatment plant on Guy Street.  Water samples have been taken to verify the lack of contamination. The results will be known late Wednesday afternoon. Due to the precautions that have been put into place, the Department of Health has advised that boiling water is not necessary." klewtv.com 3, Feb. 26, 2008

How Plumbing Standards Can Slow Innovation "National plumbing standards are important because they help protect public health and safety. While there is no doubt that plumbing regulations have contributed to America’s high standard of living, their problem is that they are also incredibly expensive to prepare and sometimes actually stifle innovation and technological progress. To my knowledge, nobody has ever addressed the issue of how much each plumbing standard update costs the public. Totaling all the expenses of the various participants over the five-year standard review period — salaries, travel expenses, meeting preparation time, manufacturer lab testing as well as administrative costs, printing, etc. — suggests to me that the public’s cost is near $1 million per update. To me, that is vastly excessive. Local code authorities in most U.S. cities and states subscribe to one of several model codes, which evaluate applicable national standards and incorporate all or part of them. Historically, the national model codes of BOCA, IAPMO, NSPC and SBCCA have dominated. More recently, the International Plumbing Code has emerged as a fifth competitor. Except for retail, over-the-counter sales, it is very difficult to sell a product nationally without first obtaining multiple local code approvals across the country. Before local code authorities will approve a product, they almost always require that it be approved by “their” model code. Gaining code approval across this country is particularly complicated and expensive for innovations because model codes normally require independent test data that show the product meets the requirements of the applicable national standard...." ContractorMag.com  

Vandals steal $10,500 worth of copper, fire hydrants and more "Vandals have stolen more than $10,500 worth of fire hydrants, brass valves and copper wiring from Yucaipa Valley Water District during the past six months, according to district officials. These thefts, when combined with the labor costs involved in replacing the stolen equipment, could cost the district's customers as much as $15,000. “These thefts affect everyone because we have to pass the costs of replacing these materials and equipment to our customers,” said Charlie Bailey, the district's operations manager. “As a result, we are calling on all of our customers to contact the police and the district whenever they observe suspicious activity involving fire hydrants, valves and other installations by individuals who are not wearing district uniforms or who do not have a YVWD repair truck nearby. ”Recent thefts, which are apparently driven by the rising cost of brass and copper, include fire hydrants and brass backflow valve covers in downtown and residential areas as well as copper wiring from gated district installations. The fire hydrants alone cost more than $1,000 a piece.
“I only know of two fire hydrants being stolen from the district in the past 33 years,” Bailey said. “But we've had nine fire hydrants stolen in the past six months alone. This is clearly happening because of the significant increase in brass and copper scrap values.” News Mirror, Feb. 14, 2008

Lone Grove water still off for some residents "Two weeks after the local water service was shut down after weed killer contaminated the system, nine homes remained without water Tuesday. Charges could be filed against the company responsible for the contamination and will be considered after water service is fully restored. The town, eight miles west of Ardmore, with an estimated 1,300 water customers, has been having major water problems since Jan. 23, when a business owner inadvertently siphoned a concentrated weed killer cocktail into the city's water supply while he was trying to dilute the herbicide concentrate inside a spray rig. A water main break, which created a backflow in the water lines, caused the chemicals to be sucked into the water system. Cindy Worrell, who lives in one of the nine houses still without water, said her biggest concern Tuesday evening was the inconvenience of not being able to bathe, wash dishes or eat at home, or even flush her toilets without dumping bottled water into the tank. Her long-term concerns, however, are just as pressing. Like other residents in the city, both Worrell and her live-in mother, who suffers from Alzheimer's disease, drank the contaminated water before they were notified of the danger by city crews. ...While Worrell and her neighbors wait to get more test results from the state Department of Environmental Quality, the owner oB the pesticide company believed to be responsible for the damage may be facing charges. Jack Carson with the state Agriculture Department, said both his department and environmental officers are dealing with the immediate issue of getting the water clean. As soon as that is taken care of charges will be considered in the next two weeks." Newsok.com, Feb. 6, 2008

 "An individual's lawsuit against Defiance City Hall concerning installation of a water system device has been dismissed. Frederick Hoffman, 600 Holgate Ave., had filed the suit in Defiance County Common Pleas Court on Dec. 8, 2006, asking that City Hall comply with Environmental Protection Agency regulations concerning the installation of backflow preventers. Numerous property owners in Defiance were sent�letters stating that such devices -- which eliminate the possibility that water can backflow into the city's system when pressure levels drop -- had to be installed. But Hoffman, who received a letter for his business (Rick's Wrecker Service, 1071 Holgate), contested the order. He argued that, according to state law, the devices are only required for certain businesses, such as hospitals, chemical plants and car washes. Hoffman called the requirement cited in the letters "arbitrary and expensive." Although his expense would have been less than $1,000, he said collectively the requirement would have cost affected city water customers much more...  ...For the city's part, Defiance law director David Williams said the suit filed by Hitchcock didn't demonstrate that the plaintiff was entitled to relief. "The Ohio Rules of Civil Procedure require a complaint to set forth a 'short and plain statement' of the plaintiff's cl`im demonstrating that the plaintiff is entitled to relief," said Williams. "The complaint ... did not, in my judgment, comply with this requirement. Even after wading through page after page of material, I couldn't see where the 'complaint' alleged anything that would entitle Mr. Hoffman to legal relief." Williams said he filed two motions, rather than answering the complaint. "One asked that all of the irrelevant material be stricken from the complaint," he explained. "The other asked that the entire action be dismissed because the complaint, assuming every word of it to be true, failed to demonstrate that Mr. Hoffman was entitled to legal relief." ...While the case has been Aismissed, Hoffman said he isn't sure whether he will refile. He recently attended a city council water committee meeting in which the backflow preventer issue was discussed. And, he said two councilman (Steve Hubbard and Gary Butler) questioned whether regulations require backflow preventers to be installed. Hoffman said he was sent a letter by City Hall several years ago about the backflow preventer requirement, indicating that he had a specified time to install one or have his water shut off. Although Hoffman did not install a preventer, his water was never shut off, he said. However, he says he has a non-testable double check valve. Hoffman added that other businesses sent letters also did not install backflow preventers. City Hall had ‰ announced a concerted effort in April 2002 to make sure backflow preventers were installed not only in commercial properties, but residential properties as well. These were required when any improvements were made to the home. But city officials have put the backflow issue on hold while they review a related ordinance." Crescent-News, Jan. 28, 2008

Expert Sees Risks in Grey Water "Just as Georgians are turning to a relatively simple way to save water inside the home, a prominent UGA professor issues a warning -- that grey water, household waste water excluding water from the toilet, the dishwasher and the kitchen sink, can be harmful. It's a simple way to save: re-use the water from your shower, or your bathroom sink, or your washing machine on your plants and trees. University of Georgia hydrologist Dr. Todd Rasmussen said he has a problem with that. “There’s always a risk to public health from blood, from fecal material, as well as from meat products that would have some kind of pathogenic contribution to it," Rasmussen said. Others are not quite ready to throw the bathwater out with the bathwater. “Well, grey water certainly has its place in conserving potable water use inside of a household," said Bryan Wagoner of the Georgia Association of Water Professionals. "And it can be a significant amount of water savings, if it's done properly." An average home can realize huge water savings with a grey water system installed by a licensed plumber. “With proper disinfection and backflow prevention devices," explained the GAWP’s Wagoner. "(It) can save an average household up to 250 gallons a week just by using washing machine and bath water." ...According to the Georgia Association of Water Professionals, there are no documented cases of illness from a properly installed grey water system. Before installing one in your house, be sure to check with your county health department. To be safe, if you are collecting grey water and not using it the same day, put in a few drops of bleach. The bleach will kill the germs, the water will be fine for your plants, and you won't have to toss anything out with the bathwater." 11Alive, Nov.27, 2007

Utilities board reviews backflow options "When a cross-connection occurs, untreated water can flow back into city water, possibly causing a hazardous situation for anyone drinking it. To minimize the potential for such accidents, the state requires cities to have residents install backflow prevention devices. Ultimately, some or all North Port homeowners will be required to have the devices installed at their homes (at the meter) and inspected annually. The devices have been installed by contractors at homes built since 2001, but annual testing hasn't taken place. Commissioners will ultimately decide which residents must have backflow protection and how to implement the testing program. They supported the idea of an ordinance, but have not yet decided which of three options to adopt. The first option would require customers to contract directly with a plumber to install a backflow prevention device, as well as a certified tester to test the water quality. Option two would use contractors employed by the city to both install the device and test the water. Customers would be charged a fee, but that amount would be spread over the course of a year. Customers would also be allowed to opt out of the program. City staff would enforce the program under option three, as well as test the water.  After a recap of the presentation to commissioners, Public Utilities Advisory Board members preferred option two, especially after learning option one is typically more expensive. Rob Bolesta, an environmental engineer hired by the city, said option two is a win-win for the customer. "Option one may (require customers to) pay $80 or more for an annual test," he said. "With option two, customers may pay $30 a year. We don't have hard numbers, but it's amortized over the year, so customers would pay maybe $2.50 a month. That's doable."" Sun-Herald, Dec. 26, 2007

Is county using city's water? Port Richey may have solved the case of missing water. "Jim Mathieu thinks he's found the culprit of the city's missing water: Pasco County.  "We're about 99 percent sure," said Mathieu, interim city manager. To see if Mathieu's assumptions are true, workers plan to shut off the water for about an hour early this morning to test a location where the city and the county's water lines are in close proximity: Gulf View Square mall. "There are numerous old pipes in our system below the mall," Mathieu said. "We'll definitely know if there's a double tap." Mathieu estimates the water loss has cost the city about a half-million dollars a year for at least the past three years. If it has been going on since the mall was built two decades ago, Mathieu said he has no problem asking the county for millions in back pay. ...Problems with Port Richey's water surfaced a few months ago. Mathieu ran a report to see if the city's water was being used efficiently and discovered about 25 percent of its water was unaccounted for. Since then, Mathieu and the city's utility department have been looking for the source of the water loss. On Thursday, Mathieu and workers from Port Richey and Pasco County's utility departments met to discuss the issue. ..."We are glad to help and don't believe there is an issue," he said. "My people in the field don't believe there's any cross-connection like that. We're pretty familiar with the distribution system we have out there." ...Mathieu said Thursday he thinks it's possible that long ago, someone made a mistake connecting the mall's water lines, which are supposed to be provided by the county. "What probably happened is, when the mall was built or sometime thereafter, they connected to our line instead of the county," he said. "Whenever a connection is made, somebody has to sign off on it. If that's the case, somebody made a mistake."" Stª Petersburg Times, Dec. 14, 2007   

Rosenberg sets backflow permit fee at $10 level "Some 500 residences and businesses in Rosenberg that were placed under another permit fee during last week's City Council meeting got a bit of good news Tuesday night - a lower-than-predicted price of $10. In order for the city's water system to be in compliance with the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, Rosenberg must keep a record of annual tests on backflow preventive assemblies, which are designed to keep contaminated water from siphoning back into the public water system. To maintain those records, the city requires a permit before the tesôs are conducted by a TCEQ-certified tester. John Maresh, the city's utility director, told Council last week that the permit fee would likely fall between $15 and $25, but his proposal Tuesday night brought the figure down to $10. The city will also provide property owners with a list of certified inspectors." Fort Bend Herald, Dec. 5, 2007

West Virginia's Revised 2007 Cross-Connection and Backflow Prevention Manual "...Regulations require each public water supplier to develop and maintain a cross-connection control program in  order to provide some control over water in the distribution system.   This manual is provided by the West Virginia Division of Health and Human Resources, West Virginia Bureau for Public Health, to be used as a reference document and training manual for public water supply personnel, health officials, plumbers and others involved in water supply distribution systems.  As a supplement to the Regulations, this manual presents the basics of backflow theory, as well as, practical applications for cross-connection control." West Virginia Office of Environmental Health Services, April 2007

Famous NYC Restaurant Closed For Rodents, Roaches (and cross-connections)  "A famous New York eatery has been closed by the Health Department after failing its second consecutive health inspection in a month, officials said said. Serendipity Three, located at East 60th Street, was shut down by the Health Department after two inspections revealed rodent and fly infestation and conditions conducive to pest infestation, including stagnant water in the basement, health officials said. Inspectors Wednesday observed a live mouse, mouse droppings in multiple areas of the restaurant, fruit flies, house flies and more than 100 live cockroaches, inspectors said. The small restaurant can often have an hours-long wait for people waiting for ice cream, hot dogs and its other famous treats. The restaurant has been immortalized in several movies, including one bearing its name. Violations were cited during an October inspection in the following areas: * Plumbing not properly installed or maintained; anti-siphonage or backflow prevention device not provided where required; equipment or floor not properly drained; sewage disposal system in disrepair or not functioning properly. Facility not vermin proof. Harborage or conditions conducive to vermin exist. (and more...)" msnbc.com, Nov. 15, 2007

Backflow Prevention Program Brochure "Providing safe drinking water to Sarasota County is our highest priority. Regulated by Florida Department of Environmental Protection and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, we follow strict standards to ensure that the public drinking water supply remains safe. Our customers also have a responsibility to help keep the public water supply safe. Here’s how. Wherever a source of water exists on your property, like a well or pond, other than the county’s own public water supply, the possibility for contamination could occur. To avoid contamination, backflow preventers are required whenever there is an actual or potential hazard for a cross-connection." Sarasota County Florida, scgov.net

Prior contamination cause of boil order - Connection from contaminated tank likely cause "The cause of the bacteria contamination that caused last weekend’s boil order is believed to be a holdover from a similar contamination incident two weeks ago. A cross connection between the two tanks likely allowed water contaminated in the earlier incident to make it into the system’s second storage tank on Mary Dunn Road. The earlier contamination put the larger and newer of the two tanks off-line for repairs and cleaning. The need for adequate water pressure in the system kept the smaller tank in service despite the positive contamination test. Had the other tank been available to maintain fire flows, the smaller tank could have been isolated and the boil order would not have been needed, according to information presented at the Hyannis Water Board meeting Tuesday afternoon. The boil water order issued Saturday for those connected to the Hyannis water system was lifted Monday afternoon by the state Department of Environmental Protection. ...The repairs to the tank, including holes in a roof vent cover believed to be the source of outside contaminants, are now completed. The tank will now be cleaned, chlorinated, refilled and tested at least twice before it is allowed to be brought back online. Keisjer said that the source of contamination for the smaller tank is believed to be water from a cross connection with the now-off-line larger tank." BarnstablePatriot.com, Nov. 16, 2007   

 Public Utilities employee is suing over an alleged incident that left him covered in crap "Three weeks into his job as a pump maintenance worker at Seattle Public Utilities, Dan Dunlop went to a U District facility to learn how to fix a wastewater pump. He and a superior, Leonard Wheeler, turned off the pump, at which point Wheeler left for another part of the station, giving Dunlop instructions to stand in front of the pump and monitor it for unusual activity.  Dunlop stared at the pump. Suddenly, sewage sprayed out of it and onto his face. "I got totally soaked in effluent. Effluent is a nice word for poo," says Dunlop, who believes Wheeler turned the pump back on knowing it would spurt all over him. Wheeler came back laughing, says Dunlop. "He was like, 'Well, I guess that's your initiation!"  Dunlop still works for SPU as a maintenance worker, though he isn't enjoying the job very much. In September, he filed a lawsuit against SPU and Wheeler, seeking claims for emotional damages, violation of a whistle-blower act, and other grievances. ...More seriously, Dunlop says that devices meant to keep sewage from entering the city's drinking-water supply consistently failed inspections in 2006 and 2007, which he claims SPU has yet to remedy. Last year, SPU had Dunlop test its backflow assemblies, which are intricate valve-and-pipe devices that help prevent contaminants from entering potable water. Dunlop decided that 11 assemblies weren't up to code. He didn't test all of them to see if they were working properly, but instead failed them outright because of improper design and location, such as in flood-prone pits or rooms containing toxic fumes. As Dunlop points out in his lawsuit, this runs afoul of state regulations because assembly units contain air vents. Backflow assemblies aren't the only safeguards in the system, but they are important enough that the state requires them at all wastewater facilities. Yet as of August, 40 such Seattle locations didn't have any assemblies installed. The state has given SPU a Nov. 19 deadline to install the missing devices or come up with a plan to do so. In September, Dunlop failed many of the same assemblies that he did in 2006, which compelled SPU to get a second opinion. "They sent another tester out, and he went out and passed them," says Dunlop. "It's just a complete snow job, that's what it is." Seattle Weekly, Nov. 7, 2007