Page IV, Archived News & Articles.....

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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, 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......

 

Buying or selling a home in Dearborn? "The Dearborn Department of Building and Safety wants you to know that before a property owner sells a house in Dearborn, the home must pass an inspection and be given a Certificate of Occupancy (C of O) before closing. This ensures that the house is up to code and is safe to live in. ...City of Dearborn inspectors have discovered that the following areas bring the most violations when they are looking at homes: * Vacuum breakers, or backflow prevention devices, are required on laundry tubs and outdoor water spouts. ...Many helpful tips can be found online under the Residential Sales section of the divisions of Building & Safety Department at the city's website  (www.cityofdearborn.org). Viewers can view the inspection form used to perform an inspection for the sale of a home."The Arab American News, July 9, 2006

 

Park's fountain has lost its flow "A beautiful fountain that's a popular feature of a park in the Beach has quit working for the second summer in a row. Ivan Forrest Gardens, at the corner of Queen St. E. and Glen Manor Dr., is an oasis for residents and people who enjoy a summertime stroll in the area. ...The most striking feature of the small park is a decorative fountain, which cascades over rocks that look as though they've been lifted from the Canadian Shield. On a sizzling summer day, it's a magnet for kids and dogs. Both can often been found in the pool below the waterfall. But for a few weeks now, there's been no water bubbling over the rocks, a big disappoinment for local residents, now that the hot weather is here. ...Doug Muir, who's in charge of things like decorative fountains in that area of the city, said it isn't working because a new "backflow preventer," which is part of the system that circulates water over the rocks and into the pool below, needs replacing. The parts are on order and the fountain should be working again before the end of July, he said." Toronto Star, July 6, 2006

 

The Plumber as a Health Expert "Mr. Chairman and gentlemen of the Sanitary Engineering Association, it gives me a great deal of pleasure to be here this afternoon among the engineers and the plumbers, for the reason that I personally feel the plumber was the original health officer and that the foundations of preventative medicine and public health were founded upon the activities of the engineer and the plumber in the very beginning. So that basically the things we take for granted in public health are those things that the engineer and the plumber are responsible for. In speaking of plumbing we are apt to forget its very ancient origin....From somewhat modest beginnings plumbing and sanitary engineering has become a full-fledged science, with a safeguard to health. It has been asked why a plumbing code? ...It is sufficient to say briefly that plumbing regulations are necessary to prevent polluted water... for serious epidemics have been traced to defective plumbing. ...I could relate to you many stories of plumbing work found to have been illegally installed of such a nature as to be dangerous not only to health but also to life and limb ...in fact, a whole chamber of horrors could be filled from the experience of any plumbing inspector of a large city. ...More than in any other trade has the master plumber had his eye upon health, and it was this attitude that naturally moved him to associate with health departments. These latter, also recognizing the importance of the plumber in any scheme to improve the dwellings of the people, have nearly always appointed plumbing inspectors as among the first of such officials, and indeed in many instances in small towns the plumbing inspector was the sole officialof the health boards, and his efficient work in this respect has become a tradition in Public Health history." ASSE 1926 Yearbook

 

Changes in Water Works... Meter feature to prevent system contamination "You might have found a pamphlet recently from the Columbus Water Works stuck to your front door detailing a new program. Or maybe you saw city employees working near the property line of a neighbor's yard. If you haven't, don't worry. Pamphlet and workers -- and ultimately a new water meter -- will reach you eventually. New water meters aren't anything out of the ordinary, said Vic Burchfield, assistant vice president of information and water quality services for the Columbus Water Works. Residents get one every 10 years. Since 2004, though, Burchfield's office has been replacing about 500 old meters each month with the new, plus a state-mandated extra -- a backflow preventer. "It's a water meter with a backflow preventer in it," Burchfield said. "We provide these at no cost to the customer." The meters cost about $50 -- some $25 more than a meter without a back flow preventer. The additional cost, $150,000 each year, comes from planned percentage increases in water fees. Industries and commercial businesses must pay for their own backflow preventers. ...Backflow preventers take care of possible contamination of the water main, but they can be the cause of another problem. The devices create a closed plumbing circuit inside the home -- and that can lead to leaks. When water is heated, it expands. Without a backflow preventer, pressure can be relieved by water escaping into the city's system. The closed circuit means the water has nowhere to go. "It's unlikely that a problem would occur, but from the safety side we like to let our customers know," Burchfield said. "You might see a few dripping faucets where the water is trying to release." The Water Works is offering a pressure relief valve -- a small device attached to the back of a washing machine with a thin tube that allows water to relieve. The tube is placed in the drain pipe and water drips out whenever the pressure gets too high. The relief valves are available at the Water Works main office, 1421 Veterans Parkway, for $15. Burchfield said the city is selling the devices for the cost it takes to assemble them." Ledger-Enquirer, July 2, 2006

 

City requiring Rifle water users to turn in survey by July 15 " If you use Rifle city water, dont ignore the questionnaire you receive with your utility bill in July or you could face disconnection of your water service. The paper includes important questions city staffers want to know about your water usage as it pertains to a cross connection device that is now required for every residence that has a sprinkler system, and all commercial businesses.  Its not just a survey, said Charlotte Squires, administrative assistant for the citys planning and public works departments. You need to fill it out, or you could have your water shut off. Put a stamp on it and send it in or drop it off at city hall.  ... Once we get (the questionnaires) back, well review the information and residents will get a follow-up letter and compliance date, said Marco Carani, operations and maintenance supervisor for the public works department. The city hopes to have those who are required to have the cross connection devices in compliance by August. Eventually, all water users will be required to have the devices in place." The Citizen Telegram, June 29, 2006 

 

Building inspector arrested in bribe case "A city building inspector accused of soliciting bribes from a local business owner was arrested Thursday morning after a several-month FBI investigation, authorities said. FBI agents arrested Hans Williams, 46, at his Dublin home without incident, an FBI spokeswoman said. Williams, a longtime City Hall employee who city officials said Thursday has no history of similar complaints, is accused of soliciting bribes from a business owner while inspecting two properties between December 2005 and June 2006, the FBI said. FBI spokeswoman LaRae Quy said federal investigators get involved any time public trust is violated. "This is a basic public corruption case," she said. "We don't care if it's local, state or federal ... we will go after them."" InsideBayArea.com, June 23, 20066

 

Can Backflow Be A Threat To Your Drinking Water? "Most of the time water flows "forward" from the water supply system into your home. Backflow is the term used to describe the "backward flow" of water into the water supply system. In other words, backflow would occur when water from your home "flows back" into the public water supply. Or backflow can be caused when water from a garden hose "flows back" into your home. ...Once we install a backflow preventer in your home, water will be unable to flow back into the public water pipes. The backflow preventer creates an isolated or closed plumbing system. For some homeowners, thermal expansion could produce leaky faucets or set off the relief valve on hot water heaters, or in some cases, other damage may occur. Thermal expansion occurs when your hot water heater heats the water, causing it to expand. We encourage you to consult a certified plumber if you have any doubts about your plumbing system. A plumber may recommend the installation of a thermal expansion tank on your hot water heater. A pressure-reducing valve may also be required if your water pressure exceeds 70 pounds per square inch (psi). The above illustration shows these devices installed in a typical basement." North Wales Water Authority

 

Tests show Legionnaires' disease bacteria still in S.A. hospital's pipes, but reduced "On May 1, Thomas DeChant checked into North Central Baptist Hospital for gastrointestinal bleeding. As the days stretched into weeks, he grew sicker, unable to breathe on his own. And when the 78-year-old retired postal worker and community leader finally died earlier this month, it wasn't from bleeding or even a 6-year-old mechanical heart valve that had worried his doctors. Instead, DeChant  a member of the San Antonio Crime Commission and several other civic groups and committees  became the fourth person in two months here to die from Legionnaires' disease. In all, 11 people were diagnosed with the illness  10 of them linked to the same hospital. A team of state and federal epidemiologists later confirmed the presence of legionella bacteria in the hospital's water system. And despite aggressive steps over the past two months to get rid of it  including repeated superheating of the water system, installation of a chlorine injection system  test results last week indicate the bacteria is still lurking in the pipes... ...Next month will mark the 30th anniversary of the discovery of Legionnaires' disease. In July 1976, several hundred American Legion members gathered at the Bellevue-Stratford Hotel in Philadelphia to commemorate the nation's bicentennial. Within days, more than 200 fell ill with a mysterious pneumonia. Thirty-four of them died. Three decades later, the disease remains a mystery in many ways. How is it that legionella can invade 10 hospitals and only sicken patients at one? Why are some cities more prone to outbreaks than others? Although the bacteria can be found in many places, hospital-acquired infections are fairly common. And far more people are infected each year than the official statistics indicate, said Dr. Robert Muder, hospital epidemiologist with VA Pittsburgh Healthcare System, who has studied legionella for 25 years. ...factors that raise the risk of legionella include hot water heated at no more than 122 degrees, buildings taller than 10 stories and a disruption (backflow induced) of a building's water system. The latter might be an issue at North Central Baptist, which is undergoing a major building expansion that will double the hospital's size. In early April, a water line to the hospital was cut, interrupting service and causing problems with toilets and discolored water." mysanantonio.com, June 26, 2006

 

BREAKING NEWS: Boil order on for Saranac Lake water through Tuesday at earliest "All village of Saranac Lake water users are under a boil-water order until at least Tuesday, Village Manager John Sweeney said early Sunday afternoon. There is a possibility that bacteria may have gotten into the village water system when a cracked water main beneath Lake Flower Avenue caused backflow in parts of the network, sucking air into water pipes in the McKenzie Pond Road area, Sweeney said. Village officials do not know whether bacteria did, in fact, enter the system, but in such a situation, the state Department of Health requires the village to declare a boil order until the water passes tests to prove it is clean and potable. Results of those tests will not be available until Tuesday at the earliest... ...People were talking about the water break and boil order all over the village Saturday and Sunday, but many were acting on minimal or inaccurate information." Adirondak Daily Enterprise, June 26, 2006

 

Company shuts doors due to disease "The state's largest insurance company closed one of its downtown Detroit offices and gave 350 workers two paid days off after inspectors discovered the bacterium that causes Legionnaire's disease in the building's water supply. One worker for Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan was diagnosed with the pneumonia-like disease a week ago, prompting the insurance company to call in professionals to check the air conditioning and water system at the seven-story building on Jefferson. Tests to the air conditioning system proved negative. But when traces of the bacteria were found on some toilets and drinking fountains, the company decided to turn off the water, chlorinate it and restart it, a process expected to take a couple of days, a company spokeswoman said. ...Legionnaires' disease -- so called because it was first diagnosed when it killed 34 people attending an American Legion convention in Philadelphia in 1976 -- is caused by the Legionella bacteria, which thrive in stagnant, warm water. Outbreaks of this disease have been associated with cooling towers, showers, faucets, hot tubs/whirlpool spas and other sources of aerosolized water. People can contract the disease by breathing vapor from a contaminated water supply. It is not transmitted from person to person." Detroit Free Press, June 23, 2006

 

Copper in Drinking Water "Copper is a mineral and natural component of soils. It is an essential nutrient for humans and plants. Industrial pollution, domestic wastewater, mining wastewater, and weathering of copper-bearing rocks are major sources of copper in surface and ground waters. Discharges of copper into sewer systems from some residential areas have also been found. Leading areas of use for copper and its alloys are the plumbing, electrical, and electronic industries. Copper compounds are used as agricultural fungicides, algaecides in water reservoirs, in food supplements, and fertilizers. In Washington, most copper in drinking water comes from corrosion of household plumbing. Public water supplies are required to conduct treatment to reduce corrosion when more than 10 percent of the tap water samples exceed 1.3 parts per million (ppm) of copper. Copper from plumbing corrosion can accumulate overnight. Flushing the water from the tap for 30 to 45 seconds can reduce the copper that can accumulate when the household plumbing is not in use. Copper is an essential mineral in the diet. Too much copper, however, can cause health problems. ...There is a great risk of copper contamination from carbonated or acidic beverages that have been in contact with copper tubing, fixtures, or containers. The carbon dioxide used in soft drink dispensers is under pressure. Where it is mixed with the incoming water, there is a potential for carbon dioxide to backflow through the incoming water supply. The carbon dioxide then can corrode copper plumbing, which can add copper to soft drinks. The surest way to prevent the carbon dioxide from contacting copper plumbing pipes is to install a reduced pressure backflow prevention assembly (RPBA). This assembly should be installed on the incoming water supply pipe before the carbon dioxide injection point. Copper piping should not be used past the injection point. (Some utilities may allow the substitution of a dual-check valve with an intermediate vent in place of the RPBA)." Washington State Dept. of Public Health, Jan. 2006

 

Workers blunder at factory costs $11 million "Talk about your bad day  contractor accidentally triggers plant shutdown... A worker who accidentally tripped a shut-off switch at a major Ontario plastics plant will cost the manufacturer $11 million in lost profit, the company said Wednesday. Nova Chemicals Corp. said it will not be able to fulfill some contracts because of the blunder. A contractors employee installing a structural teel platform at an ethylene plant in Corunna, Ontario, mistakenly activated a process shutdown switch Monday afternoon, halting production and forcing two weeks of repairs at the facility. The switch is a safety thing, so if anyone sees something going wrong they have the opportunity to shut down the plant, said Nova spokesman Greg Wilkinson. But thats not what happened here. It was not a safety issue. It was simply inadvertent. ...Nova has launched an investigation into just how the worker hit the button, but the company said its priority is repairing the facility. The worker who made the $11 million mistake, who was not identified, is unlikely to be penalized. Indeed, Wilkinson said he has some sympathy. I cant imagine how that feels, but it has got to be very distressing, he said." MSNBC, June 21, 2006

 

UConn To Fix Project Errors "The University of Connecticut board of trustees Tuesday approved a budget for the coming year that attempts to better manage its aggressive construction program and calls for more faculty for strategic areas. Much of the new $858.1 million budget is designed to address mismanagement, fire code problems and cost overruns in the ongoing $2.3 billion UConn 2000 construction program. The program, which has given the once dilapidated campus a spanking new look, was plagued with problems so severe that the state building inspector ordered fire watches at two new dorm complexes. The problems prompted several investigations, and the governor ordered inspectors to check every dorm and classroom building erected under the UConn 2000 program. The new budget sets aside: $540,000 to hire four new building and fire inspectors and a supervisor. ...It also includes $300,000 for a water backflow prevention monitoring plan and $250,000 for water management activities." Hartford Courant, June 21, 2006

 

Hydrant laws may toughen "Area service authorities are ready to douse illegal use of hydrants - and they have the General Assembly behind them. And while the promise of fines and imprisonment for illegally using a hydrant might seem harsh, in the long run, it might save lives. A House of Delegates bill passed by the General Assembly will make unlawful tampering with waterworks a Class 6 felony, which carries a maximum penalty of five years in jail. Maliciously tampering with hydrants carries a Class 3 felony, which carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a fine up to $100,000. Another bill will allow utility service providers to seek relief and damages from people responsible for tampering or diverting a waterworks source. Tampering is defined as introducing any hazardous physical, chemical, biological, or radiological substance or matter into a waterworks with the intention of harming people. The bills go into effect July 1. ...Damron said that one problem with illegal discharges was that the county had no way of knowing how much money was lost from the stolen water. But the bigger problem, Damron said, is what can wind up in the water when someone uses a hydrant. Its not a question of money, Damron said. Its a question of safety. Damron said that without the proper connector, getting water from a hydrant could result in backflow, introducing harmful bacteria or other chemicals into the water supply. Thats what happened in Roanoke in 1979, when a local pesticide company accidentally introduced the chemical chlordane into a neighborhoods water system. Gary Robertson, executive director of water operations for the Western Virginia Water Authority in Roanoke, said that the chlordane contaminated a significant area of the neighborhood. The city wound up having to replace a good part of the water main in that area, because they could not get the chemical out, Robertson said. ...Sometimes you catch them, sometimes you dont, but we are much more determined to prosecute because situations like this can put the general public at risk, Jones said. Thats your worst nightmare, when you have the major pollution in a water system. You dont know when that might happen, but you dont want any type of dirty water going back into the water system at any time."" The News & Advance, June 19, 2006

 

Boil order continues in Farmington "A boil order was issued Thursday in Farmington after one sample from the water supply tested positive for total coliform bacteria. ...The boil order is for the entire City of Farmington water supply. Roger Woodcock, city administrator, sent a press release announcing the situation. The boil order was issued at 1:40 p.m. Thursday, he noted. Woodcock sent another press release Friday that said the boil order will remain in effect until further notice. ...This is the second boil order issued since a new reverse osmosis treatment system was installed April 13. A boil order was issued after fecal coliform (E. coli) bacteria were found in samples of the water supply on May 25. Precisely where that contamination originated was uncertain, Woodcock said at a city council meeting held later. ...A press release during that situation noted bacterial contamination can occur when increased run-off enters the drinking water source (for example, followed by heavy rains). It can also happen due to a break in the distribution system (pipes and mains), a failure in the water treatment process, or through a cross-connection." The Daily Ledger, June 18, 2006

 

Got a sprinkler system? " If you live in a residence with a lawn sprinkler system or have a commercial business that uses water, be prepared to buy a cross connection control device in the next few months. The device helps to prevent water from backflowing into the water line and contaminating the water supply. If theres a water main break, it can create suction, and contaminated water can flow back into the water line, said Marco Carani, operations and maintenance supervisor for the city of Rifle. This is a prevention device.  Home and business owners are responsible for purchasing their devices, which must also be inspected annually. All devices must be approved, inspected and tested before being turned on. A certified cross connection control technician must test the approved device and have test results sent to the city of Rifle within five working days. The program is not new, but is being enforced now due to the citys growth and stricter regulations by the Colorado Department of Health and Environment. Were just starting to implement it because the state is coming down harder on us, said Charlotte Squires, administrative assistant for the citys planning and public works departments." The Citizen Telegram, June 15, 2006

 

Water shutoffs (scroll down) "...In other business, council passed legislation making it easier to shut off water to commercial and industrial customers who don't have inspections done. The Ohio Environmental Protection Agency requires the city have a program requiring such customers to install backflow valves and have them inspected annually. The valves assure that water in lines at businesses doesn't back up into the potable water supply lines and contaminate the water. Rudy Fabrizio, city superintendent of water and waste water, told lawmakers that the city is required to send three registered letters to customers who don't have the valves or if they aren't inspected before any action can be taken against them. There are 576 customers that require the inspections. To reduce mailing costs and speed the process, two postcards will be sent to the customer. If they don't have the devices installed or inspected, their water will be turned off." Vindy.com, June 8, 2006

 

Spray Park Basics "MS Power Point (required) presentation explains the basics of "splash pad" & "spray park" construction, operation, etc., including backflow preventer requirements.  Schematics show how they can be a backflow hazard..." Hobbs Architectural

 

Plumbing issues delay splash park debut "Patrons can start swimming Saturday at Cantrick Middle School, but they'll have to wait at least another week to splash. The Dick Waters community pool will open at noon Saturday at the Riverview Ave. school. However, a plumbing problem has delayed the opening of the new splash park adjoining the pool. A backflow preventer that averts used water from flowing back into the supply system initially was left out in construction. The part was installed Thursday, with testing on the system expected through the next week. ..."It was a minor oversight," engineering department Director Patrick Lewis said. "We were really pushing and hoping to open both together, but we had to stop and fix it." The preventer keeps the system from cross-contamination that could occur from the two sources mixing. The delay was the latest in a series of setbacks with the splash park project. The plans were pushed back last year while issues in the design of the plumbing were fixed. Construction at the park stopped in early fall when crews, eyeing the approaching winter weather, wrapped up work to avoid the necessary winterizing of plumbing." monroenews.com, June 9, 2006   (also see the below from 2005 and discussion of the problem w/ "splash pads" @ http://abpa.org/bb/viewtopic.php?t=119)

 

Health Official Says Deadly Infection May Be Treatable " Researchers say there might be a new weapon to fight the deadly infection that killed two Tulsa boys last week. Tulsa hospitals now know of the possible new treatment. ...naegleria is caused by an amoeba and it's usually found in warm bodies of fresh water and under-chlorinated pools. If the amoeba gets into the nasal passages, it can be deadly. The two boys killed by the rare infection played at a splash pad at Mohawk Park. And the boys might have also played in other nearby water. Officials believe two small, stagnant ponds next to the pads might be the source of the infection. The water at the splash pad is chlorinated, but city officials drained the area Now a researcher at Oklahoma State University's Center for Health Sciences says a drug might treat the infection. The researcher says Zithromax, which is used to fight other sinus infections, worked the only time it was used in treatment." KOTV.com, Aug. 9, 2005

 

HCWSA Encourages Customers to Install Thermal Expansion Devices "The Henry County Water & Sewerage Authority (HCWSA) is in the process of upgrading existing operations to continue to provide the safest and highest quality drinking water possible for its customers. To continue to ensure this quality of service, the Authority will begin a multi-year program to install backflow prevention devices throughout the county on customer water meters that do not currently have them in place. (This typically includes homes built prior to 2001). ...While protecting a public drinking water system from potential backflow, these devices also seal water off inside a customer's home. As a result, a backflow preventive water meter could create higher pressure on an existing plumbing system (both on the hot water and cold water side). ...As a result of a change in the plumbing code in 2001, all homes built since that time are required to have such thermal expansion devices included in their construction. However, homes built prior to 2001 may not have these capabilities inside the house. Customers should consult a certified plumber if they have any doubts about their plumbing's condition. The HCWSA will not be responsible for any plumbing problems that may arise as a result of non-existing or improperly installed thermal expansion or pressure relief equipment." Henry County Water & Sewerage Authority

 

Water rules futile if pipes old, group says "As new water treatment rules were announced Wednesday for schools and health centres, the sewer and water main construction industry warned that all the testing in the world will be "wasted" unless the pipes carrying the water are modernized. The province's pipes and sewers are dirty and aging because they've exceeded their maximum expected lifespan, said the Ontario Sewer and Watermain Construction Association. Frank Zechner, the group's executive director, said the government's focus on water source protection and state-of-the-art water treatment facilities are commendable, but will be "wasted if they do not also address the pipes delivering that drinking water to homes and workplaces." ..."Our members see this pipe everyday," he said, pointing to chunks of gunk-filled pipes he brought with him to the Ontario legislature. "They know the quality of the pipes that are delivering water to their homes. They are concerned." The samples were pulled out of the ground in parts of eastern Ontario and the Greater Toronto Area earlier this year. Zechner said they remind him of those yanked from Walkerton six years ago after the town's water was contaminated by E. coli when manure leaked into a municipal well and caused the death of seven people and sickened thousands of others. The pipes were not the source of Walkerton's water problems but many had to be replaced as the town's water system was flushed out and fixed. "We had a lot of concerns back at Walkerton when we saw those sections of pipes being pulled out . . . Six years later we're able to pull out a couple other samples they look just as bad, if not worse, as those from Walkerton," he said." ...The Environment Ministry has made water one of its top priorities ushering in the Clean Water Act and bumping up the number of full-time water inspectors. And Wednesday, it unveiled the latest set of water testing regulations, these ones geared at improving quality at schools, day cares and health centres, among other places. But the association, which represents about 700 companies within the sewer and water main construction industry, maintains that the government is only addressing half the problem, since the water has to travel through the aged pipes. "They're falling apart . . . You can address that in part by adding more chemicals into the water to make sure that nothing's flowing in it at the opposite end but that's not the solution," he said." Toronto Star, June 8, 2006

 

Thieves taking the shine out of city parks  also see the video "DENVER - Thieves seem to be keeping the city's parks and other grassy areas from staying green. Due to the increasingly popularity of copper and other precious metals, criminals are now taking copper backflow devices from the underground plumbing around town. "It's becoming a major issue," said Harry H. Hill, Denver's Facility Superintendent. "This affects a lot of the parks, the parkways, and other turf areas throughout the city." Since December, Hill estimates approximately 60 devices have been stolen from underground. It costs the city anywhere from $250 to $1,800 for each one. ...While thefts are generally higher in the winter because the water is shut-off, it makes it difficult for plumbers this time of year to constantly replace the stolen devices. "It's went up quite a bit," said Larry Castillo, a plumber. "It's always been a popular item at the scrap yard." Experts say thieves try and resell the precious metals at local scrap yards, but owners are now on high alert. ...Authorities are coming up with different ways to protect the ...devices  from criminals.  However, once they're stolen, they're hard to trace, even though state law requires them to have a serial number. "There's so many of them, that going through them individually, to try and trace the serial number has been a difficult task," said Hill." 9News.com, June 5, 2006

 

Backflow and Backflow Technologies "Backflow technology is a term that most people in the backflow industry would not first think of when the topic of backflow prevention comes up. Backflow prevention is just the desired goal and different products allow this to be accomplished. However, backflow technology is what sets different manufactures apart from each other. Backflow prevention is the purpose, but the technologies and advancements in how that purpose is accomplished is what distinguishes a quality Backflow Preventer. To understand backflow technology, we must first understand the purpose, which is to prevent backflow. ...The proper selection of a backflow preventer is crucial to insure that the device works properly and is providing adequate protection for the specific application. It must be stressed that these devices are not all equally acceptable as protection against all types of hazards and other factors must be taken into account with each application. For help in figuring out what type backflow preventer is needed for a particular system, check with the local water purveyor or Authority Having Jurisdiction (AHJ) in that area." Plumbing Standards, Jan.-March, 2006

 

Purity of water, backflow at issue "Foster Farms is suing Livingston over how to protect the city's water supply from possible contamination by the poultry plant. City officials want Foster Farms to install backflow protection devices on the wells along the poultry plant's property line. The devices would stop dirty water from streaming into Livingston's drinking supply if the water flow was reversed because of a water main break or pressure drop. But Foster Farms wants to install a device that city officials claim is inadequate, unreliable and could leave drinking water and groundwater vulnerable to contamination. "We have a public health problem in Livingston that needs to be solved," said City Manager Richard Warne. "Given the nature of what's in (Foster Farm's) system  the chicken body parts, pathogens, blood, viruses, toxic chemicals  the city is not going to settle for anything less than the highest level of protection, especially when there's an elementary school across the street." Yamato Colony Elementary School sits across Livingston-Cressey Road from the poultry plant. Warne said Yamato students would be the first victims in the event of backflow contamination. But Foster Farms says the city's demand for an "air gap" backflow prevention device is "overkill," according to spokesman Tim Walsh. "It's like renting a backhoe to plant roses in your back yard," Walsh said. "They want us to put in a system that goes far beyond what's needed and what's required by the state. "It goes beyond industry standards," he said. It's also far more expensive, according to Walsh. The air-gap device the city wants Foster Farms to install would cost $3 million. Foster Farm's version would cost $200,000. ...Livingston hired three consultants to evaluate Foster Farms' backflow protection needs. All agreed that the plant's lack of backflow protection presents a serious concern. One noted that waterlines inside Foster Farms "connect directly to chemical tanks without backflow protection devices, which could lead to chemical contamination of the water supply." Another said that "back pressure could force contaminated water down into the aquifer below Livingston and contaminate even a larger area." ...If Foster Farms refuses to install the air-gap backflow protection device, Livingston will shut off Foster Farms' water supply, City Manager Warne said." modbee.com, June 2, 2006

 

Copper crooks leave parkways to parch "As price of metal soars, irrigation equipment goes missing; other items, too... Call them the copper capers. Since last fall, as commodity prices for metals have skyrocketed, local thieves learned that pilfering metal irrigation equipment from the city's grand parkways is a quicker way to riches than collecting aluminum cans. As a result, large swaths of Denver's lawn-watering efforts on the city's parkways has ground to a halt. Some spots, including along Monaco Parkway, "haven't had water since last year," said parks Superintendent Juan Marsh. And parched parkways are only a slice of the problem. Equipment has been stolen from throughout the city's 4,000 acres of parks and open space, said parks spokeswoman Tiffiany Moehring. The city has been conducting a two-month study to determine the damages, but the audit is not yet complete, she added. The copper contraption that is drawing thieves is called a backflow preventer. It weighs between 20 to 30 pounds. Thieves can get from $20 to $60 at scrap metal prices for the devices, said Denver police analyst Tony Brukhardt.  ...Parks personnel said they believe thefts could be more difficult in summer months when there is water pressure in the lines, Moehring said. Colorado Springs officials have found that, indeed, thefts have slowed during the spring watering season. But three weeks ago, an enterprising thief ripped off a fully pressurized unit, probably getting soaked in the process, Schroeder said. In Denver, an estimated 40 parkway backflow preventers have gone missing - at a replacement cost of from $200 for a small copper unit to $1,800 for large units made of brass. It was enough for Denver City Councilwoman Marcia Johnson to sound the alarm to Mayor John Hickenlooper. The mayor suggested switching to plastic backflow preventers, but parks personnel say no manufacturer makes plastic units."Rocky Mountain News, June 5, 2006

 

Impact fees for Glen (scroll down to the last paragraph) "In other business, the council decided to look into increasing water security... ...The mayor also raised concerns about two town residents who have had their service cut off for delinquent water payments and subsequently have reconnected to their private wells. Norman and Councilman Dickie Foster feared that such actions could cause cross contamination in the system if the backflow valves fail. "If people continue doing it, we might have to make all the town residents abandon their wells. I would hate to do that after we promised them they could keep them for irrigation and car washing," said Padgett. Fining the two home owners, notifying the health department and getting the legal process started are all options that will be explored." The Standard, June 1, 2006

 

Hydrants: Our Largest Infrastructure Threat? "The gray and blue pickup truck moves slowly through the subdivision, the driver glancing in his rearview mirror and looking closely at his surroundings. The sun is high in the morning sky as he drives by two women on their daily cardio walk. Everything is normal on an early April Wednesday. He makes the next turn and finds what he is looking for on the curb, the truck slows and stops. He gets out of the truck, just another employee in his standard issue blue shirt and pants and removes the small vial from his pocket. In less than a minute he is back in the truck pulling away from the squat red hydrant. Now to the airport to await further instructions; his people will be pleased.  The next Wednesday, a few miles away Josh, the stock-boy at the local supermarket, notices the shelves in the pharmacy area are completely out of diarrhea and nausea medicine. He tells Mr. Jacobs, the pharmacist hell be back in a flash to re-stock them. Mr. Jacobs is perplexed; he just stocked those items yesterday. He picks up the phone to call the warehouse and order more. The order clerk at the warehouse informs him that it has been like this all over town, a huge demand on all medicines used to treat diarrhea and nausea.  TWO days later local emergency rooms and hospital beds are filled with people experiencing acute nausea, diarrhea, fever and chills. Four days later the first person dies, evidently from some sort of toxic poisoning. By the end of April the death toll has reached 5,000 while 100,000 critically ill people fill hospital rooms and makeshift wards; the only common denominator, their water supply. Today, the terrifying story above is fiction. However, there are tens of millions of fire hydrants in the United States, every one ostensibly a useful tool to protect us. But in the wrong hands, this outwardly inconspicuous item becomes another tool, a potential weapon of mass destruction. The ease with which a one- or two-person team could use a hydrant to deliver lethal doses of toxins to large populations is frightening. Toxins incorporated into the system via a hydrant could result not only in massive numbers of victims but also in widespread panic in America. Many states have addressed the threats of commercial and residential back-flow; however, the most available and insidious tool that terrorists could use to harm large populations has, up until now, been overlooked from a policy standpoint. The General Accounting Office recently convened 43 nationally recognized water experts and asked them to identify serious vulnerabilities of our drinking water systems. In their GAO-04-29 report to the United States Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works, the GAO stated that those experts identified the distribution system as the most vulnerable component of our drinking water systems and specifically referenced fire hydrants as a top vulnerability.  ...So what practical measures have been taken to make fire hydrants less vulnerable to terrorism? One important development comes from Tom Davidson, a water utility contractor from Sunnyside, Ga., who has invented and patented the Davidson Anti-Terrorism Valve (ATV). This device is a stealth check-valve, internal to the hydrant, that prevents persons from injecting biological or chemical agents into our drinking water via the hydrant." Underground Infrastructure Management March/April 2005  (For more info about the "ATV", go to http://www.defendyourh2o.com/ or http://www.watersecurity.us/   (Also see the following related article)

 

Firefighting Foam Taints Cities' Water "Tap water in 700 Cypress and Stanton households was off-limits for drinking, cooking and bathing Monday after the local water supply was contaminated by a firefighting chemical. Firefighters were using about 15 gallons of SILV-EX foam to extinguish a recycling center blaze Sunday afternoon in the 11200 block of Western Avenue in Stanton when a mixture of foam and water backed up into a fire hydrant, said Capt. Paul Hunter, spokesman for the Orange County Fire Authority. Some residents already had drunk potentially contaminated water  some of which looked clear and some of which looked soapy  before receiving warning notices Monday morning. Officials said there are no significant health risks because any foam that reached a household tap would be in extremely low concentration." LA Times, May 23, 2000

 

Misconduct Taints the Water in Some Privatized Systems "When cities hire firms to run utilities, they seek quality at lower cost. They may get ethics scandals, violations and irate consumers. In recent years, cities across the U.S. have turned over a vital public service  providing safe drinking water  to private enterprise. Driving the trend was the idea that for-profit companies, mainly European conglomerates, could operate water and sewer systems efficiently, keeping water quality high and costs low. In some places, private-sector management helped trim bureaucracies and replace decaying infrastructure, local officials say. But in Indianapolis, New Orleans, Atlanta and other cities, privatization has been accompanied by corruption scandals, environmental violations and a torrent of customer complaints. In Atlanta, residents began complaining of brown, brackish drinking water soon after the French company Suez and a subsidiary began running the water system under a $428-million, 20-year contract. It later emerged that Suez had treated then-Mayor Bill Campbell, who championed the contract, to a $12,000 Parisian holiday. ...A federal grand jury, meanwhile, is investigating allegations that Veolia's Indianapolis unit falsified water-quality data. Peter Gleick, president of the Pacific Institute, an Oakland think tank that studies water issues, said the rhetoric of privatization "has run into the brick wall of reality." "I'm not opposed to privatization. I'm opposed to bad privatization," Gleick said. "If privatization is going to work, there really needs to be clear protection of the public good and clear standards for performance."" KTLA News, May 29, 2006

 

An Introduction to Inflow Prevention "Prior to cross connection and security issues, valve vaults were simply a part of the water distribution system receiving little or no attention unless a problem occurred. With the advent of cross connection issues, more and more municipalities became concerned with the potential for non-potable water entering a pipeline through vault installed air valves. Often, the valve outlets were not piped leaving them exposed to floodwater or other contaminates. Municipalities began to insist that all air valve outlets be piped above grade using a J pipe configuration. However, this proved impractical if not impossible in vaults below streets, etc. and also opened up the possibility of malicious tampering with the J pipe. Additionally, in cold climates the air valve outlet was now exposed to frigid temperatures leading to freezing concerns. Post 9/11, water distribution systems were recognized as one of our nations most vulnerable infrastructure assets. Once again, air valve outlets were recognized as having the potential to allow the entry of contamination into a potable water system. ...Cross contamination and security have brought about many new approaches to protecting our drinking water. One of these is the concept of inflow prevention. Inflow prevention is defined as preventing contaminated water from entering a potable water pipeline or reservoir through an air valve or reservoir vent. Inflow prevention is very similar to backflow prevention in that it impedes contaminated water from compromising drinking water." Plumbing Standards, March 2006 www.ASSE.org

 

How Sanitary is Your Survey? "Imagine if you will that you are standing before a studio audience with four of your closest relatives (including your know-it-all brother-in-law Ed) as that handsome devil Richard Dawson prances across the stage in a strikingly loud plaid suit. Looking directly at you, Richard points at the flashing scoreboard and shouts Name something required every three years by community water systems in order to stay in compliance with EPA regulations? Struggling under the hot studio lights to recall what the trainer had said during the Public Water System Management Training session you recently completed, it dawns on you that the cash and prizes riding on this one question could mean the difference betweenyour Aunt Ruth spending two glorious weeks in Cancun or camped out in your guestroom. While this question probably never came up during any real episodes of the Family Feud gameshow, in this issue of The Safe Drinking Water Trust eBulletin well not only help you answer this exciting question, well also look at ways to prepare your water system so that when state inspectors, or your Aunt Ruth come knocking, youll be prepared. Survey Says. If you shouted Sanitary Survey back at Richard then go ahead and jump around a little bit before reading the rest of this article. ...These reviews by trained water professionals are to be conducted every three years by community water systems and every five years by non-community water systems.  ...Sanitary surveys have been a critical component of many states drinking water programs for decades and are used to prevent and correct any problems that could affect the safety of the water flowing into your customers homes. ...Long before your system receives notice that an inspector will be stopping by to review your operation, its a good idea to complete a self-inspection reviewing each of the nine critical components outlined by the Environmental Protection Agency that will be reviewed during an actual sanitary survey: (including) Distribution: Is drinking water delivered to the consumer in a manner that assures the water is safe when it reaches the tap? What is the physical condition of the distribution system? Cross-Connections: Is there any means for non-potable or contaminated water to enter the distribution system? Are all backflow prevention devices in place and tested regularly?" The Safe Drinking Water Trust, 10/12/05

 

Cross Connection Protection Devices "In the past twenty years, great strides have been taken to protect our potable water supplies, and ultimately public health, through the advancement of mechanical cross connection protection devices, more commonly referred to as backflow preventers. What is a backflow preventer? A backflow preventer is any mechanical device, whether used singly or in combination with  reversal of flow in a potable water distribution system. This article is intended to overview the different types of backflow preventers currently used in the industry and explain their differences." www.asse.org

 

Protection for Post Mix Carbonators "One of the common questions received in the Foundation office has to do with the level of backflow protection needed on post mix soft drink carbonators. The post mix soft drink carbonator takes water and carbonates it using Carbon Dioxide (CO2) from a refillable tank. ...Initially one wonders whether any backflow protection is needed. After all, we drink the sodas dont we? What would be the problem if some soda got into the drinking water? Further investigation shows that the CO2 is under pressure and could, thus, create backpressure into the drinking water system. In such a case when backpressure is present a minimum of a double check valve assembly is typically required. There would, however, seem to be no contaminants (i.e., health hazards) which would warrant a reduced pressure principle assembly. Yet further investigation demonstrates that there is a potential for the CO2 or carbonated water to backflow into the water supply copper piping. This is where the problem occurs. The acidic carbonated water or carbon dioxide may leach the copper out of the copper piping. This may be detected by the discoloration of the water (i.e., blue water), or air (i.e., carbon dioxide) coming out of nearby faucets, or an off-taste in the soft drink being served." USC Cross Talk Reprint (Ed. note; most plumbing codes now require an ASSE 1022 backflow preventer)

 

Protecting 'Pop' "The right dispenser valves are key in protecting beverage consumers. ...Whether you drink soda or pop, have you ever thought about the water quality used to make these beverages?  ...if it is from a drink dispenser, the water supply is an important part of the equation. ...The problem occurs when carbonic acid, which is highly corrosive to copper and copper alloy found in many drink dispensers, reacts to the metal and creates an excess of copper in the water used to produce soda. When this happens, the person consuming the beverage gets a bad drink. Depending on the amount of copper in the water, you can get a terrible stomachache. There are cases of vomiting, as well as trips to the hospital. While I don't know of anyone dying, some attacked by copper poisoning said it felt like they were dying. ...Anytime a potable water line supplying a soft drink can be contaminated, there's concern on the part of the plumbing industry.  ...In the late 1980s, ASSE started a project to establish a standard for a new vented double-check valve to protect the water supply to carbonated beverage dispensers. For years, dispenser manufacturers installed a double-check valve on the water supply inside the units. ASSE 1032 regulates these valves. The problem for the plumbing industry is the valves have no atmospheric vent. Hence, if there is a failure, there is a possibility of carbonic acid flowing back to a copper water line. The new standard was designated ASSE 1022. ...The soft drink industry announced last year (1999) it is switching all new carbonated beverage dispensers to an internal ASSE 1022 device for backflow protection. ...What about the older carbonated beverage dispensers? For the older dispensers, you need to provide an external ASSE 1022 backflow preventer. Whenever you are doing any work in a fast food restaurant, quick shop, restaurant, nightclub or other location with a carbonated beverage dispenser, check to make sure the dispenser has the correct backflow preventer. It needs either an internal or external ASSE 1022 device. Now, for a little secret. If you encounter a dispenser with a built-in ASSE 1032 device, which is the wrong one under new plumbing codes, and no external ASSE 1022 device, have the owner of the facility contact his distributor. The distributor, typically a soda company under contract, will replace the ASSE 1032 device with an ASSE 1022 as a part of its service contract with the facility." pmmag.com, 7/17/2000

 

Vending Machine Pipe Backflow Causes Students' Illness In Haddon Township, N.J. "Backflow from piping in a soda machine has been blamed for causing vomiting and nausea in 14 students at Paul VI High School in Haddon Township, N.J., according to The Philadelphia Inquirer, Philadelphia, Pa. The backflow valve was checked and the piping tested by a vending technician, a school official said. In addition, the water will be tested by the township water department. Editor's Insight: While incidents such as this are rare, vending operators cannot afford to allow this sort of thing to occur. In this case, someone was clearly negligent in servicing this machine." AMonline.com, May 19, 2006

 

Cops: Mayor tapped water customers for sex "WALDRON, Arkansas -- The 72-year-old mayor of this Arkansas town was arrested this week on charges he sought sex from two women in exchange for preventing their water from being turned off. One of the women told investigators she had been having sex with Troy Anderson for money for eight to 10 years, according to an affidavit. She said Anderson paid her $25 per encounter and $60 for a late water deposit. He also allowed her to change the name on her overdue water bill to keep the service running, the affidavit said. ...In January, a second woman with a late water bill wore a recording device when she met the mayor at an apartment to seek his help..." CNN.com, May 18, 2006

 

The Hazard of Unsecured Backflow Preventers (reprinted @ santoi.tripod.com) "Many people are unaware of the potential danger posed by backflow prevention assemblies. Larger facilities can have their potable water contaminated or polluted within seconds. These water users include high-rise buildings, hospitals, commercial centers, restaurants, schools, shopping malls, military bases and commercial properties. Within seconds, a facility could be inadvertantly or intentionally selectively contaminated by virtue of unprotected backflow preventer test cocks. ...Due to the differential pressure across the test cocks (check valves), contaminents can be pulled into the drinking water service line or water service main..." Drinking Water & Backflow Prevention, April 2003

 

Plumber sues, says city retaliated because he exposed corruption "CHICAGO- A plumber filed a federal lawsuit Tuesday accusing the city of retaliating against him because he spoke out about corruption...  Patrick McDonough's lawsuit seeks an unspecified amount in damages and attorneys fees, according to a copy of the complaint filed in federal court in Chicago. A federal investigation into the program where the city outsources hauling work to private companies has resulted in corruption charges against dozens of people. According to McDonough's lawsuit, he reported corruption to the city but it was ignored. His attorneys contend the city retaliated against McDonough by firing him last year for alleged violations of the city's residency rules, but he since has won his job back. The defendants named in McDonough's lawsuit include the city, its water management department, the city's former inspector general Alexander Vroustouris, and Donald Tomczak, a former high-ranking water department official who has pleaded guilty to racketeering... ...At his attorney's office Tuesday, McDonough, 45, said all he wanted was to be left alone and to continue working the city plumbing job he's had since 1999. "I'd like to have a peaceful employment," he said." bellevillenewsdemocrat.com, May 16, 2006

 

Clear choices for clean drinking water "Nearly 30 years after the passage of the Safe Drinking Water Act, the safety of the water we drink is still in the news and on consumers' minds. In March 2003, the nation's water utilities will begin reporting to the federal government on their preparedness in the event of terrorist attack; water-system vulnerability assessments are required by an antibioterrorism bill passed by Congress last year. ...Absent vague threats of bioterrorism, should you be worried about the quality of your drinking water? No, say officials of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), which monitors drinking-water quality. "By and large the drinking water is safe," says Cynthia Dougherty, director of the EPA's Office of Ground Water and Drinking Water. "In the U.S. we have some of the most reliable water systems in the world." In reality, our systems may be reliable, but they're not perfect. Incidents of contamination do occur." ...While most drinking water is safe, the EPA says that in 2001, about 3,200 water systems in the U.S.--mostly systems that serve small populations--reported at least one health-based violation." Consumer Reports

 

Cross-Connection Monitoring and Control Program "The Federal Safe Drinking Water Act states that the supplier of water is responsible for the quality of water at the user's tap. Although cross-connections are not specifically mentioned in the act, this quality assurance clause places the burden of cross-connection control on the owner of the distribution system. There have been numerous court cases in which customers have taken civil action against a water supplier because the supplier was found negligent... Despite these facts, many water utility employees are not concerned with the possibility of a cross-connection within their system. ...The chances for a cross-connection are not as remote as they may seem. There are thousands of cross-connections installed daily throughout the country." Drinking Water & Backflow Prevention, Feb. 1984

 

Clean water a basic human right "But Canada disagrees, and backs privatizing it... A key issue in the world today is water. Two million people die unnecessarily every year from lack of clean water. Each day, 6,000 children die from water-borne diseases. Canadians strongly believe that water must stay under public stewardship so as to meet the needs of people and the planet.  The UN Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights agrees. It says that water is a human right and that governments have a responsibility to provide clean water to all citizens. Without any public debate, the Canadian government has, however, taken a position against the human right to water. Canada was the only country to take this stand at a 2002 meeting of the UN Human Rights Commission, saying: "Canada does not accept that there is a right to drinking water and sanitation." ...At the same time as Canada opposes the human right to water at the UN, it has no problem at the World Bank supporting the forced privatization of water in developing countries, a policy which has caused immense suffering, illness and deaths. ...More than 230,000 Canadians have sent cards to our prime ministers calling on the government to recognize water as a human right and oppose its privatization. The Canadian government (both present and previous) has ignored them.  ...key decisions, hostile to human rights, are being made behind closed doors. This is not the way it's supposed to happen in a democracy." TheStar.com, May 12, 2006

 

Health aspects of plumbing "The World Health Organization and the World Plumbing Council present this publication on health aspects of plumbing noting that sustainable health, especially for children, is not possible without access to safe drinking-water and basic sanitation facilities. This publication describes the processes involved in the design, installation and maintenance of effective plumbing systems. It recommends a number of plumbing system design and installation specifications that have demonstrated their validity from years of experience. It also examines the microbiological, chemical, physical and financial risks associated with plumbing, outlines the major risk management approaches that are used in the plumbing industry and emphasizes the importance of measures to conserve supplies of safe drinking-water. ...Any water piping installation where there is a possibility that a harmful substance may gain access to a drinking-water supply must have a backflow protection device installed. ...Dangers associated with hose connections are more insidious because precautions against contamination depend on the user rather than the installer and consequently are much more difficult to control." Published jointly by the World Health Organization and the World Plumbing Council, 2006

 

10 million germs wait at the office "You're eyeing those sweaters in the closet with impatience, itching to put them away and plunge into major spring cleaning. Packing, storing, dusting, swabbing. Washing, wiping, sudsing, soaking. It'll feel so good. And then you'll go off to work -- where germs rule. The maintenance staff at the office may vacuum the floor and clean the restrooms. But your desk? It's a petri dish, baby. A cubicle of microscopic crud. Your telephone? A bacteria bacchanal. Computer keyboard? Just plain nasty. According to a recent study conducted by the University of Arizona, all that time you spend at the office is a veritable communion with grime. ``We spend more and more time at our desks, but we haven't learned to bring the hygiene habits we have at home to the office,'' said Charles Gerba, the microbiologist who led the research, sponsored by Clorox. On average, he said, office workers' hands come in contact with 10 million bacteria a day, germs that can give you the flu, a cold or intestinal disease. ...If you're an accountant, a teacher or a banker, brace yourself. You are a member of the germiest professions. In the study, teachers' desks ranked highest in germ infestation, with 17,800 bacteria per square inch. As comparison, Gerba says, food-service establishments with a rating over 700 are usually considered dangerously unclean. Accountants' desks and telephones averaged 6,030 bacteria per square inch, and bankers', 5,400. ...Philip Tierno, director of clinical microbiology at Tisch Hospital in New York and author of the book The Secret Life of Germs, says the numbers in the Arizona study come as no surprise. ``We're a society bathed in bacteria, and that certainly goes for the office,'' he said, adding that some of the scariest things at work are those everybody touches, such as the fax machine, the copier, and the elevator buttons. "The button for the first floor is the worst,'' Tierno said. "Think about it. At the end of the day, everybody touches it. Don't reach for it anymore. Let someone else.'' Akron Beacon Journal, March 27, 2006

 

Cross-Connection Control at Army Installations "The purpose of this Public Works Technical Bulletin (PWTB) is to provide an overview of cross-connection control and backflow prevention at Army installations with particular emphasis on regulatory aspects, technical guidelines and major elements of cross-connection control program. ...Under the Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA), a water supplier is responsible for preventing polluted or contaminated water, gas, or other substances from entering a public drinking water system. US Army regulations mandate that potable water at all Army installations meets the SDWA and State and local regulations. In addition, Army regulations require particular methods and procedures be followed in the design, operation, and maintenance of potable water systems, and mandate compliance with specific technical guidelines. The development of an organized program that identifies, controls, and/or eliminates the interconnections (cross-connections) between drinking water systems (potable) and other water systems of questionable quality (nonpotable) is also required. To comply with these requirements, a Cross-Connection Control Program must be developed, implemented, and maintained." DEPARTMENT OF THE ARMY U.S. Army Corps of Engineers 

 

Write on ... and on and on "Persecuted. Paranoid. Hero. Crackpot. Watchdog. Whiner. Depending on the beholder, any of those words could be used to describe Ben Frick, a 69-year-old Salina native who makes it his business to keep an eye on local government. Armed with a camera and a keen eye, Frick goes to and fro in Salina, looking for anything that appears to be amiss. And if Frick does miss something, he claims to have a huge network of like-minded people who are eager to point out to him any perceived governmental errors or abuses of taxpayer money. You cant believe how many people stop me and say, Ben, do you got a second?  Frick said, because they cant speak up because of their job, because of retaliation. If you think Im the mastermind of all these things, youve got to be kidding. The things he was referring to were letters, hundreds of them, that he has sent to city hall over the years. Letters that question, probe, complain and, sometimes, taunt. ...Frick said being a governmental gadfly has cost him in several ways. In years past, especially, he claims to have been hassled by the city on several issues, most notably an inspection of the Phoenix, a motel at 100 N. Fifth that he and his wife, La Velle, bought in 1993. With all the inspections they put on the Phoenix complex, the first year and a half to two years was horrible, Frick said. They were checking every backflow device, every stool, everything, every room separately. Were the only motel in the state of Kansas that ever had every room inspected. Normally, they only inspect three rooms out of 100." saljournal.com, May 7, 2006

 

(From the NY Times Archives) TALKING: Water; Improving Quality in A Building "CONSULTING engineers are finding that a growing number of high-rise New York City cooperatives and condominiums are failing to conduct the annual water tower inspections mandated by the city's Health Code -- an oversight that can prove hazardous in the long run, they say. ...The introduction of these techniques coincides with the city's move to enforce more strictly a 10-year-old (in 1990) state regulation designed to prevent the backflow into the city's water mains of chemically treated water from buildings' heating and cooling systems. Though most of these systems have valves to prevent back flows, many are old and defective. Any building found to be a "high risk user" could end up having to spend $6,000 or more to install the required mechanical prevention system. Further, residents in some buildings are growing so troubled by the quality of the water that flows through their taps that they are deciding to install their own personal water cleansers or purifiers. ...Ideally ...the annual checkup should include draining, maintaining and cleaning the roof water tank, inspecting the water pipes and pumping systems and analyzing the water coming into the building. Increasingly, he added, it should also include making sure the chemically treated water in the mechanical systems is not leaking back into the city's water mains. Concern about the impact of these leaks is one reason the city is insisting that prevention systems be installed in certain buildings where the potential for such pollution exists, said Stanley Goldstein, chief of the city's two-year-old Cross Connection Control Unit." NY Times, 11/18/90

 

Wapato trash pickup will cost less (scroll down) "...The measures are part of a larger housecleaning the city has undertaken, Pearson said. Two years ago, broken and malfunctioning water meters were found throughout town. Crews since have been working to replace them. ...In conjunction with replacing water meters, the city plans to begin installing new backflow valves, which keeps contaminants from flowing back into the water system. Backflow valves, which look similar to a water meter, are required by state law in some commercial uses, Potter said. Underground sprinkler systems, for example, must be equipped with backflow valves. City officials won't know how many backflow valves will need to be installed or what the costs will be until an assessment is done, Potter said. Part of the project will be to educate the public on who does and doesn't need backflow valves, he said. "We're excited about it and we're getting a lot of cooperation from our citizens throughout town," he said." yakimaherald.com, May 3, 2006

 

Most Wanted: Answers to Facility Issues "We no longer consider a biological terrorist attack on U.S. soil a remote possibility, rather a reality. For our sake, we hope that is years away, because we have a lot to do to be prepared for minimizing the consequence of such an event. Medical examiners will once again play a key role in responding to the next attack, whether involving a threat biologic agent or otherwise. Accordingly, your capacity to respond against potentially biohazardous risks is critical in protecting your life and the lives around you. While preparing for biological terrorism involves addressing some complex issues, the focus of this article is only on biological containment in medical examiner facilities. ...Current published biological containment design guidelines relate primarily to research laboratories working with known pathological hazards within highly controlled environments. Researchers in academic, corporate, and government facilities across the county are safely working in well designed biological containment environments with known agents. But what about unknown dangers possibly present in medical examiner facilities? Every medical examiners office faces the challenge of discovering the unknown threat from mass causalities or a single entity. To do that in most of todays autopsy/morgue facilities is absurd. This should give you pause to consider how your facility can better prepare you to deal with unknown threats.  ...Piped utilities (power, plumbing, data, etc.) brought through the containment barrier to supply the containment area must be effectively sealed. Techniques employed to create this seal include welding to flanges imbedded in concrete walls to seal any gap, filling electrical conduits with epoxy, and individual back flow prevention in water piping. Sealing penetrations is very important in high level containment." Forensic Magazine, Nov. 2005

 

Straight Talk on Cross Connections (free reqistration required) "The idea that harmful substances could be slowly invading our nation's water supply sounds like something straight out of a low-budget horror movie. However, it is a possibility that all water systems, regardless of size, need to address. When "yellow gushy stuff" began pouring out of water faucets in a sleepy Pennsylvania community a few years ago there wasn't a movie director around to yell "cut" when people started getting ill. Without Superman or Wonder Woman to step onto the scene and "save the day," the water system of a 75-unit apartment complex was quickly infiltrated by the mysterious "yellow" substance. Was this a case of alien invaders or mutant creatures from the "black lagoon" seeking to destroy the planet? No, in fact it turned out to be a much spookier scenario. According to investigators, the yellow substance residents discovered "oozing" out of their faucets turned out not to be a mind-controlling ectoplasm, but rather a combination of pesticides that had been siphoned into the public water system through a hose that had been left in a local exterminator's tank truck. When a nearby waterline was cut, a siphon (or backflow) was created, which pulled the poisonous chemical cocktail into the water hose that was connected to the community's water distribution system.  Had the community clearly understood the dangers associated with cross connections, this tale might have had a happier ending. In this issue of the Safe Drinking Water Trust eBulletin we'll take a look at the need for Cross Connection Control policies and programs to protect your customers and keep your community from ending up featured in a bad movie script." The Safe Drinking Water Trust, Oct. 12, 2005

 

Water compliance runneth low "More than 300,000 people in Allen County depend on clean, safe water coming out of their taps every day for drinking, cooking and cleaning, but only a small minority of public water systems have complied with water testing requirements in the last five years to ensure water quality. ...Twenty-four systems had health violations, according to the EPA, meaning contaminants in the water posed an imminent health risk.  ...We require every system that has any violation  to notify their customers what violation they have and what they are planning to do to correct the violation, Lao said. ...The Federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention statistics show 419 outbreaks of illness from contaminated drinking water between 1980 and 1998. But most of the estimated 511,000 people sickened in those outbreaks were from one case: the 1993 Cryptosporidium outbreak in Milwaukee. Experts say the risk of thousands or even hundreds of thousands of people being sickened by one source is what makes testing so important. They also believe the number of people sickened is underestimated, because most healthy adults who contract a waterborne illness will have only mild symptoms and not report it." FortWayne.com, May 1, 2006

 

Green pioneers  Noe Valley spec house touts conservation, including rain catchment system "Even before its buyers move in, a new Noe Valley home touted by its builders as "the greenest house in San Francisco" is bringing down some walls -- in San Francisco's Department of Building Inspection, that is. ...The 2,600-square-foot house on Clipper Street showcases every high-end Earth-friendly feature ...including the city's first approved rooftop rain catchment system. The system, by Mount Shasta's Wonderwater Inc., collects an average of 18,000 to 20,000 gallons of annual rainfall, cleans it and stores it in tanks below the house to be used to flush toilets, wash clothes and water gardens. ..."But it needs to be looked at by other departments in the city -- Health, Building, Planning all need to be heard from before we form a strict policy on this. I don't know where this is going to go in terms of policy, but it's high on my list for our next meeting of managers." City concerns, Farrow said, would include "natural fallout from the air -- from exhaust or chemicals -- that makes the water unsafe for drinking," plus cross-contamination with the drinking water supply or with the municipal water supply. Kerwin said he and his partners wiped sweat off their brows when recently retired chief plumbing inspector Dennis King applied those concerns to their application and said, "no" and "no" and finally "yes" last year." San Francisco Chronicle, April 22, 2006

 

Thermal Expansion Fact Sheet "The purpose of this page is to inform you about the potential for  thermal expansion in certain older buildings, in order to help you avoid possible damage to your plumbing system. In 1984 the City of Snoqualmie adopted a cross-connection ordinance and began an active program to control cross-connections in accordance with Washington State Health Department requirements. As part of the program, water meters are routinely installed with check valves, and certain high-risk premises are isolated by backflow prevention assemblies. Backflow prevention assemblies are intended to protect the public health by preventing the reversal of water flow from a private plumbing system back into the public water system. The water heater in your building goes through a recovery process each time hot water is used. Normally this process occurs several times daily; depending on how often hot water is demanded. When cold water is heated it expands. This is known as thermal expansion. A check valve, backflow assembly, or pressure reducing valve can make the plumbing system a closed system that prevents the heated/expanded water from being forced back into the public distribution system. Since the public system does not provide a cushion to absorb the pressure buildup within the private plumbing/ water heater, excessive pressure can occur in the private plumbing system. ...Some experts even warn that repeated uncontrolled thermal expansion could collapse the center flue in a gas-fired water heater, creating a hazardous presence of carbon monoxide gas or even a water heater explosion. Historically, water heaters have been equipped with a T&P relief valve even before the advent of cross-connection control measures. However, this valve is an emergency relief valve designed to prevent explosion of the tank and is not intended to compensate for thermal expansion during the normal heating and cooling cycles." City of Snoqualmie, April 28, 2006

 

BOROUGH COUNCIL TASK FORCE PROPOSES THERMAL EXPANSION TANK REBATE PROGRAM "A Task Force was assigned by Borough Council to investigate the issue of back flow prevention valves and the resulting thermal expansion such valves cause. This action was taken as a result of residents concerns that were brought to Councils attention. The Task Forces goal was that a more comprehensive solution be drafted as a result of issues that arose from the Water Meter Replacement Project. Specifically, that the back flow prevention valves, included in the Project at the request of the Middletown Borough Authority, and strongly recommended by PaDEP, were causing dangerous plumbing conditions for our residents. ...At this point, knowing that these valves have now been installed in some 1,850 homes, and because they fully support their installation, the Task Force believes the Borough should insure that they were installed safely and allow homeowners the opportunity to bring their plumbing back into full compliance with the newly adopted ICC Uniform Plumbing Code. ...WHEREAS, upon discovery of thermal expansion issues, the Borough has suspended installation of backflow prevention valves on the remaining 750 or more residential systems subject to the Replacement Project until thermal expansion issues in such systems are addressed " Middletown Borough, April 27, 2006

 

Truth is stranger than fiction "Elections are a vital part in the exercise of democracy. People have the power to choose their leaders and recall the ones who are not serving the best interest of the majority. In small-town America, elections can be tricky and sometimes humorous since everybody seems to know everybody. For that reason, it can be difficult to run for office as well. Florida had its infamous hanging chads. Logan County has its own share of election stories. A smaller population equals more personal relationships with constituents. ...In Merino in 2004, the mayor and council members were engaged in a discussion regarding the state's new requirements on cross-connection control and backflow prevention program. The special meeting's discussion went nowhere as politicians battled it out on the council floor. Some were confused and some were persistent in the discussion of the new requirements. Voices were raised and tempers flared, and according the Journal-Advocate's article of September 2004, the mayor excused himself, left for the restroom and relieved himself with the door wide open for everyone to hear. Two years later, the incumbent mayor was defeated on a 3-1 margin by Leslie Rhodes. He will be sworn in on the first Monday in May." Journal-Advocate, April 26, 2006

 

Farm accused of injecting waste into aquifer "Two state agencies have filed a lawsuit against a Cassia County farmer and feedlot manager, accusing them of injecting animal waste into the regions aquifer. The Idaho State Department of Agriculture and the Department of Environmental Quality filed the suit against Cory and Vicki King and their partner, Chris Drakos of Blackfoot. The three own and operate the 16,000-acre Double C Farms and feeding operation southeast of Burley, The Times-News reported. The agencies claim that workers with the Department of Environmental Quality found five water quality violations during an inspection on May 23, 2005. The five alleged violations include a breach in the berm of the feedlots waste lagoon  which allowed wastewater to run into an irrigation pond  and two backflow prevention valves that had been installed backward on irrigation wells. Inspectors also found that wastewater was being injected into the aquifer through an irrigation well." Capital Press, April 23, 2006

 

PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS California legislators pass a bill (surprise, unknown to the backflow officials there) that "...would require the department (State Dept. of Health Services) to adopt regulations by January 1, 2008, setting forth standards for the voluntary installation (emphasis added) of approved real-time, continued-monitoring, sensing devices on backflow protection valves that may be installed by public water systems in lieu of annual testing." aroundthecapitol.com

 

Town Comprehensive Plan approved "After a year of public forums and contentious debate, the Washington Town Council has voted to approve an updated Comprehensive Plan for the town. ...During the drafting process, the plan's outline for Washington's future wastewater system received the most attention, but the final Comprehensive Plan is more than that. ...The Washington Town Council approved a Cross Connection ordinance at their April meeting. The ordinance authorizes the administration and enforcement of a yearly Cross Connection Survey, mandated by Virginia's health department. A cross connection occurs when a network of pipes that conduct drinking water out from a municipal water system are linked by pipes or tanks or even runoff to sources of hazardous water. ...As part of the survey, ESS will inspect outside spigots, wells and cross connection danger areas belonging to town residents. According to Herd, danger areas would include any business or resident who deals with large volumes of contaminated liquids, such as private darkrooms, undertakers, and restaurants. For the survey, ESS will inspect these location's water systems, and make sure any places where they join with town water are protected..." TimesCommunity.com, April 19, 2006 

City cuts water to mobile home park "At least 80 mobile home residents didn't have water for almost three hours Friday afternoon. The city of Yuma public works department shut off the water to Fair Acres mobile home park, 1161 Avenue C, at about noon. The water was shut off because the park's landlord, Phil Seward, refused to comply with the city's rules for tests for water backflow devices, city officials said. In 1992, the Yuma City Council approved backflow prevention regulations requiring that all backflow devices be tested by a city-approved tester once a year. The cost of the test is about $50. ..."I fully agree I can't contaminate their water. If the city is going to require it, why doesn't the city check it?" Seward said. "Why are they using my checkbook to protect their water? I think it's an overexercise of authority." Seward refused to conduct the test because his property is not within the city limits and he says it's not subject to the city's rules. The city has no jurisdiction over his property, Seward said.. "They don't have the right to enforce city ordinances in the county," he said. "My whole objection is that I'm in the county." Although Seward is on county land, he is connected to city water. In order to receive city water, Seward signed a contract agreeing to adhere to all city regulations related to water distribution, city spokesman James Stover said."  YumaSun.com, April 15, 2006

 

Water safety devices required "Not many people realize it, but the machines that dispense carbonated drinks could have an unintended but serious effect on water quality. If carbonated water flows from the machine back into the plumbing system, it ends up sitting in the plumbing's copper pipes, said John Lins, a cross connection control administrator for Des Moines Water Works.That sitting carbonated water can produce carbonic acid, Lins explained. Dispensed into beverages, the carbonic acid can give a business several unhappy customers. ...Des Moines Water Works wants to work with Windsor Heights business owners to prevent water from backing up into their plumbing systems. Water Works officials are raising awareness of "backflow preventers," devices that prevent water from backing up into the plumbing and possibly contaminating the water supply. The Water Works has prepared a required survey for residents on water usage. The survey is a first step toward getting backflow prevention devices installed in city businesses. Iowa law requires businesses to have backflow preventers." Des Moines Register, April 10, 2006 

 

Water Pollution is Key Environmental Worry in U.S. "Many adults in the United States believe the protection of the water supply is the top environmental concern, according to a poll by Gallup. More than 50 per cent of respondents say they worry a great deal about the pollution of drinking water, the contamination of soil and water by toxic waste, and the pollution of rivers, lakes, and reservoirs. The maintenance of the nations supply of fresh water for household needs is next on the list of concerns with 49 per cent..." angusreid, April 9, 2006

 

Tanks a must on new homes "TOOWOOMBA City Council has made it compulsory for water tanks to be installed on all new homes. Existing home owners can get a $500 rebate on a recently purchased rainwater tank of 5000 litres (1100) or more and if it's connected to an internal toilet. ....When rainwater is connected to the same household plumbing that is also used for town water, an approved backflow prevention device must be installed to prevent accidental flow of untreated rainwater into the town water reticulation system." Toowoomba Chronicle, April 7, 2006

 

Cross Connections can create Health Hazards "...Most water systems in the United States and Canada have good sources of water and/or sophisticated treatment plants to convert impure water to meet drinking water standards. Millions of dollars are spent to make the water potable before it enters the distribution system so most water purveyors think that their supplies are not in jeopardy from this point on. Studies have proven this to be wrong. Drinking water systems may become polluted or contaminated in the distribution system through uncontrolled cross connections. Cross connections are installed each day in the United States because people are unaware of the problems they can create. Death, illness, contaminated food products, industrial and chemical products rendered useless are some of the consequences of such connections. As a result, many hours and dollars are lost due to cross connections." Brochure by the AWWA Pacific Northwest Section

Huntsville Utilities gets jump on state water rule "Backflow devices already in place, won't cost extra...  Huntsville water customers won't be doused with a rate increase because of a new state-required device on household water meters to prevent accidental contamination of the water supply. That's because Huntsville Utilities has already been updating its water meters with now-required backflow prevention devices - long before the new regulation. "This is a program we've been doing for a number of years," said Bill Yell, a spokesman for Huntsville Utilities. "We did it because we felt it was good water service practice. Now, the regulations are saying you have to do it." Yell said the utilities will not raise water rates to comply with the new rule. ...ADEM in January tightened its regulations for backflow metering of individual water meters. The devices are designed to prevent individual water lines from accidentally contaminating the water supply. Hand said many smaller systems are closer to compliance. Larger public water systems have been slower, probably because of the volume and cost, he said. He said Monday the department is meeting with many of the larger systems to discuss implementation plans. ...Yell said a policy aimed at commercial customers and new installations is being more aggressively enforced for existing residential customers. Huntsville Utilities has replaced thousands of meters during service calls with the $25 backflow prevention part, he said." (No mention of thermal expansion tanks or relief valves being required!!) The Huntsville Times, April 4, 2006    Also see.... What is Thermal Expansion? "When water is heated it expands. ...Since water is not compressible, the extra volume created by expansion must go someplace. During no-flow periods in a system, pressure reducing valves, backflow preventers, and other one-way valves are closed, thus eliminating a path for expanded water to flow back to the system supply. ...Thermal expansion of water in a closed plumbing system can create a number of annoying and potentially dangerous problems."   Also, to review the problems another city had, see.....

Council halts water valve installation "The Middletown Borough Council agreed last night to give discounts on retroactive water bills but decided to stop installing backflow prevention valves in borough residences until safety concerns are resolved. The council was expected to vote last night on a $50 rebate for residents who need to upgrade their water heating systems to counteract possible water pressure problems caused by the valves. After remarks by Councilman Christopher McNamara and some residents, the council voted unanimously to stop the valve installation and form a task force to determine how to deal with the situation. The retroactive bills and water-pressure concerns were precipitated by the borough's $1.1 million project to install digital water meters and backflow prevention valves in homes and businesses. ...McNamara said backflow prevention valves can cause an increase in water pressure when the hot-water tank is heating. He said the borough might have violated construction codes by installing the valves without installing thermal expansion tanks to counteract the increase in pressure.  Some residents told the council that their hot water tanks ruptured or that pipes began leaking after the valves were installed.  ..."You're installing a bomb in my house," said Ned Eppinger, who has not allowed the meter and valve to be installed.  ...it was estimated that only 2 percent of homes would need thermal expansion tanks, and residents were advised to watch for signs such as a dripping relief valve on the hot-water tank, creaking noises in plumbing or water surges.  "Nobody did their homework," Bowman said. "Thermal expansion is everywhere there is hot water. It's not 2 percent; it's 100 percent." The Patriot-News, May 3, 2005

C.P might inspect lawn-watering systems CROWN POINT: Ordinance would impose fees, fines to prevent water pollution "The city is taking an extra step to protect residents' drinking water. The City Council is scheduled to have a public hearing Monday on an ordinance regulating the installation of in-ground lawn irrigation systems. The idea is to make sure companies or people who install the systems take proper precautions to prevent backflow, or the contamination of the public water supply. Lawn irrigation systems, which are becoming more prevalent in the city, can cause contamination by spreading the chemicals people spray on their lawns or any other runoff or spills... The City Council passed an ordinance last year requiring installers of irrigation systems to provide backflow tests in compliance with city and state standards prior to starting up new or modified systems. Property owners also have to provide tests to show compliance before starting up existing systems. Despite the threat of fines for violations, Carden said he wasn't getting test results until he told people he would have to turn off their water. The new ordinance would require people who install or maintain a system to apply for a $50 lawn-irrigation installation license and a $100 permit for each location from the city clerk-treasurer. The city also will require an inspection of the system by the Water Utility Department. Penalties will range from $250 to $2,500. " Northwest Indiana News, April 2, 2006

 

City at first rejected 2 for inspector jobs "When the young sons of two high-ranking union officials turned up on the city payroll as building inspectors in 2004, an embarrassed Mayor Richard Daley said the city had been duped. But court records show the city initially rejected the pair as unqualified, only to approve them after they were allowed to submit new job applications. The revised and embellished applications made the two men appear qualified for their $50,000-a-year jobs. Federal authorities investigating City Hall corruption are now looking into the hiring of building inspectors in summer 2004. ...The Daley administration has repeatedly denied that politics played a role in the hirings. On Thursday, Daley spokeswoman Jacquelyn Heard said she could not explain why the discrepancies between the applications failed to raise a red flag.  ...One charge in the new indictment stemmed from the process of hiring building inspectors in 2004. The indictment alleged that mayoral aides Robert Sorich and Timothy McCarthy were involved in a scheme to deny a building inspector's job to a non-favored applicant..." Chicago Tribune, March 10, 2006 

 

Mass. Police Investigate Possible Contamination "Police arrested three teenagers in connection with a break-in at a water facility as more than 9,000 area residents waited Wednesday for testing to determine whether their drinking water had been contaminated.  Someone cut the barbed wire around the facility late Monday, cut lines to an alarm, and then damaged an electrical panel and a vent at the top of a 1.3-million-gallon storage tank, authorities said.  A 5 gallon container with a strange odor was found on top of the storage tank, said Ed Coletta, a spokesman for the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection." wfsb.com, March 29, 2006

 

Homeowners may have to pay to protect drinking water "The common complaint by big industry and municipalities of unfunded government mandates now is falling to residents under a provision of the Clean Water Act and likely will cost some homeowners about $1,000. IDEM's Cross Connection Control Program is a provision of the federal Clean Water Act. The state program is intended to protect drinking water from accidental contamination when the system has other uses. The rule applies to businesses such as car washes, hospitals and waste water facilities -- but also to residential lawn sprinkler systems and hot tubs. When a water supplier loses water pressure, the community's water sources essentially serve as the water tower. When someone turns the handle on a faucet, it creates a vacuum and water is sucked from the pipes, sprinkler systems, pools, hot tubs and hot water heaters on people's properties. If the water is under 140 degrees, bacteria can be drawn into the public drinking-water supply. Compliance with the IDEM rule, which went into effect in December 2005, involves installing a backflow-prevention device that keeps potentially contaminated water from entering the drinking-water system, generally at a cost of about $1,000 per home. ..."People with pools, automatic sprinkler systems and things like that especially need to be aware of it," Nash said. The program was not implemented in response to any one incident, but fears of contaminated water last summer caused lengthy boil orders and business closures locally when Indiana American Water lost pressure due to a power failure at the Ogden Dunes plant." nwitimes.com, March 29, 2006

 

Water prices going up even more by 2007 "Birmingham Water Works customers will bear the expense of a new state requirement that will cost the system $3 million a year, officials said Monday. The latest requirement from the Alabama Department of Environmental Management calls for installing backflow devices on water lines. The devices are designed to prevent individual water lines from accidentally contaminating the water supply. The devices are easily installed with new water lines, but the expense comes with retrofitting existing lines, said Sonny Jones, assistant general manager of engineering and maintenance. The rule went into effect in January, but the Water Works was granted an extension through July as it searches for a suitable device to retrofit existing meters. To pay for the equipment, the system's customers in Jefferson, Shelby, Blount, Walker and St. Clair counties will see their bills increase about 65 cents a month in addition to an anticipated 7.75 percent increase in January 2007. ...The Water Works serves about 200,000 residential and commercial accounts...  ...Nobody in the state had any idea they were going to come out with this," Jones said. "This is an unfunded mandate that is being pushed down by ADEM to all the water utilities in the state." The Water Works replaces 12,000 to 15,000 meters a year and the new devices must be added whenever a meter is replaced, according to the new regulations. Jones said an additional expense is created if the meter's ground box must also be replaced to make room for the new equipment. The Water Works will have to hire an additional 14 employees to install meters and maintain records of what meters have been retrofitted, Jones said. Meters are replaced every 15 years, while the devices are replaced every seven years." The Birmingham News, March 28, 2006

 

STATE OF CONNECTICUT Cross Connection Control Manual "This manual is provided as a guidance to the water purveyor. The water purveyor may have requirements which exceed the regulations as stated in this manual. ...The Cross Connection Control Manual has been prepared by the Department of Public Health (DPH) Drinking  Water Division (DWD) with the assistance of the Cross Connection Control Committee of Connecticut Section of the American Water Works Association to help inspection officials who are responsible for the safety of the water supply within the distribution system. The manual will aid in defining the legal requirements of surveillance, delineate the procedures, identify the problem areas and possible points of contamination, provide types of equipment available for use to aid in protecting a water supply distribution system and list sources of other information available for more detailed study in this area." Department of Public Health Drinking Water Division

 

 Reclaimed Water Cross Connection Incidents  "Here is the list of recycled water incidents that were both discovered and reported to California State Health. While the Safe Water Reuse Foundation appreciates the work that has gone into the compilation of this list, we believe the nature of cross-connections leads to this list being incomplete. Many cross-connections are not reported, and those involving recycled water are more likely to be so because of the similar physical and chemical appearance to potable water...."   Safewaterreuse.org

 

 The Shutdown Test: Impediment or Insurance  "Just what is a cross-connection control recycled water shutdown test? Is it that dreaded impediment to the use of recycled water that some sectors claim or is it a necessary part of the overall successful promotion and use of recycled water?"  Safewaterreuse.org