NEW YORK STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH OFFICE OF PUBLIC HEALTH CENTER FOR ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH TECHNICAL REFERENCE	ITEM NO: PWS 12	DATE: 11/15/1994
	SUBJECT: Cross-Connection Control Policy for Single or Dual Family Residential Customers Part 5-1.31 NYCRR

Purpose

The purpose of this document is to outline the Department’s cross-connection control policy for single or dual family residential customers.

Background

The Department has historically considered single or dual family residential customers to be non-hazardous facilities that do not generally require containment in accordance with Part 5-1.31 of the New York State Sanitary Code. The New York State Uniform Fire Prevention and Building Code (UFP&BC) governs residential cross-connections in these cases.

The Department is particularly concerned, however, with the potential for back-flow into the public water supply system from those residential customers having auxiliary water supplies, lawn sprinkler and irrigation systems and other miscellaneous residential water uses. The Department’s policy is outlined below. More stringent requirements may exist at the local level.

Policy

1. Auxiliary Water Supplies

Where a single or dual family residential customer served by a public water supply system has or proposes to install an auxiliary water supply (i.e., well, cistern, spring, etc.), the supplier of water shall protect the public water supply system against backflow by requiring the customer to perform one of the following:

1. Permanently disconnect the auxiliary water supply from any direct connection to the public water supply system. An inspection to determine compliance with this requirements shall be made by the supplier of water, local plumbing or building code enforcement official, or their designee. The frequency of inspections shall be at the initial time of disconnection and at periodic intervals thereafter (i.e. every three to five years).

2. Abandon the auxiliary water supply in a manner acceptable to the State or local health department.

3. Install an approved reduced pressure zone (RPZ) device at the public water supply service connection in accordance with Section 5-1.31 of the State Sanitary Code.

4. Analyze water from the auxiliary supply to determine quality in accordance with Sections 5-1.51 and 5-1.52 of the State Sanitary Code. The sampling frequency shall be acceptable to the State or local health department. At any time that water quality parameters are exceeded, one of the first three alternatives shall apply.
2. Lawn Sprinkler and Irrigation Systems

   Where a single or dual family residential customer served by the public water supply system has or proposes to install a lawn sprinkler or irrigation system, the minimum required backflow protection to prevent backsiphonage shall be vacuum breaker in accordance with Part 902.3 (i) of the UFP&BC. Vacuum breakers shall be located, specified, installed, maintained and accessible for inspection in accordance with Sections 902.2(d) (2) and 902.3(a), (b) (1), (c) & (d) of the UFP&BC, respectively; in a manner acceptable to the supplier of water and/or the local plumbing or building code enforcement official.

   For the systems described below, the supplier of water shall protect the public water system against backflow by requiring the customer to perform one of the following:

   1. Install an approved double check valve assembly (DCVA) on those systems which may be subject to backpressure from pumps or elevated piping where no chemical injection takes place.

   2. Install an approved RPZ device on those systems where provisions are made for chemical injection.

   NOTE: The supplier of water may allow protective devices to be installed in the internal supply pipes to a lawn sprinkler or irrigation system provided that there are not other hazards associated with a residential user as described in the categories "Auxiliary Water Supplies" and "Miscellaneous Residential Water Uses" of this document. Containment at the service connection with an approved DCVA or RPZ shall be required in any other case.

For options a or b above, the device shall be tested in accordance with Section 5-1.31 (a)(3) of the State Sanitary Code and maintained in a manner and frequency acceptable to the supplier of water and/or the State or local health department.

3. Miscellaneous Residential Water Uses

   Any activity, situation, or use of water which establishes a degree of hazard within a single or dual family residential customer equivalent to a commercial user shall require protection in accordance with Sections 5-1.31 of the State Sanitary Code. Examples include but are not limited to customers utilizing boiler feed corrosion inhibitors, antifreeze loops, single wall heat exchangers, etc.

4. Residential Swimming Pools and Double-Wall Heat Exchangers

   Residential swimming pools and double-wall heat exchangers are not considered to be potential hazards by the Department of Health. The supplier of water, however, may require backflow prevention in accordance with a local code or ordinance.

Implementation of Requirements/Recourse for Non-Compliance

The supplier of water shall retain the right to require additional protective measures that those outlined in this document and/or to deny or terminate water service to any facility where a potential health hazard exists for reasons including but not limited to the following:

• Denial of entry by the customer for the purposes of performing periodic inspections to determine compliance with these requirements.

• Where the auxiliary water supply is in an area of known ground or surface water contamination, the supplier of water may require abandonment of the auxiliary water supply or installation of an acceptable RPZ device.

• Where periodic inspections reveal that an auxiliary water supply has been reconnected to piping served by the public water supply system.

• Where the customer fails to provide required water quality data or backflow prevention device test results in a timely manner.

• Where it has been found that an approved backflow prevention assembly has been tampered with, by passed or removed from service.

• Where it has been found that violations of Part 902 of the UFP&Building Code exists and/or have not been corrected in a timely manner.