Current through Register Vol. 63, No. 9, September 1, 2024
(1) The following definitions apply solely to
OAR 690-215-0017:
(a) "Backflow" means the
flow of a mixture of water, fertilizer and/or chemicals in the opposite
direction of that intended.
(b)
"Backpressure" means an elevation of pressure downstream of the distribution
system that would cause, or tend to cause, water to flow opposite of its
intended direction.
(c)
"Back-siphonage" means a drop in distribution system pressure below atmospheric
pressure (partial vacuum), that would cause, or tend to cause, water to flow
opposite of its intended direction.
(d) "Reduced Pressure Principle Backflow
Prevention Assembly (RP)" means an assembly containing two independently acting
approved check valves, together with a hydraulically operating, mechanically
independent pressure differential relief valve located between the check valves
and at the same time below the first check valve. The unit shall include
properly located resilient seated test cocks and tightly closing resilient
seated shutoff valves at each end of the assembly. This assembly is designed to
protect against a non-health hazard or a health hazard.
(e) "University of Southern California,
Foundation for Cross-Connection Control and Hydraulic Research (USC FCCCHR)" is
an agency that conducts laboratory and field tests to evaluate and grant
"Certificates of Approval" to backflow prevention assemblies meeting approved
standards.
(2) If a
chemical is used to treat well water, it shall not be allowed to come into
contact with the inside of the well casing above the water level. Down well
treatment of well water will only be allowed if a commercial water treatment
system is used. Delivery pipes or tubes designed for use with the treatment
chemicals shall be used to place the chemicals into the water in the well. This
rule does not apply when disinfecting the well and the pumping
equipment.
(3) Only chemicals
approved by the National Sanitation Foundation to treat drinking water may be
allowed to enter a well. In no event shall agricultural chemicals or
fertilizers be allowed to enter a well.
(4) Back-siphon prevention devices shall be
installed on any irrigation system connected to a groundwater source when
chemicals or fertilizers are applied through the system. The landowner or other
responsible party shall ensure that back-siphon prevention devices are
installed and function properly prior to the irrigation system being used for
the application of chemicals or fertilizers. (See Figure 215-1 and Figure
215-2.) The landowner or other responsible party shall test the devices at the
time of installation and prior to the first use of each calendar year to ensure
that the devices are installed and function properly. The Department may
require the landowner or other responsible party to submit a copy of the
back-siphon prevention device test results for review. The installation of
chemical or fertilizer injection equipment into an irrigation system connected
to a groundwater source shall not result in contamination of the groundwater
resource.
(a) Irrigation systems with a
mainline diameter 4-inches or greater shall contain:
(A) An automatic low-pressure drain or
similar device approved by the Water Resources Department which shall:
(i) Be installed between the irrigation pump
and the irrigation mainline check valve at the lowest point of the horizontal
water supply mainline;
(ii) Be
designed to drain all incidental leakage from the check valve out of the
irrigation mainline before that leakage enters the groundwater
supply;
(iii) Be at least 3/4 inch
in diameter with a closing pressure of not less than 5 psi;
(iv) Use a corrosion-resistant tube, pipe, or
similar conduit that is sloped to discharge the solution a distance of at least
20 feet away and down-gradient from the irrigation groundwater source and any
other water sources. At the discharge point there shall be an air gap between
the discharge pipe and the discharged solution. The air gap shall be a minimum
of six inches;
(v) Not have any
valves located on the outlet side of the drain tube; and
(vi) Have a dam, collection reservoir or
similar means to prevent the discharged solution from pooling and draining back
toward the groundwater source.
(B) An inspection port or direct access point
which shall:
(i) Be located on top of the
mainline between the irrigation pump and the irrigation mainline check valve,
directly overhead of the low-pressure drain; and
(ii) Have a minimum diameter opening of four
inches from which the check valves and low-pressure drain shall be visible. If
a four-inch inspection port or direct access point is not possible, a proposed
alternative access system may be submitted for review and approval by the
Department.
(C) An
irrigation mainline check valve which shall:
(i) Consist of at least a single check
valve;
(ii) Be located in the
irrigation mainline between the irrigation pump and the point of chemical or
fertilizer injection into the irrigation mainline, and downstream from the
vacuum relief valve and automatic low-pressure drain;
(iii) Be of heavy-duty construction with all
materials being compatible with and resistant to any chemicals or fluids that
it is expected to come into contact with;
(iv) Be resistant to corrosion or protected
to resist corrosion;
(v) Be
spring-loaded and provide and maintain a watertight seal against
backflow;
(vi) Be labeled with the
following information: manufacturer's name and model number, working pressure
in pounds per square inch (psi), maximum flow rate, and direction of
flow;
(vii) Not consist of
metal-to-metal seal surfaces; and
(viii) Be designed and rated for pressures
expected to be encountered, including those caused by pumping, water hammers,
back-pressure, or other sources. Installation, operation, maintenance and
testing shall be according to design and manufacturer's specifications and
recommendations.
(D) An
air/vacuum relief valve which shall:
(i) Be
located on top of the horizontal irrigation mainline between the irrigation
pump and the irrigation mainline check valve; and
(ii) Have a total (individually or combined)
orifice size of at least 3/4-inch diameter for a 4-inch pipe, a 1-inch diameter
for a 5- to 8-inch pipe, a 2-inch diameter for 9- to 18-inch pipe, and a 3-inch
diameter for a 19-inch and greater pipe.
(E) An automatic, quick-closing chemical
injection line check valve which shall:
(i) Be
attached to the irrigation mainline or located between the chemical injection
unit and the point of chemical or other fluid injection into the irrigation
mainline;
(ii) Be made of material
that is compatible with and resistant to any chemicals or fluids to be
injected;
(iii) Prevent backflow of
irrigation water into the chemical injection line; and
(iv) Prevent siphoning or seepage from the
chemical supply tank when the irrigation system is either automatically or
manually shut down.
(F)
A system interlock which shall: mechanically or electrically connect the water
supply pump and the chemical injection unit for the purpose of automatically
shutting down the chemical injection unit in the event of water supply pump
shutdown or failure. The landowner or other responsible party shall demonstrate
system interlock operation if requested by the Department.
(G) An emergency shut-off that can be
operated manually by the landowner or other responsible party so that the
irrigation system or the chemical injection unit can be shut down in the event
it becomes necessary.
(H) A
pressure switch that will stop the chemical injection unit when the water
pressure decreases to the point where chemical or fertilizer distribution is
adversely affected.
(b)
Irrigation systems with a mainline diameter less than 4-inches shall contain:
(A) A lead free reduced pressure principle
backflow prevention assembly (RP) which shall:
(i) Be approved by the University of Southern
California, Foundation for Cross-Connection Control and Hydraulic Research, or
other equivalent testing laboratory;
(ii) Be installed horizontal unless they are
specifically approved for vertical installation;
(iii) Be located in the irrigation mainline
between the irrigation pump and the point of chemical or fertilizer injection
into the irrigation mainline;
(iv)
Be of heavy-duty construction with all materials compatible with and resistant
to any chemicals or fluids that it is expected to come into contact
with;
(v) Be resistant to corrosion
or protected to resist corrosion;
(vi) Provide and maintain a watertight seal
against reverse flow;
(vii) Be
labeled with the following information: manufacturer's name and model number,
working pressure in pounds per square inch (psi), maximum flow rate, and
direction of flow;
(viii) Not
consist of metal-to-metal seal surfaces;
(ix) Be designed and rated for pressures
expected to be encountered, including those caused by pumping, water hammers,
back-pressure, or other sources. Installation, operation, maintenance and
testing shall be according to design and manufacturer's specifications and
recommendations; and
(x) Include an
approved air gap and drain line. The diameter of the drain line shall be at
least as large as the mainline diameter. The drain line shall be sloped in such
a manner as to drain all incidental leakage a distance of at least 20 feet away
and down-gradient from the irrigation groundwater source and the RP assembly.
The air gap shall be a minimum of one and one-half times the diameter of the
mainline. The outlet side of the drain line shall have a dam, collection
reservoir or similar means to prevent the discharged solution from pooling and
draining back toward the groundwater source.
(B) An automatic, quick-closing chemical
injection line check valve which shall:
(i) Be
attached to the irrigation mainline or located between the chemical injection
unit and the point of chemical or fertilizer injection into the irrigation
mainline;
(ii) Be made of material
that is compatible with and resistant to any chemicals or fluids to be
injected;
(iii) Prevent backflow of
irrigation water into the chemical injection line; and
(iv) Prevent siphoning or seepage from the
chemical supply tank when the irrigation system is either automatically or
manually shut down.
(C)
A system interlock which shall: mechanically or electrically connect the water
supply pump and the chemical injection unit for the purpose of automatically
shutting down the chemical injection unit in the event of water supply pump
shutdown or failure. The landowner or other responsible party shall demonstrate
system interlock operation if requested by the Department.
(D) An emergency shut-off that can be
operated manually by the landowner or other responsible party so that the
irrigation system or the chemical injection unit can be shut down in the event
it becomes necessary.
(E) A
pressure switch that will stop the chemical injection unit when the water
pressure decreases to the point where chemical or fertilizer distribution is
adversely affected.
(c)
The Director may allow modifications or changes in materials, design, or
technology in lieu of that specified herein. Requests for modifications or
changes shall be in writing, detailing the current or proposed system and the
desired changes, and shall include component specifications, a detailed drawing
of the proposed system, and the system's uses. Once installed, the modified
system shall provide at least as much protection to the groundwater resource as
that provided by the devices required in this regulation;
(d) The injection of chemicals or fertilizers
into an irrigation system connected to a groundwater source shall not occur
within ten feet from a wellhead.
(e) An additional vacuum relief valve may be
installed downstream of the irrigation mainline check valve to prevent
potential collapse of the irrigation mainline in the event of rapid mainline
drainage.
(f) The landowner or
other responsible party shall ensure that additional inspections and testing of
approved back-siphon prevention devices are conducted:
(A) At the time of any repair or
relocation;
(B) More frequently
than annually for back-siphon prevention devices that repeatedly fail;
or
(C) After a backflow
incident.
(g) These
regulations are in addition to equipment requirements for chemical application
under the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide and Rodenticide Act, and are not
intended to replace those regulations;
(h) Irrigation systems that are subject to
OAR 690-215-0017(4) and are connected to:
(A)
A public water system, shall also comply with Oregon Health Authority
cross-connection control requirements in OAR Chapter 333 and backflow
prevention requirements in the Oregon Plumbing Specialty Code. Contact the
Oregon Health Authority and the Oregon Building Codes Division for more
information;
(B) A private water
system, shall also meet the backflow prevention requirements in the Oregon
Plumbing Specialty Code. Contact the Oregon Building Codes Division for more
information. Before each chemical application, the treatment site and
surrounding area should be assessed to determine if the application will
endanger or be a potential hazard to workers, bystanders, domestic animals,
fish or wildlife, ground or surface water, or neighboring crops.
(5) Back-siphon
prevention devices found not to be functioning properly shall be either
repaired or replaced. Repair or replacement shall take place prior to the
irrigation system being used for the application of chemicals or
fertilizers.
(6) Bypass piping
installed around approved back-siphon prevention devices must be equipped with
approved back-siphon prevention devices and must:
(a) Afford at least the same level of
protection as the approved back-siphon prevention devices being bypassed;
and
(b) Comply with all other
requirements.
(7) The
landowner or other responsible party shall provide access and clearance for
required operation, testing, maintenance, and repair of back-siphon prevention
devices.
(8) In cold climate areas,
back-siphon prevention devices shall be protected from freezing.
(9) Back-siphon prevention devices shall:
(a) Not be located in any area containing
fumes that are toxic, poisonous, or corrosive;
(b) Be installed in a manner that precludes
the possibility of continuous submersion of back-siphon prevention devices;
and
(c) Be installed in a manner
that precludes the possibility of any submersion of the air/vacuum relief
valve.
(10) The Director
may require a landowner or other responsible party to install a back-siphon
prevention device on any water supply well, including wells which are exempted
by ORS 537.545. The Director also may
require a landowner or other responsible party to install a back-siphon
prevention device as a condition of a water right permit. When required to be
installed:
(a) Back-siphon prevention devices
shall be specifically designed and manufactured to prevent backflow,
back-siphonage, backpressure, siphoning, seepage, suction, or leakage and shall
prevent used, unclean, polluted, or contaminated water, mixtures, or substances
from entering the groundwater resource;
(b) The landowner or other responsible party
shall test the back-siphon prevention devices at the time of installation and
once per calendar year to ensure that they are functioning properly;
(c) The Department may require the landowner
or other responsible party to test the back-siphon prevention devices more
frequently than annually to ensure that they are functioning properly;
and
(d) The Department may require
the landowner or other responsible party to submit a copy of the back-siphon
prevention device test results for review.
(11) Whenever the Director deems it
appropriate, the Department may investigate alleged violation of statutes,
standards or rules governing back-siphon prevention devices to determine
whether a violation has occurred. Violations of OAR 690-215-0017 may be
administered under ORS
536.900(1)(b),
537.990(3), or
OAR Chapter 690, Division 260, as appropriate to gain compliance.
(12) Additional Oregon Health Authority
standards apply to wells used for public water systems. See OAR Chapter 333 or
contact the Oregon Health Authority for more information.
(13) Additional requirements in the Oregon
Plumbing Specialty Code apply to wells used for public or private water
systems. Contact the Oregon Building Codes Division for more
information.
To view attachments referenced in rule text,
click here to view
rule.
Statutory/Other Authority: ORS
536.090, ORS
537.505-537.795, ORS
536.027, ORS
536.900 & ORS
537.992
Statutes/Other Implemented: ORS
536.090, ORS
537.505-537.795, ORS
536.900 & ORS
537.992
