Washington Administrative Code
Title 246 - Health, Department of
WATER SYSTEMS
Chapter 246-290 - Group A public water supplies
Part 5 - WATER SYSTEM OPERATIONS
Section 246-290-490 - Cross-connection control
Universal Citation: WA Admin Code 246-290-490
Current through Register Vol. 24-18, September 15, 2024
(1) Applicability, purpose, and responsibility.
(a) All community water systems shall comply
with the cross-connection control requirements specified in this
section.
(b) All noncommunity water
systems shall apply the principles and provisions of this section, including
subsection (4)(b) of this section, as applicable to protect the public water
system from contamination via cross-connections. Noncommunity systems that
comply with subsection (4)(b) of this section and the provisions of WAC
51-56-0600 of the UPC (which addresses the installation of backflow preventers
at points of water use within the potable water system) shall be considered in
compliance with the requirements of this section.
(c) The purpose of the purveyor's
cross-connection control program shall be to protect the public water system,
as defined in WAC
246-290-010, from contamination
via cross-connections.
(d) The
purveyor's responsibility for cross-connection control shall begin at the water
supply source, include all the public water treatment, storage, and
distribution facilities, and end at the point of delivery to the consumer's
water system, which begins at the downstream end of the service connection or
water meter located on the public right of way or utility-held
easement.
(e) Under this section,
purveyors are not responsible for eliminating or controlling cross-connections
within the consumer's water system. Under chapter 19.27 RCW, the responsibility
for cross-connection control within the consumer's water system, i.e., within
the property lines of the consumer's premises, lies with the authority having
jurisdiction.
(2) General program requirements.
(a) The purveyor shall
develop and implement a cross-connection control program that meets the
requirements of this section, but may establish a more stringent program
through local ordinances, resolutions, codes, bylaws, or operating
rules.
(b) Purveyors shall ensure
that good engineering and public health protection practices are used in the
development and implementation of cross-connection control programs. Department
publications and the most recently published editions of references, such as,
but not limited to, those listed below, may be used as guidance for
cross-connection program development and implementation:
(i)
Manual of Cross-Connection
Control published by the Foundation for Cross-Connection Control and
Hydraulic Research, University of Southern California (USC Manual);
(ii)
Cross-Connection Control Manual,
Accepted Procedure and Practice published by the Pacific Northwest
Section of the American Water Works Association (PNWS-AWWA Manual);
or
(iii) Guidance document:
Cross-Connection Control for Small Water Systems published by
the department.
(c) The
purveyor may implement the cross-connection control program, or any portion
thereof, directly or by means of a contract with another agency or party
acceptable to the department.
(d)
The purveyor shall coordinate with the authority having jurisdiction in all
matters concerning cross-connection control. The purveyor shall document and
describe the coordination, including delineation of responsibilities, in the
written cross-connection control program required in (e) of this
subsection.
(e) The purveyor shall
include a written description of the cross-connection control program in the
water system plan required under WAC
246-290-100 or the small water
system management program required under WAC
246-290-105. The cross-connection
control program must include the minimum program elements described in
subsection (3) of this section.
(f)
The purveyor shall ensure that cross-connections between the distribution
system and a consumer's water system are eliminated or controlled by the
installation of an approved backflow preventer commensurate with the degree of
hazard. This can be accomplished by implementation of a cross-connection
program that relies on:
(i) Premises
isolation as defined in WAC
246-290-010; or
(ii) Premises isolation and in-premises
protection as defined in WAC
246-290-010.
(g) Purveyors with cross-connection control
programs that rely both on premises isolation and in-premises protection:
(i) Shall comply with the premises isolation
requirements specified in subsection (4)(b) of this section; and
(ii) May reduce premises isolation
requirements and rely on in-premises protection for premises other than the
type addressed in subsection (4)(b) of this section, only if the following
conditions are met:
(A) The in-premises
backflow preventers provide a level of protection commensurate with the
purveyor's assessed degree of hazard;
(B) Backflow preventers which provide the
in-premises backflow protection meet the definition of approved back-flow
preventers as described in WAC
246-290-010;
(C) The approved backflow preventers are
installed, inspected, tested (if applicable), maintained, and repaired in
accordance with subsections (6) and (7) of this section;
(D) Records of the backflow preventers are
maintained in accordance with subsections (3)(j) and (8) of this section;
and
(E) The purveyor has reasonable
access to the consumer's premises to conduct an initial hazard evaluation and
periodic reevaluations to determine whether the in-premises protection is
adequate to protect the purveyor's distribution system.
(h) The purveyor shall take
appropriate corrective action as authorized by the legal instrument required by
subsection (3)(b) of this section, when:
(i) A
cross-connection exists that is not controlled commensurate to the degree of
hazard assessed by the purveyor; or
(ii) A consumer fails to comply with the
purveyor's requirements regarding the installation, inspection, testing,
maintenance or repair of approved backflow preventers required by this
chapter.
(i) The
purveyor's corrective action may include, but is not limited to:
(i) Denying or discontinuing water service to
a consumer's premises until the cross-connection hazard is eliminated or
controlled to the satisfaction of the purveyor;
(ii) Requiring the consumer to install an
approved back-flow preventer for premises isolation commensurate with the
degree of hazard; or
(iii) The
purveyor installing an approved backflow preventer for premises isolation
commensurate with the degree of hazard.
(j) Except in the event of an emergency,
purveyors shall notify the authority having jurisdiction prior to denying or
discontinuing water service to a consumer's premises for one or more of the
reasons listed in (h) of this subsection.
(k) The purveyor shall prohibit the
intentional return of used water to the purveyor's distribution system. Used
water includes, but is not limited to, water used for heating, cooling, or
other purposes within the consumer's water system.
(3) Minimum elements of a cross-connection control program.
(a) To be acceptable to the
department, the purveyor's cross-connection control program must include the
minimum elements identified in this subsection.
(b) Element 1: The purveyor shall adopt a
local ordinance, resolution, code, bylaw, or other written legal instrument
that:
(i) Establishes the purveyor's legal
authority to implement a cross-connection control program;
(ii) Describes the operating policies and
technical provisions of the purveyor's cross-connection control program;
and
(iii) Describes the corrective
actions required of consumers to comply with the purveyor's cross-connection
control requirements.
(c)
Element 2: The purveyor shall develop and implement procedures and schedules
for evaluating new and existing service connections to assess the degree of
hazard posed by the consumer's premises to the purveyor's distribution system
and notifying the consumer within a reasonable time frame of the hazard
evaluation results. At a minimum, the program shall meet the following:
(i) For connections made on or after April 9,
1999, procedures shall ensure that an initial evaluation is conducted before
water service is provided;
(ii) For
all other connections, procedures shall ensure that an initial evaluation is
conducted in accordance with a schedule acceptable to the department;
and
(iii) For all service
connections, once an initial evaluation has been conducted, procedures shall
ensure that periodic reevaluations are conducted in accordance with a schedule
acceptable to the department and whenever there is a change in the use of the
premises.
(d) Element 3:
The purveyor shall develop and implement procedures and schedules for ensuring
that:
(i) Cross-connections are eliminated
whenever possible;
(ii) When
cross-connections cannot be eliminated, they are controlled by installation of
approved backflow preventers commensurate with the degree of hazard;
and
(iii) Approved backflow
preventers are installed in accordance with the requirements of subsection (6)
of this section.
(e)
Element 4: The purveyor shall ensure that personnel, including at least one
person certified as a CCS, are provided to develop and implement the
cross-connection control program.
(f) Element 5: The purveyor shall develop and
implement procedures to ensure that approved backflow preventers relied upon to
protect the public water system are inspected and/or tested (as applicable)
under subsection (7) of this section.
(g) Element 6: The purveyor shall develop and
implement a backflow prevention assembly testing quality control assurance
program including, but not limited to, documentation of BAT certification and
test kit calibration, test report contents, and time frames for submitting
completed test reports.
(h) Element
7: The purveyor shall develop and implement (when appropriate) procedures for
responding to back-flow incidents.
(i) Element 8: The purveyor shall include
information on cross-connection control in the purveyor's existing program for
educating consumers about water system operation. The public education program
may include periodic bill inserts, public service announcements, pamphlet
distribution, notification of new consumers and consumer confidence
reports.
(j) Element 9: The
purveyor shall develop and maintain cross-connection control records including,
but not limited to, the following:
(i) A
master list of service connections and/or consumer's premises where the
purveyor relies upon approved backflow preventers to protect the public water
system from contamination, the assessed hazard level of each, and the required
backflow preventer(s);
(ii)
Inventory information on backflow preventers that protect the public water
system including:
(A) Approved air gaps
installed in lieu of approved assemblies including exact air gap location,
assessed degree of hazard, installation date, history of inspections,
inspection results, and person conducting inspections;
(B) Approved backflow assemblies including
exact assembly location, assembly description (type, manufacturer, model, size,
and serial number), assessed degree of hazard, installation date, history of
inspections, tests and repairs, test results, and person performing tests;
and
(C) Approved AVBs used for
irrigation system applications including location, description (manufacturer,
model, and size), installation date, history of inspection(s), and person
performing inspection(s).
(iii) Cross-connection program summary
reports and backflow incident reports required under subsection (8) of this
section.
(k) Element 10:
Purveyors who distribute and/or have facilities that receive reclaimed water
within their water service area shall meet any additional cross-connection
control requirements imposed by the department in a permit issued under chapter
90.46 RCW.
(4) Approved backflow preventer selection.
(a) The purveyor
shall ensure that a CCS:
(i) Assesses the
degree of hazard posed by the consumer's water system upon the purveyor's
distribution system; and
(ii)
Determines the appropriate method of backflow protection for premises isolation
as described in Table 12 of this section.
TABLE 12
APPROPRIATE METHODS OF BACKFLOW PROTECTION FOR PREMISES ISOLATION
|
Degree of Hazard |
Application Condition |
Appropriate Approved Back-flow Preventer |
|
High health cross-connection hazard |
Backsiphonage or backpressure backflow |
AG, RPBA, or RPDA |
|
Low cross-connection hazard |
Backsiphonage or backpressure backflow |
AG, RPBA, RPDA, DCVA, or DCDA |
(b) Premises isolation requirements.
(i) The purveyor shall ensure that an
approved air gap, RPBA, or RPDA is installed for premises isolation for service
connections to premises posing a high health cross-connection hazard including,
but not limited to, those premises listed in Table 13 of this section, except
those premises identified as severe in (b)(ii) of this subsection.
(ii) For service connections to premises
posing a severe health cross-connection hazard including wastewater treatment
plants, radioactive material processing plants, and nuclear reactors, the
purveyor shall ensure that either an:
(A)
Approved air gap is installed for premises isolation; or
(B) Approved RPBA or RPDA is installed for
premises isolation in combination with an in-plant approved air gap.
(iii) If the purveyor's CCS
determines that no hazard exists for a connection serving premises of the type
listed in Table 13 of this section, the purveyor may grant an exception to the
premises isolation requirements of (b)(i) of this subsection.
(iv) The purveyor shall document, on a
case-by-case basis, the reasons for granting an exception under (b)(i) of this
subsection and include the documentation in the cross-connection control
program annual summary report required in subsection (8) of this section.
TABLE 13 (formerly codified as TABLE 9)
SEVERE* AND HIGH HEALTH CROSS-CONNECTION HAZARD PREMISES REQUIRING PREMISES ISOLATION BY AG OR RPBA
|
Agricultural (farms and dairies) |
|
Beverage bottling plants |
|
Car washes |
|
Chemical plants |
|
Commercial laundries and dry cleaners |
|
Premises where both reclaimed water and potable water are provided |
|
Film processing facilities |
|
Food processing plants |
|
Hospitals, medical centers, nursing homes, veterinary, medical and dental clinics, and blood plasma centers |
|
Premises with separate irrigation systems using the purveyor's water supply and with chemical addition+ |
|
Laboratories |
|
Metal plating industries |
|
Mortuaries |
|
Petroleum processing or storage plants |
|
Piers and docks |
|
Radioactive material processing plants or nuclear reactors* |
|
Survey access denied or restricted |
|
Wastewater lift stations and pumping stations |
|
Wastewater treatment plants* |
|
Premises with an unapproved auxiliary water supply interconnected with the potable water supply |
|
+ |
For example, parks, playgrounds, golf courses, cemeteries, estates, etc. |
|
* |
RPBAs for connections serving these premises are acceptable only when used in combination with an in-plant approved air gap; otherwise, the purveyor shall require an approved air gap at the service connection. |
(c) Backflow protection for single-family
residences.
(i) For single-family residential
service connections, the purveyor shall comply with the premises isolation
requirements of (b) of this subsection when applicable.
(ii) If the requirements of (b) of this
subsection do not apply and the requirements specified in subsection (2)(g)(ii)
of this section are met, the purveyor may rely on backflow protection provided
at the point of hazard in accordance with WAC 51-56-0600 of the UPC for hazards
such as, but not limited to:
(A) Irrigation
systems;
(B) Swimming pools or
spas;
(C) Ponds; and
(D) Boilers.
For example, the purveyor may accept an approved AVB on a residential irrigation system, if the AVB is properly installed under the UPC.
(d)
Backflow protection for fire protection systems.
(i) Backflow protection is not required for
residential flow-through or combination fire protection systems constructed of
potable water piping and materials.
(ii) For service connections with fire
protection systems other than flow-through or combination systems, the purveyor
shall ensure that backflow protection consistent with WAC 51-56-0600 of the UPC
is installed. The UPC requires minimum protection as follows:
(A) An RPBA or RPDA for fire protection
systems with chemical addition or using unapproved auxiliary water supply;
and
(B) A DCVA or DCDA for all
other fire protection systems.
(iii) For connections made on or after April
9, 1999, the purveyor shall ensure that backflow protection is installed before
water service is provided.
(iv) For
existing fire protection systems:
(A) With
chemical addition or using unapproved auxiliary supplies, the purveyor shall
ensure that backflow protection is installed within ninety days of the purveyor
notifying the consumer of the high health cross-connection hazard or in
accordance with an alternate schedule acceptable to the purveyor.
(B) Without chemical addition, without
on-site storage, and using only the purveyor's water (i.e., no unapproved
auxiliary supplies on or available to the premises), the purveyor shall ensure
that backflow protection is installed in accordance with a schedule acceptable
to the purveyor or at an earlier date if required by the code official
administering the State Building Code as defined in chapter 51-04
WAC.
(C) When establishing backflow
protection retrofitting schedules for fire protection systems that have the
characteristics listed in (d)(iv)(B) of this subsection, the purveyor may
consider factors such as, but not limited to, impacts of assembly installation
on sprinkler performance, costs of retrofitting, and difficulty of assembly
installation.
(e) Purveyors may require approved backflow
preventers commensurate with the degree of hazard as determined by the purveyor
to be installed for premises isolation for connections serving premises that
have characteristics such as, but not limited to, the following:
(i) Complex plumbing arrangements or plumbing
potentially subject to frequent changes that make it impracticable to assess
whether cross-connection hazards exist;
(ii) A repeated history of cross-connections
being established or reestablished; or
(iii) Cross-connection hazards are
unavoidable or not correctable, such as, but not limited to, tall buildings.
(5) Approved backflow preventers.
(a) The purveyor shall
ensure that all backflow prevention assemblies relied upon by the purveyor are
models included on the current list of backflow prevention assemblies approved
for use in Washington state. The current approved assemblies list is available
from the department upon request.
(b) The purveyor may rely on testable
backflow prevention assemblies that are not currently approved by the
department, if the assemblies:
(i) Were
included on the department or USC list of approved backflow prevention
assemblies at the time of installation;
(ii) Have been properly maintained;
(iii) Are commensurate with the purveyor's
assessed degree of hazard; and
(iv)
Have been inspected and tested at least annually and have successfully passed
the annual tests.
(c) The
purveyor shall ensure that an unlisted backflow prevention assembly is replaced
by an approved assembly commensurate with the degree of hazard, when the
unlisted assembly:
(i) Does not meet the
conditions specified in (b)(i) through (iv) of this subsection;
(ii) Is moved; or
(iii) Cannot be repaired using spare parts
from the original manufacturer.
(d) The purveyor shall ensure that AVBs meet
the definition of approved atmospheric vacuum breakers as described in WAC
246-290-010.
(6) Approved backflow preventer installation.
(a) The purveyor shall ensure that approved
backflow preventers are installed in the orientation for which they are
approved (if applicable).
(b) The
purveyor shall ensure that approved backflow preventers are installed in a
manner that:
(i) Facilitates their proper
operation, maintenance, inspection, in-line testing (as applicable), and repair
using standard installation procedures acceptable to the department such as
those in the USC Manual or PNWS-AWWA Manual;
(ii) Ensures that the assembly will not
become submerged due to weather-related conditions such as flooding;
and
(iii) Ensures compliance with
all applicable safety regulations.
(c) The purveyor shall ensure that approved
backflow assemblies for premises isolation are installed at a location adjacent
to the meter or property line or an alternate location acceptable to the
purveyor.
(d) When premises
isolation assemblies are installed at an alternate location acceptable to the
purveyor, the purveyor shall ensure that there are no connections between the
point of delivery from the public water system and the approved backflow
assembly, unless the installation of the connection meets the purveyor's
cross-connection control requirements and is specifically approved by the
purveyor.
(e) The purveyor shall
ensure that approved backflow preventers are installed in accordance with the
following time frames:
(i) For connections
made on or after April 9, 1999, the following conditions shall be met before
service is provided:
(A) The provisions of
subsection (3)(d)(ii) of this section; and
(B) Satisfactory completion of the
requirements of subsection (7) of this section.
(ii) For existing connections where the
purveyor identifies a high health cross-connection hazard, the provisions of
(3)(d)(ii) of this section shall be met:
(A)
Within ninety days of the purveyor notifying the consumer of the high health
cross-connection hazard; or
(B) In
accordance with an alternate schedule acceptable to the purveyor.
(iii) For existing connections
where the purveyor identifies a low cross-connection hazard, the provisions of
subsection (3)(d)(ii) of this section shall be met in accordance with a
schedule acceptable to the purveyor.
(f) The purveyor shall ensure that bypass
piping installed around any approved backflow preventer is equipped with an
approved backflow preventer that:
(i) Affords
at least the same level of protection as the approved backflow preventer that
is being bypassed; and
(ii)
Complies with all applicable requirements of this section.
(7) Approved backflow preventer inspection and testing.
(a) For
backflow preventers that protect the public water system, the purveyor shall
ensure that:
(i) A CCS inspects backflow
preventer installations so that protection is provided commensurate with the
assessed degree of hazard;
(ii)
Either a BAT or CCS inspects:
(A) Air gaps
installed in lieu of approved backflow prevention assemblies for compliance
with the approved air gap definition; and
(B) Backflow prevention assemblies for
correct installation and approval status.
(iii) A BAT tests approved backflow
prevention assemblies for proper operation.
(b) The purveyor shall ensure that
inspections and/or tests of approved air gaps and approved backflow assemblies
that protect the public water system are conducted:
(i) When any of the following occur:
(A) Upon installation, repair,
reinstallation, or relocation of an assembly;
(B) Upon installation or replumbing of an air
gap;
(C) After a backflow incident
involving the assembly or air gap; and
(ii) Annually thereafter, unless the purveyor
requires more frequent testing for high hazard premises or for assemblies that
repeatedly fail.
(c) The
purveyor shall ensure that inspections of AVBs installed on irrigation systems
are conducted:
(i) At the time of
installation;
(ii) After a backflow
incident; and
(iii) After repair,
reinstallation, or relocation.
(d) The purveyor shall ensure that approved
backflow prevention assemblies are tested using procedures acceptable to the
department, such as those specified in the most recently published edition of
the USC Manual. When circumstances, such as, but not limited to, configuration
or location of the assembly, preclude the use of USC test procedures, the
purveyor may allow, on a case-by-case basis, the use of alternate (non-USC)
test procedures acceptable to the department.
(e) The purveyor shall ensure that results of
backflow prevention assembly inspections and tests are documented and reported
in a manner acceptable to the purveyor.
(f) The purveyor shall ensure that an
approved backflow prevention assembly or AVB, whenever found to be improperly
installed, defective, not commensurate with the degree of hazard, or failing a
test (if applicable) is properly reinstalled, repaired, overhauled, or
replaced.
(g) The purveyor shall
ensure that an approved air gap, whenever found to be altered or improperly
installed, is properly replumbed or, if commensurate with the degree of hazard,
is replaced by an approved RPBA.
(8) Recordkeeping and reporting.
(a) Purveyors shall keep cross-connection
control records for the following time frames:
(i) Records pertaining to the master list of
service connections or consumer's premises required in subsection (3)(j)(i) of
this section shall be kept as long as the premises pose a cross-connection
hazard to the purveyor's distribution system;
(ii) Records regarding inventory information
required in subsection (3)(j)(ii) of this section shall be kept for five years
or for the life of the approved backflow preventer whichever is shorter;
and
(iii) Records regarding
backflow incidents and annual summary reports required in subsection
(3)(j)(iii) of this section shall be kept for five years.
(b) Purveyors may maintain cross-connection
control records in original form or transfer data to tabular
summaries.
(c) Purveyors may
maintain records or data in any media, such as paper, film, or electronic
format.
(d) The purveyor shall
complete the cross-connection control program summary report annually. Report
forms and guidance on completing the report are available from the
department.
(e) The purveyor shall
make all records and reports required in subsection (3)(j) of this section
available to the department or its representative upon request.
(f) The purveyor shall notify the department,
authority having jurisdiction, and local health jurisdiction as soon as
possible, but no later than the end of the next business day, when a backflow
incident is known by the purveyor to have:
(i)
Contaminated the public water system; or
(ii) Occurred within the premises of a
consumer served by the purveyor.
(g) The purveyor shall:
(i) Document details of backflow incidents
contaminating the public water system on a backflow incident report form
available from the department; and
(ii) Include all backflow incident report(s)
in the annual cross-connection program summary report referenced in (d) of this
subsection, unless otherwise requested by the department.
Statutory Authority: RCW 70.119A.180 and 43.20.050. 08-03-061, § 246-290-490, filed 1/14/08, effective 2/14/08. Statutory Authority: RCW 43.20.050(2) and (3) and 70.119A.080. 03-08-037, § 246-290-490, filed 3/27/03, effective 4/27/03. Statutory Authority: RCW 43.02.050 [43.20.050]. 99-07-021, § 246-290-490, filed 3/9/99, effective 4/9/99. Statutory Authority: RCW 43.20.050. 91-02-051 (Order 124B), recodified as § 246-290-490, filed 12/27/90, effective 1/31/91. Statutory Authority: P.L. 99-339. 89-21-020 (Order 336), § 248-54-285, filed 10/10/89, effective 11/10/89. Statutory Authority: RCW 34.04.045. 88-05-057 (Order 307), § 248-54-285, filed 2/17/88. Statutory Authority: RCW 43.20.050. 83-19-002 (Order 266), § 248-54-285, filed 9/8/83.
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