Calendar | Print Page | Sign In
Backflow Blog and Cross Connection
Moderator(s): Laurie A. Dougherty, Mike Eisenhauer, Jackie Fritz
|<
<
1 |
2
Forum Actions

Topics   Replies Score Author Latest Post
Vacuum Breaker on Garbage Disposal? 1 L. Dougherty Yes, it is. Remember that it must be 6" above the flood level of the rim of the sink it's attached to. If the sink has a backsplash, sidesplash, etc all around it, it must be 6" above everything. The only other options for protection are an air gap or RP on the water supply.
by L. Dougherty
Tuesday, November 5, 2013
How Long Do Backflow Records Need to be Kept? 0 L. Dougherty There is not a definitive answer in IEPA Title 35 or in the IDPH Plumbing Code. Federal requirements say a minimum of 13 years of records must be kept by a water purveyor. We recommend however that records be kept indefinitely with or on the backflow preventer itself as well as in the water purveyor's offices.
by L. Dougherty
Tuesday, November 5, 2013
Water Supply Line for Only the Pool? 1 L. Dougherty The answer is not always a simple yes or no. In your particular circumstance, it appears as though you have a sufficient air gap from preventing any backflow. Regardless of whether or not a ball valve is on your water supply and is generally turned off, a valve is not a backflow preventer. Please contact your city inspector to verify your conditions. The city should have a plumbing inspector who is a licensed plumber. Have them make the final judgement call for you. Thank you for contacting us!
by L. Dougherty
Tuesday, November 5, 2013
Residential Services? 1 L. Dougherty To answer your question directly, we are not aware of any Illinois communities that currently require containment for residential services though there are more and more requiring them around the country. The IEPA does require that a survey be performed every other year for every water customer and that cross connections be eliminated or protected with the proper backflow device or assembly. All communities should have backflow programs that encompass both commercial and residential customers. Whether a community has a "backflow program” or not, it is still responsible to protect the potable water supply from backflows. Most residential backflow preventers are either on lawn irrigation or fire system sprinklers. A survey can help locate these existing assemblies for you as well as possibly identify locations where backflow protection should be installed.Along with regulations requiring testable assemblies on fire and lawn irrigation systems, some water purveyors are now supplying and installing a dual check valve at the meter on all residential connections. While not a requirement by any current Illinois or federal regulation, some communities may determine that the cost of containment of each residential service is an effective means to minimize the risks of backflows from the most common source of backflows – the home. Meter manufacturers actually offer meters with check valves built-in. When a meter is swapped out, you can replace and/or install backflow protection at the meter at the same time. If you do decide to require containment at each service, be sure that steps are taken to prevent damage due to thermal expansion, as you will have created a closed system.
by L. Dougherty
Tuesday, November 5, 2013
Brass Turned White? 1 L. Dougherty Yes - It happens especially quick when around chemicals. Brass is effected by the surrounding air and often turns white. Similar to how copper turns green. The environment around the backflow preventer is what's causing your issue. Sometimes it takes years, sometimes it happens quickly, sometimes it doesn't happen at all. This issue should not effect the operation of your assembly.
by L. Dougherty
Tuesday, November 5, 2013
Can I Become a CCCDI Backflow Tester With a Chicago Plumber's License? 1 L. Dougherty Illinois acknowledges and accepts both the City of Chicago Plumber License as well as the Illinois Department of Public Health (State of Illinois) Plumber License when requesting CCCDI Certification.
by L. Dougherty
Tuesday, November 5, 2013
What Backflow Test Readings Should I Have? 1 L. Dougherty Your software flagged this test as FAILED because the first check valve reading must be above the relief valve opening point and ≥ 5.0 psid.
by L. Dougherty
Tuesday, November 5, 2013
Beauty Salon Backflow Preventer? 1 L. Dougherty Along with the backflow protection at the point-of-use as required by Plumbing Code, the site is considered a high hazard and an RP should be installed at the meter to protect your distribution system
by L. Dougherty
Tuesday, November 5, 2013
WHAT BACKFLOW PROTECTION IS REQUIRED ON A WATER POWERED SUMP PUMP? 1 L. Dougherty The State of Illinois Plumbing Code does not specifically address water powered sump pumps. An Illinois-based battery backup sump pump manufacturer advertises heavily that an RPZ is required, as they want the customer to buy their product verses a water powered pump. The Backflow Committee has also discussed this topic on numerous occasions. The stance of the IDPH is that ground water is not a high hazard and a vented dual check valve is acceptable backflow protection for a water powered sump pump. Note however that being the water purveyor, you can still require an RP at the pump or at the water meter. State standards are a minimum and you have a right to enforce stricter regulations as long as you have it written in an ordinance, policy manual, or similar.
by L. Dougherty
Tuesday, November 5, 2013
HOW CLOSE TO THE ANNUAL TEST DUE DATE MUST MY BACKFLOW PREVENTER GET TESTED 0 L. Dougherty Backflow preventer tests are due either on the annual anniversay date of original installation or on the date assigned to them by the water purveyor. There is no written rule as to how many days before the due date a backflow preventer can be tested. As an un-written rule it is 30 days but should not be any more than 45 before the due date. Most water purveyors and/or their representatives will work with you if you are trying to make all of your annual tests become due at the same time or if you need to move test dates.
by L. Dougherty
Tuesday, November 5, 2013
watercon Q&A 0 T. Weathers Below are some Q&A we discussed at our in person meeting last week. Please review/edit/correct and answer these. Thanks.      Backflow Panel Questions Q1. What is the difference between a survey and an inspection? This is one of the most often asked questions and one of the most confounding for us to answer. In Illinois, under Title 35 it states: Section 653.802 Cross-Connection Control Program An active cross-connection control program shall be adopted and shall include the following: a) A cross-connection control survey of the distribution system shall be conducted at least every two years by the official custodian or an authorized delegate. 1) The purpose of this survey is to compile and update an inventory of devices; the survey must consist of a pencil and paper collection of information, conducted by telephone, mail or personal visit to the manager or owner of a specific property. 2) This survey is not intended to include an actual visual inspection of piping or plumbing systems. Clear as mud right? We as a committee have had numerous discussions about this. When looked at literally this regulation only says that suppliers need to do a bi-annual survey of "devices”. So in this interpretation it would pretty much mean asking customers to tell us what backflow prevention devices are in place already. And what good will that do us? For one thing many customers have little to no idea of what a backflow device even is. If they do and report that device on a "survey” once that is done it is quite redundant to do that every two years. To what end? We have come to believe that to make this an effective part of a cross-connection program that the regulation needs to be changed, which is very difficult to do, or at least be interpreted in a different way. Of course you as the water supplier can make your own ordinances and policies regarding the cross-connection program as long as they are at least as stringent as the state's. The backflow committee suggests the following definitions to be used in your ordinance or policy: Bi-annual survey A bi-annual survey is a collection of information, conducted by telephone, mail or personal visit to the manager or owner of a specific property to compile or update a listing of all water uses on the premises. This list is compared to the utilities database of existing backflow devices for that property to see that all water uses are properly protected from backflow. Based on the survey results an inspection of the premises may be required. You can fulfill the requirements of the regulation as written by including on your survey form a space for information on existing backflow prevention devices. Inspection An inspection means an on-site verification by a licensed plumber that all water-using devices are properly protected from backflow and to specify the appropriate backflow device where lacking. Note that by state law any licensed plumber can do an inspection. We feel you will be better served if in your ordinance or by your policy that this person also be required to have a CCCDI certification. These plumbers have received special training in the identification of and protection from backflows. Whether it's called a survey, or an inventory of devices or an inspection the point is this. We as water suppliers are charged with finding and eliminating cross-connections. To do that you must know how your water is being used. An effective way to find your water uses is through a survey. Once the survey is completed and you know how the water is used at a premise it can then be determined which uses will require backflow devices with an inspection. Q2. What are the pros and cons of isolation versus containment versus both? From the perspective of a supply that wants as little to do with a cross connection program as possible, containment is the way to go. Slap on a dual check backflow device at the service entrance or on the meter and you're done. And that will work as long as there are no water uses within the building that require a higher degree of protection than a dual check will provide. From the perspective of a supply that wants to do a better job of protecting users within a facility isolation does the trick. Only apply backflow devices where necessary at the time of an inspection, check that the device is tested annually and you're done. From the perspective of a supply that wants to do the best job of protecting the supply as well as its users you need both containment and isolation and you're never done! But you will provide the best protection program for your system and your customers. As for cons with containment: 1. Most systems that use this approach require use of a residential dual check at residences. These are appropriate only where there are low hazards. 2. When you put a backflow preventer on a service entrance you have created a closed system and means for thermal expansion must be considered. 3. A backflow device at the service entrance will reduce pressure throughout the building. 4. This approach does nothing to protect the users within that premise. Cons for isolation: 1. Usually more expensive than containment. 2. Requires more tracking and follow up. 3. May not control all backflows to the potable water supply if unprotected plumbing fixtures are added or if an individual backflow device fails. Cons for both containment and isolation: 1. Usually the most complex program. 2. Usually the most expensive. Q3. How do you address unprotected hose bibs. Educate, educate and educate again. This needs constant reinforcement. Put it in your newsletter, put it on your bills, show a picture of a hose thread VB, tell people where to get them, make sure your local hardware store stocks them. When you respond to your customers about their bi-annual survey make sure there is reference to the need to protect all hose thread connections and again tell people how inexpensive and important it is FOR THEIR OWN SAFETY to install these devices. Q4. What if a private company runs our water system? Who's responsible? It depends whether the system is actually owned privately or if just the operation is contracted out. The system OWNER or OFFICIAL CUSTODIAN is ultimately responsible. Q5. How do you get "buy-in” from political entities and customers? Q6. How should we handle temporary connections? Q7. Does every system require a cross-connection program?
by T. Weathers
Monday, February 11, 2013
Backflow-related Giardiasis outbreak in Utah 0 D. Jensen This is from the localpaper 9/16/12.Cedar Hills residents get giardia parasite from dirty water supply http://www.ksl.com/?nid=148&sid=22177222 Be sure to read the Comments too. Don
by D. Jensen
Tuesday, September 18, 2012
Welcome 0 L. Dougherty Welcome to our first post, on our first public Forum.  This forum is available to members only and also employees of organizational members.  Please refrain from advertising in this forum. The Section reserves the right to edit or remove any post.  
by L. Dougherty
Monday, June 18, 2012

Contact Us

  • 280 Shuman Blvd, Suite 100
    Naperville, IL 60563
  • P: 866-521-3595

Quick Links

Connect With Us