§ 19-276. Residential backflow prevention requirements.

(a)

Except as provided in subsection (b), all public water supply system operators shall ensure that the appropriate type of backflow preventer is installed at service connections. The costs associated with the installation, maintenance, and testing of backflow prevention devices shall be the responsibility of the customer .

(b)

A backflow preventer is generally not required at service connections to residential premises where the plumbing system meets current Florida Building Code requirements and there is no auxiliary or reclaimed water system, no fire protection system, no irrigation system, no solar hot water system, and/or no swimming pool.

(c)

Residential auxiliary or reclaimed water system. For auxiliary water systems supplied with water from a private well; or reclaimed water system supplied with reclaimed water from a "closed" reclaimed water system, any one (1) of the four (4) backflow prevention options below is allowable:

(1)

Reduced pressure principle assembly (Tested annually).

(2)

Reduced pressure vacuum assembly (Tested annually).

(3)

Double check valve assembly (Tested annually).

(4)

Dual check device plus any one (1) of the following measures:

a.

Well water testing.

b.

Premises inspections.

c.

Automated meter reading.

d.

Customer agreements.

e.

Managed properties.

If option (c)(3) is selected, customers with auxiliary water systems will be responsible [for] replacement costs of the dual check device every five (5) years.

(d)

Residential surface auxiliary water system or open reclaimed water system. For auxiliary water systems supplied with surface water; or reclaimed water systems supplied with reclaimed water from an "open" reclaimed water system, any one (1) of the three (3) options below is allowable:

(1)

Reduced pressure principle assembly.

(2)

Double check valve assembly plus any one (1) of the following measures:

a.

Premises inspections.

b.

Automated meter reading.

c.

Customer agreements.

d.

Managed properties.

(3)

Dual check device plus any two (2) of the measures from subsections (c)(4)b. through (c)(4)e. above.

If option (d)(3) is selected, customers with auxiliary water sources will be responsible [for] replacement costs of the dual check device every five (5) years.

Notes:

A closed reclaimed water system is a reclaimed water system that has no uncovered reclaimed water storage facilities.

An open reclaimed water system is a reclaimed water system that has uncovered reclaimed water storage facilities.

All reduced pressure principle assemblies and double check valve assemblies must be tested annually.

All dual check devices must be overhauled/replaced at least every five (5) years at the customer's expense.

Well water testing: The public potable water system operator shall require the customer to provide to the operator, according to the following frequencies, a department of health approved laboratory, water quality test on the well water. The water quality test shall analyze for e-coli annually and shall analyze for nitrates/nitrites every five (5) years. Should such tests be positive for e-coli, or exceed the maximum contaminant level for either nitrates or nitrites, the customer shall utilize another dual check suboption from subsections (c)(4)b. through (c)(4)e. or shall install a reduced pressure principle assembly or a double check valve assembly.

Premises inspections: The public potable water system operator shall, in accordance with this article, maintain an agreement with the customer that allows for periodic inspections of the premises and ensure that they inspect premises for cross-connections on a periodic basis not to exceed every five (5) years. For Marion County Utilities, the standard deposit receipt and service agreement meets this requirement. The public potable water system operator shall have an inspection protocol and an inspection form to be signed by the inspector and shall make completed and signed inspection forms available for review by the Florida Department of Environmental Protection and or the Florida Department of Health, the customer , and the public upon request. Attachment (1) is [a] copy of the form to be used by Marion County Utilities.

Automated meter reading (AMR): If the public potable water system has installed AMR, or will do so within five (5) years, for existing premises and uses AMR for all new premises, such AMR shall have the ability to detect backflow through the meter and either provide immediate notification of the backflow event or record the backflow data for transmittal or retrieval on at least a monthly basis.

Customer agreements: The public potable water system and customer must sign an agreement that prohibits the customer from cross-connecting the customer's auxiliary or reclaimed water system to the customer's potable water system. The agreement shall stipulate penalties for discovered cross-connections (such as monetary fines, discontinuation of service, and/or a requirement for installation of a more protective back flow preventer, such as a reduced pressure principle assembly of a double check valve assembly ). Attachment (2) is a copy of the deposit receipt and service agreement.

Managed properties: Managed properties are those under the jurisdictional control of a third party, with established restrictions regarding the use or modification of the property, which prohibit the customer from altering or tampering with the property's potable water system and auxiliary or reclaim water systems. The third party's legal instrument establishing the restrictions shall be reviewed and kept on file by the public potable water system operator and a copy shall be provided to the Marion County Backflow Prevention Coordinator.

(e)

Fire protection systems:

(1)

Fire protection systems that are also connected to an auxiliary water supply or source or have provisions for introducing chemical additives or antifreeze into the system require a reduced pressure principle assembly.

(2)

New closed (i.e., nonflow through) wet pipe sprinkler systems, or new closed wet stand pipe systems that have no connections to auxiliary water supplies or sources, have no provisions for adding chemical additives or antifreeze, require either a reduced pressure principle assembly or a double check valve assembly.

(3)

Existing closed (i.e., nonflow through) wet pipe sprinkler systems, or existing closed wet stand pipe systems, that have no connection to an auxiliary water supply or source and have no provisions for introducing chemical additives or antifreeze into the system require a reduced pressure principle assembly or double check valve assembly or no backflow prevention device if the sprinkler or stand pipe system is provided with a lead free alarm check valve.

(f)

Irrigation systems:

(1)

If the irrigation system is connecting to an auxiliary water supply or source or has provisions for introducing chemicals into the irrigation system it will require installation of a reduced pressure principle assembly.

(2)

Irrigation systems that have no connections to an auxiliary water supply or source and have no provisions for introducing chemicals into the irrigation system require the installation of a reduced pressure principle assembly or a pressure vacuum breaker assembly .

(g)

Solar hot water systems:

(1)

If the solar hot water system is equipped with double wall heat exchanger and leak detection, no additional backflow prevention devices are required.

(2)

All solar hot water systems not having double walled heat exchangers and leak detection will be required to install a reduced pressure principle assembly.

(h)

Multistory buildings:

(1)

In multistory buildings, regardless of the configurations of its internal potable water system, any loss of water distribution main pressure will cause backflow from these buildings' systems unless approved backflow prevention devices are properly installed. Therefore, in buildings with three (3) or more floors a reduced pressure principle assembly will be required.

(Ord. No. 12-27, § 6, 12-4-2012)

Editor's note

The attachments referenced above are available for inspection at the Marion County Utilities office.