A. The control or elimination of cross-connections shall be in accordance with the provisions of the Washington Administrative Code (WAC 246-290-490). The policies, procedures, and criteria for determining appropriate levels of protection shall be in accordance with the Accepted Procedure and Practice in Cross-Connection Control Manual, Pacific Northwest Section, American Waterworks Association, Fifth Edition, or any superseding edition.

B. The city of Algona may deny or discontinue water service to any customer failing to cooperate in the installation, maintenance, testing, or inspection of backflow prevention assemblies required and stated in WAC 246-290-490.

C. All services other than single-family residential shall be provided with Washington State-approved backflow prevention located immediately behind and on the property side of the water service box. Irrigation, residential single-family fire meters, duplex, and multifamily residential connections shall require double check valve assemblies (DCVA). All other connections shall require reduced pressure backflow assemblies (RPBA). Commercial fire sprinkler system, if unmetered, shall require reduced pressure detector assemblies (RPDA).

D. An “approved backflow prevention assembly” means a backflow prevention assembly model approved by the state of Washington, Department of Health, and the city of Algona. Unless an exemption is granted, the minimum requirement for a backflow prevention assembly shall be that it consists of a double-check valve assembly. Additional backflow prevention may be required in accordance with WAC 246-290-490.

E. The mayor and/or designee and such staff members as he may designate are delegated the authority to inspect, approve, and disapprove backflow prevention assemblies; to require correction, modifications, repairs, or maintenance on backflow prevention assemblies and to inspect all premises of customers where backflow prevention assemblies may be required. A minimum standard for the maintenance and installation of backflow prevention assemblies shall be those set forth in the “Accepted Procedures and Practice in the Cross-Connection Control Manual,” May 1990, Fifth Edition, as published by the Pacific Northwest Section of the American Waterworks Committee and any subsequent edition or amendment of said manual. The mayor and/or designee is authorized to establish higher standards for the installation and maintenance of backflow prevention assemblies where he finds that good engineering practice, industry standards or the protection of public health requires such higher standards.

F. As a condition of a continued water service, customers shall make their premises, including buildings and structures, to which water is supplied, accessible to city personnel periodically to determine whether backflow prevention assemblies are required or are properly installed and maintained. Testing and inspections will be made annually.

G. As a condition of continued water service, it shall further be the responsibility of each customer to maintain and repair backflow prevention assemblies and to upgrade any backflow prevention assembly which does not comply with the requirements of this chapter or the standards established by the city.

H. Prior to the installation of irrigation systems (fire sprinkler systems) and backflow prevention assemblies, the customer shall obtain a permit from the city for such installation.

I. Should a customer fail to install, maintain or repair a backflow prevention assembly as directed by the public works director, water service to the customer shall be terminated upon order of the public works director or city council, as directed by WAC 246-290-490.

J. The requirements herein for backflow prevention assembly installation shall apply even though local building and/or plumbing codes may not require backflow prevention assemblies.

K. The city of Algona strictly prohibits interconnection of other water supplies with the city’s distribution system. Auxiliary water supplies (private wells, piped irrigation sources, etc.) are a major cross-connection control hazard and, therefore, must be effectively isolated from the domestic water supply. City of Algona cross-connection control policies and requirements for customers with private wells are as follows:

New services will be locked off until compliance is verified by the city of Algona. Visual inspection of piping is required for premises retaining active well systems.

All backflow prevention assemblies are subject to annual inspection and testing. The cost of annual performance testing and any required maintenance is the responsibility of the backflow prevention assembly owner.

L. The city of Algona strictly prohibits the connection to any fire hydrant, standpipe, or blow-off. All connections to the above shall be considered a cross-connection and will be terminated immediately. The following are exceptions: