§ 48-133. Definitions.

The following words, terms and phrases, when used in this article, shall have the meanings ascribed to them in this section, except where the context clearly indicates a different meaning:

Approved means accepted by the public works director as meeting an applicable specification contained in this article.

Auxiliary water supply means any water supply on or available to the customer's premises other than the approved city's public water supply. These auxiliary waters may include water from another public potable water supply or any natural source such as a well, spring, river, stream, used waters, or industrial fluids. Auxiliary waters may be contaminated, polluted, or may be objectionable, constituting an unacceptable water source over which the city water utility does not have sanitary control.

Backflow means the reversal of the normal flow of water caused by either back pressure or backsiphonage.

Back pressure means the flow of water or other liquids, mixtures or substances under pressure into the distribution pipes of a potable water supply system from any source or sources other than the intended source.

Backflow preventer means an assembly, device or other means designed to prevent backflow, which may include, with limitation:

(1)

Air gap. The unobstructed vertical distance through the free atmosphere between the lowest opening from any pipe or faucet supplying water to a tank, plumbing fixture, or other device and the flood level rim of the vessel. An approved air-gap shall be at least double the diameter of the supply pipe measured vertically above the top of the overflow rim of the vessel and in no case be less than one inch.

(2)

Reduced pressure principle assembly. An assembly of two independently acting approved check valves together with a hydraulically operating, mechanically independent pressure relief valve located between the check valves and at the same time below the first check valve. The unit shall include properly located test cocks and tightly closing shut-off valves at each end of the assembly. The entire assembly shall meet the design and performance specifications as determined by a laboratory and field evaluation program resulting in an approval by a recognized and approved testing agency for backflow prevention assemblies as listed in this article. The assembly shall maintain the pressure in the zone between the two check valves at an acceptable level less than the pressure on the public water supply side of the device. At cessation of normal flow, the pressure between the two check valves shall be less than the pressure on the public water supply side of the device. In case of leakage of either of the check valves, the differential relief valve shall operate to maintain the reduced pressure in the zone between the check valves by discharging to the atmosphere. When the inlet pressure is two pounds per square inch or less, the relief valve shall open to the atmosphere. To be approved, these devices must be readily accessible for in-line testing and maintenance and be installed in a location where no part of the assembly will be submerged.

(3)

Double check valve assembly. An assembly of two independently operating approved check valves with tightly closing shut-off valves on each end of the check valves, plus properly located test cocks for the testing of each check valve. The entire assembly shall meet the design and performance specifications as determined by a laboratory and field evaluation program resulting in an approval by a recognized and approved testing agency for backflow prevention assemblies. To be approved under the terms of this article these assemblies must be readily accessible for in-line testing and maintenance.

(4)

Atmospheric vacuum breaker. A device that prevents backsiphonage by creating an atmospheric vent when there is either a negative pressure or sub-atmospheric pressure in a water system.

(5)

Pressure vacuum breaker. A device containing one or two independently operated spring loaded check valves and an independently operated spring loaded air inlet valve located on the discharge side of the check or checks. Such a device includes tightly closing shut-off valves on each side of the check valves and properly located test cocks for the testing of the check valves.

Backsiphonage means the flow of water or other liquids, mixtures or substances into the distribution pipes of a potable water supply system from any source other than its intended source caused by the sudden reduction of pressure in the potable water supply system.

Building official means the building official of the city or his designated representative.

Commission means the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) formally known as the Texas Natural Resource Conservation Commission (TNRCC) or any successor agency.

Contamination means an impairment of the quality of the potable water by sewage, industrial fluids or waste liquids, compounds or other materials, to a degree which creates an actual or potential hazard to the public health through poisoning or through the spread of disease.

Cross connection means a connection, any connection or arrangement, physical or otherwise, between a potable water supply system and any plumbing fixture or any tank, receptacle, equipment or device, through which it may be possible for non-potable, or use, or unclean, or polluted or contaminated water, or other substances, to enter into any part of such potable water system under any condition.

Cross connection control by containment means the installation of an approved backflow prevention assembly at the water service connection (meter) to any customer's premises which shall be required if determined by the director of public works.

Cross connection, controlled, means a connection between a potable water system and a non-potable water system with an approved backflow prevention assembly properly installed and maintained (so that it will continuously afford the protection from the hazard of backflow).

Cross connection section means any physical connection or arrangement of piping or fixtures between two otherwise separate piping systems, one of which contains potable water and the other non-potable water or industrial fluids of questionable safety, through which, or because of which, backflow may occur into the potable water system. This would include any temporary connections, such as swing connections, removable sections, four-way plug valves, spools, dummy sections of pipe, swivel or change-over devices or sliding multiport tube.

Director means the director of public works for the city, or his designated representative.

Hazard, degree of, means an evaluation of the potential risk to public health and the adverse effect of the hazard upon the potable water system which may include, with limitation:

(1)

Hazard, health, means any condition, device, or practice in the water supply system or its operation which creates or may create, in the judgment of the director, a danger to the health and well-being of the water customers of the city.

(2)

Hazard, plumbing, means a cross connection in a customer's potable water system that has not been properly protected by an approved air-gap or approved backflow prevention assembly.

(3)

Hazard, pollution, means an actual or potential threat to the physical properties of the water system or to the potability of the public water system or the customer's potable water system which would constitute a nuisance or could reasonably cause damage to the water system or its appurtenances but would not be dangerous to health.

(4)

Hazard, system, means an actual or potential threat of severe damage to the physical properties of the public potable water system or the customer's potable water system or of pollution or contamination which would have a protracted effect on the quality of the potable water in the system.

Industrial fluids system means any system containing a fluid or solution which may be chemically, biologically or otherwise contaminated or polluted in a form or concentration such as would constitute a health system, pollution or plumbing hazard if introduced into an approved water supply. This may include, without limitation, polluted or contaminated waters; all types of processed waters; used waters originating from the public potable water system which may have deteriorated in sanitary quality; chemicals in fluid form; plating acids and alkalis; circulating cooling waters connected to an open cooling tower and/or cooling towers that are chemically or biologically treated or stabilized with toxic substances; contaminated natural waters (such as from wells, springs, streams, rivers, bays, harbors, seas, irrigation canals or systems, etc.); oils, gases; glycerin; paraffin; caustic and acid solutions; and other liquid or gaseous fluids used in industrial or other processes or for firefighting purposes.

Notice means notification by written letter, email, or by facsimile.

Notice time line means 30 days to correct and/or reply to any notice received by the director, unless otherwise noted in this article.

Pollution means the presence of any foreign substance (whether organic, inorganic, or biological) in water, which tends to degrade its quality so as to constitute a hazard, or impair the usefulness or quality of the water to a degree which does not create an actual hazard to the public health but which does adversely and unreasonably affect such waters for domestic use.

User or customer means any individual, business, or similar public or private entity, all property owners, lessees, and/or tenants who purchases water from the city for use in their own customer system.

Water, nonpotable, means water which is not safe for human consumption or which is of questionable potability.

Water, potable, means any water which, according to recognized standards, meets the requirements of the state department of health for human consumption and other domestic uses.

Water, service connection, means the terminal end of a service connection from the public potable water system; i.e., where the city loses jurisdiction and sanitary control over the water at its point of delivery to the customer's water system. If a meter is installed at the end of the service connection, then the service connection shall mean the downstream end of the meter. There shall be no unprotected takeoffs from the service line ahead of any meter or backflow prevention assembly located at the point of delivery to the customer's water system. The term "water service connection" also includes water service connection from a fire hydrant and all other temporary or emergency water service connections from the public potable water system.

Water, used, means any water supplied by the city from a public potable water system to a customer's water system, after it has passed through the point of delivery and is no longer under the sanitary control of the city.

Water system means the city's water system which consists of the source facilities and the distribution system and shall include all those facilities of the city's water system, up to the point where the customer's water system begins including, without limitation, distribution lines, treatment plants, reservoirs, pump stations, mains, residential and commercial connections, and any other parts or components that comprise the public water and wastewater system of the city. Additionally, the following terms shall mean:

(1)

Customer's system means the customer's system and means those parts of the water system facilities beyond the termination of the city's distribution system, which are utilized on conveying utility-delivered domestic water to points of use for its customers.

(2)

Distribution system means the city's water distribution system and shall include the network of conduits used for the delivery of water from the source to the customer's system.

(3)

Source means the water source and shall include all components of the city's water system facilities utilized in the production, treatment, storage, and delivery of water to the city's water distribution system.

Wholesale customer means any person or business that purchases water from the city for resale to a third party, person, business, etc.

(Code 1994, § 11.302A; Ord. No. 569, § 1, 3-10-2014)