March 15, 2018

6TH ANNUAL BACKFLOW TESTER

MEETING

PLEASE TURN YOUR CELL PHONES TO SILENT MODE.

RESTROOM LOCATIONS

Background Information• Backflow Prevention & CCC Program has been

managed by the Public Utilities Engineering Divisions’ Regulatory Compliance Bureau since March 2011

• Public Utilities is responsible for the drinking water supply as well as sanitary sewer service

• The City Code concerning the backflow program was revised and adopted in May 2011

• A lot of the of the program information is now documented in a Public Utilities Departmental Policy that was also adopted in May 2011

• The policy details Public Utilities Responsibilities, Consumer Responsibilities, and Backflow Tester Responsibilities

• Program website www.vbgov.com/backflow

• Annual Tester Meeting started six years ago as a way to communicate and improve program performance

• Annual Meeting will transition into Regional event for Hampton Roads Backflow Programs and Testers

The Cross Connection programs from Virginia Beach, Norfolk, Suffolk, Chesapeake, Isle of Wright, James City County, Newport News, Portsmouth and Town of Smithfield meet on a regular basis to discuss HOT topics and compliance issues.

Several Region wide Program Managers and Inspectors are likely here today.Each jurisdiction has unique features; my presentation will feature Virginia Beach’s program.

There will be time afterwards for questions.

Backflow across Hampton Roads…

City Of Chesapeake

P.O. Box 15225

Chesapeake, VA 23328

757-382-3414

James City County

119 Tewning Road

Williamsburg, VA 23188

757-259-4138

City Of Norfolk

6040 Waterworks Road

Norfolk, VA 23502

757-441-5774

Town of Smithfield

310 Institute St

Smithfield, VA 23431

757-365-4200

Isle of Wright County

P.O. Box 108

Isle of Wright, VA 23397

757-365-6260

City of Newport News

425 Industrial Park Dr

Newport News, VA 23608

757-234-4888

City of Portsmouth

430 Meander Rd

Portsmouth, VA 23704

757-393-8561

City Of Suffolk

272 Benton Rd

Suffolk, VA 23434

757-604-3645

Backflow across Hampton Roads…

Public Utilities Backflow TeamTechnical Resource for you and citizens

• Kate Nixon – Regulatory Compliance Bureau Manager

• Belinda Wilson – Program Manager

• Jason Truitt – Engineering Tech

• Brandy Cronon – Engineering Aide

• Paul Leonard – Code Inspector

• Dave Paolucci – Code Inspector

• Contact us

• backflow@vbgov.com

• 757-385-4171 phone

• 757-427-3183 fax

Who is Responsible for What?

•Permits & Inspections• All permit required work

• All permit required inspections/re-inspections

• Test Reports for Brand New Installs

•Public Utilities• All Annual Testing

• Test Reports for Brand New Installs

• Investigating possible cross-connections

Public Utilities Responsibilities

• Virginia Department of Health Compliance

• Implement and maintain a cross connection control and backflow prevention program for the protection of the public drinking water supply system

• Maintain backflow testing tracking system and records

• Provide Customer Service

• Technical Resource for Testers and Customers

Impact of Failure for City

• Public Health Compromised

• Regulatory Compliance Issues

• Negative Impact on Customer Confidence

• Loss of public support

• Notices of Violation/Consent Order

• Monetary Fines

• Exposure to Litigation

• Significant Monetary Risk Potential

• City Council Action

Backflow Tester Responsibilities• Tester shall be certified by the Virginia Board of

Contractors to perform backflow tests or shall affirmatively demonstrate that their qualifications meet or exceed the applicable standards prescribed by the American Society of Sanitary Engineering (ASSE Standard 5000)

• Testers shall use only test kits with up to date calibration certifications. Copies of calibration certifications shall be sent to Public Utilities annually or upon expiration.

• Test kits and calibration information will be maintained with tester license information in our Tokay database

• Testers should use City of Virginia Beach test form

• Tag Backflow device once annual test is complete

Backflow Test Tags

• Testers shall tag the device upon completion of a test.

• Tags at a minimum shall include the following information: Name, Address, and Phone # of Testing Company; Manufacturer, Model #, Serial #, and Size of device being tested; Test Date; Tester’s Initials; Tester’s Certification #; and indication if the test passed or failed.

• If Replacing a device, please put old Serial# on the test form

• We use the tags to help chase down missing test reports.

EXAMPLE TAG ONLY

Tester Liability• Legal Liability

• Loss of Business/Customers

• Loss of ability to test in Virginia Beach

• Loss of state license

• Legal recourse from City or others

• Safe Drinking Water Act (1974)

• The sabotage of a public drinking water system or even the threat to do so, is a federal offense (title XIV, section 1432 of the federal safe drinking water act P.L. 99-339, 1986)

• P.L. 107-188 Amended Safe Drinking Water Act 2002

• Attempt or threat

• 10 years in prison/ $100,000 fine

• Tampering

• 20 years in prison/$1,000,000 fine

Backflow in Irrigation Systems!• June 2012 Boise, Idaho – As many as 80

residents got sick due to a bacteria in the drinking water that came from a House with a failed backflow device on the irrigation system

• September 2012 Cedar Hills, Utah – 13 homes had water contaminated from an unprotected connection to an irrigation system, people got sick with giardia

• September 2011 Small Town in Idaho – Water system was contaminated with E. coli from a backflow incident involving a home sprinkler system

• November 2011 Columbia, SC – Water system was contaminated from a backflow incident involving an residential irrigation.

• October 1991 Southgate, Michigan – two homes reported parasitic worms (nematodes) in their water. Water main break caused backsiphonage and pulled water from an unprotected irrigation system

Backflow Test Notification Process• Annual Notifications of a test being due are

mailed to the customer on the 15th of the month before the test is due

• On the 15th of the second month after which a test is due customers are hand delivered a 30 day notification letter, informing them their test is late and that if not provided within 30 days of receipt of the letter their water service could be terminated or a $2,500 fine implemented

• 7 Days before their water service termination date a door hanger is left at the property informing them they have 7 days remaining

• 48 Hours before their water service termination date a door hanger is left at the property informing them they have 48 hours remaining

• At the end of that time period if compliance or arrangement have not been made, the water service is terminated or a fine of $2,500 is implemented

Backflow Test Notification Process

Timeline for a Test Due in April

Backflow Test Form

• Pre-printed test forms are provided to the customer with the Annual Notification letter, with the hand delivered a 30 day letter, and when they are hand delivered a 7 day door hanger.

• Blank test forms are available online www.vbgov.com/backflow

• Online test form allows you to fill it out online and email it to us directly using an electronic signature

• Test forms can also be scanned and emailed to us at backflow@vbgov.com

• Test forms can be faxed to 757-427-3183

• Test forms can be mailed.

Completing the Backflow Test Form

•Header Information• Most of the header in formation will be pre-populated if you are

using the form sent with the annual testing notice.

• If the customer has lost this form we can reproduce it and send via fax or email.

• Cross out and correct any inaccurate information

Completing the Backflow Test Form

• Common Mistakes• Not filling out test date

• Not filling in Line Pressure

• Filling in test numbers in wrong location

• Putting Passing in the comments when the test numbers say it failed

• RP Check #1 less than 5.0 psi

• RP Relief Port less than 2.0 psi

• DC Check #1 or #2 less than 1.0 psi

• PVB/SVB Air Inlet or Check Valve less than 1.0 psi

• Incomplete Tester Information

• New Device versus Replaced Device

• If a test fails, let us know the time-frame for repairs and retesting if known

Backflow Test Scheduling

• We reschedule the annual backflow test from the original due date unless the test is done early. Example if test is due in April 2018 but it is done early in March 2018 then it will be due again in March 2019

• Test that are done late DO NOT gain any time. Example if a test is due in April 2018 but not done until June of 2018 then it will be due in April 2019

• If you install an irrigation system in December then the annual test will be due in December unless we are contacted and an alternative date is arranged

• We will also work with you on scheduling multiple devices at the same location to be on the same schedule but you will need to contact us to work out details

Backflow Tester List

• The list is provided to our customers as a courtesy to them

• You DO NOT have to be on the list to test in Virginia Beach

• List is provided to customers when annual testing notification is sent, 30 day notification, and 7 day door hangers

• It is also available on our website

• To be on the list you have to

• Provide us a copy of your business license

• Provide us a copy of your backflow tester license

• Provide us a copy of your test kit calibration certification

• Attend this meeting

Private Wells and City Water

• International Plumbing Code Section 608.6.1, Virginia Plumbing Code• Private water supplies. Cross connections between a private water supply and a potable public supply shall be prohibited.

• Virginia Waterworks Regulations Code of Virginia 12 VAC5-590-590 Cross Connections• The purveyor shall not install, maintain, or allow to be installed a water service connection to any premise

where cross connections to a waterworks or a consumer’s water system may exist unless such cross connections are abated or controlled to the satisfaction of the water purveyor or division.

• The purveyor shall not install, maintain, or allow to be installed any connection whereby water from an auxiliary water system may enter a waterworks or consumer’s water system unless the auxiliary water system and the method of connection and use of such system shall have been approved by the water purveyor and by the division.

• City of Virginia Beach Code Sec. 37-70 Prohibited connections• No person shall install or maintain a water service connection to any premises where cross-connections to a

waterworks or a consumer’s water system may exist, unless such cross-connections are in compliance with this article and approved by the director in accordance with the written policies of the department of public utilities

• No person shall install or maintain any connections that may allow water from an auxiliary water system to enter a waterworks or consumer’s water system, unless the auxiliary water system, the method of connection and the use of such system are in compliance with this article and approved by the director in accordance with the written policies of the department of public utilities

Private Wells and City Water• Bottom line connections between a well and the city’s

pubic water supply system are prohibited.

• To be approved for such a connection has to be approved by the Building Code Administrator, Director of Public Utilities, and Virginia Department of Health Office of Drinking Water

• There are a few exceptions where approval has been given (i.e. Hospitals for non-potable use only)

• There are not any situations where approval for residential use has been or likely would be granted

• Most customers that have and utilize private wells as their water supply have had their city water meters turned off and locked

• Cutting the lock would be considered tampering with City property and the public water system

• We are currently reviewing a backlog of private well data within the City

Conversion from Private Well Use to City Water Use

• Conversion process to convert from Well Water to City Water

1. The Plumber/Resident needs to contact the Permits & Inspections Office (2405 Courthouse Drive Building 2 First Floor, 757-385-4211) and obtain a plumbing permit for a well to city water conversion.

2. When the plumber/resident is ready for the city water to be turned on, the plumber or resident will need to contact Public Utilities at 757-385-4171 (Monday – Friday 8 am to 4 pm)to request the lock on the city meter be removed for a conversion from a well.

3. Public Utilities will verify that a permit was pulled and make an appointment with the resident/plumber to remove the meter lock.

4. Public Utilities will remove the lock from the meter.

5. Public Utilities will follow up within 48 hours of the lock being removed to make sure that no cross connection between the private well water supply and the City’s potable public water systems exist. If a cross connection exists, the lock will be re-installed on the meter.

6. The plumber/resident needs to contact the Permits & Inspections to schedule a Final Inspection.

Cooperation is KEY!

• We ALL have a vested Interest in Protecting Public Health

• Customer Service

• Responsive to each other

• Legally Defensible Program/Ethical Testing Practices

• Loss of Unified Program if one fails

• Overall Program Suffers if one fails

• Cooperation and Success of Both is CRITICAL to SUCCESS

• Failure is NOT AN OPTION!!!

Tester Meeting

• This meeting is an Annual Event

•Attendance is voluntary but if you want to be on the Virginia Beach Tester List you must attend

Thank you for Attending!

Questions for any Hampton Roads Backflow Program…