cross connection control and backflow prevention news from
TRANSCRIPT
September 30, 2016
Cross Connection Control and Backflow Prevention News From Fort Wayne City Utilities
In This Issue COMPLIANCE RATE CLIMBS – THANK YOU DISCONNECTION OF WATER SERVICE DUE TO NON-COMPLIANCE TURNING WATER BACK ON FOR INSPECTION SUBMITTING TEST RESULTS PROMPTLY DCDAs ON FIRE SYSTEMS
There are new changes to City Utilities’ Cross Connection Control & Backflow Prevention Program! We ask that you
please read this newsletter carefully.
COMPLIANCE RATE CLIMBS – THANK YOU City Utilities is proud to announce that since April 1st, 2016, the implementation date of the TrackMyBackflow.com website, the backflow prevention device testing compliance rate has risen an incredible 30% with a current compliance rate of 91%! This could not have been possible without your dedication and professionalism. We thank you, and we are excited to see this rate continue to climb as we continually strengthen our program.
DISCONNECTION OF WATER SERVICE DUE TO NON-COMPLIANCE City Utilities works diligently to ensure the safety and quality of our drinking water, including pursuing enforcement actions against non-compliant customers that will ultimately end with the termination of their water service. As you may be aware, Aqua Backflow sends two notices to our customers; the first reminding them that their backflow device is coming due for testing, and the second alerting them that it is past-due. If the customer does not come into compliance after the second notice is sent, City Utilities is notified. City Utilities sends a “Final Disconnection Notice” by USPS Certified Mail to both the mailing address and the site address. After an additional amount of time has passed, a recorded message is sent to the phone number on file for that customer, if any. Lastly, a “Red Tag” door hanger will be hung at the home or business prior to disconnecting their water service. City Utilities will begin using these enforcement procedures in October 2016. Service will not be disconnected for non-compliance on Fridays, Saturdays, or Sundays or for those sites awaiting the filing fee to be paid on the TrackMyBackflow.com website. Additionally, service will not be disconnected for backflow device testing non-compliance on irrigation systems for the remainder of 2016, as we are approaching the end of irrigation season. As of today, there are approximately 180 customers who are non-compliant that will receive a Final Disconnection Notice in October. Enclosed please find a high-level process flow chart and examples of the Final Disconnection Notice and Red Tag door hanger to assist in your understanding of our processes.
TURNING WATER BACK ON FOR BACKFLOW TESTING If a customer has had their water disconnected due to non-compliance and has contacted you to perform testing, you – not the customer – must contact City Utilities to have the water turned on for testing the backflow device. Call City Utilities Water Maintenance and Service at 260-427-2476 to schedule an “On/Off for Backflow Testing” service appointment at least one business day in advance. These appointments can be scheduled for Monday through Friday; weekend appointments are not available. A City Utilities’ Field Service Representative will meet you on site to turn the water on for testing and will leave to go to their next appointment while you perform the testing. After the testing is complete, you must call the Representative on their cell phone to inform them of the results. If the device passes testing, the water will be left on. If the device fails testing, the Representative will return to the site and turn the water back off to protect the safety of the public water supply. The results of the test should be submitted immediately to prevent the service from being disconnected again. If you cannot keep the scheduled appointment time, you should call Water Maintenance and Service to reschedule. Laminated “City Utilities-Cross Connection Control & Backflow Prevention Important Contacts” card(s) are enclosed for distribution to your affected staff. Additional cards can be made available by contacting our office.
SUBMITTING TEST RESULTS PROMPTLY It is imperative that you submit backflow device test results in a timely manner. Ensuring test results are submitted promptly could prevent your customer from their water service disconnected due to failure to submit test results in a timely manner. It also reduces call volume for your company, Aqua Backflow, and City Utilities.
DCDAs ON FIRE SYSTEMS It has come to the attention of Fort Wayne City Utilities that some architects, engineers, and fire system designers are continuing to specify the installation of double check detector assemblies (DCDA’s) on fire systems. Although these assemblies were required by Aqua Indiana in the areas where they formerly provided water service, the assemblies are not required by Fort Wayne City Utilities on private fire systems. Designing fire systems that include a DCDA can result in added cost and maintenance for your customers due to the fact that an additional backflow prevention device will be required and must be maintained and tested. Although City Utilities does not require a DCDA, it is optional and there may be reasons that a particular client of yours, such as a large manufacturing facility or industrial complex, would desire to have such a device to detect and measure leaks from a fire system. If you see that a DCDA has been specified for installation, you may want to discuss this with the architect or engineer who is providing the design and with the client. If such an assembly is installed, please remember that it will require a backflow prevention device that must be inspected, maintained, and tested in accordance with the State of Indiana and City Utilities’ requirements. Sincerely, Jessica Caplinger Jessica Caplinger, Program Manager Fort Wayne City Utilities Cross Connection Control & Backflow Prevention 200 E Berry Street, Suite 130 Fort Wayne, IN 46802 Ph: (260) 427-2543 E: [email protected] www.cityoffortwayne.org/utilities/backflow-prevention Enclosure City Utilities welcomes your suggestions for information you would like to see on our webpage or if you have recommendations that could make our program more effective. Please contact our office if you have ideas, questions, or concerns regarding the Cross Connection Control & Backflow Prevention Program.
Please post and distribute this newsletter to the staff in your office.
If you no longer wish to receive correspondence regarding the Cross Connection Control & Backflow Prevention Program, please contact our office.
START Reminder
Notice
Device Tested & Service
Restored END
Past Due Notice
Final Notice
Recorded Phone
Message
Door Hanger
Water Service
Terminated
Fort Wayne City Utilities Cross Connection Control & Backflow Prevention
High-Level Enforcement Process
