Everyday, the Arcadia Water Utility proudly supplies an average of 1.2 million gallons of water to its citizens and businesses. Water that exceeds the requirements of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR). Before the water is pumped to your home or business, it has to go through careful treatment and numerous tests to ensure its quality. To keep the water system safe from contaminants and pollutants, the Arcadia Water Utility is required by the Wisconsin DNR, Wisconsin Department of Commerce and the City of Arcadia Ordinance 147C (see link below) to maintain a cross connection control program.
Congress established the Safe Drinking Water Act in 1974 to protect human health from contaminants in drinking water and to prevent contamination of existing groundwater supplies. This act and its amendments (1986 and 1996) require many actions to protect drinking water and its sources. One of these actions is the installation and maintenance of an approved backflow prevention assembly at the water service connection whenever a potential hazard is determined to exist in the customer's system. Without proper protection devices, cross connections can occur.
What is a Cross Connection?
A cross connection is an actual or potential connection between any part of the public water supply system and a source of contamination or pollution that combines the two when a backflow condition occurs. The most common form of a cross connection is a garden hose, which is easily connected to the public water supply (ex. an outdoor water faucet) and a possible contaminate such as connecting the hose to a plant fertilizer or bug spray unit and a backflow occurs. What does this mean? The plant fertilizer or bug spray can travel backwards through the hose and into your water pipes.
What is Backflow then?
Backflow is when the water in your pipes (the pipes after the water meter) goes backward (the opposite direction from its normal flow). There are two situations that can cause the water to go backward (backflow):
- Backpressure - the pressure in your pipes is greater than the pressure coming in
- Backsiphonage - a negative pressure in one of the pipes
What does the water utility do to protect the public water supply system?
Federal and State Laws require all water utilities to establish and implement cross connection programs. The City of Arcadia has adopted ordinances giving the Arcadia Water Utility the authority to inspect all residences and businesses and order removal of cross connections found. Non-compliance could result in the disconnection of water services to the user. This includes the largest industrial plant to the smallest individual home. Protection of the water supply is critical to the health of our families. The Arcadia Water Utility takes this responsibility very seriously.
The Arcadia Water Utility has contracted with HydroCorp to manage our cross connection program. HydroCorp (see sidebar) will be inspecting each property in the city to ensure there is adequate protection for the public water system.
What are will the inspectors be looking for?
They will be checking your home or business for possible cross connections such as a laundry sink with a threaded faucet, outside hose faucets, water softeners, boilers and etc. The inspector will be completing a "Cross Connection Inspection Form". A copy of this form will be given to the owner of the property when the inspection is completed. On this form will be the results found during the inspection. It will show you what was found to be in compliance as well as what change(s) need to be made if any, to protect your plumbing from possible cross-connections. Once the cross connection inspection is done, the necessary corrections need to be made by the property owner or a licensed plumber at the property owner or business's expense.
What happens if a property owner or business doesn't make the necessary corrections or refuses to allow the property to be inspected?
Per the City of Arcadia's Ordinance 147C (see link below), the Water Utility has the authority to disconnect the water service to the property.
How do you prevent backflow situations in your home or business?
- Use mechanical devices known as a backflow preventer that is approved by the American Society of Sanitary Engineering (A.S.S.E)designed to prevent backflow through cross connections. You can purchase backflow preventers where plumbing supplies are sold. Any device that is labeled with an "A.S.S.E.#" will be considered as an approved backflow prevention device.
- Be aware of and eliminate cross connections.
- Maintain air gaps. Do not submerge hoses or place them where they could become submerged.
Cross connection control is a long-term investment, which requires a cooperative effort between the Water Utility, property owners and businesses. The Arcadia Water Utility appreciates your help in keeping our water supply safe.
HydroCorp contratado para simplificar las inspecciones de conexión cruzadas
Cross Connection Ordinance 147C