March 13, 2020

CERTIFIED BACKFLOW

PREVENTION TESTER PRESENTATION

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 for the backflow program was revised and adopted in May 2011

• Public Utilities Departmental Policy also adopted in May 2011• Details PU, Consumer and Backflow Tester

Responsibilities

• Program website www.vbgov.com/backflow

Public Utilities Backflow TeamTechnical Resource for you and citizens

• Michael Vieira – Acting Regulatory Compliance Bureau Manager

• Belinda Wilson – Program Manager• Brandy Cronon – Engineering Aide• Jason Truitt – Engineering Tech• Dave Paolucci – Code Inspector• Bob Hewitt – Code Inspector• Contact us

• backflow@vbgov.com (best/preferred method)

• 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 New Installs including

replacement devices

•Public Utilities• All Annual Testing• Test Reports for all new Installs• Investigating possible cross-connections

Public Utilities Responsibilities

• Maintain backflow testing tracking system and records for over 5,000 sites and 11,000 devices

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

• Virginia Department of Health Compliance• Provide Customer Service• Technical Resource for Testers and

Customers

Backflow Tester Responsibilities• Testers 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)• Tests will not be accepted if certifications have expired

• Testers shall use only test kits with up to date calibration certifications. • Tester Kit Calibrations due annually (per ASSE 5000

and Public Utilities Departmental Policy) • Calibration certifications shall be sent to PU annually

or upon expiration• Test kits and calibration information will be

maintained with tester license information in our database

• Testers should use City of Virginia Beach test form

Backflow Test Tags

• Testers shall tag the device upon completion of a test per the Public Utilities Departmental Policy

• We use the tags to help find missing test reports • We can contact the Tester/Tester’s Company

instead of calling the customer

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

EXAMPLE TAG ONLY

Backflow Test Tags

EXAMPLE TAG ONLY

Expiration Date is when Test Expires not for tester certification

expiration or test kit calibration expiration.

Dates along border are for when the test was

done.

• Please do not reuse a tag. It is too difficult to know when the test was taken or expires.

Citizen & Tester Responsibilities

• Public Utilities Departmental Policy and the City of Virginia Beach Code Sec. 37-71 Maintenance and inspection of backflow prevention devices states that the consumer (citizen) shall maintain accurate records of tests and repairs made to backflow prevention devices

• Testers shall provide the consumer with copies of the backflow tests and keep a copy for their records. • Testers have had to retest devices when they don’t keep copies of the

reports.

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• One month later if the test is not received, a 30-day Overdue Notification is sent

telling the customer they have 30 days to submit test form or their water service will be terminated or a $2500 fine will be implemented.

• 7 days before the turn off date, we deliver a 7-Day door hanger • 48 hours before the turn off date, we deliver a 48-hour door hanger • 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

Timeline for a Test

Due in April

Backflow Test Form• Pre-printed test forms are provided to the

customer with the Annual, 30-day and 7-day notices.

• 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 emailed to us at backflow@vbgov.com

• Can be faxed #757-427-3183• 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 – including the YEAR

• 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 • Replaced device-please put old device serial #

• 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: Test is due in April 2019 but it’s tested in March 2019, it will be due again in March 2020

• Test that are done late DO NOT gain any time. Example: Test is due in April 2019 but not done until June of 2019, it will be due in April 2020

• 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 Certified Tester List

• 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• Read this presentation and submit answers to the questions via email

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

public 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 Backflow Tester List you must attend

Thank you for Attending!

Questions for any Hampton Roads Backflow Program…

City Of ChesapeakeP.O. Box 15225Chesapeake, VA 23328 757-382-3414

James City County119 Tewning RoadWilliamsburg, VA 23188757-259-4138

City of Norfolk 6040 Waterworks RoadNorfolk, VA 23502757-441-5774

Town of Smithfield310 Institute StSmithfield, VA 23431757-365-4200

Isle of Wright CountyP.O. Box 108Isle of Wright, VA 23397757-365-6260

City of Newport News425 Industrial Park DrNewport News, VA 23608757-234-4888

City of Portsmouth430 Meander RdPortsmouth, VA 23704757-393-8561

City Of Suffolk272 Benton RdSuffolk, VA 23434757-604-3645

Backflow across Hampton Roads…