Backflow prevention is a matter of protecting the quality and safety of our water supply. Backflow prevention helps to ensure that dangerous contaminants, such as microorganisms, bacteria, noxious chemicals, heavy metals, gases and other potentially threatening pollutants/substances do not enter the community’s potable water system. Additionally, backflow prevention helps to ensure that an epidemic spread of life-threatening diseases, which can and have resulted in death, does not occur.

There are numerous and well-documented cases of not only pollutants spreading through the water supply, but also serious illnesses, leading to death, due to backflow into the potable water system. Some incidents date as far back as the turn of the century. Many incidents have occurred in the State of West Virginia. Additionally, other cases have occurred in various areas around the country.

West Virginia Case Studies

For example, “in June of 1994, discolored water at an elementary school was attributed to a corrosion control chemical that had been added to the Heating, Ventilating and Air-Conditioning system. Backflow of the chemical into the water supply occurred due to improper protection on the boiler make-up water lines.” Cross-Connection and Backflow Prevention Manual, WVHDDR Bureau of Public Health, EW-114

“In September of 1991, a small rural water supply discovered contamination in a main water distribution line resulting from backsiphonage of untreated pond water due to inadequate cross-connection protection at a golf course irrigation system.” Cross-Connection and Backflow Prevention Manual, WVHDDR Bureau of Public Health, EW-114

“In October of 1981, a post office water system was discovered to have high nitrate levels and pink coloration attributed to backflow of a corrosion inhibitor from the post office chiller.” http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/PDF/ss/ss5108.pdf

National Case Studies

Additionally, serious cases of contamination have occurred in other parts of the country. For example, “In December of 1980, 20,000 residents of the Pittsburgh area were without water for several weeks after contamination of their water supply by the pesticides chlordane and heptachlor. A cross-connection backsiphoned the pesticides from an exterminator truck into the water supply.” Cross-Connection and Backflow Prevention Manual, WVHDDR Bureau of Public Health, EW-114.

“A cross-connection between a potable water system and a sewage system at a meat packing plant in Iowa in April 1979 caused sewage water to be sprayed on $2,000,000 of pork in the plant. The contamination cost the company to lose an $3,000,000 and resulted in extended unemployment time for 200 workers while the situation was cleaned up.” Cross-Connection and Backflow Prevention Manual, WVHDDR Bureau of Public Health, EW-114.

“A well-documented case of backflow due to backpressure occurred at a Seattle car wash in February 1979. Complaints of “dirty”, “slippery”, and “soapy” water in the area around the car wash lead to the discovery of a cross-connection at the car wash. A temporary hose had been connected to a reclaimed water tank after a pump malfunctioned. The temporary connection was not removed after the pump was repaired causing reclaimed water/rinse water to be pumped into the city main. Approximately 100 square blocks of city water mains were contaminated.” Cross-Connection and Backflow Prevention Manual, WVHDDR Bureau of Public Health, EW-114.

It’s the Law

In order to prevent these types of cases from occurring in the future, West Virginia has adopted legislation to protect the public health of its’ citizens. This regulation was in response to the Safe Drinking Water Act of 1974. According to the State of West Virginia Department of Health and Human Services Bureau for Public Health, under Title 64 Legislative Rule, Series 15, Cross Connection Control and Backflow Prevention regulations,

The business owner “shall be responsible for the elimination or protection of all cross-connections on his premises.”

“The Owner, shall at his expense, install, maintain, and test, or have tested, any and all backflow preventer assemblies on his premises.”

“ The Owner shall correct any malfunction of the backflow preventer assemblies which is revealed by periodic testing.”

“The Owner shall inform the Water Purveyor of any proposed or modified cross-connections and also any existing cross-connections of which the Owner is aware, but have not been found by the Water Purveyor.”

“The Owner shall not install a by-pass around any backflow preventer unless there is a backflow preventer of the same type on the bypass. Owners who cannot shut down operation for the testing of the assembly(s) must supply additional assemblies necessary to allow testing to take place.”

“The Owner shall install backflow preventers approved by the Water Purveyor.”

“The Owner shall install only backflow preventers approved by the Water Purveyor or the WVBPH.”

“Any Owner having a private well or other private water source must have the approval of the Water Purveyor if the well or source is cross-connected to the Water Purveyor’s system. Permission to cross-connect may be denied. The Owner may be required to install a backflow preventer at the service entrance if a private water source is maintained, even if it is not cross-connected to the Water Purveyor’s system.”

“In the event the Owner installs plumbing to provide potable water for domestic purposes which is on the Water Purveyor’s side of the backflow preventer, such plumbing must have it own backflow preventer installed.”

“The Owner shall be responsible for the payment of all fees for permits, annual or semi-annual assembly testing, retesting in the case that the assembly fails to operated correctly, and second re-inspections for non-compliance with Water Purveyor or WVBPH requirements”

“Backflow prevention assemblies shall be tested and inspected at least annually,”

“Periodic testing shall be performed by a WVBPH certified tester. This testing will be done at the owner’s expense.” American Backflow Solutions is certified as a backflow tester by the WVBPH (West Virginia Bureau of Public Health as well as by ASSE (American Society of Sanitary Engineering).

“Any backflow preventer assembly which fails during a periodic test will be repaired or replaced. When repairs are necessary, upon completion of the repair the backflow preventer assembly will be retested at owner’s expense to insure correct operation. High hazard situations will not be allowed to continue unprotected if the backflow preventer assembly fails the test and cannot be repaired immediately. In other situations, a compliance date of not more than thirty (30) days after the test date will be established. The owner is responsible for spare parts, repair tools, or a replacement device. Parallel installation of two (2) devices is an effective means of the owner insuring that uninterrupted water service during testing or repair of devices and is strongly recommended when the owner desires such continuity.”

Fines, penalties and the loss of water service are all possible if non-compliant. Furthermore, if contamination occurs and an individual or a group of individuals or their property suffers damage due to a backflow incident, they can seek compensation from the municipality and the entity that contributed to the contamination. Therefore, it is not only critical from a public health perspective, but is financially reckless not be in compliance with this very important piece of legislation.