Public health officials have long been concerned about cross-connections and backflow prevention as early as the turn of the century. However, it wasn’t until 1974, when Congress established the Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA), that unprotected cross-connections were required to be eliminated or protected in order to safeguard human health from contaminants in drinking water. Part of the Act included the installation and maintenance of backflow prevention devices. These devices are installed wherever a cross-connection occurs. Without a backflow prevention device at cross-connections, drinking water can become contaminated by a backflow condition.
Through the EPA, national standards for safe drinking water were established. The states were made responsible for the enforcement of these standards, as well as the supervision of public water supply systems. The water purveyor (supplier) is responsible for compliance with the Safe Drinking Water Act which includes a warranty that water is delivered to customers without the quality being compromised as a result of its delivery through the distribution system.
In turn, each water supplier/water district establishes a method to eliminate cross-connections within the distribution system to ensure that the quality of the potable water within their piping maintains its safety. State legislation requires installation of an approved backflow prevention device when the public water supplier determines that either an actual or potential health hazard or degradation of public water exists. In order for the water purveyor to determine this, your business may be sent a cross-connection control survey. This survey is sent in order to determine whether there are unprotected cross-connections present. Upon completion of the cross-connection control survey, the water purveyor may require a backflow prevention device(s) to be installed in order to protect the internal cross-connections that may be present. American Backflow Solutions can complete the cross-connection survey for you and inform you as to your responsibility regarding backflow prevention.
Once the water supplier has determined that a backflow prevention device is necessary you will need to get the assembly installed and then tested after installation is complete. There are several different types of devices so the assembly that offers the best protection in relation to your industry and application is the one that needs to be installed. Other factors that need to be considered in regards to installation include whether or not the device is an approved assembly, piping size, location and the need to periodically test the device. Depending on the type of device installed, annual retesting may be necessary to ensure that it is still working properly. American Backflow Solutions is certified by West Virginia Bureau of Public Health, as well as ASSE (American Society of Sanitary Engineering) as a qualified backflow device tester. Additionally, we hold ASSE certifications for repairs, installation and cross-connection control surveys.
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