N.J. Admin. Code § 7:10-10.6 - Inspection and testing requirements and procedures for physical connection installations

(a) Each physical connection installation shall be inspected and tested as follows:

1. A test for tightness under prevailing pressure conditions shall be conducted as required pursuant to N.J.A.C. 7:10-10.5(a) for an application for an initial physical connection permit and at least once every three months under an existing physical connection permit pursuant to N.J.A.C. 7:10-10.5(b).

2. An internal inspection shall be conducted within six months prior to the submission of an application for permit renewal pursuant to N.J.A.C. 7:10-10.5(b) and, after reassembly, the owner of the facility shall test the backflow prevention device for tightness to ensure the integrity of the device. An internal inspection shall consist of the dismantling of a double check valve assembly or a reduced pressure zone backflow preventer assembly to visually inspect the integrity of the internal mechanism including the clappers, discs, and facing rings.

3. The Department shall approve a reduction in the frequency of the pressure tests conducted pursuant to (a)1 above if the owner of the facility in which the physical connection installation is located demonstrates to the Department that the facility is not in operation during any time in a calendar quarter.

4. A reduced pressure zone backflow preventer assembly shall not be subject to the internal inspection requirement of (a)2 above except for routine maintenance as specified by the manufacturer, or for investigation of a malfunction, or as specifically required by the supplier of water.

(b) The inspection and testing required pursuant to (a) above shall be conducted either by an authorized representative of the owner of the facility where the backflow prevention device is installed in the presence of an authorized representative of the administrative authority and/or the supplier of water, or by a certified tester who holds a valid backflow prevention device tester certificate issued by a certifying agency approved by the Department pursuant to N.J.A.C. 7:10-10.8.

1. The owner of the facility may only select certified testers from the most current list of certified testers supplied by the certifying agency to the Department pursuant to N.J.A.C. 7:10-10.8(f).

2. The administrative authority and/or the supplier of water may require that an authorized representative of the administrative authority or supplier of water be present to witness the inspection and tests conducted by a certified tester.

3. If the tests and inspections are performed by a certified tester, the owner of the facility shall mail copies of the Quarterly Physical Connection Test and Maintenance Report to the administrative authority and to the supplier of water within five days of conducting the tests and inspections. The Quarterly Physical Connection Test and Maintenance Report form may be obtained from the Department in accordance with N.J.A.C. 7:10-2.6(a).

(c) Any test of a physical connection installation conducted by an authorized representative of the Department as part of an investigation or inspection pursuant to N.J.A.C. 7:10-10.2 or any other provision of this chapter shall not be considered as a substitute for the inspection and testing required pursuant to (a) above.

(d) The procedures for testing a double check valve assembly are as follows (see Figure 1 in Appendix B):

1. Utilizing the differential pressure gauge and not shutting off number 1 shut-off valve.

i. Step 1--Test number 1 check valve as follows:

(1) Verify that the number 1 shut-off is open and number 2 shut-off valve is closed;

(2) Connect the high hose to test cock number 2;

(3) Connect the low hose to test cock number 3;

(4) Open test cocks 2 and 3;

(5) Open high side bleed needle valve on test kit bleeding the air from the high hose. Close the high side bleed needle valve after high hose bleeding is completed;

(6) Open low side bleed needle valve on test kit bleeding the air from the low hose. Close the low side bleed needle valve after low hose bleeding completed;

(7) Record the differential gauge pressure reading. It should be a minimum of 1 psi; and

(8) Shut off test cocks 2 and 3 and disconnect the hoses.

ii. Step 2--Test number 2 check valve as follows:

(1) Connect the high hose to test cock number 3;

(2) Connect the low hose to test cock number 4;

(3) Open test cocks number 3 and 4;

(4) Open high side bleed needle valve on test kit bleeding the air from the high hose. Close the high side bleed needle valve after high hose bleeding is completed;

(5) Open low side bleed needle valve on test kit bleeding the air from the low hose. Close the low side bleed needle valve after low hose bleeding is completed;

(6) Record the differential gauge pressure reading. It should be a minimum of one psi; and

(7) Shut off test cocks 3 and 4 and disconnect the hoses.

iii. Step 3--To check tightness of number 2 shut-off valve, both the number 1 and number 2 check valves shall be tight and holding a minimum of one psi. Also, little or no fluctuation of inlet supply pressure can be tolerated. The testing is performed as follows:

(1) Connect the high hose to test cock number 2;

(2) Connect the low hose to test cock number 3;

(3) Open test cocks numbers 2 and 3;

(4) Open high side bleed needle valve on test kit bleeding the air from the high hose. Close the high side bleed needle valve after bleeding of the high hose is completed;

(5) Open low side bleed needle valve on test kit bleeding the air from the low hose. Close the low side bleed needle valve after bleeding of the low hose is completed;

(6) Record the differential gauge pressure reading. It should be a minimum of one psi;

(7) Connect the bypass hose to test cock number 4 and open test cock number 4;

(8) Open the high side control needle valve and the bypass hose control needle valve on the test kit. (This supplies high pressure water downstream of check valve number 2);

(9) Close test cock number 2. (This stops the supply of high pressure water downstream of number 2 check valve). If the differential pressure gauge holds steady, the number 2 shut-off valve may be recorded as being tight. If the differential pressure gauge drops to zero, the number 2 shut-off valve shall be recorded as leaking.

(A) With a leaking number 2 shut-off valve, the device is, in most cases, in a flow condition, and the previous test readings taken from Step 1 and Step 2 are invalid. Unless a non-flow condition can be achieved, either through the operation of an additional shut-off downstream, or the use of a temporary compensating by-pass hose, accurate test results will not be achieved. The tester shall retest until valid results are achieved.

iv. This completes the standard field test for a double check valve assembly. Prior to removal of the test equipment, the tester should ensure that the number 2 shut-off valve is opened, thereby reestablishing flow and the test kit drained of water.

(e) The procedures for testing a reduced pressure zone backflow preventer assembly are as follows:

1. Install test equipment as shown in Figure 2 in Appendix B.

i. Step 1--Test to ensure that the first check valve is tight and maintains a minimum pressure of five psi differential pressure as follows:

(1) Verify that the number 1 shut-off valve is open. Close the number 2 shut-off valve. If there is no drainage from the relief valve, the first check can be assumed to be tight;

(2) Close all test kit valves;

(3) Connect the high pressure hose to test cock number 2;

(4) Connect the low pressure hose to test cock number 3;

(5) Open test cocks number 2 and number 3;

(6) Open high side bleed needle valve on test kit bleeding the air from the high hose. Close the high side bleed needle valve after the high hose bleeding is completed;

(7) Open the low side bleed needle valve on test kit bleeding air from the low hose. Close the low side bleed needle valve after the low hose bleeding is completed; and

(8) Record the differential gauge pressure. It should be a minimum of five psi.

ii. Step 2--Test to ensure that the second check valve is tight against backpressure as follows:

(1) Leaving the hoses hooked up as at the conclusion of Step 1 in (e)1i above, connect the bypass hose to test cock number 4;

(2) Open test cock number 4, the high control needle valve and the bypass hose control needle valve on the test kit. This supplies high pressure water downstream of check valve number 2. If the differential pressure gauge remains steady, and no water comes out of the relief valve, the second check valve may be recorded as tight. If the differential pressure gauge shows a drop in pressure and water comes out of the relief valve, the second check shall be recorded as leaking;

(3) To check the tightness of the number 2 shut-off valve, leave the hoses hooked up the same as at the conclusion of Step 2 above, and then close test cock number 2. This stops the supply of any high pressure water downstream of check valve number 2. If the differential pressure gauge reading holds steady, the number 2 shut-off valve may be recorded as being tight. If the differential pressure gauge drops to zero, the number 2 shut-off valve shall be recorded as leaking;

(A) With a leaking number 2 shut-off valve, the device is, in most cases, in a flow condition and the previous readings taken from Step 1 and Step 2 are invalid. Unless a non-flow condition can be achieved, either through the operation of an additional shut-off downstream, or the use of a compensating temporary bypass hose, (see Figure 2A, Appendix B) accurate test results will not be achieved. The tester shall retest until valid results are achieved.

iii. Step 3--Check that the relief valve opens at a minimum pressure of two psi below inlet pressure, as follows:

(1) With the hoses hooked up the same as at the conclusion of Step 2 in (e)1ii above, slowly open up the low control needle valve on the test kit and record the differential pressure gauge reading at the point when the water initially starts to drip from the relief valve opening. This pressure reading should not be below two psi.

iv. This completes the standard field test for a reduced pressure zone backflow preventer assembly. Prior to removal of the test equipment, the tester should ensure that the number 2 shut-off valve is opened, thereby reestablishing flow and test kit drained of water.

(f) The results of the pressure tests conducted pursuant to (d) and (e) above shall be recorded on the Quarterly Physical Connection Test and Maintenance Report form submitted with either the initial or renewal application form as specified at N.J.A.C. 7:10-10.5(a) or (b) as appropriate.

1. The Quarterly Physical Connection Test and Maintenance Report form is available from the Department and includes the following information:

i. The date of pressure test and inspection;

ii. The physical connection permit number;

iii. The make, type, size, model, and serial number of the backflow prevention device;

iv. The facility name and address;

v. Pressure test and internal inspection results; and

vi. A certification of the certified tester (if applicable), administrative authority and supplier of water.

(g) The owner of a facility shall repair and retest within 30 days any approved physical connection installation which fails a pressure test and/or an internal inspection. If repairs are not possible and a new physical connection is required, the facility owner shall secure approval from the Department of the new backflow prevention device as specified in N.J.A.C. 7:10-10.7.

(h) Any test kit utilized to conduct the tests pursuant to this section shall be calibrated in accordance with the recommendations of the test kit manufacturer.

Notes

N.J. Admin. Code § 7:10-10.6

Amended by 49 N.J.R. 3505(b), effective 11/6/2017