12 Va. Admin. Code § 5-590-610 - Containment of backflow

A. The owner shall ensure installation of backflow prevention assemblies or backflow elimination methods (i) at the service connection or (ii) downstream of the service connection but before any unprotected takeoffs.

B. Where the consumer's water system is not intricate or complex and where actual or potential cross-connection hazards can be eliminated or controlled, instead of containment, the owner may allow consumers to use point-of-use isolation protection by application of appropriate backflow prevention assemblies, backflow prevention devices, or backflow elimination methods complying with the USBC.

C. A backflow prevention assembly or backflow elimination method shall be installed where the following conditions exist:

1. A substance is handled in such a manner as to create an actual or potential hazard to a waterworks (this shall include premises having sources or systems containing process fluids or waters originating from a waterworks which are no longer under the control of the owner);

2. There exists internal cross-connections that, in the judgment of the owner or the department, may not be easily correctable or have intricate or complex plumbing arrangements that make it impracticable to determine whether or not cross-connections exist;

3. There are security requirements or other prohibitions or restrictions that prevent the assessment of all potential cross-connections that may impair the quality of the water delivered;

4. There is a repeated history of cross-connections being established or reestablished;

5. There are fire protection systems, lawn sprinkler systems, or irrigation systems;

6. The owner or department can show that a potential cross-connection hazard exists.

D. The owner shall ensure that consumers equip premises having booster pumps or fire pumps connected to the waterworks with control devices to prevent a reduction of pump suction line pressure to less than 20 psig.

E. A backflow prevention assembly or backflow elimination method shall be installed at consumer water systems serving the following types of facilities, including:

1. Hospitals, mortuaries, clinics, veterinary establishments, nursing homes, and medical buildings;

2. Laboratories;

3. Piers, docks, and waterfront facilities;

4. Sewage treatment plants, sewage pumping stations, or storm water pumping stations;

5. Food and beverage processing plants;

6. Chemical plants, dyeing plants, and pharmaceutical plants;

7. Metal plating industries;

8. Petroleum or natural-gas processing or storage plants;

9. Radioactive materials processing plants or nuclear reactors;

10. Car washes and laundries;

11. Buildings with commercial, industrial, or institutional occupants served through a master meter;

12. Water loading facilities;

13. Slaughter houses and poultry processing plants;

14. Farms where the water is used for other than household purposes;

15. Commercial greenhouses and nurseries;

16. Health clubs with swimming pools, therapeutic baths, hot tubs, or saunas;

17. Paper and paper-product plants and printing plants;

18. Pesticide or exterminating companies and their vehicles with storage or mixing tanks;

19. Facilities that blend, store, package, transport, or treat chemicals, and their related vehicles;

20. Schools or colleges with laboratory facilities;

21. Highrise buildings (four or more stories);

22. Multiuse commercial, office or warehouse facilities; and

23. Others specified by the owner or the department when reasonable cause can be shown for a potential backflow or cross-connection hazard.

F. All temporary or emergency service connections shall be protected where reasonable cause can be shown for a potential backflow or cross-connection hazard. Backflow prevention assemblies or backflow elimination methods used shall be appropriately certified or approved to match the requirements of this section.

Notes

12 Va. Admin. Code § 5-590-610

Derived from VR355-18-006.04 § 2.28, eff. August 1, 1991; amended, Virginia Register Volume 9, Issue 17, eff. June 23, 1993; Amended, Virginia Register Volume 37, Issue 20, eff. 6/23/2021.

Statutory Authority: §§ 32.1-12 and 32.1-170 of the Code of Virginia.