Section 12.14.010 General.

a. "Air Gap separation (AG)" means the unobstructed vertical distance through the free atmosphere between the lowest opening of any pipe or faucet supplying water to a tank, plumbing fixture, or other device and the flood level rim of the said receptacle. An approved air-gap shall be at least double the diameter of the supply pipe, measured vertically, above the top of the rim of the receptacle and, in no case less than one inch.

b. "Atmospheric Vacuum Breaker (AVB)" is a device which consists of a float check, a check seat, and an air-inlet port. The device is designed to allow air to enter the downstream water line to prevent backsiphonage.

c. "Approved" means that a backflow prevention device or method has been accepted by the manager as meeting the applicable standard, specification, requirement, or as being suitable for the intended use.

d. "Auxiliary water system" means any water supply system available to the premises other than the public water supply system and includes the water supplied by such system. These auxiliary water systems may include water from another owner's public or private water supply system; polluted or contaminated water, process fluids; used water; or other sources of water which the owner of the public water supply system does not have sanitary control.

e. "Backflow" or "Backsiphonage" means the flow of water or other liquids, mixtures, or substances into the water distribution system from any other source than the intended source of the potable water supply.

f. "Backflow prevention device" means any device, method or type of construction intended to prevent backflow into a potable water system. Such devices include an "Approved Air-Gap", "Double Check Valve Backflow-Prevention Assembly", "Atmospheric Vacuum Breaker", “Pressure Vacuum-Breaker Assembly” or a "Reduced Pressure Principle Backflow-Prevention Assembly . " All devices shall be approved by the manager.

h. "Consumer water supply system" means any water supply system, located on the consumer's premises, supplied by or in any manner connected to a public water supply system. A household plumbing system is considered to be a consumer's water supply system. A fire suppression system is also considered a consumer's water supply system.

i. "Contamination" means an impairment of the quality of the water by sewage, waste, or other substance that to a degree could cause an actual hazard to the public health through poisoning, through the spread of disease by exposure, or through the pollution of the water system.

k. "Degree of hazard" is a term derived from an evaluation of the potential risk to health and the adverse effects upon the potable water system.

l. "Double Check Valve Backflow-Prevention Assembly (DC)" means an assembly consisting of two internally loaded, independently operating check valves, located between two tightly closing resilient-seated shutoff valves with four properly placed resilient-seated test cocks. This assembly shall only be used to protect against a non-health hazard.

m. "Health hazard (high hazard)" means a cross-connection or potential cross-connection involving any substance that could, if introduced into the potable water supply, cause death or illness, spread disease, or have a high probability of causing such effects.

o. "Licensed plumber" means a person which has obtained the appropriate license from the City to perform plumbing related work within the city limits and who has received certification from the state as a qualified person to install and service backflow prevention devices.

q. “Non-health hazard (low hazard) or pollution” means a cross-connection or potential cross-connection involving any substance that generally would not be a health hazard but would constitute a nuisance or be aesthetically objectionable if introduced into the potable water supply.

r. "Non-potable water" means water not safe for drinking, personal, or culinary use, or which does not meet the requirements of the Iowa Department of Health.

s. "Plumbing hazard" means a plumbing type cross-connection in a consumer's potable water system that has not been properly protected by air-gap separation or backflow prevention devices.

t. "Potable water" means water which is satisfactory for drinking, culinary, and domestic purposes and meets the requirements of the Iowa Department of Health.

u. “Pressure Vacuum-Breaker (PVB)” is an assembly consisting of an independently operating, internally loaded check valve, an independently operating loaded air-inlet valve located on the discharge side of the check valve, with properly located resilient-seated test cocks and tightly closing resilient-seated shutoff valves attached at each end of the assembly designed to be operated under pressure for prolonged periods of time to prevent backsiphonage. The device may not be subjected to any backpressure.

v. "Public water supply system" means the Sioux City water supply system designed and intended to provide potable water to a designated consumer. The water supply shall include the water supply source and distribution piping network. The water supply source is defined as any artificial or natural accumulation of water used to supply the potable water system. The distribution piping network includes all piping, pumping and treatment devices used to convey an adequate quality and quantity of potable water to the consumer.

w. "Reduced-pressure principle backflow-prevention assembly (RPZ)" means a complete assembly consisting of a mechanical, independently acting, hydraulically dependent relief valve, located between two independently operating, internally loaded check valves that are located between two tightly closing resilient-seated shutoff valves with four properly placed resilient-seated test cocks. During normal flow and at the cessation of normal flow, the pressure between these two checks shall be less than the supply pressure. In case of leakage of either check valve, the differential relief valve, by discharging to the atmosphere, shall operate to maintain the pressure between the check valves at less than the supply pressure.

x. "Service connection" means the terminal end of a service line from the public water system. If a meter is installed at the end of the service, then the service connection means the downstream end of the meter.

y. "System hazard" means a condition posing an actual or potential threat of damage to the physical properties of the public's or the consumer's water supply system.

z. "Used water" means any water supplied by the public water supply system to a consumer's water supply system after it has passed through the service connection and is no longer under the sanitary control of the city.

2. Responsibility. The consumer, as defined in these regulations, if requested by the manager, shall designate an individual or individuals, who shall be responsible for contact and communications with the manager in matters relating to system alteration and construction, monitoring and sampling, maintenance, operation, record keeping, and reporting, as required by law and these regulations. Any change in assigned responsibilities or designated individuals shall be promptly reported to the manager. (Ord. 2006-0369;98/U-6424;93/U-954)