§ 134-129. Service and reporting.

(a)

Testing frequency schedules.

(1)

All backflow prevention assemblies shall:

a.

Be tested at least once every year, unless other wise specified by the Florida Department of Environmental Protection;

b.

Be tested (and resealed) only by a certified backflow prevention device technician;

c.

Be tested utilizing procedures approved by the AWWA or its equivalent;

d.

Be tested with test equipment approved by the AWWA or its equivalent.

(2)

The department may require a more frequent test schedule for assemblies serving facilities classified in accordance with this division as high hazard or that frequently fail regularly scheduled tests, as necessary to protect the public health and safety.

(b)

Overhaul schedules.

(1)

All backflow prevention assemblies shall:

a.

Be overhauled as necessary or as recommended by the manufacturer, unless other wise specified by the department of environmental protection;

b.

Overhauled only by a certified backflow prevention assembly technician;

c.

Be overhauled using acceptable procedures as recommended by the assembly's manufacturer.

(c)

Repairs and replacements.

(1)

Backflow prevention assemblies.

a.

Backflow prevention assemblies that repeatedly fail a required test shall be reported to the department immediately and before any repairs are undertaken. Required repairs shall be performed by a certified technician as outlined by this division.

b.

Any assembly that is unable to be repaired or overhauled (scheduled or nonscheduled) shall be replaced immediately. At the completion of the repairs or replacement, the assembly shall be tested by a certified technician as outlined by this division.

(2)

Until such repairs or replacements are completed, the service connection shall be deactivated, if deemed necessary by the department, to protect the public health, safety and welfare.

(d)

Testing equipment and methods.

(1)

Test equipment. Certified backflow prevention assembly technicians shall test such assemblies using that equipment as recommended by the assembly's manufacturer and approved by the department.

(2)

Test methods. Only AWWA and FCCC methods shall be used when testing backflow prevention assemblies.

(3)

Certified backflow prevention assembly technicians shall have their testing instruments certified at least once every year for accuracy, or as often as the equipment manufacturer recommends, whichever is more frequent. The technician shall forward a copy of the instrument's calibration report to the department. The department shall not accepted testing reports prepared by technicians if such annual calibration reports are not received by the department. Calibration reports shall only be accepted from sources approved by the department. The department shall develop procedures to approve testing sources based on manufacturing and industry standards.

(e)

Reporting. Facility owners are directly responsible for all reports and reporting procedures regarding privately owned backflow assemblies protecting the county's water system. The facility owner may designate an agent to act on his behalf, but in no way does such action alleviate the facility owner's responsibility.

(1)

Reporting scheduled tests and overhauls (privately owned assemblies). Reports for initial certification tests, regular annual tests and overhauls of a facility's privately owned backflow assembly must be completed by a certified technician as required by this division. Such reports shall be forwarded to the department by the facility owner on the department's approved forms. It shall be the responsibility of the facility owner to mail or deliver the completed reports to the department as outlined in this division and the department's administrative and operational procedures.

(2)

Reporting of nonscheduled repairs or replacements (privately owned assemblies). Any backflow prevention assembly which has been damaged, is discharging abnormally or fails any test, shall be reported immediately by the facility owner as follows:

Step 1: Notify the department. If the department's offices are closed, notify the after-hours on-call personnel.

Step 2: Contact a certified backflow prevention assembly technician from the department's approved list for immediate repairs.

(3)

Any time a replacement is required for a privately owned assembly, such new assembly shall comply with all sections of this division.

(f)

Cross-connection survey reports.

(1)

New facilities. The owner of a new facility shall submit a cross-connection survey report for the facility to the department prior to occupancy and service connection activation. The report shall be submitted for the facility using the department's approved forms. Survey reports shall include the survey inspector's or engineer's recommended backflow prevention assembly for the degree of hazard created by the facility. Survey reports for other than single-family residences shall be completed by a certified cross-connection control survey inspector or engineer and shall contain that inspector's name and certification number on each page or the engineer's seal and number. Any such reports submitted to the department without this information shall be deemed unacceptable and shall not be reviewed. For single-family residences, the survey report may be filled out by the facility owner using the department's approved self-evaluation forms.

(2)

Reclaimed water connections. All properties served by reclaimed water shall be surveyed at intervals, acceptable to the department of environmental protection, but no less than every three years as to changes, additions or deletions in the customer plumbing system. All property surveys found to have the potential to create a cross-connection shall undergo further review up to and including site visits by the county to investigate potential hazards.

(3)

Survey report review and approval. After the department has received and reviewed the cross-connection survey report for a proposed facility or use, the department may take the following action:

a.

The department may accept the cross-connection survey report as written.

b.

The department may reject the cross-connection survey report as written.

c.

The department may request additional information before accepting or rejecting the report.

d.

The department may require a meeting with the facility owner's designated agent, certified cross-connection control survey inspector, engineer or all such entities or individuals involved before acting upon the report as submitted.

(4)

Department acceptance of cross-connection survey report. Upon acceptance and approval of the cross-connection survey report, the department shall issue a notice of acceptance. Once a backflow prevention assembly has been approved by the department, no changes or alterations shall be made without the approval of the department.

(5)

Final approval of backflow prevention assemblies (privately owned). After a facility's backflow prevention assembly has been initially tested, certified and approved, the facility owner shall notify the department that the new facility is ready for final inspection. The department or its agent shall make a site inspection of the new facility. Until the facility's backflow prevention assembly passes this final inspection, the service connection shall not be activated.

(6)

Testing and overhaul schedule (privately owned assemblies). Within 30 days after final approval has been issued for a new facility's backflow prevention assembly, the department shall send a letter to the owner outlining the testing and overhaul schedule. This letter shall list each component of the facility's cross-connection control system and how frequently each mechanism including the backflow prevention assembly shall be tested and overhauled (where applicable) and testing results and completion of overhauls shall be reported to the department.

(Ord. No. 97-33, § 9, 7-29-97; Ord. No. 08-32, § 7)