backflow brochure 2 - City of Meridian

What is Backflow?Water systems depend on water pressureto keep water flowing in the properdirection through pipes and hoses.However, anything that causes a drop inwater pressure can create a reverse flow,such as from a home’s plumbingsystem back into the public watersystem. This is called backflow.Two conditions can cause backflow:Backpressure occurs when thepressure in a pipe or hose is greaterthan the pressure coming in.Backsiphonage occurs when there isa negative pressure in one of thepipes or hoses.Why is Backflow PreventionImportant?Our community’s water supply canbecome unsafe when backflow occursand the City’s plumbing system comes incontact with contaminants throughbackflow. Such cross connections, areusually created by people unaware of thepotential for backflow.In fact, most cross connection problemsusually involve an ordinary garden hose.Putting your garden hose in a swimmingpool to fill it or connecting it to a plantfertilizer or bug spray unit could causepotentially hazardous backflow.If your property has outside watersources, you are required by Idaho Statelaw to have backflow prevention devicesin use and to have them tested annually.Preventing BackflowTo protect our community’s water system, twokinds of backflow prevention assembliesare required for all homes that present anyhazard to the City of Meridian’s water system.External – to protect theCity’s water from crossconnection with the water onthe customer’s premises.Internal – to protect thecustomer from potentiallyhazardous cross connectionsin his own system.What You Are Legally Responsible foras a Property Owner with BackflowDevicesAs a Meridian property owner, you areresponsible for protecting the water on yourproperty. The responsibility starts at thewater meter and includes your entireproperty’s water system.If you are required to have a backflowprevention device, all costs associated withthe installation, operation, maintenance,service, repair, and annual testing of yourbackflow prevention assemblies are yourresponsibility.Changes to the City’s Backflow Testing Reimbursement ProgramOn December 21, 2010, the Meridian City Council decided to discontinue to City’s BackflowTesting Reimbursement Program and institute a new process that is equitable for allratepayers.Under the revised system, the cost for annual testing of backflow prevention devices, asrequired by state law, will now be covered by the “user” that receives the service rather thanasking all ratepayers, most of whom do not have a backflow prevention device, to pay for theservice.To assist with this transition, the City of Meridian will provide a $10 credit to the account ofhomes that have their backflow prevention devices tested by a certified tester on or prior totheir Test Due date in 2011.You must arrange for a certified backflow tester to test your backflow device, and pay him orher directly.Your backflow tester will then submit the results of your test to the City within 30 days. A $10credit from the City will appear on your utility billing statements once the information hasbeen provided to the City by your backflow tester.Failure to comply with this testing requirement by your test due date will result in terminationof water service, waiver of the $10 credit, and a water turn-off fee.