§ 401-8. Type of protective assembly.

A. 

The type of protective assembly required under § 401-7 shall depend upon the degree of hazard that exists as follows:

(1) 

In the case of any premises where there is an auxiliary water supply as stated in § 401-7A of this chapter and it is not subject to any of the following rules, the public water system shall be protected by an approved air-gap separation or an approved reduced-pressure-principle backflow-prevention assembly.

(2) 

In the case of any premises where there is water or a substance that would be objectionable but not hazardous to health if introduced into the public water system, the public water system shall be protected by an approved double check valve assembly.

(3) 

In the case of any premises where there is any material dangerous to health that is handled in such a fashion as to create an actual or potential hazard to the public water system, the public water system shall be protected by an approved air-gap separation or an approved reduced-pressure-principle backflow-prevention assembly. Examples of premises where these conditions will exist include sewage treatment plants, sewage pumping stations, chemical manufacturing plants, hospitals, mortuaries and plating plants.

(4) 

In the case of any premises where there are uncontrolled cross-connections, either actual or potential, the public water system shall be protected by an approved air-gap separation or an approved reduced-pressure-principle backflow-prevention assembly at the service connection.

(5) 

In the case of any premises where, because of security requirements or other prohibitions or restrictions, it is impossible or impractical to make a complete in-plant cross-connection survey, the public water system shall be protected against backflow from the premises by either an approved air-gap separation or an approved reduced-pressure-principle backflow-prevention assembly on each service to the premises.

(6) 

In the case of any premises where, in the opinion of the Water Superintendent, an undue health threat is posed because of the presence of an extremely toxic substance, the Water Superintendent may require an air gap at the service connection to protect the public water system. This requirement will be at the discretion of the Water Superintendent and is dependent on the degree of hazard.

B. 

Any backflow-prevention assembly required herein shall be a model and size approved by the Water Superintendent.

(1) 

The term "approved backflow-prevention assembly" shall mean an assembly that has been manufactured in full conformance with the standards established by the American Water Works Association (AWWA), titled "AWWA C510-89, Standard for Double Check Valve Backflow-Prevention Assembly" and "AWWA C511-89, Standard for Reduced-Pressure-Principle Backflow-Prevention Assembly," and has met completely the laboratory and field performance specifications of the Foundation for Cross-Connection Control and Hydraulic Research (FCCHR) of the University of Southern California established by the Specification of Backflow-Prevention Assemblies, Section 10 of the most current issue of the Manual of Cross-Connection Control.

(2) 

Said AWWA and FCCHR standards and specifications have been adopted by the Water Superintendent. Final approval shall be evidenced by a certificate of approval issued by an approved testing laboratory certifying full compliance with said AWWA standards and FCCHR specifications. In addition, backflow prevention devices must be approved for use by the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (DEP).

(3) 

The following testing laboratory has been qualified by the Water Superintendent to test and certify backflow preventers:

Foundation for Cross-Connection Control and Hydraulic Research University of Southern California University Park Los Angeles, CA 90089

(4) 

Testing laboratories, other than the laboratory listed above, will be added to an approved list as they are qualified by the Water Superintendent.

(5) 

Backflow preventers that may be subjected to backpressure or backsiphonage that have been fully tested and have been granted a certificate of approval by said qualified laboratory and are listed on the laboratory's current list of approved backflow-prevention assemblies may be used without further testing or qualification.