Under current state regulations, the water purveyor is to protect the public water system from contamination via cross-connections. The water purveyor’s responsibility for cross connection control begins at the water supply and ends at the point of delivery to the consumer’s water system, the water meter. The “Authority Having Jurisdiction” (e.g., City or County) is responsible for cross-connection protection within the consumer’s water system and property lines.
To protect the public water supply, Skagit PUD may require premise isolation of a facility. Appropriate planning should address the possible requirement of a Reduced Pressure Backflow Assembly (RPBA) or Double Check Valve Assembly (DCVA) to be installed immediately after any metered water service or fire service connection, now or in the future. DCVAs can be installed below ground with brass plugs in the test cocks. RPBAs are to be installed above ground with a minimum of 12-inches of clearance below the assembly to finish grade, and protected from freezing and abuse. If the RPBA is installed in an above ground enclosure, the enclosure must have a drain opening adequately sized to handle the maximum flow of the relief valve.
All backflow prevention assemblies are to be on the Washington State Approved List of Assemblies. Skagit PUD will require copies of the initial test(s) of the required backflow prevention assemblies and the owner will be responsible for subsequent annual testing and providing the test results to Skagit PUD.