10-763 Adopting Changes to Cross Connection Control ProgramCITY OF MERIDIAN RESOLUTION NO. ~ C~ ` ~ C~3
BY THE CITY COUNCIL: BIRD, HOAGLUN, ROUNTREE, ZAREMBA
A RESOLUTION OF THE MAYOR AND THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF
MERIDIAN, ADOPTING CHANGES TO THE CROSS CONNECTION CONTROL
PROGRAM; AND PROVIDING AN EFFECTIVE DATE.
WHEREAS, the City Council of the City of Meridian recognizes that the highest priority
of the City's Public Works Department is to provide residents with clean, safe drinking water
which includes eliminating the risk of contaminants from entering the City's water system; and
WHEREAS, the City's Cross Connection Control Program, which includes the
Backflow Prevention Program, is designed to not allow contaminants into the water supply by
preventing reversal or backward movement of normal water flow through the municipal water
system; and
WHEREAS, as part of its Backflow Prevention Program, in 2005 the City of Meridian
adopted a Backflow Testing and Repair Reimbursement Program to assist property owners with
the costs associated with testing qualified private backflow prevention devices; and
WHEREAS, over time the quantity of backflow prevention devices within the City
which qualify for the Backflow Testing and Repair Reimbursement Program has dramatically
increased such that there are currently over 6,000 devices, which is representative of 23% of the
total customer base, that annually qualify for testing reimbursement at a cost to the City of
$300,000; and
WHEREAS, the unintended result of this reimbursement program is that these customers
receive free backflow inspection services for private devices that are inequitably subsidized by
all of the City's water customers; and
RESOLUTION ADOPTING CHANGES TO THE CROSS CONNECTION CONTROL PROGRAM Page I of 3
WHEREAS, in addition to the devices that qualify for reimbursement, there are known
to be approximately 1,000 non-qualifying dual-connected devices that have been connected to
the municipal drinking water system most without City approval and that do not conform with
the City of Meridian Code, Title 9, Chapter 1-28(C) and/or Title 9, Chapter 3; and
WHEREAS, to address these issues, at the request of the Mayor and City Council,
employees of the City's Public Works Department formed a Backflow Assembly/Dual
Connection Workgroup, including representatives from several affected Homeowners
Associations by these issues, to gather and analyze data related to dual-connections and engage
in extensive negotiations to develop and recommend changes to the City's Cross Connection
Control Program, particularly related to the Backflow Testing and Reimbursement Program; and
WHEREAS, after receiving City staff and public testimony on several occasions relating
to the changes being recommended, the Mayor and City Council deem it to be in the best interest
of the City and its residents to adopt the changes to the Cross Connection Control Program as
attached in Exhibit "A", as the recommended changes serve to eliminate the potential risk of
contaminants entering into the water system created by these non-qualifying dual-connected
devices, particularly those posed by properties with dual connections between the City's water
system and pressurized irrigation systems, correct for the inequitable distribution of costs
associated with the current Backflow Testing and Reimbursement Program, and enable
enforcement of City ordinances related to dual connections and backflow assemblies;
NOW THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE MAYOR AND CITY
COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF MERIDIAN CITY, IDAHO:
Section 1. That the City Council of the City of Meridian approves and hereby adopts the
changes to the Cross-Connection Control Program of Meridian attached hereto as Exhibit "A";
and
RESOLUTION ADOPTING CHANGES TO THE CROSS CONNECTION CONTROL PROGRAM Page 2 of 3
Section 2. That the administrative staff of the City is authorized to take all necessary
steps to carry out the changes to the Cross-Connection Control Program of Meridian as set forth
in the attached Exhibit "A"; and
Section 3. That this Resolution shall be in full force and effect immediately upon its
adoption and approval.
ADOPTED by the City Council of the City of Meridian, Idaho, this ~tday of
December, 2010.
APPROVED by the Mayor of the City of Meridian, Idaho, this ~~day of December,
2010.
APPROVED:
Mayo my de Weerd
ATTEST: `"''
:`~~G~~ o~POR T ~~ ~~'~
A
F
By: ~ ~
aycee lman, City Cler)t ,~EA~
~~ '9p ~sT ys~ • Q~` .~
RESOLUTION ADOPTING CHANGES TO THE CROSS CONNECTION CONTROL PROGRAM Page 3 of 3
Exhibit "A"
Adopted Changes to the City of Meridian Cross Connection Control Program
Effective immediately, the City of Meridian shall require as part of its Cross Connection
Control Program which includes the Backflow Prevention Program, that:
A. Removal of Private Dual Connected Backflow Assemblies with Limited Payment
Assistance:
1. All private dual connected Backflow assemblies shall be removed;
2. The City of Meridian will allow for a one year period to complete the dual
connection removals beginning in March 2011 and continuing through March
2012. Only homes built from 1989 to 2006 will be considered.
3. The City of Meridian will pay up to $300.00 per non-permitted dual connected
property (as a cost share) for the dual connection removal where the City has
accepted a test for a dual connected assembly;
4. The City of Meridian will pay for the complete removal of permitted dual
connection assemblies that were issued in noncompliance with City Code
provisions pertaining to dual connections;
5. While complete removal of private dual connected Backflow assemblies is
recommended, property owners will be allowed to accomplish the required
removal by installing anon-removable hose Bibb type Backflow preventer, a non-
removable hose Bibb type vacuum breaker, or an atmospheric vacuum breaker,
but should consult with City staff of the Water Division prior to installation.
Installation of any of these Backflow devices must be installed according to City
Code, including the current Plumbing Code.
6. The City of Meridian shall eliminate the payment assistance program for
removing the dual-connections at the expiration of March 2012 unless a request
for extension is submitted by the Public Works Department based on extenuating
circumstances;
7. Beginning in April 2012 properties with dual connected Backflow assemblies will
be in violation of City ordinances related to dual connections and Backflow
assemblies and prosecuted accordingly.
B. Backflow Testing Reimbursement Program:
1. The City of Meridian shall eliminate its current Backflow Testing and Repair
Reimbursement Program and replace it by offering an annual $10.00 rebate
coupon to be applied to annual testing of qualified Backflow preventers required
in our system;
2. The City of Meridian will continue to send out annual testing reminder notices to
legal assembly owners;
C. Miscellaneous Provisions:
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1. The City of Meridian will initiate an aggressive education campaign related to the
adopted changes of the Backflow Prevention Program;
2. The City of Meridian will work with Ada County to enforce City of Meridian
ordinances on properties serviced by the City's municipal water system that lay
outside of the City limits.
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