§ 17-104. Definitions.

Air gap separation: An unobstructed vertical distance through the atmosphere between the lowest opening from any pipe or faucet supplying water from any source to a tank, plumbing fixture, or other device and the flood level rim of the receptacle. An approved air gap separation shall be at least double the diameter of the supply pipe. In no case shall the air gap separation be less than one (1) inch. An approved, air gap separation is an effective method to prevent backflow and shall be considered as a backflow prevention assembly.

Atmospheric vacuum breaker: A device used to prevent back-siphonage, which is designed so as not to be subject to static line pressure.

Backflow: Any reverse flow of water, gas or any other liquid substance or combination into the public water system from any source due to an unprotected cross-connection.

Backflow prevention administrator: An employee of the city designated by the director to administer and enforce the provisions of this article.

Backflow prevention assembly approved: An assembly that has been investigated and approved by the City of Kannapolis Water Resources and has been approved to meet the design and performance standards of the American Society of Sanitary Engineers (ASSE), the American Water Works Assoc. (AWWA), or the Foundation for Cross Connection Control and Hydraulic Research of the University of Southern California.

Back pressure: Any elevation of pressure in the down stream piping system caused by pumps, elevation of piping, or steam and/or air pressure above the supply pressure at the point of consideration, which would cause a reversal of the normal direction of flow.

Back siphonage: A reversal of the normal direction of flow in the pipeline due to a negative pressure (vacuum) being created in the supply line with the backflow source subject to atmospheric pressure.

Certified tester: Any individual person who has proven his/her competency to test, repair and overhaul backflow prevention assemblies. This person must hold a certificate of completion from a certified training program in the testing and repair of backflow prevention assemblies and cross connection control.

Consumer/customer: Any person, firm, or corporation using or receiving water from the City of Kannapolis public water system.

Containment: The prevention of backflow from a private water system by an approved, properly functioning backflow prevention assembly, which is installed, operated and maintained in accordance with the provisions of this article.

Contamination: An impairment of the quality of the water to a degree, which creates an actual hazard to the public health through poisoning or through the spread of disease.

Cross connection: Any actual or potential connection or piping arrangement between a public or a consumer's potable water system and any other source or system through which it is possible to introduce into any part of the potable system any used water, industrial fluids, gas or substance which could be harmful or hazardous to the potable water system.

Double check valve assembly: An assembly composed of two (2) single, independently acting, approved check valves, including tightly closing shut-off valves located at each end of the device and suitable connections for testing the water tightness of each check valve.

Dual check valve: A device composed of two (2) single, independently acting, approved check valves. This is classified as a device and cannot be in-line tested.

Hazard-degree: The evaluation of a hazard within a private water system as moderate or high.

Hazard-high: An actual or potential threat of contamination to the public water system or to a customer's potable water system that could cause serious illness or death.

Hazard-imminent: An actual threat of contamination to the public water system that could cause serious illness or death.

Hazard-moderate: An actual or potential threat of damage to the physical components comprising the public water system or a customer's potable water system, or of pollution to the public water system, or to a customer's potable water system.

Pollution: An impairment of the quality of the water to a degree which does not create an actual hazard to the public health, but which does adversely and unreasonably affect such water for domestic use.

Potable water: Water from any source, which has been approved for human consumption by the appropriate agency of the State of North Carolina, City of Kannapolis and/or local health agencies.

Pressure vacuum breaker: An assembly suitable for continuous pressure, to be used to provide protection against back-siphonage.

Private water system: Any water system located on the customer's premise, whether supplied by public potable water or an auxiliary water supply. The system or systems may be either a potable water system or an industrial piping system.

Public water system: The potable water system owned and operated by the City of Kannapolis. This system includes all distribution mains, lines, pipes, connections, storage tanks, and other facilities conveying potable water from the water treatment plants to the service connections of each customer.

Reduced pressure zone assembly: An approved, properly functioning assembly containing two, independently acting check valves with a hydraulically operating, mechanically independent pressure differential relief valve located between the check valves and at the same time below the first check valve. The assembly must include properly located test cocks and tightly closing shut-off valves at each end of the assembly. This assembly is designed to protect against a high hazard.

Service connection: The terminal end of a service connection from the public potable water system, i.e., where the water purveyor looses jurisdiction and sanitary control over the water at its point of delivery to the consumer's water system.

Used water: Any water supplied by a water purveyor from a public water system to a consumer's water system after is has passed through the point of delivery and is no longer under the control of the water purveyor.

Water purveyor: Owner or operator of a public potable water system providing an approved water supply to the public.

Water supply-auxiliary: Any water supply on or available to the customer's premises other than the purveyor's approved public potable water supply. The auxiliary water may include water from another purveyor's public potable water supply or any natural source such as a well, spring, river, stream, etc., and used or objectionable.

Water supply-unapproved: Any water supply, which has not been approved for human consumption by the North Carolina Department of Human Resources.

(Ord. of 9-23-02, § 2)