CROSS CONNECTION & BACKFLOW PREVENTION

Protecting your drinking water supply is everyone’s responsibility. State regulations require residential, commercial and industrial customers served by a public water system to protect the public water system from potential contamination. Under certain conditions water from private plumbing can flow into the public water distribution system, this is referred to as backflow. In order to prevent potential backflow, some customers are required to install and maintain backflow prevention devices on the main water service lines.

American Water at Fort Belvoir has developed a Cross Connection Control Program (CCCP) that is approved by the Virginia Department of Health. Under Virginia regulations (12VAC5-590-600), waterworks owners are required to develop and implement a CCCP which includes (but not limited to) a method to ensure testing and maintenance of backflow devices, an inventory, as well as a method to discontinue water to noncompliant services.

American Water at Fort Belvoir partners with agencies and parties on post to administer the program. Non-testable devices listed such as Residential Dual Checks (RDC) need to be either inspected, repaired, or replaced every five years. All other devices are testable and require testing reported to the responsible agency or party on post as well American Water at Fort Belvoir. Additionally, a periodic survey or assessment is required to be completed by water services and needs to be reported to the responsible agency or party on post as well as American Water at Fort Belvoir.

American Water at Fort Belvoir can be contacted by phone at 571-339-8087, by email for non-emergency requests at fortbelvoirsubmittals@amwater.com, or visit us in person at 6035 16th Street, Building 739, Fort Belvoir Virginia.

Important Update from the Virginia Department of Health: Effective January 1, 2023

Re: 12VAC5-590-630. Backflow prevention assemblies, devices, and backflow elimination methods for containment.

Starting January 1, 2023, persons testing and repairing backflow prevention assemblies and backflow prevention devices shall be certified by a Commonwealth of Virginia tradesman certification program (identified by DPOR as backflow prevention device workers).

Visit the DPOR website to confirm an individual is an approved backflow prevention device worker.

What is Cross Connection?

Cross Connection is any actual or physical connection between a potable (drinkable) water supply and any source of non-potable liquid, solid or gas that could contaminate drinking water under certain circumstances.

What is Backflow?

Backflow is the reverse flow of water or other substances into the treated drinking water distribution system. There are two types of backflow: backpressure and backsiphonage.

Backpressure happens when the pressure of the contaminant source exceeds the positive pressure in the water distribution main. An example would be when a drinking water supply main has a connection to a hot water boiler system that is not protected by an approved and functioning backflow preventer. If pressure in the boiler system increases to where it exceeds the pressure in the water distribution system, backflow from the boiler to the drinking water supply system may occur.
Backsiphonage is caused by a negative pressure (vacuum or partial vacuum) in the water distribution system. This situation is similar in effect to the sipping of water through a straw. In the drinking water distribution system, negative pressure (backsiphonage) occurs during a water main break or when a hydrant is used for fire fighting.

Why should you be concerned?

Backflow may affect the quality of the drinking water at your home, business or facility and has the potential to create health hazards if contaminated water enters your water supply plumbing system and is used for drinking, cooking or bathing. Backflow events occur more often than you might think although most do not create health hazards. Unprotected cross-connections with water supply plumbing or public drinking water piping systems are prohibited. We are all responsible for protecting our water supply from backflow that may contaminate our drinking water. It includes complying with the plumbing code and avoiding unprotected cross connections.

Who is responsible?

The responsibility for preventing backflow is divided. In general, state and local plumbing inspectors have authority over plumbing systems within buildings while state regulatory agencies and public water suppliers regulate protection of the distribution system at each service connection. Water customers have the ultimate responsibility for properly maintaining their plumbing systems. It is the water customer’s responsibility to ensure that unprotected cross-connections are not created and that any required backflow prevention devices are tested in accordance with state requirements and maintained in operable condition.

In general at Fort Belvoir the government or one of its agencies are responsible for ensuring adequate protection of the water supply as customers, ensuring hazards are mitigated, and devices are installed and maintained correctly and supplying American Water with the required information.

Multiple parties are involved on post as well as many instances where the consumer of the water may not be the responsible party for device installation, assessment, and maintenance. Examples may include a housing agency may be the primary responsible party for backflow protection, however the consumers who use the water each day also have a responsibility to follow backflow prevention requirements and best practices.

It is recommended that if anyone has any questions or concerns on post to contact us by phone at 571-339-8087, by email for non-emergency requests at fortbelvoirsubmittals@amwater.com, or visit us in person at 6035 16th Street, Building 739, Fort Belvoir Virginia.

Preventing backflow situations in your home, business, or agency

Be aware of cross connections, eliminate or isolate them
Maintain air gaps on sinks and when using hoses.
Do not submerge hoses or place them where they could become submerged.
Use hose bib vacuum breakers on fixtures (hose connections in the basement, laundry room, and on outside faucets/spigots).
Do not connect to hydrants or other water infrastructure without American Water approval.
Install and maintain approved backflow prevention devices on lawn irrigation systems, fire sprinkler system services, as well any service which could be a hazard. Types of preventative required devices are determined based on the potential type of pollutants or contaminants high or low. In low hazard situations, the installation of a residential dual-check device might be allowed. A periodic survey may be required to evaluate hazards. In general, most nonresidential services will be required to install a containment device.

Failure to comply with any cross connection or backflow prevention requirements can result in water service disconnection.

What regulations and plumbing code apply?

Virginia Administrative Code (Waterworks Regulations):
12 VAC-590-580, 12 VAC-590-600, 12 VAC-590-610, 12 VAC-590-630
State of Virginia Plumbing Code:
Section 608

Containment vs Isolation

"Containment" means the safeguard against backflow into a waterworks from a consumer's water system by installing an appropriate backflow prevention assembly, backflow prevention device, or backflow elimination method at the service connection or downstream of the service connection but before any unprotected takeoffs.

"Isolation" means the safeguard against backflow into a waterworks from a consumer's water system by installing an appropriate backflow prevention assembly or device or by installing a backflow elimination method at the sources of potential contamination in the consumer's water system. This is also called point-of-use isolation.

In general, an approved containment device(s) will be required at most nonresidential service lines before water is used. They may also be required at certain residential services. Where the consumer's water system is not intricate or complex and where actual or potential cross-connection hazards can be eliminated or controlled, instead of containment, American Water may allow consumers to use point-of-use isolation protection by application of appropriate backflow prevention assemblies, backflow prevention devices, or backflow elimination methods complying with the USBC.

A containment device does not alleviate the responsibility of the building owner and water users to follow proper plumbing code and maintain necessary isolation devices or other necessary practices. Please contact us if you have any questions.

Temporary and Permanent Connections on Belvoir

Any water or sewer projects or potential connections impacting Fort Belvoir American Water must be reviewed AND approved by American Water. This includes any temporary connections to hydrants or other infrastructure. Please contact us for more information.

Further Information and Guidance on Cross Connection and Backflow Prevention at Fort Belvoir