One of the requirements State Health Regulations impose on all water purveyors, is that they have a program for identifying and eliminating cross connections to the potable water system. We want to assure that all our customers receive safe drinking water and that the very last user on our water line has water that is just as safe as the first user and that nothing has entered the system in between. Help protect your drinking water from contamination.  Install an approved backflow prevention assembly (shown at right) on all under-ground lawn irrigation systems.

What is a Cross-Connection?
A cross connection is defined as an actual or potential connection between a public water supply and a source of possible contamination or pollution. All homes have potential cross connections. The result of cross connection contamination is that chemicals, poisons and bacteria may find their way into your drinking water.

What is Backflow?
Backflow is the undesirable reversal of flow in a potable water distribution system, as a result of a cross connection. If a cross-connection exists within the customer’s plumbing system, it is possible for water from within that system to backflow, or re-enter the public water system.

What causes Backflow?
There are two conditions that can cause backflow, and one must be present for a back-flow situation to occur. Both conditions may exist in the same incidence.

Backpressure: In this condition the water pressure within the customer’s plumbing sys-tem exceeds the pressure of the water utility distribution system. Backpressure may be caused by differences in elevation, a booster pump or a steam boiler.

Backsiphonage: This condition occurs when the water pressure in the distribution system falls below the pressure in the customer’s plumbing system. This localized loss of pres-sure may be caused by the fire department fighting a fire, a fire hydrant being hit by a car, or water flowing from a broken main water line.

TYPES OF POTENTIAL CROSS CONNECTIONS:

Underground Lawn Irrigation Systems
Recent technology has provided us with better tools to prevent backflow. Contaminated lawn surface water can be siphoned back into your lawn irrigation system unless a proper backflow device is attached to your system. This device is called a Reduced Pressure Zone Assembly (RPZ), which requires annual testing. If you presently have a lawn irrigation system installed without a RPZ, it needs to be replumbed with a testable RPZ device.

Swimming Pools or Hot Tubs
Some built in pools and hot tubs are connected with permanent submerged water fill piping. This could draw disinfectant chemicals back into your household plumbing system and requires the installation of a RPZ device.

Lawn and Garden Chemical Sprayers Attached Hoses
Anytime a garden hose is submerged in or connected to a container consisting of a potentially harmful substance, such as, lawn and garden chemicals, and there’s a sudden drop in water pressure, contamination may occur unless a hose bib vacuum breaker is used. This is a simple, inexpensive device installed on the faucet to which the hose is attached.

Other potential cross connections
Almost every bathtub and sink is equipped with the best known backflow prevention device—an air gap, which is the space between the highest water level in the fixture and the outlet of the water from the faucet. However, care should be taken to avoid leaving attached hoses submerged in contaminated water.

Other possible cross connection locations include: boilers, fire protection, in-home water treatment systems, solar or Geo Thermal heating, car washes, decorative ponds, soaking tubs in laundry areas, and frost-proof yard hydrants, as shown at right.





Protect your drinking water by taking the following precautions

Don’t: Submerge hoses in buckets, tubs, sinks, ponds, etc. Use spray attachments without a backflow prevention device.

 Do: Keep the ends of hoses clear of all possible contaminants. If not already equipped with an integral (built-in) vacuum breaker, buy and install hose bib type vacuum breakers on all threaded faucets around your home.

How You Can Help
1. Be aware of the possible cross connection hazards in and around your home or business.

2. If you have a backflow prevention assembly an annual test must be performed by a State Certified Assembly Testing Technician and the results must be sent to the Water Utility. Once you have registered your backflow assembly with the Water Utility, you will receive an annual Inspection Notice. We can provide you with a list of qualified testers.
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What if I Don't Have My RPZ Tested?
The failure of the water customer to install, have tested and maintain the backflow prevention assembly shall constitute grounds for discontinuing water service until such requirements have been adequately satisfied.

BVVPOA Policy 4.01: THE BELLA VISTA VILLAGE POA IS REQUIRED BY THE ARAKANSAS DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH TO ELIMINATE CROSS-CONNECTION AND MAINTAIN A CROSS CONNECTION CONTROL PROGRAM FOR THE POTABLE WATER DISTRIBUTION SYSTEM SERVICING YOUR HOME OR BUSINESS, CONSISTENT WITH SECTION 608 OF THE ARKANSAS PLUMBING CODE

Help is available !!
Help is as close as your telephone, call 855-5080 between 8:00 and 3:00 M-F or e-mail us at Water@BVVPOA.com