Protect Your Drinking Water: Understanding Cross-Connections and Backflow
Bella Vista Water District is committed to providing safe, reliable drinking water that meets or exceeds all state and federal drinking water standards. An important part of maintaining water quality is protecting the public water system from contamination that can be introduced through cross-connections and backflow conditions. Many potential cross-connections exist within private plumbing systems, making the protection of the public water supply a shared responsibility between the District and our customers. By working together to identify and eliminate potential cross-connections and prevent backflow, we can help keep drinking water safe for you and the community.
What is a Cross Connection?
A cross-connection is any actual or potential connection between drinking water and a source of non-potable water or other substance that could contaminate the public water system.
Common Examples:
- Irrigation systems
- Private wells, ponds, or auxiliary water supplies
- A garden hose submerged in a bucket, pool, pond, animal watering trough, or other source of non-potable water
- Fertilizer, pesticide, or other chemical sprayers
- Booster pumps and other water-using equipment
- Dedicated fire sprinkler systems that are not regularly flushed by domestic water use
- Boilers and heating systems
How can a backflow condition occur?
Normally, drinking water flows in one direction—from the public water system into your property. However, when pressure in the public water system becomes lower than the pressure within a customer’s plumbing system, water can flow backward, or “backflow,” through an unprotected cross-connection, allowing contaminants to enter your plumbing system and potentially the public water system.
Backflow can occur in two ways:
- Backpressure – when downstream pressure becomes greater than the public water supply pressure.
- Backsiphonage – when reduced pressure in the public water system creates a vacuum or suction effect.
Common causes include:
- Water main breaks
- Firefighting activities
- Heavy water demand
- Power outages
- Booster or injection pumps
- Hydraulic pressure differences caused by elevation changes
Why Are Cross-Connections and Backflow a Concern?
Under backflow conditions, contaminants may enter the drinking water system through unprotected cross-connections, creating potential public health hazards.
Biological Contaminants:
- harmful pathogens
- biological substances, such as blood and fecal matter
Chemical Contaminants:
- household cleaning products such as bleach and detergents
- pesticides and herbicides used for pest and weed control
- fertilizers
- antifreeze and corrosion inhibitors used in heating and cooling systems and fire sprinkler systems
What You Can Do To Help Keep Drinking Water Safe
- Never submerge hoses in pools, ponds, buckets, animal watering troughs, or other sources of non-potable water.
- Never directly connect private wells or auxiliary water supplies to your plumbing system without District-approved backflow protection.
- Inspect irrigation systems, plumbing, and water-using equipment for potential cross-connections.
- Maintain proper separation, or “air gaps”, between drinking water outlets and contaminated water sources.
- Install approved backflow prevention assemblies where required.
- Ensure any testable backflow preventers on your property are properly maintained and tested as required.
Backflow Prevention Devices, Assemblies and Methods
- Hose Bib Vacuum Breaker (HBVB) – Used on hose connections to protect against backsiphonage.
- Pressure Vacuum Breaker (PVB) – Commonly installed on irrigation systems to protect against backsiphonage.
- Double Check Valve Assembly (DC) – A testable backflow prevention assembly commonly used for low-hazard applications.
- Reduced Pressure Principle Assembly (RP) – A testable backflow prevention assembly designed to protect against both backsiphonage and backpressure hazards.
- Air Gap – A physical separation between a drinking water outlet and the highest possible water level of a receiving container. For example, a faucet that discharges above the rim of a sink creates an air gap.
Note: A Reduced Pressure Principle Assembly (RP) is Bella Vista Water District’s standard requirement when backflow protection is necessary at a water service connection.
Property Owner Responsibilities
Property owners are responsible for the installation, maintenance, testing, and repair of required backflow prevention assemblies located on the customer side of the water meter.
If a backflow prevention assembly is required:
- All associated costs—including the purchase, installation, and testing—are the sole responsibility of the property owner as a condition of water service.
- Assemblies must be tested upon installation and annually thereafter to ensure continued protection of the public water system.
- Testing must be performed by the District or by a District approved, certified backflow prevention assembly tester.
The District may perform annual testing for an additional cross-connection fee included on your bi-monthly water bill. This fee includes up to one hour of labor for minor repairs; parts and additional labor are billed separately.
Alternatively, property owners may choose to hire an independent contractor for annual testing or repairs. The contractor must be a certified backflow prevention assembly tester and appear on the District’s list of approved testers. In such cases, a District provided backflow assembly test form must be completed by the contractor and submitted to the District annually.
District-approved certified testers, approved backflow prevention assemblies, and applicable installation standards are available upon request.
To protect public health and comply with State requirements, Bella Vista Water District may impose fines or discontinue water service until required cross-connection protections are installed. Backflow prevention assemblies are only required when determined necessary based on the degree of hazard present.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Why am I hearing about this now?
Bella Vista Water District is implementing updated State cross-connection control requirements established by the State Water Resources Control Board’s Cross-Connection Control Policy Handbook (CCCPH). These requirements include an updated Cross-Connection Control Policy and increased public education regarding backflow prevention and cross-connection control.
How do these new State requirements affect me?
The District is required to evaluate properties for potential cross-connections and backflow hazards. Depending on the conditions found on your property, you may be required to eliminate cross-connections or install backflow protection.
How can I get more information about Bella Vista Water District’s Cross-Connection Control Policy?
Our Cross-Connection Control Policy is available to view at our website: http://www.bvwd.org/policies.
For additional information, including the State Water Resources Control Board Cross-Connection Control Policy Handbook, click here: https://www.waterboards.ca.gov/drinking_water/certlic/drinkingwater/cccph.html
For a list of District-approved backflow prevention assemblies:
District Approved Assemblies.pdf
BVWD Construction Standards for backflow prevention assemblies can be seen here:
Backflow Installation Construction Standards.pdf
For questions or additional information, please contact Bella Vista Water District at:
(530) 241-1085
