Town of Friday Harbor Cross Connection Control Program Information

Keeping Our Water Safe

 The Town of Friday Harbor Water Department has created this information to inform you of the potential threat of cross-connection (CC).  The following information consists of the Town of Friday Harbor’s adopted ordinances, Washington Administrative Code (WAC) 246-290-490, brochures on CC and common water terminology definitions.

 One of the many threats to our drinking water supply is known as a Cross-Connection. A CC is the point at which a non-drinking water substance can possibly come in contact with drinking water. Connections as seemingly innocent as a sprinkler system, hot tub or ornamental pond can easily enable contaminants to enter potable (drinking) water lines via backflow. Customers install potential CCs like these and other water-using equipment every day, but, they are often unaware of the potential danger that lurks in the pipes as a result.

 Backflow, caused by backsiphonage and/or backpressure, is the unwanted reverse flow of non-potable water back into a water system. Backflow can allow bacteria, chemicals or physical contaminants to enter the water system if CCs are uncontrolled.

 Town of Friday Harbor Water Department takes every precaution possible to prevent CC backflow from entering our distribution system. The Town’s Cross-Connection Control (CCC) Program ensures that customers eliminate CCs whenever possible and control CCs that can’t be eliminated by installing Department of Health (DOH) approved backflow preventers. To better protect public health, the Washington State DOH has revised the CCC regulations for public water systems. All systems are required to develop and implement CCC programs.

 For more information about cross-connection please explore the links below or contact the Town of Friday Harbor Water Department at (360) 378-8353.

These documents are in Adobe Acrobat (.pdf) format. In order to view or print these files, you first need to have Adobe's Acrobat Reader(c) installed on your computer. This software is available free from Adobe.

          

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Related Links

• PNWS-AWWA Cross Connection Control Committee - http://www.pnws-awwa.org/committee_contact.cfm?CommID=9
   
• Western Washington Cross Connection Control Professionals "The Group" - http://www.backflowgroup.org/
   
• American Backflow Prevention Association - http://www.abpa.org/
   
• Spokane Regional Cross Connection Control Committee - http://www.src4.org/
   
• USC Foundation for Hydraulic Research and Cross Connection Control - http://www.usc.edu/dept/fccchr/

07/02/2012

Neither the Town of Friday Harbor nor any agency, officer, or employee of the Town warrants the accuracy, reliability or timeliness of any information presented here, and shall not be held liable for any losses caused by such reliance on the accuracy, reliability or timeliness of such information.
Portions of such information may be incorrect or not current. Any person or entity who relies on any information obtained from the system, does so at his or her own risk.
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