§ 8.30.020. Definitions.

For the purpose of this chapter, the following words and phrases are defined, and shall be construed as hereinafter set out, unless it is apparent from the context that they have a different meaning:

"Air-gap separation" means a physical break between a supply pipe and a receiving vessel. The air-gap shall be at least double the diameter of the supply pipe, measured vertically above the top rim of the vessel, in no case less than one inch;

"Approved check valve" means a check valve meeting the specifications and approval of a recognized, approved testing agency for backflow prevention devices;

"Approved double check valve assembly" means an assembly of at least two independently acting approved check valves including tightly closing shut-off valves on each side of the check valve assembly and suitable leak detector drains plus connections available for testing the water tightness of each valve. The entire assembly shall be made in the factory of the manufacturer and shall meet the specifications and approval of a recognized, approved testing agency for backflow prevention devices. To be approved, these devices must be readily accessible for maintenance testing;

"Approved reduced pressure principle backflow prevention device" means a device approved by a recognized and approved testing agency for backflow prevention devices. The entire assembly shall be made in the factory of the manufacturer and shall incorporate two or more check valves and an automatically operating differential relief valve located between the two checks, two shut-off valves, and equipped with necessary appurtenances for testing. The device shall operate to maintain the pressure in the zone between the two check valves less than the pressure on the public supply side of the device. At cessation of normal flow, the pressure between check valves shall be less than the supplied pressure. In case of leakage of either check valve, the differential relief valve shall operate to maintain this reduced pressure by discharging to the atmosphere. When the inlet pressure is two pounds per square inch or less, the relief valve shall open to the atmosphere, thereby providing an air-gap in the device. To be approved, these devices must be readily accessible for maintenance and testing and installed in a location where no part of the valve will be submerged;

"Approved water supply" means any water supply approved by, or under the supervision of a public health agency of the State of California or the County of San Luis Obispo;

"Auxiliary water supply" means any water supply on or available to the premises other than the approved public potable water supply. These auxiliary waters may include, but are not limited to, water from another purveyor's public potable water supply or any natural source such as a well, spring, river, stream, harbor, etc., or "used water" or "industrial fluids";

"Consumer" means the owner of a premises having a service from a potable water system.

"Contamination" means 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" or "cross-connected" as used in these regulations means any real or potential connection between any part of a public water system or other water system supplying potable water to members of the public and any auxiliary water supply or any source or system containing water or any substance that is not or cannot be approved as safe, wholesome, and potable for human consumption;

"Department" means the health department of the County of San Luis Obispo;

"Health hazard" means an actual or potential threat of contamination of a physical or toxic nature to the public potable water system to such a degree of intensity that there would be a danger to health;

"Industrial fluids" means any fluid or solution which may be chemically, biologically, or otherwise contaminated or polluted in a form or concentration such as would constitute a health, system, pollutional or plumbing hazard if introduced into the water supply. This may include, but is not limited to polluted or contaminated used waters; all types of processed waters and "used waters" originating from the public potable water system which may deteriorate in sanitary quality; chemicals in fluid form; acids and alkalis; circulating cooling waters connected to an open cooling tower and/or cooling waters that are chemically or biologically treated or stabilized with toxic substances; contaminated natural waters such as from wells, springs, streams, rivers, bays, harbors, seas, irrigation canals or systems, etc.; oils; gases; glycerine; paraffines; caustic and acid solutions; and other liquid and gaseous fluids used in industrial or other processes or for fire-fighting purposes;

"Plumbing hazard" means a plumbing type cross-connection in a consumer's potable water system that has not been properly protected by a vacuum breaker, air-gap separation or other device. The term "plumbing hazard" includes but is not limited to cross-connections to toilets, sinks, lavatories, wash trays, domestic washing machines and lawn sprinkling systems;

"Pollution" means 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 affect such waters for domestic use;

"Pollution hazard" means an actual or potential threat to the physical properties of the public water system or the potability of the public water supply, but which would not constitute a health or system hazard, as defined;

"Purveyor" means any person, corporation, public utility, municipality, district or other agency or institution furnishing or supplying water for domestic purposes;

"Service connection" means the terminal end of a service connection from the public potable water system, i.e., where the water purveyor loses jurisdiction and sanitary control over the water at its point of delivery to the consumer's water system. If a meter is installed, then the service connection shall mean the downstream end of the meter. There should be no unprotected take-offs from the service line ahead of any meter or backflow prevention device located at the point of delivery to the consumer's water system;

"System hazard" means an actual or potential threat of severe damage to the physical properties of the public potable water system;

"Water supervisor" means the consumer or a person on the premises appointed by the consumer who is charged by the consumer with the responsibility to the consumer of maintaining the consumer's water system free from cross-connections and other sanitary defects, as required by regulations and laws. A certified backflow prevention device testor may not act as a water supervisor unless he is a full-time employee of the consumer, and has the day-to-day responsibility for the installation and use of pipelines and equipment on the premises and for the avoidance of cross-connections;

(Ord. 1175 (part), 1971)