Section 134-72 DEFINITIONS


As used in this Article, the following terms shall have the meanings indicated:

 

AIR-GAP SEPARATION - The unobstructed vertical distance  through the free atmosphere between the lowest opening from any pipe or faucet supplying pure water to a tank, plumbing fixture or other device and the rim of the  receptacle.

 

AUXILIARY WATER SYSTEM - Any water system on or available to the premises other than the waterworks.  These auxiliary waters may include water from another purveyor's waterworks or water from a source, such as wells, lakes or streams, or process fluids or used water.  They may be polluted or contaminated or objectionable or constitute a water source or system over which the water purveyor does not have control.

 

BACKFLOW - The flow of contaminants, pollutants, process fluids, used water, untreated waters, chemicals, gases or nonpotable waters into any part of a waterworks.

 

BACKFLOW PREVENTION DEVICE - Any approved device, method or type of construction intended to prevent backflow into a waterworks.

 

CONSUMER - The owner or person in control of any premises supplied by or any manner connected to a waterworks .

 

CONSUMER'S WATER SYSTEM - Any water system located on the consumer's premises, supplied by or in any manner connected to a waterwork.

 

CONTAMINATION - Any introduction into pure water of microorganisms, wastes, wastewater, undesirable chemicals or gases.

 

CROSS-CONNECTION -  Any connection or structural arrangement, direct or indirect, to the waterworks where  backflow can occur.  

 

DEGREE OF HAZARD - A term derived from an evaluation of the potential risk to health and the adverse effect upon the waterworks.

 

DOUBLE GATE - DOUBLE CHECK VALVE ASSEMBLY - An approved assembly composed of two (2) single, independently acting  check valves, including tightly closing shutoff valves located at each end of the assembly and petcocks and test  gauges for testing the watertightness of each check  valve.

 

HEALTH HAZARD - Any condition, device or practice in a waterworks or its operation that creates or may create a danger to the health and well-being of the water consumer.

 

INTERCHANGEABLE CONNECTION - An arrangement or device that will allow alternate but not simultaneous use of two (2) sources of water.

 

POLLUTION - The presence of any foreign substance  (chemical, physical, radiological or biological) in water  that tends to degrade its quality so as to constitute an unnecessary risk or impair the usefulness of the water.

 

POLLUTION HAZARD - A condition through which an aesthetically objectionable or degrading material may enter the waterworks or a consumer's water system.

 

PROCESS FLUIDS - Any fluid or solution which may be chemically, biologically or otherwise contaminated or polluted which would constitute a health, pollutional or system hazard if introduced into the waterworks.  This includes, but is not limited to:

        A. Polluted or contaminated waters.

        B. Process waters.

C. Used waters originated from the waterworks which may have deteriorated in sanitary quality.

        D. Cooling Waters.

        E. Contaminated natural waters taken from wells, lakes, streams or irrigation systems.

        F. Chemicals in solution or suspension.

        G. Oils, gases, acids, alkalis and other liquid and gaseous fluids used in industrial or other

        processes or for fire-fighting purposes.

 

PURE WATER or POTABLE WATER - Water fit for human  consumption and use which is sanitary and normally free of minerals, organic substances and toxic agents in excess of reasonable amounts for domestic usage in  the area served and normally adequate in supply for the minimum health requirement of the persons served.

 

REDUCED-PRESSURE-PRINCIPLE BACKFLOW PREVENTION DEVICE - A device containing a minimum of two (2) independently acting check valves, together with an automatically operated pressure-differential relief valve located between the two (2) check valves.  During normal flow and at the cessation of normal flow, the pressure between these two (2) checks shall be less than the supply pressure.  In case of leakage of either check valve, the differential relief valve, by discharging to the atmosphere, shall operate to maintain the pressure between the check valves at less than the supply pressure.  The unit must include tightly closing shutoff valves located at each end of the device, and each device shall be fitted with properly located test cocks.  These devices must be of the approved type.

 

SERVICE CONNECTION - The terminal end of a service line from the waterworks.  If a meter is installed at the end of the service, then the "service connection" means the downstream end of the meter.

 

SYSTEM HAZARD - A condition posing an actual or threat of damage to the physical properties of the waterworks or a consumer's water system.

 

USED WATER - Any water supplied by a water purveyor from waterworks to a consumer water system after it has passed through the service connection.

 

WATER PURVEYOR - An individual, group of individuals, partnership, firm, association, institution, corporation, municipal corporation, county or authority which supplies water to any person within  this state from or by means of any waterworks.

 

WATERWORKS - All structures and appliances used in connection with the collection, storage, purification  and treatment of water for drinking or domestic use and the distribution thereof to the public or  residential consumers as set forth in Title 62.1,  Chapter 4, Section 62.1-45a, Code of Virginia 1950, as amended.