What is a Cross-Connection Control Program?
A cross-connection control program is a proactive system to identify, prevent, and fix plumbing risks that could contaminate the public drinking water supply. It occurs when a potable water supply (safe for drinking) and a non-potable system are connected, which could lead to contamination caused by backflow.
In short, it is designed to protect drinking water.
Why is this Needed?
The State of Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE) Safe Drinking Water Act requires that the City maintain a comprehensive cross-connection control program, which now includes residential properties. The City’s existing program has focused on commercial, industrial, and other high-risk users. This year, the City’s water system is scheduled for review by EGLE, and to meet the standards set in the Safe Drinking Water Act, the program must be expanded to include residential water users. Failure to maintain compliance can result in violations, enforcement actions, or risk to the City’s water supply permit.
How will this program be implemented?
The City has successfully managed its current program by contracting HydroCorp, a firm that specializes in cross-connection control and backflow prevention. Given the certification and labor requirements, extending this approach to the residential program will improve efficiency, avoid the need for additional staffing, and, most importantly, help ensure regulatory compliance. In brief, HydroCorp will manage the program from start to finish, including assessing the existing plan, providing a public awareness toolkit, administering the inspection schedule, conducting inspections, and generating and maintaining the required program documentation. This includes completing the City’s annual EGLE report with both residential and commercial data.
What does this mean for me as a homeowner?
Detailed information will be provided as part of the public awareness effort when the program begins. My understanding is that, for most homeowners, this will involve a brief inspection and, in some cases, installing or verifying simple backflow prevention devices on items such as sprinkler systems, if needed. In most cases, no action will be required.
Where can I learn more about this?
The City Commission approved this contract with HydroCorp at the April 20th meeting. A significant amount of supporting information was included in the agenda packet. If you would like to review it, see pages 112 through 153 of the PDF file. LINK
Of these 42 pages, I found two provided by HydroCorp particularly informative for homeowners, and I am sharing them here.
Leave a Reply