Water Production & Distribution

Cross Connection Control Program

The City of Belleview's Cross Connection Control (CCC) program is required by federal and state law. The CCC program requires that backflow preventers be installed at any and all points where a cross connection occurs between the City of Belleview’s potable water system and a potential or actual hazard. 

 In the City of Belleview, this means that all non-residential (commercial, medical, industrial, institutional) service connections (fire lines, potable, and irrigation) must have an RP backflow installed on the customer's side of the water meter.  All residential dedicated irrigation water meters must have either an RP or a PVB installed on the customer's side of the meter.

There are several well-documented cases of cross connections creating backflow situations that have caused contamination of drinking water, leading to human illness, disease, and even death, which prompted federal and state mandated programs to regulate and control cross connections.

Backflow can be broken down into two components: backsiphonage and backpressure.   Backsiphonage occurs when a drop in pressure occurs on the supply side, which causes the flow in the pipe to reverse direction. The most common scenario in which this occurs is a water main break. Negative pressure in the supply line can also cause a situation in which substances further down the supply line—or connections to the supply line—can be sucked backward (backsiphoned) against the direction of flow.

Backpressure occurs when the pressure in the downstream piping rises above the supply pressure, which allows downstream substances to enter the potable water supply. Common causes of backpressure include thermal expansion, elevated storage tanks and/or piping, pumps, and private wells for irrigation.

 Image Credit: https://greeleygov.com/services/ws/about-our-system/our-water-system/cross-connection

Residential Properties

The most likely sources of a cross connection at home are: 

• Dedicated irrigation lines;  
• Dedicated fire suppression system lines and chemically enhanced fire suppression systems; 
• Auxiliary water sources (e.g. wells, ponds, lagoons, irrigation ditches), hot tubs or swimming pools piped with permanent plumbing, reclaimed water systems, grey water systems, or onsite water storage tanks with permanent plumbing; 
• Connections to a home’s potable water supply system from home businesses and hobbies including but not limited to agricultural commerce and hydroponic systems, doctor’s offices, photo laboratories, hide tanning operations, and metal plating operations; 
• Older homes not using backflow preventer hose bibs on outside faucets.

 Commercial/Industrial/Medical Properties

The most likely sources of a cross connection at a commercial/industrial/medical facility are:

• Not ensuring valves to chemical or gas storage are closed and/or protected by backflow preventers
• Hoses that supply potable water being left in chemical tanks
• Sudden drops in supply pressure
• Not performing regular or preventative maintenance on equipment or piping 
• Poor plumbing design
• Making changes to process equipment and flow without incorporating cross connection control

The goal of a CCC program is to protect human health by assessing potential or actual cross connections, and ensuring that the proper backflow preventing device is used.   

Backflow preventers must be tested annually--on or before the date of the test the previous year.  The testers and the City of Belleview will make customers aware when testing is due.  All testing is to be done at the expense of the customer.   The city maintains a preferred testers list. All maintenance and testing logs can be submitted through the form center.

If you suspect you have a potential cross connection issue on your property, call the City of Belleview.  The Cross Connection Control Coordinator will work with you to assess the hazard and determine the best course of action to protect the drinking water system from contamination.