Section 3745-95-06 - Backflow preventers(A) Any containment principle backflow preventer required by rules 3745-95-04 and 3745-95-05 of the Administrative Code shall be of a model or construction approved by the supplier of water and conform to at least one of the following standards: (1) For air gap separations: (b) For single property community water systems and noncommunity public water systems, air gap fittings, ASME A112.1.3.(c) On a case by case basis, the director may accept an alternative configuration to meet the physical separation requirement of the air gap standard if the alternative configuration is protective of human health and acceptable to the supplier of water.(2) For reduced pressure principle backflow prevention assemblies: AWWA C511, ASSE 1013, CSAB 64.4, or "Foundation for Cross Connection Control and Hydraulic Research, University of Southern California, Standards for Backflow Prevention Assemblies, Reduced Pressure Principle Backflow Prevention Assemblies."(3) For double check valve assemblies: ASSE C510, ASSE 1015, CSA B 64.5, or "Foundation for Cross Connection Control and Hydraulic Research, University of Southern California Standards for Backflow Prevention Assemblies, Reduced Pressure Principle Backflow Prevention Assemblies."(4) For reduced pressure principle-detector assemblies: ASSE 1047, CSA B64.4.1, or "Foundation for Cross Connection Control and Hydraulic Research, University of Southern California, Standards for Backflow Prevention Assemblies, Reduced Pressure Principle Backflow Prevention Assemblies."(5) For double check-detector check valve assemblies: ASSE 1048, CSA standard B 64.5 -1, or "Foundation for Cross Connection Control and Hydraulic Research, University of Southern California, Standards for Backflow Prevention Assemblies, Reduced Pressure Principle Backflow Prevention Assemblies."(6) For pressure vacuum breaker assemblies: ASSE 1020, CSA B64.1.2; and for spill resistant pressure vacuum breakers: ASSE 1056 or CSA B64.1.3.(B) Any containment principle backflow preventer required by rules 3745-95-04 and 3745-95-05 of the Administrative Code shall be installed at a location and in a manner approved by the supplier of water or the director and shall be installed at the expense of the water consumer. In addition, any backflow preventer required by paragraphs (B) and (C) of rule 3745-95-05 of the Administrative Code shall be installed at a location and in a manner that conforms to the following and is approved by the director as required by section 6109.13 of the Revised Code: (1) Installed in accordance with the criteria outlined for orientation in the applicable approval standard in paragraph (A) of this rule.(2) Readily accessible for inspection, testing and repair.(3) Installed to prevent submergence.(4) Protected from freezing. Any provided heated enclosures shall conform to ASSE 1060.(5) Not installed within a pit or vault below ground for a reduced pressure principle backflow prevention assembly or reduced pressure principle-detector assembly.(6) Installed to have a visible free discharge from a relief port and adequate floor drainage to handle the discharge from the relief port, if applicable.(C) The water consumer shall maintain any containment principle backflow preventer required by rules 3745-95-04 and 3745-95-05 of the Administrative Code in proper working order and in continuous operation.(1) The supplier of water shall retain authority over any containment principle backflow preventer required by rules 3745-95-04 and 3745-95-05 of the Administrative Code.(2) The supplier of water shall see that the tests and inspections required under this paragraph are made.(3) The consumer shall, on any premises on which any containment principle backflow preventer required by rules 3745-95-04 and 3745-95-05 of the Administrative Code are installed, have thorough inspections and operational tests made of the backflow preventers at the time of installation or repair, and as may be reasonably required by the supplier of water or the director, but in all cases at least once every twelve months. The consumer shall visually inspect and document that no connection or means of connection exists between the public water system or a consumer's water system and the auxiliary water system as required by rule 3745-95-04 of the Administrative Code and interchangeable connections as required by rule 3745-95-05 of the Administrative Code for purposes of this paragraph. These inspections and tests shall be at the expense of the water consumer and shall be performed by a person approved by the supplier of water and acceptable to the director as qualified to inspect and test backflow preventers.(4) Backflow preventers shall be repaired, overhauled or replaced at the expense of the consumer whenever they are found to be defective.(5) Records of such inspections, tests, repairs and overhauls shall be kept by the consumer and made available to the supplier of water.(6) The supplier of water shall maintain a paper or electronic record documenting the survey, investigation and installation of containment principle backflow preventers. The supplier of water shall maintain documentation of inspections, tests, repairs and overhauls related to the containment principle backflow preventers and that no connection or means of connection exists between the public water system or a consumer's water system and the auxiliary water system required by rules 3745-95-04 and 3745-95-05 of the Administrative Code for a minimum of five years.(D) The supplier of water shall inspect or cause to be inspected all installations where an approved connection exists between an auxiliary water system and the public water system or a consumer's water system at least once every twelve months and shall maintain an inventory of all such installations and inspection records. Such inventories and inspection records shall be made available during sanitary surveys and at other reasonable times. Paper or electronic inspection records shall be maintained by the supplier of water for a minimum of five years.(E) Containment principle backflow preventers approved by the supplier of water and conforming to prior or subsequent editions of the standards cited in paragraph (A) of this rule, and which are properly maintained in accordance with paragraph (C) of this rule shall be excluded from the requirements of paragraphs (A) and (B) of this rule if the supplier of water and the director are assured that the backflow preventer will satisfactorily protect the public water system. When containment backflow preventers are replaced, the backflow preventers shall meet the requirements of paragraphs (A) and (B) of this rule at the time of installation.(F) For single property community water systems and noncommunity water systems, other backflow preventers for plumbing applications may be accepted by the director to abate or control the cross connection, if the water use practice is not specifically addressed in this chapter, and the backflow preventer is identified as an approved isolation backflow prevention device in accordance with section 608 of rule 4101:3-6-01 of the Administrative Code adopted by the board of building standards for the corresponding water use practice. The consumer shall ensure these backflow preventers are inspected at least once every twelve months, maintained in proper working order, tested, if applicable, and maintain records of the results thereof. This paragraph does not apply to water use practices posing a severe health hazard or in cases where an auxiliary water system is on or available to the premises. [Comment: For dates of non-regulatory government publications, publications of recognized organizations and associations, test methods, federal rules, and federal statutory provisions referenced in this rule, see paragraph (AA) of rule 3745-95-01 of the Administrative Code titled "Referenced materials."]
Replaces: 3745-95-06
Ohio Admin. Code 3745-95-06
Effective: 10/10/2022
Five Year Review (FYR) Dates: 10/10/2027
Promulgated Under: 119.03
Statutory Authority: 6109.04
Rule Amplifies: 6109.04, 6109.13
Prior Effective Dates: 07/01/1972, 11/26/1980, 05/01/2003, 10/26/2015