Lompoc Municipal Code Ch. 13.12 Cross-Connections

A. Purpose. The purpose of this Chapter is:

1. To protect the public potable water supply of the City of Lompoc from the possibility of contamination or pollution by isolating within the water user's potable water system(s) or the water user's private water system(s) such contaminants or pollutants which could backflow into the City's public potable water systems; and

2. To promote the elimination or control of existing cross-connections, actual or potential, between the public water system and the water user's potable water system(s), nonpotable water system(s), plumbing fixtures and industrial piping systems; and

3. To provide for the maintenance of a continuing program of cross-connection control which will systematically and effectively prevent the contamination or pollution of the public potable water systems.

These regulations are adopted pursuant to the California State Water Resources Control Board's Cross Connection Control Policy Handbook (CCCPH).

B. Responsibility. The Utility Director or designee shall be responsible for the protection of the public potable water distribution/system from contamination or pollution due to the backflow of contaminants or pollutants through the water service connection. If, in the judgment of the Utility Director or designee, an approved backflow prevention assembly is required at the water user's water service connection, for the safety of the water system, the Utility Director or designee shall give notice in writing to said water user to install such an approved backflow prevention assembly(s) at the water user's service connection and at the water user's own expense; and, failure, refusal or inability on the part of the water user to install, have tested and maintain said assembly or assemblies shall constitute grounds for discontinuing water service to the water user until such requirements have been satisfactorily met.

(Prior code § 3329; Ord. 1748(26), 8/4/2026)

For the purposes of this Chapter, the following words and phrases shown below shall have the meanings ascribed to them by this Section.

"Air-gap separation" or "AG"

means a physical vertical separation of at least two (2) times the effective opening, as defined in the California Plumbing Code, between the free-flowing discharge end of a potable water supply pipeline and the flood level of an open or non-pressurized receiving vessel, and in no case less than one inch.

"Approved"

means accepted by the Utility Director or designee as meeting an applicable specification stated or cited in this Chapter, or as suitable for the proposed site.

"Approved water supply"

means the potable water supply treated, maintained, protected, and delivered by the City of Lompoc.

"Auxiliary water supply"

means a source of water, other than the City of Lompoc's approved water supply, that is either used or equipped, or can be equipped, to be used as a water supply and is located on the premises of, or available to, a water user.

"Backflow"

means an undesired or unintended reversal of flow of water and/or other liquids, gases, or other substances into a public water system's distribution system or approved water supply.

"Backflow prevention assembly tester"

means a person who is certified as a backflow prevention assembly tester pursuant to the standards outlined by the CCCPH.

"Backflow prevention assembly" or "BPA"

means a mechanical assembly designed and constructed to prevent backflow, such that while in-line it can be maintained and its ability to prevent backflow, as designed, can be field tested, inspected and evaluated.

"Backpressure"

means any elevation of pressure in the downstream piping system (by pump, elevation of piping, or steam and/or air pressure) above the supply pressure at the point of consideration which would cause, or tend to cause, a reversal of the normal direction of flow.

"Backsiphonage"

means a form of backflow due to a reduction in system pressure which causes a sub atmospheric pressure (vacuum) to exist at a site in the water system.

"CCCPH"

means the State Water Resource Control Board's Cross Connection Control Policy Handbook.

"Contamination"

refers to High hazard cross-connection.

"Cross-connection"

means any actual or potential connection or structural arrangement between a public water system, including a piping system connected to the public water system and located on the premises of a water user or available to the water user, and any source or distribution system containing liquid, gas, or other substances not from the City of Lompoc's approved water supply.

"Direct cross-connection"

means a cross-connection which is subject to both backsiphonage and backpressure.

"Indirect cross-connection"

means a cross-connection which is subject to backsiphonage only.

“High hazard cross-connection”

means a cross-connection that poses a threat to the potability or safety of the public water supply. Materials entering the public water supply through a high hazard cross-connection are health hazards.

“Low hazard cross-connection”

means a cross-connection that has been found to not pose a threat to the potability or safety of the public water supply but may adversely affect the aesthetic quality of the potable water supply. Materials entering the public water supply through a low hazard cross-connection are non-health hazards.

"Cross-connection control specialist"

means a person who is certified as a cross-connection control specialist pursuant to the standards outlined by the CCCPH.

"Distribution system"

means the piping and infrastructure maintained by the City of Lompoc for delivery of the approved water supply to the water user.

"Double check detector backflow prevention assembly" or "DCDA"

means a double check valve backflow prevention assembly that includes a bypass with a water meter and double check backflow prevention assembly, with the bypass's water meter accurately registering flow rates up to two gallons per minute and visually showing a registration for all rates of flow. This type of assembly may only be used to isolate low hazard cross-connections.

"Double check valve backflow prevention assembly" or "DC"

means an assembly consisting of two independently-acting internally-loaded check valves, with tightly closing shut-off valves located at each end of the assembly (upstream and downstream of the two check valves) and fitted with test cocks that enable accurate field testing of the assembly. This type of assembly may only be used to isolate low hazard cross-connections.

"Hazard Assessment"

means an evaluation of a user premises designed to evaluate the types and degrees of hazard at a user's premises. The water supplier, however, shall not be responsible for abatement of cross-connections which may exist within a user's premises. As a minimum, the evaluation should consider: the existence of cross-connections, the nature of materials handled on the property, the probability of a backflow occurring, the degree of piping system complexity, and the potential for piping system modification.

"Hazard," "Degree of hazard"

means either a pollutional (non-health) or contamination (health) hazard which is identified from the evaluation of conditions within a system.

"Industrial fluids system"

means any system containing a 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, pollution or plumbing hazard if introduced into an approved water supply. This may include, but is not limited to: polluted or contaminated waters; all types of process waters and "used waters" originating from the public potable water system which may have deteriorated in sanitary quality; chemicals in fluid form; plating acids and alkalines; circulating cooling waters connected to an open cooling tower and/or cooling towers that are chemically or biologically treated or stabilized with toxic substances; carbonated water from carbonation equipment, contaminated natural waters such as wells, springs, streams, rivers, bays, harbors, seas, irrigation canals or systems, etc.; oil gases, glycerine, paraffins, caustic and acid solutions and other liquid and gaseous fluids used for firefighting or other purposes.

"Internal protection"

means the appropriate type or method of backflow prevention within the water user's potable water system at the point of use, commensurate with the degree of hazard.

"Pollution"

refers to Low hazard cross-connection.

"Premises containment"

means protection of the City of Lompoc's distribution system from backflow from a user's premises through the installation of one or more air gaps or BPAs, installed as close as practical to the user's service connection, in a manner that isolates the water user's water supply from the City's distribution system.

"Pressure vacuum breaker backsiphonage prevention assembly" or "PVB"

means an assembly with an independently-acting internally-loaded check valve and an independently-acting loaded air inlet valve located on the discharge side of the check valve; with test cocks and tightly closing shutoff valves located at each end of the assembly that enable accurate field testing of the assembly. This type of assembly may only be used for protection from backsiphonage and is not to be used to protect from backpressure.

"Readily accessible"

means capable of being reached for testing and/or maintenance, without the need of removing any access panel, door, or similar obstruction.

"Reduced pressure principle backflow prevention assembly" or "RP"

means an assembly with two independently acting internally-loaded check valves, with a hydraulically operating mechanically independent differential-pressure relief valve located between the check valves and below the upstream check valve. The assembly shall have shut-off valves located upstream and downstream of the two check-valves, and test cocks to enable accurate field testing of the assembly.

"Reduced pressure principle detector backflow prevention assembly" or "RPDA"

means a reduced pressure principle backflow prevention assembly that includes a bypass with a water meter and reduced pressure principle backflow prevention assembly, with the bypass's water meter accurately registering flow rates up to two gallons per minute and visually showing a registration for all rates of flow.

"Spill-resistant pressure vacuum breaker backsiphonage prevention assembly" or "SVB"

means an assembly with an independently-acting internally-loaded check valve and an independently-acting loaded air inlet valve located on the discharge side of the check valve; with shutoff valves at each end and a test cock and bleed/vent port, to enable accurate field testing of the assembly. This type of assembly may only be used for protection from backsiphonage and is not to be used to protect from backpressure.

"SWRCB,"

unless otherwise specified, means the California State Water Resources Control Board or the local primacy agency having been delegated the authority to enforce the requirements of the CCCPH by the State Water Resources Control Board.

"Used water"

means any water supplied by the City of Lompoc public potable water system to a consumer's water system after it has passed through the service connection and is no longer under the sanitary control of the City of Lompoc.

"User premises"

means the property under the ownership or control of a water user and is served, or is readily capable of being served, with water via a service connection with the City's approved water supply.

"User Supervisor"

means a person designated by a water user to oversee a water use site and responsible for the avoidance of cross-connections.

"User's service connection"

means either the point where a water user's piping is connected to the City's water system or the point in a water system where the approved water supply can be protected from backflow using an air gap or backflow prevention assembly.

"Utility Director"

means the Utility Director in charge of the Water Division of the Utility Department of the City of Lompoc vested with the authority and responsibility for the implementation of an effective cross-connection control program and for the enforcement of the provisions of this Chapter.

"Water user"

means a person or entity who is authorized by the City of Lompoc to receive water from the City of Lompoc's approved public water supply.

(Prior code § 3330; Ord. 1748(26), 8/4/2026)

A. Water System.

1. The water system is composed of two parts: The City of Lompoc's system and the water user's system.

2. The City of Lompoc's system consists of the source facilities and the distribution system and includes all those facilities of the water system under the complete control of the City, up to the point where the water user's system or service connection begins.

3. The source facilities include all components of the facilities utilized in production, treatment, storage, and delivery of water to the distribution system.

4. The distribution system includes the network of conduits used for the delivery of water from the source to the water user's system.

5. The water user's system includes those parts of the facilities beyond the service connection of the City distribution system which are utilized in conveying City-delivered potable water to points of use.

B. Policy.

1. No water service connection will be approved to any premises by the City of Lompoc unless the water supply is protected as required by State laws and regulations and this Chapter. Water service to any premises shall be discontinued by the City of Lompoc if a backflow prevention assembly required by this Chapter is not installed, tested and maintained, or if it is found that a backflow prevention assembly has been removed or bypassed, or if an unprotected cross connection exists on the premises. Water service will not be restored until such conditions or defects are corrected.

2. The water user's system should be open for inspection at all reasonable times to authorized representatives of the City of Lompoc to determine whether cross-connections or other structural or sanitary hazards, including violations of these regulations, exist. When such a condition becomes known, the Utility Director or designee may deny or immediately discontinue service to the premises by providing for a physical break in the service line until the water user has corrected the condition(s) in conformance with the State and City statutes relating to plumbing and water supplies and the regulations adopted pursuant thereto.

3. An approved backflow prevention assembly shall be readily accessible and be installed on each service line to a water user's water system at or near the property line or immediately inside the building being served, but in all cases, before the first branch line leading off the meter service connection wherever the following conditions exist:

a. In the case of premises having an auxiliary water supply, which is not or may not be of safe bacteriological or chemical quality and which is not acceptable to the City of Lompoc as an additional source, the public water system shall be protected against backflow from the premises by installation of an approved backflow prevention assembly, appropriate to the degree of hazard, at the user's service connection.

b. In the case of premises on which any industrial fluids or any other objectionable substance is handled in such a fashion as to create an actual or potential hazard to the public water system, the public system shall be protected against backflow from the premises by installation of an approved backflow prevention assembly commensurate with the degree of hazard, in the service line. This shall include the handling of process waters and waters originating from City of Lompoc system which have been subject to deterioration in quality.

c. In the case of premises having (1) internal cross-connection that cannot be permanently corrected or controlled, or (2) intricate plumbing and piping arrangements or (3) where entry to all portions of the premises is not readily accessible for inspection purposes, making it impracticable or impossible to ascertain whether or not dangerous cross-connections exist, the public water system shall be protected against backflow from the premises by installing an approved backflow prevention assembly in the service line.

4. The type of protective assembly required under Subsections B.3.a, b and c of this Section, shall depend upon the degree of hazard which exists as follows:

a. In the case of any premises where there is an auxiliary water supply as stated in Subsection B.3.a of this Section, which is not subject to any of the following rules, the City of Lompoc public water system shall be protected by an approved air-gap or an approved reduced pressure principle backflow prevention assembly.

b. In the case of any premises where there is water or substance that would be objectionable but not hazardous to health, if introduced into the City of Lompoc water system, the City water system shall be protected by an approved double check valve backflow prevention assembly.

c. In the case of any premises where there is any material dangerous to health which is handled in such a fashion as to create an actual or potential hazard of the City of Lompoc water system, the City water system shall be protected by an approved air gap or an approved reduced pressure principle backflow prevention assembly. Examples of premises where these conditions will exist include sewage treatment plants, sewage pumping stations, chemical manufacturing plants, medical and veterinary facilities, mortuaries, and plating plants.

d. In the case of any premises where there are unprotected cross-connections, either actual or potential, the City of Lompoc water system shall be protected by an approved air gap or an approved reduced pressure principle backflow prevention assembly at the service connection.

e. In the case of any premises where, because of security requirements or other prohibitions or restrictions, it is impossible or impractical to make a complete in-plant hazard assessment, the City of Lompoc water system shall be protected against backflow from the premises by an approved reduced pressure principle backflow prevention assembly on each service to the premises.

f. In the case of any premises existing or herein where a fire line is installed, the City of Lompoc water system shall be protected at that service connection by a minimum of a double check backflow prevention assembly. Exceptions shall be made for certain residential premises as outlined in the CCCPH.

5. Any backflow prevention assembly required herein for premises containment shall be a make, model and size approved by the Utility Director or Designee in accordance to state standards as outlined in the CCCPH. The term "approved backflow prevention assembly" means an assembly that has been approved through both laboratory and field evaluation tests in full conformance with the standards found in the current edition of the Manual of Cross-Connection Control published by the University of Southern California Foundation for Cross-Connection Control and Hydraulic Research, established as one acceptable standard by the State Water Resource Control Board's CCCPH. Installation/Repair criteria of any backflow prevention assembly required for service connection protection herein shall be in accordance with installation criteria outlined in the CCCPH.

6. It is the duty of the water user at any premises where backflow prevention assemblies are installed to have a field test performed by an approved and certified backflow assembly tester using a calibrated gauge upon installation and at least once per year. Approved Air Gaps are to be inspected at least once per year. In those instances where the Utility Director or designee deems the hazard to be great enough, the Utility Director or designee may require certified inspections at more frequent intervals. These tests shall be at the sole expense of the water user and shall be performed by a certified tester. The Utility Director or designee is responsible for seeing that these tests are made in a timely manner. These assemblies shall be repaired, overhauled or replaced at the expense of the water user whenever said assemblies are found to be defective. Records of such tests, repairs, or overhauls shall be kept and made available to the Utility Director or Designee.

7. Backflow Assembly Testers. Backflow assembly testers must be certified by a state recognized certifying organization as outlined in the CCCPH. A copy of the certification must be made available to the Utility Director or designee upon request. Properly calibrated gauge equipment is essential to ensure accurate data acquisition from the approved backflow assembly tester. Gauge equipment shall be checked for accuracy at least once a year and re-calibrated when inaccuracy is greater than plus 0.2 pounds per square inch (psi). A copy of the calibration test must be made available to the Utility Director or designee annually or upon request. Backflow assembly testers must notify the City of Lompoc within 24 hours if a backflow incident or unprotected cross-connection is observed at the time of testing.

8. Presently Installed Backflow Prevention Assemblies. All presently installed backflow prevention assemblies which do not meet the requirements of this Chapter, but were approved devices for the purposes described herein at the time of installation, and which have been properly maintained, shall, except for the testing and maintenance requirements under Subsection B.6 of this Section, be excluded from the requirements of these rules so long as the Utility Director or designee is assured that they will satisfactorily protect the City of Lompoc system. Whenever the existing device is moved from the present location or requires more than minimum maintenance, or when the Utility Director or designee finds that the maintenance constitutes a hazard to health, the unit shall be replaced by an approved backflow prevention assembly meeting the requirements of this Section, at the water user's expense.

9. The Utility Director or designee may authorize the periodic retesting, in addition to the required testing described in Subsection B.6 of this Section, of water user's backflow prevention devices by City of Lompoc utility staff as part of the surveillance and quality control measures of the cross-connection control program in the City of Lompoc.

10. The Utility Director or designee is authorized to make all necessary and reasonable rules and regulations with respect to the enforcement of this Chapter. All such rules and regulations shall be consistent with the provisions of this Chapter.

(Prior code § 3331; Ord. 1748(26), 8/4/2026)