Backflow/Cross Connection Control-City of Moose Jaw

Backflow/Cross Connection Control

What is a cross connection?
What is a backflow incident?
Prevent Water Contamination
Commercial Responsibility
Homeowners Responsibility
External Links
Licenced Backflow Testers
Testing and Inspection Report
Instructions for Registration for Commercial Cross Connections and Backflow Prevention Testers
Application for Registration as a Commercial Cross Connection and Backflow Prevention Tester
Instructions For Registration of Non-Commercial Cross Connections and Backflow Prevention Testers
Application for Registration as a Noncommercial Cross Connection and Backflow Prevention Tester

The City of Moose Jaw is committed to providing our customers with safe reliable drinking water. Safeguarding Moose Jaw's drinking water is everyone's responsibility. To address the City of Moose Jaw's responsibility, it has a cross connection control program to help protect the public drinking water supply from contamination via unprotected cross connections.

What is a cross connection?

A cross connection is an actual or potential connection between the drinking water supply and any source of pollution or contaminant.

Improper plumbing and/or cross connections on private property can contaminate the public drinking water supply. If a backflow incident should occur resulting in the contamination of the public water supply, the responsible owner or occupant could be held liable for damages.
Back to the Top

What is a backflow incident?

A backflow incident is the reversal of water flow either due to backpressure or backsiphonage. Backpressure backflow occurs when the downstream pressure is greater than the upstream (supply pressure) pressure. Common causes of backpressure can be booster pumps, and pressure from temperature increases, i.e. boilers. Backsiphonage backflow is caused by a vacuum in the water supply system.
Back to the Top

Prevent Water Contamination

Spraying pesticide with a garden hose seems like a harmless practice, and usually it is. But if the City's water supply is interrupted while you are spraying, the pesticide could be drawn back up the hose and into your home drinking water.

When filling pools, tanks, and hot tubs leave a minimum 1 inch gap between the end of the hose and the surface of the water. Submersing the hose into the water can potentially allow the water in the container to be siphoned into your home as well.

The water supply can be interrupted during a water main break or when a water main is shut off for a repair. Examples of when contamination can occur are :

Pesticide in a sprayer, or other contaminant, is siphoned through a hose and into household water lines, and then into the water main system that services other houses;
Soapy water from a wash bucket, is siphoned through a hose and into household water lines;
The water main is shut off for a repair;
Water flows out of a break or crack in the water main into the soil;
The water in household lines drains into the water main, which is at a lower elevation;

Back to the Top

Commercial Responsibility

Our Industrial, Commercial, and Institutional customers are required to eliminate or protect against the cross connections that exist on their property. Owners / occupants are required to have a cross connection control device installed on their incoming water service at the water meter location. This device must then be tested at the time of installation and annually thereafter by a certified tester.

It is advisable to have a journeyman plumber, who is certified in cross connection control to conduct an on-site hazard assessment survey to eliminate or provide backflow protection against any unprotected cross connections on your property.
Back to the Top

Homeowners Responsibility

Homeowners have a responsibility too. Homeowners must ensure no cross connections exist on their property that can contaminate their home's water supply.

There are several ways to reduce the risk of contamination within the home environment.

Never place the end of a hose where contaminates can be siphoned back into your drinking water from a bath tub or spa, wading pool, fish tank, water conditioner, laundry sink and pail, floor drain, etc.
Leave at least a one-inch gap between the end of your hose and the source of contamination.
When using a fertilizer or pesticide sprayer with your garden hose attach a Hose Connection Vacuum Breaker (HCVB) on your home's outdoor taps. HCVBs are available at retail plumbing suppliers and building material suppliers.
If your home has an in-ground irrigation, you must protect your home's drinking water by installing a minimum of a Dual Check Valve (DuC) on the water supply to your irrigation system. DuCs are available at retail irrigation equipment suppliers, plumbing suppliers and building material suppliers.
If your home has a heating boiler then a cross connection control device must be installed on the water supply to isolate the heating boiler. The type of device utilized would depend on whether chemicals (anti-freeze solutions, corrosion inhibitors, and oxygen scavengers, etc.) have been added to your home boiler.