Cross-Connection Control: Protect Your Drinking Water

A cross-connection is an actual or potential connection between the safe drinking water (potable) supply and a source of contamination or pollution. State plumbing codes require approved backflow prevention methods to be installed at every point of potable water connection and use. Cross-Connections must be properly protected or eliminated. 

 

When you turn on your faucet, you expect the water to be as safe as when it left the treatment plant. However, certain hydraulic conditions left unprotected within your plumbing system may allow hazardous substances to contaminate your own drinking water or even the city water supply. Water normally flows in one direction. However, under certain conditions, water can actually flow backwards; this is known as backflow, when pressure drops in the city water system.

 

There are two situations that can cause backflow: backsiphonage and back pressure.

 

May occur due to a loss of pressure in the city water system when:

- fire fighters quickly open a hydrant to pump water for firefighting

- there is a power outage to a pump

-a sudden and massive water main break occurs

-system repairs are being made

These create a siphon in your plumbing system which can draw water out of a sink or bucket and back into your water or the city water system.

 

May be created when a source of pressure (such as a boiler) creates a pressure greater than the pressure supplied from the city water system. This may cause contaminated water to be pushed into your plumbing system through an unprotected cross-connection.