Cross-Connection Program

COUD works hard to ensure that the water we bring to your home is the safest, purest available. That is why we are constantly on the alert for any situation that would degrade that purity. Our cross-connection prevention program is one way that our staff ensures that the water you and your family drink is always the best. We believe, however, that every water customer should know about cross-connections. A cross-connection is any pipe, valve, fixture, etc. in a drinking water plumbing system that may allow the drinking water within the system to become contaminated or questionable in quality. Even a lawn sprinkler system can be a potential source of contamination. Cross-connections can be eliminated or protected by an air gap or mechanical backflow prevention. Please contact our office for additional information.

Clean, safe drinking water. It is something we take for granted, but every home may have potential hazards which threaten to contaminate our drinking water. Ensuring our water is safe is everyone’s responsibility.

THE PROBLEM

Cross Connections – What is a cross-connection? A cross-connection is a direct link between a household water line and a contaminated source such as a garden hose, toilet tank, or laundry tub. The most common contaminants, such as pesticides, sewage, and detergents, can enter your drinking water system through cross-connections in-home water lines.

Back Siphonage —Most household cross-connections are created by hoses. Under certain conditions, the flow in household water lines can reverse and siphon contaminants into the water supply. For example, using a garden hose to spray pesticides or fertilizers is normally harmless, but if the city’s water supply is interrupted while you are spraying, you may have a problem. If water main pressure is reduced due to a water main break or nearby fire fighting, a back-siphonage effect is created. This can draw water from your garden hose into your home water supply. So if you have a pesticide or fertilizer sprayer attached to your garden hose, the chemicals can contaminate your water supply.

Backpressure —Your drinking water can also be contaminated by an effect called backpressure. Backpressure results when your water supply is connected to a system under high pressure such as a well pump or auxiliary water source.

THE SOLUTIONS

You can easily prevent back-siphonage by installing inexpensive safety devices or taking a few simple precautions.

Solution 1 – Anti-siphon Ballcocks – For example, toilet tanks contain a ballcock device that allows water into the tank after flushing. Older style ballcocks do not have an anti-siphon feature and can allow water from the toilet tank to backflow into your drinking water line. (fig. 1) A simple anti-siphon ballcock (fig. 2) installed with a 25mm (1”) air gap above the overflow tube will prevent contaminated tank water from entering your water supply.