Page 16 - ebook

Cross Connections
“Safe Drinking Water”?
With the recent articles in the media regarding several cross connections between drinking water and non-drinking water the Master Plumbers Association of SA (MPA SA) want to reinforce plumber’s requirements for installing non-drinking water services to ensure there are no cross connections with the drinking water supply.
The Office of the Technical Regulator (OTR) has advised MPA SA that several plumbers have been interviewed and expiated for breaches relating to non-compliant installations of non-drinking water services.
National Construction Code Volume Three (Plumbing Code of Australia) (PCA)The Technical Regulator regulates on – site plumbing installations including non – drinking water to ensure they comply with the plumbing standard published under section 66 of the Water Industry Act 2012.
The PCA Part B3 Non – Drinking Water Services states the objectives and performance requirements that must be achieved for the installation of non – drinking water systems.
The objectives of this part are to:
•Safeguard people from illness, injury or loss (including loss of amenity) due to the failure of a non – drinking water installation.
• Ensure that a non – drinking water installation (including an installation provided for the use by people with a disability) is suitable.
• Conserve water and energy.
• Safeguard the environment.
• Safeguard public and private infrastructure.
• Ensure that a non – drinking water installation throughout its serviceable life will continue to satisfy the requirements of objectives a) to e).
The performance requirements are:
• A non – drinking water supply must only be connected to outlets clearly identified for non -drinking water use and must be limited to the uses specified in B3.3
• A non – drinking water service is not to have a cross connection with a drinking water service.
• Pipes, outlets, fittings, storage and holding tanks that form part of a non -drinking water service must be clearly identified.
A non – drinking water service must be designed, constructed and installed in such a manner as to:
• Avoid the likelihood of contamination of drinking water.
• Provide non – drinking water to fixtures and appliances at flow rates and pressures which are required for the correct functioning of those fixtures and appliances under normal conditions and, in a manner that does not create undue noise.
• • • •
Avoidthelikelihoodofleakageorfailureincludinguncontrolled discharges.
Allow access, as required for maintenance of mechanical components and operational controls.
Allow the system, appliances and backflow prevention devices to be isolated for testing and maintenance.
Contact the water industry entity that supplies the non – drinking water to book a cross connection test. Complete and forward a Certificate of Compliance to the OTR and property
owner within seven days of completing the work. Plumbers Responsibilities for on-site Non-Drinking Water Services
• To book all inground and in wall installations with the Office of the Technical Regulator (OTR)
• To conduct cross connection separation tests on all non-drinking water installations
• BookacrossconnectionseparationtestwithSAWateronsites where SA Water is the non-drinking water provider. For all other
sites contact the Water Entity.
• Ensure appropriate backflow prevention devices are installed and commissioned for all sites other than residential where
they are provided by the Water Entity.
• Complete and forward a Certificate of Compliance to the OTR and property owner within seven days of completing the work.
Wrong
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Drinking water connected to non-drinking water and non-drinking water connected to drinking water.