These rules are being amended to clarify, and thus, achieve more consistent compliance with, cross-connection control requirements for public water systems (PWSs). Also, these rules are being amended to significantly reduce the overall regulatory ...

 

DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION

RULE NOS.:RULE TITLES:

62-555.330Engineering References for Public Water Systems

62-555.360Cross-Connection Control for Public Water Systems

62-555.900Forms and Instructions

PURPOSE AND EFFECT: These rules are being amended to clarify, and thus, achieve more consistent compliance with, cross-connection control requirements for public water systems (PWSs). Also, these rules are being amended to significantly reduce the overall regulatory burden of cross-connection control requirements on community water systems (CWSs) and their residential customers by: (1) allowing a dual check device to be used as backflow protection at service connections from CWSs to residential premises where there is any type of auxiliary or reclaimed water system; and (2) allowing biennial instead of annual testing of backflow preventer assemblies required at service connections from CWSs to residential premises. Furthermore, these rules are being amended to require large CWSs - i.e., CWSs serving more than 10,000 persons - to submit annual cross-connection control program reports using a brief new two-page form. This requirement will be a slight additional burden on large CWSs, but these annual reports will enable the Department to better ascertain the operational adequacy of large CWSs and to more efficiently conduct sanitary surveys of large CWSs.

SUBJECT AREA TO BE ADDRESSED: Rule 62-555.330, is being amended to incorporate the current or third edition of American Water Works Association (AWWA) Manual M14 instead of the second edition of this manual, which is no longer available from the publisher. Subsection 62-555.360(1), is being amended to clarify that cross-connections are prohibited except where an appropriate type of backflow preventer is installed; to clarify that a PWS may interconnect to another PWS of the same type without installing a backflow preventer; and to clarify appropriate types of backflow preventers for various applications. Subsection 62-555.360(2), is being amended to require that only CWSs must establish and implement a cross-connection control program; to clarify that the purpose of a CWS cross-connection control program is to protect the CWS from contamination caused by cross-connections at customers’ premises; and to add Tables 62-555.360-1 and 62-555.360-2. Table 62-555.360-1 clarifies the minimum components that each CWS shall include in its written cross-connection control plan in order to accomplish recommended practices in AWWA Manual M14, and this table also modifies recommended practices in AWWA Manual M14 by allowing biennial instead of annual testing of backflow preventer assemblies required at service connections from CWSs to residential premises. Table 62-555.360-2 clarifies the categories of customers for which each CWS shall require or provide minimum backflow protection at the water service connection in order to accomplish recommended practices in AWWA Manual M14, and this table also modifies recommended practices in AWWA Manual M14 by allowing a dual check device to be used as backflow protection at service connections from CWSs to residential premises where there is any type of auxiliary or reclaimed water system. Additionally, Subsection 62-555.360(2), is being amended to require large CWSs to submit annual cross-connection control program reports using a brief new two-page form. Subsection 62-555.360(3) is being amended to clarify the action PWSs are required to take upon discovery of a prohibited cross-connection. Subsections 62-555.360(4) and 62-555.360(5) are being deleted as unnecessary because of the clarifications being made to subsections 62-555.360(1) through 62-555.360(3). Rule 62-555.900 is being amended to add new Form 62-555.900(13) to the list of forms in this rule.

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY: 403.086(8), 403.8055, 403.853(3), 403.861, 403.861(9) FS.

LAW IMPLEMENTED: 367.031, 403.086(8), 403.0877, 403.852(12), 403.853(1), 403.855(3), 403.861, 403.861(7), 403.861(17), 403.8615 FS.

A RULE DEVELOPMENT WORKSHOP WILL BE HELD AT THE DATE, TIME AND PLACE SHOWN BELOW:
DATE AND TIME: Wednesday, April 17, 2013, 10:00 a.m. EDT

PLACE: Department of Environmental Protection, Bob Martinez Center, Room 609, 2600 Blair Stone Road, Tallahassee, Florida 32399. Also, this workshop will be transmitted as a webinar. Persons can register to attend the webinar on their personal computer with audio via their computer’s microphone and speakers (no charges will apply) or with audio via their telephone (regular long distance telephone charges will apply). Webinar registration is at https://www2.gotomeeting.com/register/794440170.

Pursuant to the provisions of the Americans with Disabilities Act, any person requiring special accommodations to participate in this workshop/meeting is asked to advise the agency at least five days before the workshop/meeting by contacting: Jeffrey G. Lawson, Department of Environmental Protection, 2600 Blair Stone Road, MS 3520, Tallahassee, Florida 32399-2400, [phone], [e-mail]. If you are hearing or speech impaired, please contact the agency using the Florida Relay Service, 1(800)955-8771 (TDD) or 1(800)955-8770 (Voice).
THE PERSON TO BE CONTACTED REGARDING THE PROPOSED RULE DEVELOPMENT AND A COPY OF THE PRELIMINARY DRAFT, IF AVAILABLE, IS: Jeffrey G. Lawson, Department of Environmental Protection, 2600 Blair Stone Road, MS 3520, Tallahassee, Florida 32399-2400, [phone], [e-mail]. (OGC No. 13-0847)

THE PRELIMINARY TEXT OF THE PROPOSED RULE DEVELOPMENT IS AVAILABLE AT NO CHARGE FROM THE CONTACT PERSON LISTED ABOVE.