A cross-connection is any temporary or permanent connection between the potable (e.g., drinking) water system and another source containing non-potable water or other substances that could contaminate your drinking water if a backflow condition occurs.

Generally, safe, treated water flows in one direction from the City's pipes to your faucet, with the appropriate amount of pressure .  However, certain conditions can cause the water to  flow in the wrong direction due to backsiphonage or backpressure.  During these conditions, when left unprotected, your plumbing system, may allow substances to contaminate your own drinking water, or even the city water supply.

The water can backsiphon when a loss of pressure on the water main happens.  That condition can be caused by opening a fire hydrant to fight a fire or a sudden massive water main break.  Should that type of event occur when you have your garden hose dangling in the water filling a swimming pool, pool water could enter and contaminate your plumbing and possibly the city water supply.

Backpressure sitations can occur when a boiler connected to the water supply heats up and creates a greater pressure inside your plumbing than is present on the City's side supplying your home.  This may cause contaminated water to be pushed back onto the city's water mains.

The City of Tuscola participates in an Illinois EPA required cross connection control program.  The goal of the program is to ensure a safe water supply for our residents.  To that end, any type of connection to the water supply that could potentially contaminate the water supply is required to have a backflow prevention device installed and maintained, with annual inspection records provided to the City.  The City must actively seek information about any type of connection to the water supply, and therefore surveys  water customers at each service connection every three years.  When a connection is discovered, the City is required to ensure that measures are taken to prevent backflow contamination.

Types of temporary cross connections:

• A garden hose attached to a sink or a spigot with the end of the hose submerged in a bucket full of detergent while washing a car.
• A garden hose attached to a hose bib on the house and dangled under the water level while filling a swimming pool, hot tub or pond
• A hose submerged in the water while filling a garden watering can
• A hose or sprinkler left running on the ground and becoming submerged in a puddle of water

These types of temporary cross connections can easily be corrected by being aware and using safe filling methods.  Any time you are using a garden hose or water source that is connected to the public water supply, you must have an air gap separating the clean water supply from ANY OTHER source of water or contaminant.  Below is a good illustration of this principal.

Private Wells & Cisterns- Private wells and cisterns are prohibited from being used as a potable water supply and wells used for plant watering are prohibited from being connected in any way to any plumbing system connected to the public water supply.  Customers with uncapped wells on their property  must certify their disconnected status.  City of Tuscola Water Department personnel may need to verify the well or cistern is not connected to the public water supply or same plumbing system as the public water supply.

Lawn sprinkling systems that are connected to the public water supply MUST have a properly installed, maintained, and annually inspected back flow prevention device.   Home owners are required to file a copy of the annual inspection with the City of Tuscola water department.

Some lawn sprinkling systems within the Tuscola water system are attached to an outside source of water, either ponds at the golf course or only to a rainwater collection system.  These connections are fine,  but they MUST NOT BE CONNECTED IN ANY WAY TO THE PUBLIC WATER SUPPLY!

Customers with fire suppression systems that are connected to the public water supply, or that have an outside connection location for the Fire Department to hook into in the event of a fire, must have a backflow prevention device installed on the system.  That device must be maintained and annually inspected, with a copy of the inspection form placed on file with the City of Tuscola water department.

A fire suppression (sprinkler) system must be installed with a backflow prevention device in most circumstances.  This requirement is intended to protect the public water supply from contamination in the event of a line pressure situation that could cause contaminated water to backflow into the water supply.  When installed, this device must be maintained and annually inspected, with a copy of the inspection form placed on file with the City of Tuscola water department.

The Illinois Plumbing Code does provide for a fire suppression system installation that can be connected to the public water supply and NOT be installed with a backflow prevention device.  Those systems would meet have to meet ALL of the following criteria:

• A looped system with no dead ends
• A system having no connections other than the public water supply
• A system having less than 20 sprinkler heads
• And a system constructed with water supply quality pipe

If your system meets all of those requirements, and you do not have, and are not otherwise required to have a backflow prevention device, simply completing the survey and certifying these facts with the City of Tuscola Water Department is sufficient to comply with the Cross Connection Rules.

Other types of connections  requiring a backflow prevention device include medical or dental office devices, concrete businesses or other direct fill plants, funeral home businesses with direct connect devices, and other locations with direct fill connections to the water supply.

Backflow prevention devices are typically installed by a licensed plumber.  Backflow prevention device annual inspection must be performed by a certified Cross-Connection Control Device Inspector.  This is a special certification that one must obtain through a State certified training course.  A listing of those certified professionals is available on the Illinois Environmental Resources Training Center Website.

Please submit your annual backflow prevention device certification to [email protected] .