"The Buck Stops Here" At City Council's Doorstep When it Comes to Protecting City Drinking Water

The week of August 25^th proved to be interesting for reporting on City Council Activity as it turned out to be….. A report on the Questionable Inactivity of the Council…..Dating back to 1993 when Utah State Ordinance was presented to ALL Cities ……Most notably St. George.

I am referring to State of Utah Chapter 13.12……Intended to provide for the administration of a continuing program of backflow prevention which will systematically and effectively prevent the contamination or pollution of all drinking water systems. (Ord. 2-9-93 s 1.1,1993)  Who was mayor and on City Council at time ordinance was put into effect?..... What action is our current City Council taking to protect drinking water?

13.12.010 Purpose of Chapter.

A. To protect the safe drinking water supply of the city from the possibility of contamination or pollution by requiring compliance with state and local plumbing codes, health regulations, OSHA and other applicable industry standards for water system safety within the internal distribution system(s) or private water system(s). Compliance with these minimum safety codes will be considered reasonable vigilance for prevention of contaminants or pollutants which could backflow into the public drinking water systems:

313.12.020 Definitions.  “Approved backflow assembly” means accepted by the Utah Department of Health Bureau of Drinking Water/Sanitation and the city water department as meeting an applicable specification or as suitable for the proposed use.

13.12.030 Role of City Outlined.

A. The city shall be responsible for the protection of its drinking water distribution system from foreseeable conditions leading to the possible contamination or pollution of the drinking water system due to the backflow of contaminants or pollutants into the drinking water supply.

B. Drinking water systems surveys/inspections of the consumer’s water distribution system(s) shall be conducted or caused to be conducted by individuals representing the city. Survey records shall indicate compliance with the aforementioned health and safety standards. Such records will be reasonably maintained by the city.

My friends, I am now raising this issue as part of continuing effort to get the current City Council to pay attention to the need for Code Enforcement Reform and Review of all Ordinances…… Why now?.....Because while engaged in an effort to stay young and healthy I had occasion to be on an exercise bike at Summit Heath Club when I was contacted by a fellow member (Another Senior Citizen)  who asked for my take on the letter issued by the City Water Services. (I have since been in contact with other citizens who have received similar letters). The letter dated August 13, 2014….. read in part…..The Utah Division of Drinking Water Cross Connection Control Program requires Backflow Assemblies to be tested annually. Tests are to be done by a State Certified Backflow Technician.

City of St. George will not accept failed or illegible test reports. If an assembly fails the test, please have the necessary repairs made. Upon completion, request the Technician send a copy of the Report to the St. George Water Department by October 12, 2014.

This begs the question……How many of you are familiar with this very important issue pertaining to Health and Safety?  HOW many of you know if your property is equipped with the Required Backflow?  MORE IMPORTANTLY does the CITY know which homes are in compliance with the 1993 State Ordinance?  The individuals I have spoken to reside in homes built within the last two to four years.  HOW ABOUT the thousands of other homes…..Especially those ten years or older?  WHAT action has the City taken since 1993 to comply with State Regulations?  WHAT are the penalties if ANY for non-compliance?

State of Utah Ordinance 13.12.080 Violation-----Discontinuance of service.

If violations of this chapter exist or if there has not been any corrective action taken by the consumer within ten days of written notification of deficiencies noted within the survey, the public water purveyor Shall deny or immediately discontinue service to the premises by providing a physical break in the service line until the customer has corrected the condition(s) in conformance with the state and city statues relating to plumbing, safe drinking water supplies and the regulations adopted pursuant thereto. (Ord. 2-9-93 s 3.2, 1993)  (Does City Piece Meal Approach Really Satisfy State Requirements?)

So my friends what are we to expect from the City on implementation of oversight responsibilities. Do we have reason to be concerned about Code Enforcement Reform? Perhaps we can gain a better understanding from Certificate of Occupancy requirements and the time frame for implementation of inspection sign off requirements as it relates to Water and Backflow…..What are the financial implications for new and past home buyers?.....Who gains from vague and ambiguous city policy?

Included in the City information letter was a list of 15 Certified Backflow Technician Companies…. Transparency permits public to know….. That Almquist Testing…..Jill Almquist/Gil Almquist are listed as one of the 15 companies. ( Councilman Gil Almquist may have the opportunity to declare a conflict of interest when voting on pertinent issues.

Disclaimer Included…..City of St. George does not endorse nor recommend any Backflow Technicians or Company. This list has been provided for your convenience only. Check with all companies for information regarding pricing.

City Council should know that “Pass the Buck” means passing responsibility to someone else.  More is expected from the City on this very important issue. City can run but it can’t hide need for Ordinance and Code Enforcement Reform.               

Thank you. Ed Baca