Contact(s)
Backflow Prevention
The Town of Goderich is legally responsible under the Safe Drinking Water Act, Section 19: Standard of Care to do its due diligence in protecting human health and drinking water quality, managing risks, maintaining distribution system security, and achieving regulatory compliance. Installation of backflow preventers is required under Section 7 of the Ontario Building Code. Additionally, the Ministry of Environment, Conservation and Parks (MECP) has mandated that Municipalities implement a backflow prevention program.
Purpose of the Program
To ensure the supply of safe, clean drinking water to its users, it is mandatory under the Town of Goderich’s Backflow Prevention and Cross Connection Control By-Law for property owners of commercial, institutional, industrial, and multi-residential properties (as defined by the Ontario Building Code), as well as construction sites, to install a backflow prevention device on the water supply line(s) to their facility. This is done to isolate buildings from the Town’s water distribution system, to safeguard the possibility of contaminants entering the Town of Goderich’s drinking water.
The Town’s backflow prevention program has been designed to:
- Identify any and all cross connections where potential contamination of potable water may occur
- Maintain a database of water users who have backflow prevention devices
Industrial, commercial, institutional, and multi-residential property owners will be required to:
- Have a Certified Tester conduct a cross connection control survey of the water system to assess the potential risk of contamination and send the results to the municipality within 14 days of completion, as well as every 5 years moving forward.
- Completed survey’s can be emailed to backflow@goderich.ca or a paper copy can be delivered to the Building Department at Town Hall, 57 West Street, Goderich.
- Where a moderate to severe hazard exists, a plumbing permit can be obtained from the Building Department and a Certified Tester is to install a backflow prevention device at the required cross connection locations.
- A complete list of sectors required to install backflow preventions device(s), as well as point of use cross connections, can be found in Schedule A and Schedule B, respectively within the Backflow Prevention and Cross Control By-Law.
- Backflow Prevention Device Test Reports are to be submitted within 14 days of completion and can be emailed to backflow@goderich.ca or a paper copy can be delivered to the Building Department at Town Hall, 57 West Street, Goderich.
- Backflow prevention devices must be tested by a Certified Tester and test reports filed with the Building Department on an annual basis
Residential property owners will not be impacted by this by-law because of limited cross connections and lower risks. However, any property may be subject to the by-law if it poses a high contamination risk.
| What is Backflow? |
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Backflow is the undesired reversal of water flow against the normal direction. This can occur through back pressure or back siphonage. Back pressure:
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| Installation: Who to Hire & Where to Put a Device? |
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Hiring a Certified Tester Backflow prevention devices must be installed by a Certified Tester.
A Certified Tester is a person who is a certified backflow prevention device tester who has successfully completed a cross connection course in backflow prevention device testing at an accredited school as defined in the CSA Standard: CAN/CSA- B64.10-11/ B64.10.1-11, as amended, and is currently certified (current tester’s certificate)
Inquire with your local plumbing company if they have the applicable certification requirements to inspect, install and when necessary, remove, backflow prevention devices.
Installation AnApplication for Plumbing and Site Services is required for all new backflow prevention installations and replacements. Permits can be requested at the front desk of Town Hall (57 West Street, Goderich) or downloaded online on the municipal website under Building Permits > Plumbing.
Where to install a backflow prevention device Backflow prevention devices should be installed immediately after the water meter and by-pass piping. This ensures that water from the private plumbing system will not flow back through the meter into the municipal water supply.
There must be no branch or hose connections between the water meter/by-pass and the backflow device. Thermal expansion must be addressed within the private plumbing system as per Part 7 of the Ontario Building Code.
Reduced pressure (RP) devices cannot be installed below grade in a pit, chamber, or vault. Discharges must be directed to a sanitary sewer. |
| Reporting Requirements |
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The Town of Goderich must be notified of any changes to a property’s hazard level (i.e., due to tenant/operational changes). See Schedule A of the Backflow Prevention and Cross Control By-Law for hazard levels by sector. Copies of any records submitted to the municipality should be kept on-site for a minimum of seven years. Testing Backflow devices must be tested:
Testing can be completed by a certified tester. A Certified Tester is a person who is a certified backflow prevention device tester who has successfully completed a cross connection course in backflow prevention device testing at an accredited school as defined in the CSA Standard: CAN/CSA- B64.10-11/B64.10.1-11, as amended, and is currently certified (current tester’s certificate) Annual backflow test results must be submitted annually to the municipality by a Certified Tester using the backflow prevention device test report. Submission of the backflow prevention device test report to the municipality must be within 14 days of completion. Test Tags A test tag that provides a historical record of test results must be attached to each backflow prevention device.
Tags will be provided by the Town of Goderich and contain the following:
Surveying Property owners will receive a letter requesting that they complete a cross-connection control survey to help the Town of Goderich ensure adequate protection has been assessed. The Cross Connection Control Survey is to be submitted to the municipality every 5 years. The Cross Connection Control Survey Report must be completed by a Certified Tester and submitted to the Town of Goderich within 14 days of completion. The survey report must be signed by the Certified Tester as well as the facility owner. Surveys must be updated at least every five years, unless otherwise specified by the municipality, or within 14 days of any increase in hazard level. |
| How to Submit a Cross Connection Control Survey & Backflow Prevention Test Report |
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Cross Connection Control Survey Reports (submitted every 5 years) and Backflow Prevention Test Reports (submitted annually) can be delivered to the Building Department at 57 West Street, Goderich, or emailed to the Town of Goderich Building Department at backflow@goderich.ca. |
Documents and Fillable Forms
Cross Connection Control Survey Forms
- Cross Connection Control Survey – General Form
- Appendix A – Additional Cross Connections
- Appendix B – Dental Office
- Appendix C – Restaurant
- Appendix D – Mortuary / Morgue
- Appendix E – Hospital / Nursing Home
For More Information
Please email backflow@goderich.ca or call the Town of Goderich Building Department at 519-524-8344 ext. 222
