A. PURPOSE

The Best Management Practices (BMPs) for Backflow Prevention Assembly Testers (BPAs) are the standards that backflow prevention assembly testers (Testers) on the Beaumont-Cherry Valley Water District (BCVWD/District) Backflow Prevention Assembly Tester List (District List) will be held to when testing, maintaining, and repairing BPAs in the District’s service area. Testers must follow the requirements, standards, and programs of the District to remain on the District List and have submitted BCVWD test maintenance report forms approved for the District customers.

B. INTENT

The intent is to ensure consistent standards and overall effectiveness of the District’s Cross-Connection Control Program and confirm that Federal, State and local regulations shall be adhered to.

C. SUMMARY

When a request is made to test, repair, replace, or maintain BPAs, a qualified Tester shall have the following responsibilities:
1. The Tester will be responsible for performing accurate field tests, repairing BPAs, and providing reports of such tests, repairs, or replacements to the consumer and District in accordance with the District Cross Connection Control Program, in addition to all Federal, State and local authorities that apply.
2. The Tester shall be equipped with, and be capable of, using all necessary equipment such as tools, gauges, and accessories necessary to properly test, repair, maintain, or replace BPAs. All necessary equipment shall be properly maintained, calibrated, and certified where required (See Section E - Equipment Requirements).
3. The Tester shall only install University of Southern California Foundation for Cross-Connection Control and Hydraulic Research (USC FCCC) approved BPAs or replacement parts.

D. CERTIFICATION REQUIREMENTS

1. Only the Riverside County Department of Environmental Health (County), or American Water Works Association (AWWA) certified Testers identified on the most current District List are authorized to test BPAs within the District’s service area.
2. A copy of the current County or AWWA BPA Tester certification is required.
3. Testers are required to submit documentation of their Riverside County or AWWA BPA Tester certification in order to be included on, and remain, on the District List.
4. If a copy of the current Tester’s certification is not received by the certification expiration date, the Tester will be removed from the District’s List.
5. If a Tester does not test within the District for a minimum of one year, the Tester risks being removed from the District’s List. A tester who is removed from the list can request to be added back by contacting the Cross-Connection Control (CCC) specialists and submitting the appropriate certification documentation.

E. EQUIPMENT REQUIREMENTS

1. The Tester is required to calibrate their field test gauge(s) at least once annually and to re-calibrate whenever a gauge is inaccurate by more than +/- 0.2 PSID.
2. Test gauge calibration must be verified against a reference source that is traceable to the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST).
3. The Tester must retain proof of their test gauge calibration and make it available to the District’s CCC specialists upon request within forty-eight (48) hours.
4. The District reserves the right to require a copy of a test gauge calibration certificate during quality check proceedings and at any time deemed reasonable to the District.
5. Testers are required to keep test gauge(s) calibrated and in good repair to remain on the District List.

F. ORIENTATION REQUIREMENTS

1. All Testers who wish to test in BCVWD’s service area shall submit a copy of their Riverside County and/or AWWA testers certificate and a gauge calibration report for each backflow test gauge used, along with this competed BMP. Once the CCC Specialist has reviewed the submissions and confirmed District List eligibility, the District shall issue a unique tester identification that the tester will use to submit backflow test results on our website at https://www.bcvwd.gov/backflow-for-testers/
2. Only Testers listed on the District List are authorized to test BPAs within the District’s service area.
3. Testers must sign the check list (Appendix B) acknowledging adherence to the BMPs and the District’s Rules and Regulations Governing Water Service Section 11 (DRR Section 11).
4. Any BPA test report forms received from a Tester who has not been added to the District List, or from a Tester who has been removed from the District List, will be considered invalid and returned to the District customer.
5. Testers may be required to attend in person District training, if there is a pattern of occurrences not adhering to the BMP’s as identified by the Districts CCC Specialist.

G. ADMINISTRATIVE PROCEDURES

1. Only District employees and District approved contractors are authorized to operate any valve that is upstream of the street side of the water meter. The Tester can operate any valve on the customer’s side only with the owner’s permission. If it is necessary to operate any District valves to make a BPA repair or replacement, the Tester must contact the District’s Cross Connection Division (CCD) to schedule a street valve turn on/off, at least one (1) week in advance, with the requested date, start time, estimated duration of the job, and scope of work.
2. If the water meter is locked off due to backflow test needed, it is the Tester’s responsibility to schedule the unlocking of the water meter with the District’s CCD, at least 48 hours in advance.
3. The District BPA Test Maintenance Report Form (District Form/Appendix D) shall be submitted online at https://bcvwd.gov/backflow-for-testers/.
4. Only the District BPA District Form will be accepted.
5. If the District Form is missing information and/or the writing is not legible, the District Form will be returned to the Tester for proper completion and resubmission.
6. All BPA test information must be recorded clearly and legibly on the District’s BPA Test Maintenance Report Form.
7. Changes and corrections of District Form information must be placed in the proper fields or in the comments section of the District Form.
8. Changes to customer name, mailing address, or account information must be made by the utility billing customer, through the District Customer Service Division. The District’s CCD cannot make these types of changes.
9. A copy of the Backflow test results is recommended to be provided to the property owner and/or utility billing customer.
10. If the Tester is contacted by the District’s CCD to request additional information regarding an account, or to request a District Form be corrected and resubmitted, follow-up is expected within a maximum of 5 business days.

H. TESTING AND REPAIR PROCEDURES

1. BPAs must be tested, and the District Form received by the District, by the due date listed on the notification letters sent annually. If the Tester is not able to submit the District Forms on, or before, the due date, or if repairs are needed, the Tester must request an extension from the District’s CCD. For an Extension to be considered, a request must be submitted to the CCD prior to the BPA test due date and include the se vice address, backflow serial number, meter number and initial due date. Extension requests must be emailed to backflow@bcvwd.gov.
2. All BPAs must be tested in accordance with the procedures outlined in the latest edition of the USC FCCC Manual of Cross-Connection Control.
3. All information on the District Form must be verified to the actual BPA and water meter. (Remember to Notify, Identify, Inspect, and Observe; as required by USC FCCC test procedures).
4. BPA testing is required annually and may be required more frequently if deemed necessary by the District. Certification testing is required immediately after a BPA has been relocated, replaced, or repaired per District Rules and Regulations (DRR) Section 11, prior to installation acceptance and water delivery.
5. When a BPA is found off at the #1 shut off valve (SOV) upon arrival of the Tester, the BPA must be left off at the #2 SOV, only if the test passes.
6. The District is not responsible for any work performed by the Tester.
7. Only lubricating and sealing substances receiving NSF 61 approval for use on potable water systems shall be used.
8. Only District Forms will be accepted. The District Form is included in this report as Appendix D and can also be found at https://www.bcvwd.gov/backflow-for-testers/.
9. The Backflow Tester is responsible for working safely and follow all appropriate safety

I. ASSEMBLY INSTALLATION REQUIREMENTS

1. The Tester is responsible for following proper installation procedures for new or replacement BPAs in accordance with the California Code of Regulations, Title 17, USC FCCC approval, DRR Section 11, District standard drawings and Uniform Plumbing Code.
2. The Tester should contact the District CCD if there are any questions about whether the BPA meets the degree of hazard protection requirement.
3. If the Tester finds an incorrect installation, the Tester shall notify the District’s CCD via email to backflow@bcvwd.gov.
4. BPA installations for the supply of domestic water shall comply with the California Lead-Free Law.
5. BPAs shall be located immediately downstream of the water meter unless a variance is obtained from the District’s CCD prior to installation.
6. No outlets, tees, or connections shall be allowed between the meter and the BPAs.
7. BPAs shall be in accordance with the USC FCCC current manual.
8. BPA installations must allow adequate drainage and access to the BPA for testing and
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maintenance.
9. A BPA installed on a recycled water service shall be painted purple and is strictly prohibited from use, or reuse, on any potable water system.
10. Parallel installations of BPAs are strongly recommended for all facilities requiring uninterrupted water supply, such as hospitals and schools.
11. Freeze protection is required; however, the relief valve must be able to vent freely, and test cock openings shall remain exposed.
12. Theft prevention devices are strongly recommended for bronze BPAs; however, the BPAs must allow adequate drainage and access to the BPA for testing and maintenance. BCVWD is not responsible for damaged or stolen BPAs.

J. CONDUCT REQUIREMENTS

1. The Tester is not authorized to enforce the District’s Cross-Connection Control Program. Enforcement lies solely with the District. The Tester is responsible for reporting to the District any actual or suspected conditions that may pose a risk to public health.
2. Testers on the District’s List are expected to perform their work in a professional manner. Failure to work in a professional manner, or receipt of continuing customer complaints, may result in an administrative hearing and a notification sent to Riverside County and AWWA and may result in the removal from the Districts List for 3 years.
3. The Tester must never knowingly falsify the results of a BPA test or the condition of a BPA. Any Tester found to have deliberately reported false information to the District will be subject to removal from the District’s List and a notification will be sent to Riverside County and AWWA.
Examples of falsifying results include, but are not limited to:
• Signing BPA test reports for tests not performed by the individual signing the report.
• Submitting BPA test reports on BPAs that were not actually tested (falsification of test reports).
• Making unneeded repairs or replacements.
• Testing without a current Riverside County or AWWA BPA Tester certification.
• Testing with equipment not authorized by Riverside County, AWWA or with test equipment without a current calibration date.

K. ENFORCEMENT PROCEDURE

1. If a Tester does not submit a copy of his/her current certification by the expiration date, the Tester will be removed from the District List.
2. If Riverside County or AWWA remove a Tester from their eligibility lists, the Tester will be immediately removed from the District List and will not be permitted to test, repair, or maintain BPAs within the District’s service area, until the Tester has been recertified by the County or AWWA and reinstated by the District.
3. Failure to comply with District Rules and Regulations or District’s BMPs will result in disciplinary action by the District, in accordance with the procedures outlined in these BMPs.
4. A Tester found to be in violation of the District Policies or the BMPs, will be subject to removal from the District List. Violations will be investigated and recorded in the Tester’s file.
a. Minor violations, or repeated violations, will be recorded in the Tester’s file. The Tester will be notified that additional violations may result in removal from the District List.
b. Major violations such as purposely falsifying results on a District Form will result in a mandatory three (3) year suspension from testing in the BCVWD service area.
c. If a Tester is removed from the District List, the initial suspension period can be from a minimum of six (6) months to a maximum of three (3) years. To be reinstated to the District List, the Tester must contact the CCD and provide their current certifications. The Tester’s file will be reviewed and reinstatement will be considered on a case-by-case basis.
d. Any Tester suspended more than once may be subject to permanent removal from the District List.

L. QUALITY CONTROL PROCEDURES

1. The District may perform a quality check to verify the results of any District Form submitted to the District. If the findings of the District are inconsistent with the Tester’s data, the Tester will be asked to retest the device with a representative from the District’s CCD present. The Tester will perform the test per USC FCCC approved test procedures.
2. A quality check that includes inspection and/or retesting may be conducted within 5 days of the initial inspection, or BPA test, as determined by the District.
3. Any re-inspection or retest that finds improper testing, repairs and/or reporting may result in the removal of the Tester from the District List and notification sent to Riverside County and AWWA, after an administrative hearing, per section J of this document.