BILL ANALYSIS Ó
AB 1173
Page 1
ASSEMBLY THIRD READING
AB
1173 (Williams)
As Amended March 26, 2015
Majority vote
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|Committee |Votes |Ayes |Noes |
| | | | |
| | | | |
|----------------+------+--------------------+----------------------|
|Environmental |5-0 |Alejo, Gonzalez, | |
|Safety | |Gray, McCarty, Ting | |
| | | | |
|----------------+------+--------------------+----------------------|
|Appropriations |13-3 |Gomez, Bloom, |Bigelow, Jones, |
| | |Bonta, Calderon, |Wagner |
| | |Chang, Daly, | |
| | |Eggman, Eduardo | |
| | |Garcia, Holden, | |
| | |Quirk, Rendon, | |
| | |Weber, Wood | |
| | | | |
| | | | |
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SUMMARY: Requires, if a local health officer does not maintain a
local certification program for backflow prevention device
testers, that the testing and maintenance of a backflow prevention
device be performed by a person who has received specified
California-specific certification for testing backflow prevention
AB 1173
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devices. Specifically, this bill:
1)Requires, if a local health officer does not maintain a local
certification program for backflow prevention device testers,
that the testing and maintenance of a backflow prevention device
be performed by a person who has received California-specific
certification for testing backflow prevention devices by one of
the following:
a) California-Nevada Section of the American Water Works
Association (AWAA);
b) American Society of Sanitary Engineering (ASSE)
International;
c) American Backflow Prevention Association (ABPA); or,
d) Other similar certification provider deemed acceptable by
the State Water Resources Control Board (SWRCB) or the local
health officer.
FISCAL EFFECT: According to the Assembly Appropriations
Committee, this bill may result in increased costs for the SWRCB
of $140,000 annually (Safe Drinking Water Revolving Fund) to
review certification providers.
COMMENTS:
Need for the bill: According to the author, "The lack of guidance
on acceptable private statewide certification of backflow
protection device testers has resulted in inconsistent
requirements throughout the state, burdening plumbing installers,
stifling competition, and increasing customer costs? Statewide
consistency is needed regarding what certifications are
acceptable? AB 1173 clarifies the certification standards required
for backflow prevention device testers."
AB 1173
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Backflow: Backflow is the undesirable reversal of the flow of
liquid, gas or solid into the potable water supply. Water supply
systems are maintained at a pressure significant enough to enable
water to flow from the tap. However, when pressure fails or is
reduced, which may happen if a water main bursts, pipes freeze, or
there is unexpectedly high demand on the water system, water or
substances from the ground, storage, or other sources may be drawn
up into the system. Additionally, non-potable substances may be
pushed into a potable water supply if the pressure in the
downstream piping system exceeds the pressure in the potable water
system. Either of these backflow conditions can enable
contaminated water or substances to enter the potable water
distribution system, potentially risking public health and safety.
Backflow prevention: Backflow preventers are mechanical
assemblies used to prevent contaminated fluids from entering the
water supply system. According to the United States Environmental
Protection Agency (US EPA), a wide choice of devices exists that
can be used to prevent backflow from adding contaminated fluids or
gases into a potable water supply system. These include air gaps,
barometric loops, vacuum breakers - both atmospheric and pressure
type, double check with intermediate atmospheric vent, double
check valve assemblies, and reduced pressure principle devices.
US EPA reports that, generally, the selection of the proper device
is based upon the degree of hazard posed by the cross-connection.
Additional considerations are based upon piping size, location,
and the potential need to periodically test the devices to insure
proper operation.
Certification of backflow prevention device testers: The
California Department of Public Health asserts that proper testing
of backflow prevention assemblies is crucial to the prevention of
backflow and is a cornerstone of a cross-connection control
program. In order to assure that testing and maintenance of
backflow prevention devices are performed by qualified persons,
statute authorizes local health officers to maintain programs for
certification of backflow prevention device testers (Health and
Safety Code Section 116805). Additionally, regulation requires
AB 1173
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backflow preventers to be tested by persons who have demonstrated
their competency in testing of these devices to the water supplier
or local health agency (California Code of Regulations, Title 17,
Section 7605(b)). Per statute and regulation, in jurisdictions
where the local health officer has not established a program for
certification of backflow prevention device testers, water
suppliers are responsible for hiring testers that have
"demonstrated their competency."
This bill, in the absence of a local program, requires water
suppliers to hire testers holding AWAA, ASSE, ABPA, or other
similar certification deemed acceptable by the SWRCB or the local
health officer.
Analysis Prepared by:
Shannon McKinney / E.S. & T.M. / (916) 319-3965
FN:
0000421