Back-Siphonage occurs when a vacuum or suction is created in the water supply pipe, pulling water backward. This can happen during:
- A large water main break
- Heavy water use for firefighting nearby
Cross Connection Program
The City of Cornwall’s Cross Connection Control Program protects our drinking water from contamination. It requires the installation of a backflow prevention device where the water pipe enters a building. This device stops dirty water from flowing backward into the public water system.
How this can impact you
If your property is identified as a high hazard, you have one year to install a new backflow prevention device or prove your existing one works.
After installation, you are responsible for
-
Having the device tested every year by a certified professional
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Sending the test results to our Cross Connection Control Program Coordinator
This helps us all protect our water supply. Please note that not meeting these requirements could lead to fines or water service interruption.
Backflow prevention
A backflow prevention device is a piece of equipment installed in your plumbing system that acts as a one-way valve. Backflow is the unwanted reversal of water flow, which can allow dirty or chemically-treated water from a property to seep back into the clean public water system. A backflow prevention device ensures that contaminated water cannot flow backward into the public drinking water supply.
Causes of backflow
There are two causes of backflow.
Backpressure occurs when the pressure on a property becomes higher than the pressure in the public water main, forcing water backward. This is caused by:
- Boilers or heating systems
- Pumps (like in a well or irrigation system)
- Elevated storage tanks
Cross connection
A cross connection is any physical link between the clean drinking water system and a source of contamination. This could be a direct pipe to a boiler, an irrigation system, or an industrial process.
Cross connection hazards
The Cross Connection Control Program categorizes risks based on their potential danger to public health.
A high/severe hazard poses a direct threat to health if backflow occurs. This category includes places like hospitals, chemical plants, food processors, and mortuaries.
A moderate hazard describes a connection that could become a severe hazard under certain conditions. Examples of this include high-rise apartments, commercial buildings, schools, and irrigation systems.
A minor hazard is one that poses a nuisance but no direct health risk. This category typically includes single-family homes and low-risk commercial buildings.
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