TO: Honorable Mayor and Members of the City Council
FROM: Robin Kampmann, City Engineer
SUBJECT:
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Cross-Connection Control - Ordinance Amendment
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RECOMMENDED COUNCIL ACTION:
recommendation
1) Conduct a Public Hearing on adopting Ordinance 1099, an amendment to Chapter 24, Section 24.23, and consider all testimonies; and;
2) Introduce by title only and waive the first reading of Ordinance 1099 amending the Red Bluff Municipal Code Chapter 24; Section 24.23 regarding water system cross-connection control.
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SUMMARY:
The Red Bluff Municipal Code Section 24.23 establishes the requirements of the city for the installation of and the use of backflow devices for the public water system. The current code language does not meet the updated requirements of the State Water Resources Control Board relating to cross-connection control and backflow prevention. The Cross-Connection Control Policy Handbook (CCCPH), adopted by the Water Board on December 19, 2023, or any subsequent version, replaces previous regulations effective July 1, 2024, and carries the full force and effect of law. This update to the Red Bluff Municipal Code meets the current updated requirements and is established to:
A. Protect the City’s public potable water supply system from contamination or pollution by isolating the water user’s internal systems or private water sources that could backflow into the City’s system;
B. Promote the elimination or control of actual or potential cross-connections between potable and non-potable systems; and
C. Maintain an effective Cross-Connection Control Program to systematically minimize potential risks to the City’s potable water supply.
PREVIOUS COUNCIL ACTION:
None
DISCUSSION:
A cross connection is any actual or potential physical connection between the public potable water supply and any source of contamination or pollution. When water pressure fluctuates - due to a water main break, high demand, or firefighting activities - non-potable water can be “back-siphoned” or “back-pressured” into the public water system, potentially contaminating the drinking water supply for the broader community.
The Cross Connection Control Program is a critical public health protection measure. By codifying the program, the City ensures consistent, equitable enforcement across all customer classes - residential, commercial, industrial, and irrigation. Property owners with existing backflow prevention devices are already subject to annual testing requirements; this ordinance formalizes those requirements and provides clearer notice of obligations and consequences for non-compliance.
The proposed ordinance has been drafted to be consistent with and complementary to the requirements of CCR Title 17, California Health and Safety Code Section 116800 et seq., and guidance issued by the SWRCB Division of Drinking Water. The ordinance does not conflict with any existing state law and provides local enforcement mechanisms that supplement state oversight.
CEQA:
The City Council finds that adoption of this Ordinance will not have a significant effect on the environment and is exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) pursuant to Section 15061(b)(3) of the CEQA Guidelines. As a separate and independent basis, this Ordinance is not a project under CEQA pursuant to Section 15060(c)(3).
CITY FISCAL IMPACT:
None
ATTACHMENTS:
1. Municipal Code Update Presentation
2. Red Bluff Municipal Code Section 24.23 Update - REDLINE DRAFT
3. Red Bluff Municipal Code Section 24.23 Update - CLEAN DRAFT