Special Notice / Hearing: None__
Vote Required: Majority
To: Honorable Board of Supervisors
From: Colleen Chawla, Chief, San Mateo County Health
Heather Forshey, Director, Environmental Health Services
Subject: Introduction of Ordinance Making Updating Chapter 4.72 of the San Mateo County Ordinance Code Concerning Backflow Prevention
RECOMMENDATION:
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Introduction of an ordinance repealing and replacing Chapter 4.72 of the San Mateo County Ordinance Code concerning backflow prevention, and waive reading of the ordinance in its entirety.
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BACKGROUND:
The County’s Backflow Prevention Ordinance, Chapter 4.72 of the San Mateo County Ordinance Code, protects potable water supplies from contamination by establishing County requirements for backflow prevention. The Ordinance was last updated in January 2013. Environmental Health Services (EHS) has agreements with 18 (out of 23) large public water systems within the County to provide backflow prevention (cross-connection control) services, which allow the latter water systems to maintain effective cross-connection control programs to protect public water systems and public health.
On December 19, 2023, the California State Water Resources Control Board (SWRCB) adopted new regulatory requirements related to cross-connection control for all public water systems in the form of the Cross-Connection Control Policy Handbook, Standards and Principles for California’s Public Water Systems (Policy Handbook). This Policy Handbook, promulgated as regulation, became effective July 1, 2024, with relevant milestones requiring updates to the County’s Backflow Prevention Ordinance by July 1, 2025.
DISCUSSION:
The proposed Ordinance updates definitions, references, and authorized backflow prevention assembly tester responsibilities, among other minor changes, to ensure the Ordinance and the EHS cross-connection control program are aligned with the recently enacted Policy Handbook. EHS’ program is administered using existing fees charged to the public water systems that have agreements with EHS to administer its program on their behalf. No new fees are proposed.
The Ordinance has been reviewed and approved by County Attorney’s Office as to form.
It is anticipated that 99% of inventoried backflow prevention assemblies will be tested annually.
PERFORMANCE MEASURE(S):
|
Measure |
FY 2023-24 Actual |
FY 2024-25 Estimated |
|
Percent of inventoried backflow prevention assemblies tested annually |
99% |
99% |
EQUITY IMPACT:
This Ordinance update will positively impact all individuals that may live in, work in, and/or visit the County who could be impacted by potential backflow of pollutants to the multiple public water systems that exist in the County. EHS is developing a short statement to appear in multiple threshold languages at the bottom of all of its outgoing mailed communications, directing all recipients who wish to receive the mailed communication in a threshold language to contact our office.
FISCAL IMPACT:
EHS permit fees fund this program. There is, therefore, no net County cost associated with this Ordinance update.