North Texas Chapter American Backflow Prevention Association

Transcription

1 North Texas Chapter American Backflow Prevention Association Protecting Safe Drinking Water Newsletter Volume 5 Volume 5, October 2010 President s Message Happy Halloween Everyone! The October meeting went well. Good breakfast and a basic presentation given by me. Issues discussed at the meeting: We have lost our meeting space for 2011 and part of we have 5 confirmed volunteers for meeting rooms, we just need to get the last one scheduled. It looks like we will still be able to have our 6 normal lunchtime meetings in Please keep a close eye on the webpage for each meetings location. We are waiting for our quarterly payment from National. Jerry will call Shane and get it worked out I m sure. We look forward to seeing you all at the next meeting on November 9, 2010 at 11:30. Please enjoy this issue. Cherie DeLude WE ARE IN DESPERATE NEED OF ARTICLES! If you like to write, or you already have something written, PLEASE share it with us. Anything is welcome, even small things, like brochures and pamphlets like the ones you see the cities give out. NEXT MEETING November 9, :30 a.m. 1:00 p.m. Location: Elm Fork Treatment Plant, 1440 Whitlock, Carrollton, Texas Topic: Possibly playing Backflow Jeopardy! Presenter: Jeff Porter To remove your name from our mailing list, please contact [email protected]. Questions or comments? us at [email protected] or call

2 Metroplex Training, Hurst, Texas (BACKFLOW): 8 hour Recertification November 12, December Hour Certification; November 15-19, December Confined Space Awareness; November 11, December 9 Ceuwow, : CAD Class & Night Classes (IRRIGATION); Austin October TRAINING OPPORTUNITIES Texas A & M School of Irrigation, Please visit their website for the fall-winter short course schedule. Advertisements

3 8 hour hands-on recertification class November 6, am 5 pm, lunch provided. Cost $100 per person. Limit of 25 students. S Location: MacArthur Gauge, Tube Dr # 130, Hurst, TX (817) Registration form required. Please [email protected] to request form. CALENDAR OF CONVENTIONS AND SEMINARS PHCC Connect 2010: Paris Hotel, Las Vegas - October 27-30, or call IA Convention: Phoenix Convention Center, Phoenix Arizona - December 5-7, 2010 ABPA 2011 Annual Education Conference & Trade Show : The Hyatt Regency San Antonio, San Antonio, Texas - May 23-25, 2011 Board Meetings May 21, 2011 & May 25, 2011 ABPA 2012 Annual Education Conference & Trade Show: The Silver Legacy Hotel, Reno, Nevada - April 30 - May 2, 2012 Board Meetings April 28, 2012 & May 2, 2012 Colorado Backflow Prevention Association. 19th Annual Conference and Expo The 19th Annual CBPA Conference and Exposition is coming November 16. The day before the conference we will have an 8 hour Confined Space class. Those that successfully complete the class and exam will receive a certificate to confirm their OSHA compliance. Size for this class is limited so please register early. Also on Monday, the day prior to the conference, we will have the Introduction to Backflow Prevention class presented by Marion Seminar and Fred Spengler. This eight hour seminar is specifically geared toward people that are not in the industry but should have a working knowledge of backflow prevention. Local health department officials, plumbing inspectors, meter readers and other people that might discover cross connections while performing their normal work duties. Additionally, the day after the conference, CBPA will host an ABPA Proctor Training. Anyone interested in becoming an ABPA Proctor is encouraged to check the ABPA website at to view the requirements and contact ABPA at [email protected] to get registered for the session. Current proctors will also be attending this session for training required because of the conversion to the 10th Edition test procedures.

4 This is a sample letter used by the city of San Antonio to inform their water customers of their responsibilities in maintaining and testing their backflow prevention assemblies. Maybe you can get some ideas for your own city letter that you use to communicate with your customers. CITY OF SAN ANTONIO DEVELOPMENT SERVICES DEPARTMENT TO: All Development Services Department Customers SUBJECT: INFORMATION BULLETIN 196 Property and Building Owner Responsibilities - Annual Testing of Backflow Prevention Assemblies DATE: September 17, 2010 The purpose of this information bulletin is to inform you, the property/building owner or tenant, of your responsibilities regarding the required annual testing of backflow prevention assemblies for your building or property. Many of the building-related codes require periodic testing of code required assemblies in order to protect the health, safety and welfare of the occupants of the building. A building s emergency and standby power system that is required by the International Fire Code, as an example, requires periodic maintenance inspection and testing of that system. The International Plumbing Code (IPC) as amended by the City of San Antonio also requires maintenance inspections and testing. These are required for all of the installed backflow prevention assemblies. The IPC requires the installation of backflow assemblies at the point of connection to nonpotable systems or equipment that may introduce non-potable liquids, solids or gases into the potable drinking water system. The potable drinking water system is required to be maintained in such a manner so as to prevent any pollution or contamination from being introduced into the potable drinking water systems. Please refer to the 2009 International Plumbing Code as amended by the City of San Antonio regarding the required maintenance of the existing plumbing systems and annual backflow prevention assembly testing. Two important sections of that code that identify your maintenance/testing responsibilities are listed as follows: Maintenance. All plumbing systems, materials and appurtenances, both existing and new, and all parts thereof, shall be maintained in proper operating condition in accordance with the original design in a safe and sanitary condition. All devices or safeguards required by this code shall be maintained in compliance with the code edition under which they were installed. The owner or the owner's designated agent shall be responsible for maintenance of plumbing systems. To determine compliance with this provision, the code official shall have the authority to require any plumbing system to be reinspected Inspection and testing of backflow prevention assemblies. The premise owner or responsible person shall have the backflow preventer assembly tested by a certified backflow assembly tester at the time of installation, repair, or relocation and at least on an annual schedule thereafter, or more often when required by the code official. The periodic testing shall be performed in accordance with the University of Southern California's procedures by a tester qualified in accordance with those standards. Should you have any questions or concerns regarding this information bulletin or your aforementioned responsibilities please feel free to contact Mr. David Rohde, Plumbing Inspections Supervisor, at (210)

5 President Cherie DeLude A.C.E. Companies Grand Prairie, TX Phone: Fax: Vice President Jeff Porter TD Industries Dallas, TX Phone: Fax: Secretary / Treasurer Jerry Davis City of Addison Addison, TX Phone: Fax: [email protected] Current Board Members, Directors-at-Large Tommy Toon AVC Mechanical Sales Inc Grand Prairie, TX Phone: Fax: [email protected] Chris Flower Phone: [email protected] Don Godfrey C2 Services Phone: [email protected] A.C.E. Companies Directors-at-Large Larry Morales City of Plano Plano, TX Phone: (972) Fax: (972) [email protected] Billy Horton City of Plano Plano, TX Phone: Fax: [email protected] NEED A RELIABLE, PROFESSIONAL BACKFLOW TESTING COM- PANY? GIVE US A TRY! Since 1995 A.C.E. Companies has been in business to serve the DFW Area with the testing and repairing of backflow prevention assembly devices. We have well over 1,000 satisfied customers who have relied on us year after year with all their backflow prevention assembly testing needs. We are happy to offer our services to you, including a full repair service if a device fails to comply. Test report(s) will be sent to you and the relevant Water Authority Servicing can be done at any time in order to minimize disruption, and appointments can be scheduled at your convenience, but preferably one or two weeks in advance. Please contact our office by phone, fax, or , to schedule an appointment today! Use this ad for a coupon and get $10.00 off your next appointment! 4962 Briar Oaks Lane Website: Grand Prairie, Texas [email protected] Office: fax:

6 JOBS CORNER If you are aware of a job listing please let us know and we can post it here! STOLEN GAUGES REPORT Please let us know if you have had a gauge stolen. Provide us with the Make, Model and Serial Number. We will list them here so everyone can keep a look out for them. Give us your contact information and we will let you know if anyone finds it and tells us they did. 2010, 2011 and 2012 MEETING SCHEDULE Date: Time: Topic: Location: November 9, :30 a.m.-1:30 p.m. Backflow Jeopardy Elm Fork Treatment Plant, Jeff Porter 1440 Whitlock, Carrollton, Texas January 11, :30 a.m. 1:30 p.m. Possibly on Hydraulics. City of Plano, 4120 W. Plano Pkwy, Plano, TX March 8, :30 a.m. 1:30 p.m. City of Irving, 333 Valley View Lane, Irving, Tx May 10, :30 a.m. 1:30 p.m. TDI, Diplomat Drive, Farmers Branch, Tx July 12, :30 a.m. 1:30 p.m. Asset Management and Hardin & Assoc, 5005 W. Backflow Prevention Royal Lane, #170, Irving, Texas September 13, :30 a.m. 1:30 p.m. Review of National Dallas Medical Center, Conference 7 Medical Parkway, Dallas, Texas November 8, :30 a.m. 1:30 p.m. Undecided January 10, :30 a.m. 1:30 p.m. Undecided March 13, :30 a.m. 1:30 p.m. Undecided May 8, :30 a.m. 1:30 p.m. Review of National Undecided Conference July 10, :30 a.m. 1:30 p.m. Undecided

7 CHAPTER COMMITTEES NEWLETTER One person to find training opportunities locally for BF, plumbers and irrigators One person to track stolen gauges (Charles maybe???) One person to find articles on backflow incidents One person to find major conventions and seminars nationwide for BF, plumbers and irrigators One person to find companies to advertise in newsletter One person to get new member info for newsletter One person to find things to post in jobs corner One person to coordinate with multiple people to get articles submitted for newsletter MEETING COMMITTEE Need help in finding topics and presenters. Jerry may need help in meal planning?? More choices and price lists? Need help in finding sponsors for the meals FAMILY PICNIC & FUN DAY We need someone to help scout locations to hold the event. We need someone to then locate hotels nearby to the location. We need someone to find entertainment. A band and kids entertainment We need someone to coordinate the food for the event. (NTABPA should provide the meat / main course. And have the members potluck the rest of the meal and beverages. NO ALCOHOL!!) We need several people to help with registration and information at the event. CONFERENCE We need someone to help scout locations to hold the event. We need someone to then locate hotels nearby to the location. We need someone to invite vendors for the trade show exhibits. (Including setting up booth fees and collecting them). We need someone to invite presenters for the education section. (Preferably people who will do it free for this first one). We need someone to coordinate the food for the event. (At least a continental breakfast and lunch.) We need several people to help with registration, including deciding the fee for attendance, and information at the event. CONTEST: Need people to read the entries when we get them and vote on the best and worst ones. MEMBERSHIP Need one person to get info from TCEQ Need one person to set it up for doing a mass mailing Need one person to do the mass mailing Need someone to track when we get new members and/or help Jerry do it! The North Texas Chapter Newsletter is published monthly by the North Texas Chapter of the American Backflow Prevention Association, whose members have a common interest in protecting the drinking water from contamination through cross connections. Your ideas, experience and expertise are invited and needed by the NT ABPA to insure a balanced approach to backflow prevention in the State of Texas. Your participation and support will continue to help shape the future of this industry in Texas. Opinions expressed in articles, letters or advertisements in this publication are not necessarily those endorsed or supported by the NT ABPA. The content of this newsletter is not to be considered as legal or professional advice. Dues are $83 annually, and are payable to the ABPA National Treasurer. Annual dues include $23 for Texas Chapter and $60 for National ABPA dues. National membership is required for Texas membership. The National ABPA Treasurer address is: POST OFFICE BOX 3051, BRYAN, TX FAX. Link to National Membership Application: Membership.pdf For newsletter advertisements contact: North Texas Chapter, ABPA, Attn: Cherie DeLude, 613 Laurel Street, Cedar Hill, Texas 75104