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Council introduces ordinance to update cross-connection/backflow rules for water safety
Summary
To comply with the State Water Board the council introduced municipal code revisions and authorized a citywide site-hazard assessment of roughly 21,000 water service connections; the item passed unanimously and staff outlined a phased compliance timetable to 2035.
Petaluma’s utilities staff told the City Council on Feb. 23 that the city is updating its municipal code and program to comply with the State Water Resources Control Board’s Cross-Connection Control Policy Handbook.
Dan Herrera, deputy director of Water Resources and Utilities, explained that the state requires water systems to identify and protect against backflow risks (both back-siphonage and back pressure) and to require certified personnel and periodic testing. The city will replace outdated Title 17 references with the state handbook in municipal code language and perform a parcel-by-parcel site-hazard assessment for roughly 21,000 service connections.
Herrera said the city’s highest near-term priorities include single-check fire systems (many currently underground and not testable) and commercial/industrial/institutional sites. The schedule presented called for the site-hazard assessment completion by December 2027, CII (commercial, industrial, institutional) compliance by 2030, and full compliance for all connections by July 2035. Staff noted budget and staffing needs to administer testing, certification and record-keeping and said consultants have been engaged to carry out the assessment.
Council moved to introduce the ordinance; the motion passed unanimously. Staff will return with the assessment results and any budget requests to implement the required upgrades and testing program.
Next steps: complete the site-hazard assessment (city-contracted consultant), return with assessment results, and phase compliance actions with reporting back to council.
