The latest American Backflow Prevention Association (ABPA) Annual Education Conference & Trade Show was held at Silver Legacy Resort in Reno, Nevada.
On 30 April this year the American Backflow Prevention Association (ABPA) held its 23rd Annual Education Conference & Trade Show in Reno, Nevada.
Peter Wenning, who spoke at the event, reports.
The three-day conference held at the spectacular Silver Legacy Resort was a unique opportunity to meet some experts from different industries, and gather valuable information regarding backflow prevention and cross-connection control. I participated as a guest speaker at one of the technical sessions.
While we live and work in Australia, it is fascinating to see just what is being achieved elsewhere. There are many examples that can be followed. Such an example is the American Backflow Prevention Association, which has expertise, structure and professionalism that we in Australia could aspire to.
Australia could benefit from the creation of a national backflow prevention organisation such as the ABPA because it has formal affiliations with organisations and businesses in the water, irrigation and fire protection industries, to name a few. This would lead to greater understanding of the problems faced by different industries, and provide an impetus to change some of our Australian regulations and Standards that are riddled with errors and omissions.
The ABPA also leads by example issuing ‘Continuing Education Points’ for its technical sessions and training. Australia has Continuing Professional Development (CPD) but this has limited support by the Australian plumbing industry and a formal system has not come to fruition.
While I am not a proponent of training for training’s sake, I would definitely advocate CPD for arrangements that serve to improve awareness and education in the plumbing industry in these times of rapid change.
USC – cross-connection manualShortly, the University of Southern California will be publishing the tenth edition of its Manual of Cross-Connection Control. There will be some updates to backflow device testing procedures, and more detailed information and examples on hazard assessment. This will clarify some issues for testers in the field, and assist some specialists that perform cross-connection control surveys. In conjunction with the manual, the ABPA Dictionary is also nearing publication.
Fire protection systems
Fire protection systems are typically connected to the public water mains. There are various types of fire protection systems including sprinklers and hydrants, and some have additives to control corrosion and improve suppression.
It is important to be aware of the potential additives and also backpressure and backflow conditions that determine the level of hazard and type of backflow prevention needed. This is relevant in the design of fire systems.
Irrigation systems
Modern irrigation systems have advanced considerably. There are now sub-surface systems that have additives, and some have recycled water. The hazards and pressures vary, and the irrigation industry must be aware of the type of backflow prevention needed, and the importance of adherence to commissioning procedures to ensure that there are no cross-connections with the potable water supply.
Education and training
The education resources used by many TAFE institutions do not adequately address the competencies needed to protect against backflow in our plumbing systems. Apprentices need clearer direction on having hazards assessed, correctly installing various types of backflow devices and arranging for commissioning, testing and registration. Also, there is need for improvements to training on procedures to commission alternative non-potable water supplies such as rainwater and recycled water, to ensure that there are no cross-connections with the potable water supply.
Water Reuse ManualThere have been limited, but nevertheless documented illnesses due to cross-connections between reclaimed and potable water supplies. It is important for the plumbing industry to work in concert with reuse utilities to manage the perception of public health risks. It is critical that the public have confidence in these reclaimed water supplies, and this is achieved by implementing various safety measures.
The Water Reuse Foundation is in the process of producing a guidebook titled Reclaimed On-site Water Inspection and Cross Connection Control, which establishes best practices for these safety measures. The guidebook may be useful to utilities in developing new reclaimed water programs or benchmarking existing programs.
Standards and codes
Unlike most elements of our plumbing systems, backflow devices must be inspected and tested annually. Often there is insufficient access to remove line strainers and parts of the backflow device. Unfortunately, there are no specifications for clearances, and this can make the annual work extremely difficult if not impossible.
Also, there have been many heated discussions between developers, builders and plumbing contractors on the appearance of backflow devices that detract from the visual appearance of some finished projects.
These issues of maintenance and visual appeal should be addressed before project commencement. There are options to avoid problems after completion that should not significantly impact on cost, and hydraulic consultants and contractors need to be aware of these options.
Legal liability
Plumbers and those with backflow testing accreditation are responsible for assessing potential hazards, correctly installing backflow devices and ensuring that there are no cross-connections that could cause contamination of the potable water supply.
What happens if there is a backflow incident, water supply contamination and illness, and the property owner hires a lawyer and begins to seek damages? How will the case be determined according to law and due diligence? How might an insurance company respond to a claim? These are questions that should be of interest to water utilities, general plumbers and those specialising in backflow prevention.
Summing upThe above points represent a snapshot of just some of the subjects of discussion at the ABPA conference. The ABPA is providing a valuable contribution to backflow prevention and cross-connection control because it is not only ‘talking the talk’, but also ‘walking the walk’. There are numerous US associations and water utilities contributing with engineering and science expertise. For testers, there were practical sessions on test procedures for various types of backflow preventers, review of common testing errors, medical hazard awareness and proper record keeping.
The next ABPA conference will be held in Indianapolis, 19–21 May 2008.
Based upon my experience in Reno, I recommend it as an excellent source of information, and welcome any comments and suggestions to achieve the same for Australia.
References:
http://abpa.org/introduction.htm#contacthttp://www.airah.org.au/spe_bac.aspPeter Wenning is a plumbing consultant based in Melbourne, and member of AIRAH Backflow Prevention Special Interest Group.
Contact via:
pwenning@bigpond.com
