Without the proper protection something as simple as a garden hose has the potential to contaminate or pollute the drinking water lines in your house. In fact over half of the country’s cross-connection incidents involve unprotected garden hoses. There are very simple steps that you as a drinking water user can take to prevent such hazards, they are:
- Never submerge a hose in soapy water buckets, pet watering containers, pool, tubs, sinks, drains or chemicals.
- Never attach a hose to a garden sprayer without the proper backflow preventer.
- Buy and install a hose bibb vacuum breaker in any threaded water fixture. The installation can be as easy as attaching a garden hose to a spigot. This inexpensive device is available at most hardware stores and home-improvement centers.
- Identify and be aware of potential cross-connections to your water line.
- Buy appliances and equipment with a backflow preventer.
- Buy and install backflow prevention devices or assemblies for all high and moderate hazard connections.
If you are the owner or manager of a property that is being used as a commercial, industrial or institutional facility you must have your property’s plumbing system surveyed for cross-connection by the City of Beverly’s Cross Connection Program Coordinator. If your property has not been surveyed for cross-connection please contact the Water Department at 978-921-6057 to schedule a cross-connection survey.
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