By Jim Bloch
The city of Marysville has hired Hydrocorp to conduct residential cross-connection inspections for the next two years.
The Troy-based firm will be paid $63,492 per year for their work.
At its regular meeting July 10, the city council voted unanimously to contract with the company.
“A cross-connection is an actual or potential connection between the safe drinking water (potable) supply and a source of contamination or pollution,” says Hydrocorp on its website. “State plumbing codes require approved backflow prevention methods to be installed at every point of potable water connection and use. Cross-connections must be properly protected or eliminated.”
The flow of water out of the spigots on your home can suddenly reverse itself if there is reduced pressure in the supply line, caused by something like a break in water main or fighting a fire. The line may then draw potentially contaminated water into your home. That’s called reverse siphonage.
Backpressure can occur if there is a source of pressure in your home greater than the public water system and cause contamination from your home to enter the public water system.
“We’ve always focused on the commercial side of things,” said Bari Wrubel, supervisor of Marysville’s water and wastewater treatment plants, as heard on the recording of the meeting posted on Vimeo. “The Safe Drinking Act also calls for residential (sites) to be done.”
The state of Michigan is now mandating that residential water systems be inspected and possible cross-connections eliminated.
“For now, the state is allowing us to do just external inspections,” said Wrubel. “They’d be looking for a hose bib vacuum breaker on the outside of your house… If you have a sprinkler system, there are certain types of devices you’re supposed to have on your system.”
There are about 3,800 residential water accounts in Marysville. Hydrocorp will send letters to homes before inspections take place. The firm will likely conduct 2,400 inspections during the two-year period.
The city did not seek competitive bids. The city has a contract in place for commercial cross-connection inspections for around $12,500 per year. There are 334 commercials accounts in the city and Hydrocorp inspects about 100 per year.
“I have zero complaints with Hydrocorp,” said Wrubel. “We’ve been using them for 10 or more years now. There’s one more company out there that does these. I did work with that company in a different arena for cross-connections and … I was very unsure of what was actually being done.”
The homeowner is responsible to install the proper backflow device if the home is found to be deficient and has 30 days to do it. Refusal to cooperate may eventually result in water shutoffs.
A hose bib vacuum breaker may cost around $5. To outfit an irrigation system, it might be $200, Wrubel said.
The council voted 7-0 to approve the contract.
Jim Bloch is a freelance writer based in St. Clair, Michigan. Contact him at bloch.jim@gmail.com.