Cross-Connection Control Program Administration
What the program must contain
A cross-connection control (CCC) program is a legal and operational document, not just a list of devices. A candidate must know the core elements: an enabling ordinance or authority, a written policy manual, a hazard classification scheme, a survey/inspection schedule, device tracking records, tester certification and test-report retention, enforcement procedures for noncompliance, and a public education component. Know the two containment models: containment (protection at the meter or service line, protecting the public main) and isolation (protection at the point of use, protecting building occupants). Most programs require containment by ordinance and recommend isolation for internal high hazards.
Traps
- Questions often test who owns which responsibility: the water purveyor typically enforces containment, while the property owner maintains and tests devices.
- Know that a device is not "grandfathered" merely because it predates the ordinance; hazard changes trigger a reassessment.
- Records must be retrievable: test reports are usually retained for the life of the device plus a period, and a common exam trap is a program that keeps reports but never verifies tester certification.
- Hazard classification drives device selection: health hazard (toxic or microbiological) versus non-health hazard (aesthetic or nuisance).
Worked example
A restaurant adds a carbonator and a boiler chemical feed. Using a rule of thumb: identify the hazard first, then choose the device. The carbonator is a health hazard (CO2 plus potable water under pressure), so an RPZ is appropriate; the boiler feed with a chemical injector is also a health hazard and requires an RPZ. If the surveyor finds only a single check valve, the report should cite the hazard class, not merely "wrong device."