What is Backflow / Cross-Connection Control?

A water distribution system is designed to allow water to travel in one direction from the treatment plant to the customer. Under certain conditions, water can flow in the opposite direction from the normal flow. This unwanted process is known as backflow. When this occurs, harmful contaminants can mix with drinking water and potentially threaten the safety of our water supply. Backflow prevention devices keep non-potable water from flowing backwards toward a potable water source.

Mandatory regulations require that water suppliers take steps to ensure that water delivered to homes or businesses remains clean and safe. To address this, approved backflow prevention devices are required for industrial, commercial, and irrigation customers connecting to the Camden County water utility. The customer is responsible for installation and maintenance of the device. The county works to protect the water supply by ensuring backflow devices are maintained properly and cross-connection sources are eliminated.

It is the intent of Camden County Public Utilities Department to keep persons who are involved with the installation or upkeep of backflow prevention assemblies supplied with current information.

Please note, the Public Utilities Division has recently made an update to our Backflow Policy. If you have any questions or concerns, please contact us at (252) 335-1216 or (252) 202-3012.

General Device Testing Requirements

The below listed backflow prevention assemblies are required to be tested on an annual basis:

• Pressure & spill resistant type vacuum breaker assemblies (PVB or SVB)
• Double check valve assemblies (DCVA)
• Double check detector assemblies (DCDA)
• Reduced pressure assemblies (RPA)
• Reduced pressure detector assemblies (RPDA) 
• Reduced pressure zone assemblies (RPZ/RPZA)

Camden County requires that a certified tester perform all testing.  A certified tester is a person who has proven their competency to test, repair, overhaul and make reports on backflow prevention assemblies as evidenced by the successful completion of an approved Cross-Connection Control School. A list of known certified backflow testers in the area can be found at the link below. The certified tester is responsible for submitting all test forms to the County’s Public Utilities Division. However, Camden County Public Utilities highly encourages customer’s to confirm with their Tester that the test has been submitted and received by Camden County Public Utilities.

Scheduling a Test: It is the responsibility of the customer to contact an approved tester to schedule a test. Tests for new installations must be completed and submitted to the Public Utilities Department as soon as the device is installed. Annual testing must be completed and submitted the Public Utilities within 30 days of annual test date.

Test Failure: If your backflow device does not pass annual testing, it is the responsibility of the tester to notify the customer of their failed test and submit the failed maintenance report to Public Utilities. The owner must then notify Public Utilities their action plan for repairs and retesting. Depending on degree of hazard, the device must be repaired and retested within 5 business days for severe hazard devices and within 10 days for moderate hazard devices.

Failure to comply with outlined procedures above will result an estimated fine of $100.00 which covers the cost of a county hired contractor to test your device as well as a $100.00 administrative processing fee to the owner of the device. This fine is subject to the size of device and any additional costs which may accrue from test failure. Depending on the severity of failure could also result in a delay to new or existing water services.

Forms:

If you came to this page via a Google Search, this page may be an automatically generated 'blog' type page created by our web system in response to your Google search. Please note that the data on this page may or may not reflect the department responsible for the content contained herein, and the content contained herein may or may not be related to each other.

With the mosquito season here again, Camden County has set up this page for residents to request Mosquito Spraying in their area.

Residents need to give their name, address, and location requested for spraying.

Regulations for spraying:

1. No spraying within 100 feet of lakes or waterways
2. Temperature must be between 50 and 95 degrees.
3. No spraying if wind speed exceeds 10 MPH.
4. No spraying if rain is expected.

Please click the link below marked "Contact Mosquito Control" and fill out the email form on the next page to email a request for mosquito spraying in your area.

Contact Mosquito Control

The Camden County sewer system began operation in 2008. The service area includes the section of highway 158 between and including Lambs Marina and the Medical Park, Gumberry Rd., Hwy 343 from Gumberry Rd. to Scotland Rd. and Scotland Rd. The largest customers are the four schools, the courthouse complex and River Bridge Apartments.

The entire sewer collection system is force main, meaning that every connection has a tank, pump, and pump controls. The thirteen duplex pump stations are equipped with larger concrete tanks and two pumps with telemetry, so operations can be monitored from the treatment plant.

The duplex pump stations have to be visited at least once a week to check for grease build up, pump and control float operation, run hours, wash down and any other problems that may occur. The two main pump stations are the courthouse complex and Burnt Mills; they move the waste to the waste water plant. Both main pump stations have on site back up generators and we have two mobile generators for the other pump stations. We do all the basic maintenance on the generators in house.

The capacity of the wastewater treatment plant is 100,000 gallons per day. We currently average around 18,000 gallons per day when the schools are in secession and about 9,000 gallons per day on holidays and weekends. The wastewater plant also has a back up generator for emergency power.

After the wastewater is treated it is pumped three miles north to the 5.9 million gallon storage pond at the spray irrigation site. There are currently four zones with spray nozzles and green ash trees planted. The treated wastewater is sprayed on the zones as necessary to keep the level down in the storage pond. A sewer maintenance worker keeps the grass cut, spray nozzles unclogged and maintains equipment as necessary.

This part of the South Camden Water and Sewer District is staffed with a supervisor and an operator which works from 7:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Monday - Friday. The department can also be called after hours for emergencies.

The state requires an ORC (operator in responsible charge) with a B certification and a CS2 (collection system 2 certification).

The duties vary from:

• Reading meters
• Installing meters
• Replacing meters
• Meter boxes
• Installing new services
• Valve maintenance
• Cut customers on or off

They also are in view of the customer and handle complaints from pressure problems, high usage, leaks and smell of the water. They are responsible for marking the location of the water and sewer lines for contractors to dig safely. This action helps to prevent unnecessary damage that would need to be repaired by the staff.

This department also maintains an inventory of parts and does preventative maintenance on the equipment from trucks, backhoes, pumps and generators. They also help insure the quality of the water by flushing water lines and collecting chlorine samples daily required by the state. The state also requires bacteriological testing monthly and yearly samples of lead and copper, THM in the system.