HAGERSTOWN – The Washington County Division of Environmental Management is rolling out what it is calling a “critical initiative” to protect the public drinking water system from contamination risks by testing the water supply at commercial properties across the county.
The state-mandated Cross-Connection Control program aims to prevent pollutants from entering the water supply through backflow, a potentially hazardous reversal of water flow in certain plumbing systems.
“Protecting the integrity of our public water system is a top priority,” said Davina Yutzy, deputy director of water quality. “We appreciate the cooperation of commercial property owners as we implement this important initiative to help ensure safe and reliable drinking water for our community.”
The program will begin with surveys of county-owned facilities before expanding to all non-residential properties, prioritizing “high hazard” sites such as hospitals, industrial facilities, funeral homes, carwashes and marinas. These locations are considered at higher risk for introducing contaminants into the water system.
What Property Owners Can Expect? Property owners will receive a formal notice from HydroCorp, under a contract with the county, of its intent to conduct an inspection in approximately three weeks. The notice will outline the inspection’s purpose and legal basis, as well as providing contact information for rescheduling or other inquiries.
During the on-site survey, inspectors will visually inspect water systems to identify existing assemblies to prevent backflow, assess whether protections comply with the facility’s hazard classification, recommend potential corrective actions and guidance on compliance.
In cases of non-compliance, the contractor will send written notices detailing required corrections and deadlines and follow up with a second notice if no action is taken. Cases of continued non-compliance will be sent to the county government for potential enforcement actions. More details can be found here.
