4 Proven Tips to Secure Your Facility Budget in 2025
As service providers, we get an insider's view of how companies across various industries manage their budgets year over year. Facility managers often find themselves...
Why Visual Surveys Are Critical for Preventing Legionella Outbreaks
Snapshot Legionella, the bacteria responsible for Legionnaires’ disease, thrives in stagnant, warm water—making building water systems particularly vulnerable if not carefully monitored and maintained. One...
10 Pains That Reliable Piping Schematics Address for Industrial Facilities
Summary: Manufacturers and large industrial facilities face a variety of challenges when managing complex piping systems, many of which arise not from the internal condition...
Definite Differences: Cross-Connection Control Surveyor vs. Backflow Assembly Tester
Summary: In the world of water safety and plumbing systems, two distinct roles are critical for ensuring the integrity of a potable water supply: the...
Sanitary Survey Compliance: Key Cross-Connection Control Questions
Snapshot: Achieving sanitary survey compliance is critical for public water systems aiming to maintain the health and safety of their water supply. A key component...
Sustainability through Reliable Piping Schematics in Hospitals and Large Facilities
Summary: In today’s drive toward sustainability, one critical yet often overlooked factor is the role of reliable piping schematics. Hospitals and large manufacturing plants rely...
10 Critical Issues Found in Hospital Piping Surveys
Synopsis Visual piping system surveys and piping schematic updates reveal critical safety and efficiency concerns in hospital systems. Common issues identified include mislabeling, improper backflow...
How Cross-Connection Control Programs Can Improve DWSRF Grant Scoring
Note: This article is not suggesting DWSRF grants will apply to Cross-Connection Control Programs, rather, having a well-documented and state-compliant Cross-Connection Control Program and affect...
4 Overlooked Line Items in Budgeting for Cross-Connection Control Compliance
Cross-connection control programs are essential for safeguarding public water systems from contamination risks, and most states have specific requirements. Basically, these programs involve activities, data,...
Up to 50 Valves Per 500 Feet of Piping; Data For Your Planning
Key Message: Imagine visually tracing a 500-foot section of potable water piping and all of the associated connections in a hospital or food processing facility....
A Day Without Backflow Prevention: The Unprotected Dangers of Cross-Connections
Critical Points August 16th marks National Backflow Prevention Day - but what is backflow prevention? Backflow Prevention is the practice of ensuring that the drinking...
The Vital Role of Accurate Piping Schematics in Food Product Processing Facilities
Snap Shots Safeguarding all potable water systems is important, but protecting the potable water systems in a food or beverage manufacturing facility is critical Keeping...
10 Avoidable Gaps in Cross-Connection Control Programs
Top Takeaways Even with a cross-connection control program in place, all too often, gaps between the law and enforcement actions can be great It is...
Backflow Word Soup – Commonly Misused Terms in Cross-Connection Control
It's not about being Right, it's about being Referenceable When talking about backflow prevention, exact and accurate communication is critical Even professionals in the industry...
Which Hospital Plumbing System is Priority for Schematic Updates?
Key Points: There are a number of key plumbing systems that help hospitals and other large scale healthcare facilities run safely and smoothly Surveying these...
Public Water Systems Compliance Cross-Connection Checkup
Outline: In the back half of each year, it is critical to evaluate the effectiveness of your water system's cross-connection control program. Review policies and...
Inherent Complexities of Industrial Facility Potable Water Systems and the Drinking Fountain Caution
Quick Notes: In large, heavy industry or manufacturing facilities, employees often distrust facility water due not to the source water or maintenance quality, but because...
Roadblocks to Water Meter Replacements; Owner Side Shut Off Valves
Overview A smooth water meter replacement appointment is dependent upon a cooperative and prepared water customer Public awareness campaigns will help make sure your technicians...
How It’s Made: Reliable Hospital Piping Schematics
Steps to Creating Accurate Schematics: Creating accurate piping system schematics involves several key steps that can be summarized in these two phases: Phase 1: Gather...
How to Get Building Owners to Correct Cross-Connection and Backflow Violations
Takeaways Convincing water customers to follow through on corrective actions is one of the most common challenges faced by water utilities. Four escalating steps for...
Backflow Contamination Security: Response and Resilience
Summary From cyber attacks to accidental water contamination, the EPA has been stepping up its involvement in the protecting of public water systems since the...
The Hazards of Unlabeled or Incorrectly Labeled Piping Systems
Piping systems are the lifeblood of many industrial, commercial, and residential environments. Whether transporting potable water, medical gases, or process fluids, these networks must be...
Water System Sanitary Survey Prep Notes on Cross-Connection Control
Summary: Sanitary surveys (performed by or for state regulators) are required periodically for public water systems in all 50 states. Individuals conducting these surveys are...
What the 2024 Hospital Construction Survey Indicates About Piping Schematics
Overview: ASHE's Health Facilities Management magazine's Hospital Construction Survey indicates that troublesome trends of higher prices, less available labor, and scarce supplies are still plaguing...
Safeguarding Our Water: A Weeklong Journey Through Cross-Connection Control Programs
As we celebrate AWWA Drinking Water Week, HydroCorp proudly acknowledges the dedicated efforts of professionals in the public water works industry who tirelessly ensure the...
5 Factors to Verify for New Federal Water Sampling Compliance
Summary: As the US government tightens regulations on water quality testing in privately-owned buildings leased to Federal Entities, the importance of hiring a qualified contractor...
5 Connections Water Utility Staff Should Check in Their Own Homes
Insights: A recent poll revealed that the most common Unprotected Cross-Connection in public water distribution systems is an Unprotected Hose Bibb - a very common...
Compliance Confusion: Backflow Preventer Test Data is Not Cross-Connection Data
Things To Consider: Testing of the backflow preventers connected to your public water distribution system, while critically important, is only part of an overall cross-connection...
The Hidden Costs of Inaccurate Piping Schematics
Key Takeaways: When emergencies with your piping infrastructure inevitably arise, there can be costs in the tens of thousands involved; but being prepared with accurate,...
Get Ahead of Springtime Backflow Test Data on Irrigation
Short Version: Spring has spring, and a host of backflow preventers come back online or are installed for lawn irrigation systems for both residential and...
Sounding Like a Broken Record: How the Archimedes Screw of 234 BC Relates to Backflow
Snapshot Notes: The Archimedes Screw, an invention still in use today in the waterworks industry and the inspiration for the simple construction hardware, illustrates one...
Let’s Normalize the Periodic Updating of Piping Schematics
Summary Periodically updating a hospital’s piping schematics yields a wealth of benefits for healthcare facility managers and maintenance workers by staying current to any physical,...
Double Your Water Service Line Inventory Efficiency
Summary Promote a "Get-It-If-You're-There" team approach to Service Line Material data collection. Cross-examine existing paper/data trails to reveal already documented locations of lead service lines....
Empowering the Next Generation Of Cross-Connection Control Experts
Summary By investing in the education of younger employees, water utilities can secure a future where their community water system is run by a competent...
How Updating Your Piping Schematics Gives YOU a Strategic Advantage
For many manufacturing companies with large, complex facilities considering tools and methods to avoid downtime, the importance of maintaining accurate and up-to-date piping schematics cannot...
The Key To Effective Piping System Breakdown Response for Hospitals
Having accurate piping schematics is crucial for quick navigation to problem situations. Summary: Piping schematics and P&ID (Piping & Instrumentation Diagrams) are vital tools for...
Keeping Consumer Confidence During Water Meter Replacement Projects
Take Away Action Tip: Tell your water customers exactly who will be doing the meter replacements, and what they will be doing, like in this...
20 Year Milestone of Backflow Class Partnership
Getting the required Continuing Education Credits or Units is an ongoing task Certified Water System Operators are familiar with, but finding effective classes on very...
Staying Ahead of Critical Piping System Breakdowns and Production Downtime
Summary: Piping schematics are vital tools for facility managers and maintenance supervisors, providing a crucial overview of their piping systems and guiding quick responses during...
Making Compliance Lemonade out of Cross-Connection Control Lemons
Making Lemonade is usually associated with summertime. Ensuring compliance and avoiding cross-connection and backflow "lemons" can be a year-round activity. Public Water System staff and...
Poll Data Released on Hospital Piping Schematics
Poll Summary In a December 2023 poll of 210 Healthcare Facility Professionals, results indicate a surprising data pattern worth noting in Hospital maintenance planning. When...
Do You Use Water in Your Manufacturing Process? Read This Post!
Summary Key Points & Takeaways: Water quality is a crucial issue for industrial and manufacturing facility managers for health, safety, and regulatory compliance. Cross-Connection Control...
“Cross-Connection Control” or “Backflow Prevention”: What’s The Difference?
Call to Action Ensuring public water infrastructure integrity and safety of the water that we consume is critical. Two terms that are often used interchangeably...
2024 Guidebooks Unlocked Early!
Get the Unlocked 2024 Essential Guides – Free Download Now! Whether it’s Cross-Connection Control Compliance for Public Water Systems, Medical Gases Piping Schematics in hospitals,...
Myths & Misconceptions About Cross-Connection Control
Introduction Myths and misconceptions about controlling hazardous Cross-Connections to public drinking water infrastructure are nothing new. As water purveyors strive to deliver safe, clean drinking...
Money Talks: The Impact of Pipe Labeling & System Schematics on Revenue
In the dynamic landscape of Industrial and Hospital facilities, the significance of correct piping labeling and schematics cannot be overstated. From preventing hazardous interconnections to...
Camouflaged Cross-Connections: Containment vs Isolation Programs
For public water supply system managers, meeting compliance and controlling Cross-Connections plays a pivotal role in ensuring safe drinking water. Cross-Connections, where non-potable water can...
Ten Hazardous Cross-Connections Detected By Onsite Cross-Connection Surveys
Unprotected Cross-Connections in the public water system can pose a serious threat to public health if those connections are not identified and corrected. Backflow, an...
10 Steps to Preserving Hospital Legacy Knowledge of Piping Infrastructure
From Medical Gas Systems to Potable Water Systems, piping schematics play a critical role in understanding the layout and functioning of a hospital's piping systems....
Keeping Compliance Simple in Hurley, Wisconsin
Continued from Summer 2023 Issue of WIAWWA Newsletter Full article below by Gary Laguna of Hurley, WI Water Utility Cross connections can be a menace...
