§ 20-10 Glossary.
RCNY § 20-10
For the purposes of "The Rules Governing and Restricting the Use and Supply of Water", the following definitions shall apply: Aesthetically objectionable. A condition which could be objectionable to other water consumers, but would not adversely affect human health. Substances such as food-grade dyes, hot water, and stagnant water from fire lines in which no chemical additives are used may result in aesthetically objectionable conditions. Air gap separation. Air Gap Separation means the unobstructed vertical distance through the free atmosphere between the lowest opening from any pipe or faucet supplying water to a tank, plumbing fixture, or other device and the flood level rim of the receptacle. The differential distance shall be at least double the diameter (D) of the supply pipe. In no case shall the air gap be less than 1 inch. Applicant. Any person applying for a permit pursuant to these Rules. AMR – Automatic Meter Reading. The use of radio or telephone-based technology to read water meters. ANSI. The American National Standards Institute. ASCII. American Standard Code for Information Interchange. ASTM. The American Society for Testing Materials. Automatic water regulating device. A self regulating valve or other device, the purpose of which shall be to limit the maximum use of City water on air conditioning and refrigeration units that do not have a water conserving device to 1.5 gpm per ton of refrigeration or air conditioning. AWWA. The American Water Works Association. Backflow prevention device. An approved air gap, reduced pressure zone (RPZ) device, or double check valve assembly (DCV) used to contain potential contamination within a facility. Backflow. The flow of water or other liquids, mixtures, or substances into the distributing pipes of a potable supply of water from any source or sources other than its intended source. Backsiphonage is one type of backflow. Ball valve. A valve capable of regulating, stopping or starting flow with a one-quarter (90°) turn of the valve by means of a movable ball which fits in a spherical seat. BCS. Bureau of Customer Services. Booster system. A pumped system used to deliver water at a higher pressure within a building. Building. An enclosed structure having a specific block and lot (or tax sub-lot) and a separate entry from the street or an outdoor area. City. The City of New York. City water. Water supplied by the City of New York. City water main. A water main owned and maintained by the City of New York under the jurisdiction of the Department. Combined service. A water service which supplies both domestic and fire suppressions end uses and the fire protection requirements exceed the domestic demand and determine the size of the service. Commissioner. The Commissioner of the New York City Department of Environmental Protection. Completed meter permit. A meter permit returned to the Department that indicates the meter size, type, serial number, remote identification number, meter and remote receptacle location, and date of installation that has been signed and sealed by the licensed plumber and lists the licensed plumber's business address. Connection. A water service pipe which connects the customer or a development to a City Water Main, Private Water Main, or Internal Water Main. Cross connection. An actual connection or a potential connection between any part of a potable water system and any other environment that would allow substances to enter the potable water system. Those substances could include gases, liquids, or solids, such as chemicals, water products, steam, water from other sources (potable or nonpotable), or any matter that may change the color or add odor to the water. Bypass arrangements, jumper connections, removable sections, swivel or changeover assemblies, or any other temporary or permanent connecting arrangement through which backflow may occur are considered to be cross connections. Curb valve. A shutoff valve on the service connection in the sidewalk area outside the property, generally located eighteen (18) inches from the curb line. Customer. Any person to whom City water is supplied. Day. Except as otherwise stated, day shall refer to calendar day. DDC. New York City Department of Design and Construction. Department or DEP. The New York City Department of Environmental Protection. Distribution piping. All piping downstream of the water meter setting. Degree of hazard. The assessment or evaluation of a facility's domestic water system's cross-connections as they relate to the health hazard of the consumers of water. A facility may be rated Hazardous, Aesthetically Objectionable or Non-Hazardous. Department. The New York City Department of Environmental Protection. Disinfection. Chlorination in accordance with methods approved by the Department. Domestic service with sprinkler heads. A domestic service sized for domestic demands which has been approved by the Department of Buildings to supply a limited number of fire sprinkler heads. Domestic use. Water consumed for purposes other than extinguishing fire. DOT. New York City Department of Transportation. Double check detector assembly. A device consisting of two (2) single independently acting check valves, suitable connections for testing the water tightness of each valve, and a by-pass meter that shows whether flow has occurred from the water service connection into the premises, and a small double check valve housed together as one assembly. Double check valve assembly. A backflow prevention consisting of two internally loaded independently operating check valves, located between two tightly closing resilient-seated shutoff valves with four properly placed resilient-seated test cocks. This assembly shall only be used to protect against a non-health hazard (i.e., a pollutant). Drip line. The outer circumference of a tree's branches and the farthest point where water drips from the tree branches onto the ground. Electronic meter (electromagnetic meter). A meter that operates using Faraday's Principle. Encoder-Register. A device from which electronic meter reading data can be obtained from the meter semiautomatically and at a remote location. Fee. A charge determined by the New York City Water Board. Fire department. The New York City Fire Department. Fire service meter. A water meter certified by an AWWA standard for such meters and approved by the Department for use on a service, subject to fire service flows. Fire pump. A pump installed on a service connection to insure adequate flow for purposes of fire protection system. Fire service. A service connection that supplies water exclusively to a fire protection system (sprinkler, standpipe, combination of sprinkler and standpipe or hydrant). Fixture units. A measure of the probable hydraulic demand on the water supply by various types of plumbing fixtures. Flood level rim. The edge of the receptacle from which water overflows. Flushometer valve. A device which discharges a predetermined quantity of water to fixtures (urinals / tankless toilets) for flushing purposes and is actuated by direct water pressure. Gooseneck. An extra three (3) to five (5) feet of water service connection installed to the right of the corporation stop (tap) when facing the corporation stop (tap). (See Appendix Figure #2). G.P.M. (gpm). The rate of flow of water in a service connection, or through a meter or a pump, measured in gallons per minute. Hazardous facility. A facility in which substances may be present that may endanger the health of other customers if introduced into the public water system. Examples include: laboratories, sewage treatment plants, chemical plants, hospitals, and mortuaries. House tank (roof tank). An elevated water storage tank used to feed domestic and/or fire systems, which is usually located on the roof. Hydrant. A standard New York City fire hydrant. I.D. The inside diameter of a pipe. Inspection. An investigation and review, by the City, of work performed by others under a permit by the Department, and which is evidenced by a certificate of inspection. Internal fire protection system. A fire pump system, a sprinkler system, a standpipe system, combination sprinkler and standpipe system, or any fire suppression system approved by the Department of Buildings. Internal water main. A water main constructed by a private entity in private property and not in a mapped street, record street or a street for which an opinion of dedication has been issued. Internal water mains are under the jurisdiction of the Department from the City or private water main up to and including the meter. Irrigation system. Connection used to supply water to vegetation. Jacketed pipe insulation. Pipe insulation with a covering design to retard vapor infiltration into the insulation and for protection against physical abrasion and damage. Licensed master plumber. A plumber licensed by the City agency having jurisdiction over such licenses to perform plumbing work within New York City. Mapped street. A street that appears on the official map of New York City. Meter. An instrument for measuring amounts of water consumed. Meter register. The system component that converts the movement of the meter's impeller, turbine, or disc into an electronic signal or display. This component consists of a meter register and a signal (data) encoder assembly, and is assembled as either a single unit, or as separate units to be mounted on the meter. Meter set date. The date the meter is installed. Meter setter / resetter. A shop or factory-fabricated set of piping, valves and an electrical continuity bar installed as a unit designed to hold a water meter of two (2) inches or less in diameter. MTU. Meter Transmitter Unit. An electronics box wired to the water meter. The MTU is part of the AMR system programmed to read the meter and transmit radio frequency readings to a remote receiving unit. New York City Water Board. A corporate municipal instrumentality of the State of New York established by Chapter 515 of the Laws of 1984 which is authorized to establish and collect fees, rates and other service charges for use of, or for services furnished by, the New York City water and sewer systems. Non-turf plants. Plants other than a lawn. Nozzle. A spring loaded self-closing device used for controlling the flow of water from a hose. Offset swing joint. An installation consisting of three (3) lengths of pipe and four (4) elbows which are installed in lieu of a gooseneck. (See Appendix Figure #2.) OSHA. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration of the United States Department of Labor. OS&Y valve. The outside stem and yoke valve used on fire lines. Person. An individual, partnership, company, corporation, association, organization, governmental agency, administration, department, any other group of individuals, or an officer or an employee thereof. Pit meter. A water meter installed in an outside pit or vault. Private water main. A water main constructed by a private person in the bed of a final mapped street or record street. Professional engineer. An engineer licensed by the New York State Education Department to practice professional engineering in New York State. psi. The static pressure of water within a closed piping system, or the loss of water pressure due to flow through a piping system, flow control devices or flow measuring devices, measured in pounds per square inch. Record street. A street that appears on the Tax Map of the City but may not be a mapped street. Reduced Pressure Zone (RPZ) Device. A backflow prevention device assembly consisting of a mechanical, independently acting, hydraulically dependent relief valve, located between two independently operating, internally loaded check valves that are located between two tightly closing resilient-seated shutoff valves with four properly placed resilient-seated test cocks. This assembly shall be tested at least annually and is suitable for direct high hazard cross-connections. Reduced pressure principle detector assembly (RPDA). A specially designed assembly composed of a line-size approved reduced pressure principle backflow prevention assembly with a bypass containing a specific water meter and an approved reduced pressure principle backflow prevention assembly specifically designed for such application. The meter shall register accurately for very low flow rates of flows up to 2 gallons per minute and shall show registration for all rates of flow. This assembly shall be used to protect against a health hazard (i.e. containment) on fire protection services only. Registered architect. A person licensed by the New York State Education Department to practice architecture in New York State. Relay. Replacement of an entire water service connection without replacement of the corresponding corporation stop (tap) or wet connection. Remote read resolution. Refers to the smallest increment of water volume provided in the meter reading transmitted to a remote location. For example, a water meter may generate a reading in cubic feet, units of tens of cubic feet, or units of hundreds of cubic feet. Remote receptacle. A system component at a location away from the meter that receives the probe of a portable visual-display unit, or a portable meter reading unit. Rodding. The installation of steel rods in order to secure and prevent movement of joints, valves, caps, plugs, fittings and accessories. Sealed Building. A building with windows and doors which are locked and covered or blocked by concrete block, bricks, sheet metal or other materials intended to prevent access. Windows covered with wooden boards shall not constitute a sealed building. Sidewalk valve. A valve on a domestic service pipe located in the sidewalk area, at a distance of two (2) feet (street side) from the property line. Stuffing box. That part of a valve which contains packing or similar material which prevents leakage when the valve is operated. Suction tank. A tank used to protect the City distribution system from a large, sudden water demand. Swing joint connection. An acceptable method of connecting to either well water or City water. Tap. A corporation stop approved by the Department which controls the flow of water. Tax lot. A portion or parcel of land classified as such by the Department of Finance. Tee connection. A three-way pipe fitting installed in a private water main or internal water main in lieu of a tap or wet connection. Test tee. A downward pointing plain tip faucet or hose connection located after the water meter but before the meter outlet valve that is used for connecting an outlet hose for meter accuracy testing. Title vested street. A mapped street or record street whose ownership has been accepted by the City of New York, or a street which has a Corporation Counsel Opinion of Dedication. UL/FM. Underwriter's Laboratories/Fireman's Mutual. Vacant building. A building which is not inhabited, or is occupied illegally. Valve. A non-rising stem gate valve or full port ball valve. Valve box. A standard New York City valve enclosure including the skirt, head and cover. Waiver. The act of intentionally relinquishing a right or privilege. Water conserving device. With reference to air conditioning or refrigeration systems, an evaporative condenser, water cooling tower, spray pond or economizer. Water meter accuracy testing ("meter testing"). Refers to testing the accuracy of a water meter in the field, on an indoor test bench, using methods designed by the Department and in conformance with AWWA's Manual M6: "Water Meters – Selection, Installation, Testing and Maintenance." Water meter setting. The water meter, inlet and outlet isolation valves, test tee, and associated approved piping and fittings. Water outlet. An orifice through which water is supplied to a fixture, into the atmosphere, to a boiler or heating system, or to any device which requires water to operate. Water service connection. A water supply pipe which connects the customer or a development to a City water main, private water main or internal water main. Service connections connecting a single customer's premises to a City water main or a private water main or internal water main are under the jurisdiction of the Department from the City water main or private water main or internal water main up to and including the meter outlet valve in metered properties, or the first valve within the property in unmetered properties. Wet connection. The hardware required to install a connection larger than two (2) inches without interruption of water service. A wet connection shall consist of a sleeve and a corresponding valve approved by the Department. (Amended City Record 7/26/2021, eff. 8/25/2021)
