Cross Connections

Our Water Department is legally required by the Washington State Department of Health to carry out a program of cross-connection control to help prevent your drinking water from contamination. 

There is a Residential Water Usage Survey and a Commercial/Industrial Water Usage Survey that are being distributed to all water customers in the City of Shelton. 

What is a cross connection? Why is it important?
A cross connection is any actual or potential physical connection between a potable (drinking) water pipe and any other pipe, system or machine that contains non-potable fluids or that have the possibility of containing non-potable substances, and where it is possible for those substances to find their way into the drinking water system (this event is called a backflow).

A backflow is a reverse flow from the normal direction of flow in a piping system. A backflow can occur when systems lose pressure such that non-potable water or fluids flow from the customer pipes back into the drinking water at lower pressure. Backflows can occur due to either backsiphonage or backpressure and are preventable. Sprinkler systems are the most common residential hazard.

An essential part of our cross-connection control program is an assessment to determine the degree of hazard, if any, which is posed by each customer's plumbing system(s). Non-residential customers (commercial and industrial) pose a special concern because of the greater complexity of their plumbing systems, special water uses, fire protection systems, etc.

Survey Purpose
This survey is being conducted so that we can inventory those sites that are a potential cross-connection hazard to you and others, and work with those property owners to prevent backflow.

How to Complete Your Survey
Please complete your survey(s) and return it in one of the following ways:

• By mail: City of Shelton Water Department, 1000 West Pine Street, Shelton, WA 98584
• Online: Complete the Residential Water Usage Survey and/or the Commercial/Industrial Water Usage Survey and email your completed surveys to Rodgar Garrick, Water Quality Specialist, at rodgar.garrick@sheltonwa.gov

Please Note: If you don't have any of the listed cross connections, please still complete the form and mark "None of the above". It is vital that we receive a response from each customer so we can continue to work diligently to protect your drinking water. 

For more information on the cross-connection program in the City of Shelton, see Shelton Municipal Code Sections 15.08.080 and 5.12.080.