Public Works
View the Virginia Department of Heath Frequently Asked Questions Concerning Drinking Water (PDF).
Overview
The Public Works Department (ACPW) employs twelve dedicated workers, and is directed by Daryl Gough (Public Works Director). Our employees have many special talents like:
- Carpentry
- Fleet maintenance
- Lawn care
- Painting
- Project management
- Water and wastewater treatment
Our building maintenance crew headed by Marshall Martin is responsible for all aspects of maintenance on county buildings, and Tim Wright is responsible for county vehicles as well as the upkeep of the County grounds.
Related Documents
Backflow Prevention
To prevent actual or potential cross contamination into the public water system.
Examples include:
- Cross connection is any connection or possible connection between the drinking water system and any source of contamination
- Cross connection can occur due to backpressure of backsiphonage
- Backflow is the reversed flow of contaminated water or other liquids into the drinking water
- Backsiphonage occurs when a partial vacuum causes the water flow to reverse and contaminates are siphoned or sucked into your drinking water
- Backpressure occurs when contaminants under pressure greater than the pressure in your drinking water system are pushed into your drinking water
The most common ways include:
- Lawn chemicals backflow through the garden hose
- Backsiphonage of "blue water" from a toilet into the water supply
- Backpressure of boiler water into office building water supply
- Backflow from fire sprinkler system
Most common backflow preventers for household use can be found at a local hardware store. The following are some examples of what these devices look like (number 2 is the most common):
- Reduced pressure principle backflow prevention assembly (RPZ)
- Hose bib vacuum breaker
- Pipe applied atmospheric vacuum breaker
- Wall hydrant with hose bib vacuum breaker
- Pressure vacuum breaker
- Double gate -double gate check assembly
- Dual check valve