Westlake, Ohio, — Within the California Department of Public Health (CDPH), the Division of Drinking Water and Environmental Management's Drinking Water Program has found the American Society of Sanitary Engineering's (ASSE) Backflow Prevention Assembly Tester Certification (ASSE 5110) acceptable for individuals who perform testing on backflow prevention assemblies in the State of California. The CDPH's Drinking Water Program is responsible for administering California's Safe Drinking Water Act, regulating public drinking water systems, and adopting and enforcing regulations. The CDPH has expressed appreciation of the efforts ASSE has made in providing education to those interested in cross-connection control within the drinking water industry.

The California Health and Safety Code requires any person who owns a public water system to ensure that their system will not be subject to backflow incidents. Title 17 of California's Code of Regulations requires backflow preventers to be tested by "persons who have demonstrated their competency in testing these devices to the water supplier or health agency." ASSE Certified Backflow Testers, who are trained in ASSE Approved facilities in the State of California, meet the criteria set forth by the CDPH's Drinking Water Program and have demonstrated their competency to the Department.

Arlington, Va. — In response to global policy discussions about refrigerants, their responsible use, and their potential environmental impact, the International Council of Air Conditioning, Refrigeration, and Heating Manufacturers’ Associations (ICARHMA) has published a policy statement intended to provide a framework for such discussions going forward. The statement has two primary points: choosing the appropriate refrigerant and using refrigerants responsibly.

ICARHMA members stressed the importance of selecting the appropriate refrigerant based on all criteria, including: cost effectiveness in the intended application, energy efficiency, global warming potential, and safety. In addition, to fully understand the total global warming potential of a particular refrigerant, a standardized Life Cycle Climate Performance (LCCP) calculation or Total Equivalent Warming Impact (TEWI) must be used in any evaluation.

The containment and efficient use of refrigerants is another important element that should be applied in decisions involving refrigerants. The policy statement highlights a number of principles to consider in its Responsible Use of Refrigerants section.

The members of ICARHMA are committed to providing conditioned warm and cool air, hot water, and refrigeration to improve the world’s quality of life, health, and productivity. The Policy Statement on Refrigerants and Responsible Use is intended to provide a framework to allow member associations and the companies they represent can enhance their environmental stewardship, while at the same time continuing to compete effectively in the global marketplace.

The full text of the policy statement can be found at www.icarhma.org.

The Fire Protection Research Foundation, (FPRF) an affiliate of the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), has announced the 2011 Bigglestone Award for Excellence in Communication of Fire Protection Concepts is going to Robert Jansson and Lars Borstrom for their paper, “The Influence of Pressure in the Pore System on Fire Spalling of Concrete.”

Lebanon, Tenn. — Grundfos Pumps was named as Lochinvar’s 2010 Supplier of the Year for its overall business performance in providing Lochinvar with high performing parts and services. The award was given during a ceremony Friday, June 2, at Lochinvar’s World Headquarters in Lebanon, Tenn. Lochinvar Corporation is a leading manufacturer of high-efficiency water heaters, boilers, pool heaters and storage tanks.