Why business owners should test backflow prevention devices

If your building has a backflow prevention assembly, your water utility almost certainly requires an annual test — and the responsibility for scheduling it sits with you, not the utility. Here's what the test covers, who can perform it, and what happens if it fails.

Why the device is there in the first place

Backflow assemblies exist to stop water on your side of the meter from flowing back into the public supply. Commercial properties typically have them because something on site is classified as a hazard: an irrigation system, a fire suppression loop, a boiler or chiller, a commercial kitchen, a car wash, a medical or dental office, a laboratory. If a pressure drop occurs on the street, the assembly is the only thing standing between that hazard and everyone else's drinking water.

Why annual testing is required

Backflow assemblies are mechanical. Springs weaken, seats erode, debris lodges in a check valve, and relief ports foul. A device can look perfectly fine and still fail to hold under reverse pressure. The only way to know is a gauge test, which is why regulators require one on a fixed cycle — typically annually, and again after any repair or relocation.

Who is allowed to test

Testing must be performed by a certified backflow tester using calibrated test equipment. Certification is issued by the state or an approved certifying body, and calibration is usually required annually. Utilities generally maintain a list of testers approved to submit results in their jurisdiction — start there rather than with a general search, because a report from an unapproved or lapsed tester may be rejected.

When you call a tester, have your device information ready: location on the property, make, model, size, and serial number. If you don't have it, the tester can capture it, but the visit goes faster when you do.

What the test involves

The tester isolates the assembly, attaches a differential gauge to the test cocks, and verifies that each check valve holds and — on a reduced pressure assembly — that the relief valve opens at the required differential. Water service to the building is briefly interrupted, usually for a few minutes. The tester records readings, pass or fail status, their certification number, and gauge calibration date on a test report.

If the test fails

A failed test is not a violation by itself — an unrepaired failed device is. Most jurisdictions allow a short window to repair or replace the assembly and retest. Failures are frequently minor: a fouled check, a worn rubber component, debris from recent main work. Ask your tester whether they perform repairs or whether you need a licensed plumber, and confirm that the retest is submitted, not just performed.

Keeping it from becoming a problem

• Know your due date and schedule 30–60 days ahead; testers get busy in peak season.
• Keep a copy of every passing report, even when the utility has one.
• Make sure the assembly is accessible — locked enclosures, stored inventory, and landscaping cause more failed visits than mechanical faults.
• Tell your utility when a device is replaced, so the record matches the field.

How CrossConnex helps

If your utility uses VEPO CrossConnex, notices go out ahead of your due date, your tester submits results directly from a mobile app, and your compliance status updates without paperwork changing hands. There's no cost to the tester to download the app, and the utility retains ownership of all test data.

Questions about your device or your utility's requirements? Reach out and we'll point you in the right direction.