CROSS CONNECTION & BACKFLOW PREVENTION
Protecting your drinking water supply is everyone’s responsibility. State regulations require residential, commercial and industrial customers served by a public water system to protect the public water system from potential contamination. Under certain conditions water from private plumbing can flow into the public water distribution system, this is referred to as backflow. In order to prevent potential backflow, some customers are required to install and maintain backflow prevention devices on the main water service lines.
In California, backflow prevention devices must be tested annually as required by California Regulations, regardless if anyone is living on the property. The testing requirement is based on the installation date of the device and number of devices on the property.
Contact Information
Sacramento
Please contact Oscar Garcia at Environmental.Sac@amwater.com or 916-568-4262
4701 Beloit Drive, Sacramento, CA 95838
Certified Backflow Testers for Sacramento County
Larkfield-Geyserville
Please contact Patrick Dirrane at Environmental.Sonoma@amwater.com or 707-542-8329.
4787 Old Redwood Hwy, Santa Rosa, CA 95403
Certified backlfow testers for the City of Santa Rosa
Hillview-Meadowbrook
Please contact Bonnie Boswell at Environmental.MM@amwater.com or 559-760-8322
Hillview - 40312 Greenwood Way, Oakhurst, CA 93644
Meadowbrook - 2272 Meadowbrook Ave. Merced, Ca 95348
A list of commonly used backflow testers in Merced and Madera Counties can be provided per the request
San Diego
Please contact Matthew Schuler matthew.schuler@amwater.com or 619-446-5713.
Ventura
Please contact Henry Molina at j.molina@amwater.com or 805-207-6276.
Los Angeles
Please contact Aimee Baker at aimee.baker@amwater.com or 626-614-2544.
Monterey
Please contact Aidan Klaver at Aidan.Klaver@amwater.com or 831-915-7883.
What is Cross Connection?
Cross Connection is any actual or physical connection between a potable (drinkable) water supply and any source of non-potable liquid, solid or gas that could contaminate drinking water under certain circumstances.
What is Backflow?
Backflow is the reverse flow of water or other substances into the treated drinking water distribution system. There are two types of backflow: backpressure and backsiphonage.
• Backpressure happens when the pressure of the contaminant source exceeds the positive pressure in the water distribution main. An example would be when a drinking water supply main has a connection to a hot water boiler system that is not protected by an approved and functioning backflow preventer. If pressure in the boiler system increases to where it exceeds the pressure in the water distribution system, backflow from the boiler to the drinking water supply system may occur.
• Backsiphonage is caused by a negative pressure (vacuum or partial vacuum) in the water distribution system. This situation is similar in effect to the sipping of water through a straw. In the drinking water distribution system, negative pressure (backsiphonage) occurs during a water main break or when a hydrant is used for fire fighting.
Why should you be concerned?
Backflow may affect the quality of the drinking water at your home, business or facility and has the potential to create health hazards if contaminated water enters your water supply plumbing system and is used for drinking, cooking or bathing. Backflow events occur more often than you might think although most do not create health hazards. Unprotected cross-connections with water supply plumbing or public drinking water piping systems are prohibited. We are all responsible for protecting our water supply from backflow that may contaminate our drinking water. It includes complying with the plumbing code and avoiding unprotected cross connections.
Who is responsible?
The responsibility for preventing backflow is divided. In general, state and local plumbing inspectors have authority over plumbing systems within buildings while state regulatory agencies and public water suppliers regulate protection of the distribution system at each service connection. Water customers have the ultimate responsibility for properly maintaining their plumbing systems. It is the water customer’s responsibility to ensure that unprotected cross-connections are not created and that any required backflow prevention devices are tested in accordance with state requirements and maintained in operable condition.
Preventing backflow situations in your home and business
• Be aware of cross connections, eliminate or isolate them
• Maintain air gaps on sinks and when using hoses.
• Do not submerge hoses or place them where they could become submerged.
• Use hose bib vacuum breakers on fixtures (hose connections in the basement, laundry room, and on outside faucets/spigots).
• Install approved backflow prevention devices on lawn irrigation systems and on fire sprinkler system services. Types of preventative required devices are determined based on the potential type of pollutants or contaminants high, low or moderate. In low hazard situations, the installation of a residential dual-check device might be allowed.
As listed above, failure to comply can result in water service disconnection after repeated request from our Cross Connection Department.