BACKFLOW PREVENTER - IRRIGATION BACKFLOW TEST

Water Companies are sending letters to Homeowners as part of compliance to The Utah Administrative Code Rule R309-105-12. 

The Water Company is not looking to shut off everyone's water.  They are trying to make sure that when we fill our coffee makers and our pets water bowls that the water is what we expect.  Clean and safe.

As part of The Safe Drinking Water Act (SWDA 1974), water companies are required to provide safe and clean drinking water to the last free flowing tap on their system.  To ensure a single home can not pollute or contaminate the entire drinking water supply, the Water Company requires specific protection.  Backflow Preventers are the major means of protection. Backflow preventers are required to be tested annually by a Licensed Tester and the results are kept in the water company database, as well as by the Tester performing the test.  The water company maintains data on ALL the connections to it's water supply with the backflow preventers unique size, model, and serial number.  The Water Company also keeps a copy of the annual backflow preventer test report.

 A connection to an Irrigation system is considered a high health hazard connection to the Potable Water Supply and must be protected from backflow by the proper installation of the proper Backflow Preventer.  Many people use fertilizers and poisons to kill weeds and maintain a nice looking landscape.  This is why an Irrigation connection is considered a High Health Hazard connection.  

Fire Suppression systems often contain antifreeze chemicals in their pipes and this is a High Health Hazard connection-a broken main pipe in the road could cause backsiphonage and without a properly installed and functioning backflow preventer, that antifreeze chemical could be drawn into the water supply pipes and make it's way to your faucet!  

Do you want to drink fertilizer or antifreeze!!! We all want to know that our neighbors homes have the proper protection to protect our families.

The Water Company has the authority to do what is necessary to protect the water supply.  If your house is not up to code with the properly installed and annually tested Backflow Preventer, The Water Company can shut off the water to your home as a means of protecting the water supply.