Received a Backflow Testing Notice in Colorado? Here's What To Do
Many homeowners and businesses in Colorado receive annual notices from their local water provider requiring their backflow prevention device to be tested. These notices are sent to ensure that backflow assemblies are working properly and protecting the public drinking water system from contamination.
If you received a backflow testing notice in Summit, Eagle, Grand, Lake, Park, or Clear Creek County, a certified tester must complete the inspection and submit the required compliance report to your local water authority.
The process is typically quick and straightforward once the test is scheduled.
Why Did I Receive a Backflow Testing Notice?
Backflow prevention devices are installed to protect the public drinking water system from contamination caused by cross-connections in plumbing systems. A cross-connection occurs when potable water is connected to a source that could introduce contaminants if water pressure conditions change.
Water providers require backflow prevention assemblies to be tested regularly to ensure they are functioning properly and continuing to protect the municipal water supply. Annual testing verifies that internal valves and check mechanisms are operating correctly and preventing reverse flow into the public water system.
These requirements are part of broader drinking water protection programs supported by agencies such as the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and industry standards developed by the American Water Works Association. Regular inspection and testing of backflow assemblies is widely recognized as a critical component of protecting community water systems.
Throughout Colorado, water providers in communities such as Frisco, Breckenridge, Silverthorne, Dillon, Vail, and Avon, as well as throughout Summit County, Eagle County, and surrounding areas.
If a backflow prevention device is installed on your property, your water provider will typically send a notice when it is time for the annual test.
Why Backflow Testing Is Required
If you receive a backflow testing notice from your local water provider, it means your property has a registered backflow prevention assembly that must be inspected as part of the community’s cross-connection control program. These programs are designed to protect public drinking water systems and are widely recommended by organizations such as the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the American Water Works Association.
To remain in compliance with your local water authority, the device must be tested by a certified backflow prevention assembly tester, and the test results must be submitted before the deadline listed in the notice.
What To Do After Receiving a Backflow Testing Notice
Steps to Complete the Requirement
1. Schedule a Certified Backflow Tester
Contact a certified backflow prevention assembly tester who is qualified to inspect and test the device according to approved testing procedures.
2. Have the Backflow Prevention Assembly Tested
The tester will perform a diagnostic test using calibrated equipment to verify that the internal check valves and relief valves are operating correctly and preventing reverse flow into the public water system.
3. Submit the Test Results to the Water Authority
After the inspection is completed, the certified tester will complete the required documentation and submit the results to the appropriate water department or cross-connection control program.
4. Maintain Compliance with Your Water Provider
Once the results are submitted and accepted, your property will remain in compliance with the local backflow testing requirements for that testing cycle.
Backflow testing notices are issued as part of a community’s cross-connection control program, which is designed to protect public drinking water systems from contamination. When a property owner receives a notice requiring testing of a backflow prevention assembly, the test must typically be completed and reported to the local water provider before the stated compliance deadline.
If the required test results are not submitted on time, the water provider may issue additional compliance notices and require immediate testing of the backflow prevention assembly. These enforcement steps are intended to ensure that all backflow prevention devices connected to the public water system are operating properly and continue to protect the potable water supply.
Cross-connection control programs and backflow prevention requirements are widely supported by water safety guidance from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and industry standards published by the American Water Works Association. Regular testing of backflow assemblies is considered a critical safeguard against potential contamination events within municipal drinking water systems.
Depending on the policies of the local water authority, failure to complete required testing may result in additional notices, administrative penalties, or possible interruption of water service until the backflow prevention assembly is tested and verified to be operating correctly.
For this reason, most property owners schedule their required test as soon as they receive their annual notice.
What Happens If You Miss the Backflow Testing Deadline
If you have received a backflow testing notice, the next step is to schedule an inspection with a certified backflow prevention assembly tester. Certified testers are trained to perform diagnostic testing procedures that verify whether a backflow prevention assembly is operating properly and protecting the public drinking water system.
Schedule Certified Backflow Testing
During the inspection, the tester will evaluate the internal check valves and relief valve components of the assembly using calibrated testing equipment. The results of the test are then documented on an official backflow test report and submitted to the appropriate water authority or cross-connection control program administrator.
Colorado Backflow Tester provides certified backflow prevention assembly testing for residential and commercial properties throughout Summit County, Eagle County, Grand County, Lake County, Park County, and Clear Creek County. Testing services are performed in accordance with recognized industry practices and the reporting requirements established by local water providers.
If your property has received a compliance notice requiring backflow testing, scheduling the inspection promptly will ensure that your system remains in compliance with local drinking water protection requirements.
To schedule a certified backflow test, contact Colorado Backflow Tester today.
If a backflow prevention assembly does not pass inspection, repairs may be required before the system can return to compliance. Visit our Backflow Repair page to learn how repairs can restore the assembly to proper working condition.