Backflow Prevention & Cross-Connection

Puyallup Water goes to great lengths to ensure the delivery of safe and reliable drinking water to your home. Once the water goes past the meter, however, we rely on you to ensure that it remains safe to drink. That may be an issue if you have an irrigation or fire sprinkler system, installed on your waterline. Those additions may cause contaminants to flow into your tap.

Properly installed and maintained backflow prevention assemblies will stop contaminated water from reaching your tap or the water system. Learn how to prevent backflow by avoiding contamination through cross-connection, which is any connection between the water system and material that could harm the water system.
 

When Do I Need Backflow Prevention?

• For closed non-flow-through fire sprinkler systems.                       
• For any new or remodeled commercial or industrial installations
• For irrigation or in-ground sprinkler systems
   
  

Accepted Types of Backflow Prevention

• Air gaps with premise isolation
• Reduced pressure backflow assemblies 
• Double-check valve assemblies 

The potential hazard indicates the appropriate assembly. In general, we accept air gaps and reduced pressure backflow assemblies for high hazards and double-check valve assemblies for low hazards.
 
The chosen backflow prevention assembly must be approved by the Foundation for Cross-Connection Control and Hydraulic Research. Please consult the Foundation's website for a list of approved backflow prevention assemblies. Assemblies not currently listed must have been listed at the time of their original installation.
 
The City inspects assemblies upon installation and conducts periodic re-inspections on all existing assemblies. Assemblies must be tested annually by a certified backflow assembly tester. Assemblies must also be tested after any repair or replacement, with a copy of each test report being submitted to the city. If the chosen assembly tester is not on the city's current approved list, the company must submit a copy of their BAT card and test kit calibration with the test report to Mike Nelson, Cross-Connection Specialist.