Backflow Preventer

Your drinking water comes from the city’s water main into your property’s plumbing via pressure; it should only be flowing in one direction. However, sometimes pressure changes in pipes occur, which causes the water to flow backwards into the city water lines, with the potential to contaminate the public water supply with chemicals or human waste.

New York State law requires that certain properties and businesses install, maintain and test backflow prevention devices. These devices are designed to stop contaminated water from flowing backwards into the main water supply. If you fail to keep up with this requirement, you could face fines or possibly the disconnection of your water service.

Who Needs a Backflow Prevention Device?

Unless you have received a specific exemption from DEP, these businesses must use backflow prevention devices and have them tested regularly:

• Properties with in-ground irrigation sprinklers and/or swimming pools
• Properties with multiple water service lines
• Metal plating, cleaning, processing or fabricating facilities
• Photo-processing facilities
• Laundromats and dry cleaners
• Car washes
• Greenhouses
• Hospitals, Clinics and Laboratories
• Medical/Dental Offices
• Funeral Parlors
• Food processing plants
• Dye Plants
• Paper processors
• Auto Repair Shops
• Breweries
• Tanneries
• Exterminators
• Large residential dwellings with treated water boilers
• Sewage treatment plants
• Properties with roof tanks and elevated storage lines
• Canneries
• Slaughterhouse Facilities
• Ice Manufacturing Facilities
• Printing Facilities
• Grocery stores
• Warehouses
• Properties with Commercial Kitchens, water cooled equipment or chillers, or Groundwater Wells
• Barber Shops and Beauty Salons
• Properties that Reuse or Recycle Water
• Shipyards and Marinas
• Schools and Colleges
• Food Preparation Facilities
• Nursing Homes

If you own a business not listed above, call Today Plumbing – we know which businesses need such devices and which ones don’t.

Based in Whitestone Queens, we are fully licensed and insured in NYC to handle all of your backflow installation needs, bringing more than 20 years of experience to the table. Get peace of mind knowing you’re partnering with the most qualified, experienced professionals in the area.

Why You Need a Backflow Prevention Device Installed

Backflow can occur when a cross-connection between your plumbing system and the city’s water line exists. With no backflow prevention assembly installed, wastewater from your plumbing system will start to flow in the reverse direction and contaminate the city’s water supply.

Backflow can occur as a result of either backpressure or back siphonage:

• Backpressure: Caused by an imbalance in water pressure between your plumbing system and the city’s water line. When water pressure from your private line is higher than that of the municipal system, contaminated water will get into the municipal water line.
• Backsiphonage: This issue can develop when there’s been a break in the water main or if a fire hydrant has illegally been opened.

To avoid contaminating the city’s clean water supply, you need to install and maintain a backflow prevention device, one that should be inspected and tested each year and replaced as needed.

DEP Annual Backflow Preventer Testing

The Department of Environment Protection requires and annual inspection to be done on all backflow preventer devices.

In accordance with DEP Regulation, we will perform the Annual Backflow Preventer Inspection by:

• Inspect Backflow Preventer Assembly for code compliance.
• Shut water supply valve between Backflow Preventer Assembly & Water Main.
• Perform DEP required Annual Backflow Preventer Assembly Test.
• Open water supply valve between Backflow Preventer Assembly & Water Main.
• Complete NYC DEP GEN-215B Report.
• Submit NYC DEP GEN-215B Report to the NYC DEP Cross-Connection Control Unit.
• Maintain a copy of the approved NYC DEP GEN-215B Report for 5-years.

Learn More (Click here) https://www.nyc.gov/site/dep/about/cross-connection-controls.page