A Failed Backflow Preventer Is a Threat to Your Drinking Water

Most people never think about their backflow preventer until something goes wrong. The problem is, by the time you notice something is wrong, contaminated water may have already made its way back into the municipal supply. That's not a minor issue - that's a public health risk.

Here's what backflow testing actually does: it checks whether your preventer is doing its job. A certified tester hooks up a differential pressure gauge - like the Mid-West Instrument Model 845 you see us using here - and measures the pressure difference across the device. If the numbers don't hold, the device has failed. Simple as that.

This particular backflow preventer failed its test. Without catching it through annual testing, there would have been no way to know. Contaminated water from an irrigation system or other non-potable source could have silently flowed backward into the clean water supply. That's exactly the scenario backflow prevention laws exist to stop.

Annual backflow testing isn't just a formality or a box to check for your municipality. It's the only real way to confirm your system is actually protecting the water coming out of your tap. A preventer that looks fine on the outside can still fail under pressure - and the only way to know is to test it.

We handle both the testing and the repair side. If a device passes, great - you get your documentation and you're good for another year. If it fails, we can take care of the repair on the spot or schedule it right away. No runaround, no mystery.