CROSS CONNECTION CONTROL
Protecting Your Drinking Water: The Importance of Annual Backflow Assembly Testing
A critical part of ensuring we can provide safe, clean drinking water to your home or business is the annual testing of backflow prevention assemblies.
What is Backflow Prevention and Why is it Important?
Backflow is the undesirable reversal of flow of water or mixtures of water and other liquids, gases, or other substances into the pipes of the potable water supply. This can happen due to a sudden drop in water pressure (like during a main break) or an increase in pressure on a customer’s property.
Backflow prevention assemblies are mechanical devices installed on your water service line to prevent contaminated water from flowing back into the public drinking water supply. These devices are essential for protecting the health of our entire community.
Our Cross-Connection Control Program is established in accordance with Washington Administrative Code (WAC 246-290-490) and outlined in Schedule 8 of our Tariff. These regulations require us to ensure effective backflow prevention measures are in place to continually protect our public water distribution system.
Your Role in Water Safety: Annual Testing Requirements
If you have an Approved Backflow Prevention Assembly installed, it must be tested annually by a certified Backflow Assembly Tester (B.A.T.) specialist. This is a mandatory requirement under Rule 24 and Schedule 8, Condition 6 of our Tariff.
- Test results must be provided to OWSI by June 1st of each year.
How to Comply with Annual Testing
You will need to hire a State of Washington certified Backflow Assembly Tester (B.A.T.) to perform the annual test on your assembly.
Once the B.A.T. completes the test, they will need to:
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Provide you with a copy of the initial and annual test report. Keep this for your records.
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Send a copy of the test report directly to Olympic Water and Sewer Inc.
- By Mail: 781 Walker Way, Port Ludlow, WA 98365
- By Email: backflowreports@ows-inc.com
Please ensure test forms are submitted to OWSI by June 1st.
Choosing a Certified Backflow Assembly Tester
OWSI maintains a list of certified B.A.T. specialists who are acceptable to the Utility. You may choose any B.A.T. specialist from our list or from the Washington State Department of Health’s certified B.A.T. list.
Important Note for Testers Not on Our List: If you choose a tester not currently on our acceptable list, they will need to provide copies of their B.A.T. certification and equipment calibration records to OWSI before we can accept the test results. A test performed by a non-certified tester or with uncalibrated equipment will not be considered valid.
What Happens if OWSI Doesn’t Receive Your Test Report?
If we do not receive a valid annual test report for your assembly by June 1st, the Utility will first provide a late notice. If the report is still not received, this will be followed by a notice of disconnection pursuant to WAC 480-110-355 (3)(a).
If a copy of the annual report is not received by the disconnection date specified in the notice, OWSI will disconnect your water service as outlined in Rule 17 of our tariff. If service is disconnected, you will be charged our current Reconnection Visit Charge as specified in Rule 6 of our tariff.
What if My Assembly Fails the Test?
If your backflow assembly does not meet proper test requirements, it must be repaired and retested by a State of Washington certified B.A.T. Upon completion of the retest, the tester should provide you with a copy of the test form and send a copy to OWSI.
For additional information on Cross-Connection Control and Backflow Prevention in Washington State, you can visit the Washington State Department of Health’s website.
Backflow Assembly Solutions
Greg Showers
BAT# B6418
360-908-7514
Silverdale Plumbing & Heating
Michael Gittings
BAT# B1423
360-692-8840
