Backflow Testing in Chapel Hill, NC

Why Annual Testing Is Required

North Carolina plumbing code and your water purveyor require every testable backflow assembly to be tested once a year by a certified tester. The reason is simple: a backflow preventer has internal check valves, springs, and rubber seals that wear, foul with debris, or get damaged by freezing — and a failed device offers no protection at all while still looking perfectly fine from the outside. Annual testing is the only way to confirm the assembly still seals correctly and is actually keeping contaminated water out of the public supply.

In Chapel Hill and Carrboro, OWASA (Orange Water and Sewer Authority) administers the cross-connection program and expects your annual results on file. Other Triangle purveyors — the City of Durham, City of Raleigh, Town of Cary, and Aqua NC — enforce the same yearly requirement. They track which devices are due and send notices when a test lapses, so getting ahead of the deadline keeps you off their radar.

What Happens During a Test

A backflow test is quick and non-destructive. Our certified tester connects calibrated differential gauges to the assembly’s test cocks, briefly closes the shutoff valves to isolate the device, and measures whether each check valve holds tight and — on an RPZ — at what pressure the relief valve opens. Those readings are compared against the manufacturer’s and the code’s pass criteria. We record the numbers on the official certification form, tag the device with the date, and restore your water service.

• Confirm the assembly type, size, and serial number on file.
• Verify each check valve holds against reverse flow.
• Check that the relief valve opens at the correct differential (RPZ).
• Document the readings and complete the certification form.

Which Devices Have to Be Tested

Any approved, testable assembly on a cross-connection falls under the annual requirement — most commonly the RPZ, double check (DCVA), and pressure vacuum breaker (PVB) units on irrigation systems, fire lines, boilers, and commercial equipment. If you have an in-ground sprinkler system, a restaurant or food-service kitchen, a medical or dental office, or any boiler or pumped loop, you almost certainly have a device that is due every year. Not sure what you have? We will identify it on site and get it on a testing schedule.

What If the Device Fails

Not every assembly passes, and that is exactly why the test exists. The most common reasons for a failure here are a fouled check valve with grit or scale holding it open, worn rubber and springs, or a relief valve that opens at the wrong point. In most cases we can rebuild the device on the same visit with a manufacturer kit, give you a flat-rate quote before we touch it, then retest to confirm it now passes. If a unit is freeze-cracked or obsolete we will tell you honestly that it needs replacement rather than charge you for a repair that will not hold.

We File the Paperwork for You

A passing test only protects you if the result reaches the water authority. We complete the official certification form and submit your passing results directly to OWASA or whichever purveyor serves your property, then keep a copy in your testing history. You do not have to chase forms, fax anything, or wonder whether it was received.

Never Miss a Deadline Again

A lapsed test can lead to fines or, for commercial accounts, water-service termination — and an untested device may be silently failing without anyone noticing. We track your test date and reach out before next year’s deadline, so staying compliant takes zero effort on your part. Most tests take under an hour and rarely disrupt your day. If your device sits exposed, we will also flag freeze-protection options while we are on site so it survives the winter and passes again next year.