Backflow prevention testing protects the drinking water supply, and many commercial and rural properties need it every year.
Backflow is when water flows the wrong way through your plumbing. Normally clean water flows from the mains into your property. Backflow happens when pressure changes cause water from your property, or from a connected source, to be pushed or drawn back towards the drinking water supply.
Why backflow matters
If the water that flows back is contaminated, for example with fertiliser, chemicals, pool water, soil or rainwater, it can end up in the drinking water pipes. That is a public health risk. Backflow prevention devices are installed to stop this from happening.
Which properties usually have a device?
Requirements depend on the property and the risk. Based on information published by Queensland councils such as the City of Moreton Bay, backflow prevention devices are commonly required for:
- irrigation systems
- fire hose reels and fire services
- commercial and industrial properties
- water outlets near pollutants
- underground rainwater tanks with mains water backup
Some homes with a mains-connected pool, tank or irrigation setup may also have a device. If you are not sure whether your property has one, a licensed plumber can look and tell you.
Annual testing of testable devices
Many backflow devices are testable, meaning they can be checked to confirm they still work. Councils such as Moreton Bay and the Gold Coast state that testable devices must be tested every year by a Queensland licensed plumber with a backflow endorsement. Testing is not a job for a handyman or the owner. After testing, the plumber provides a test report, and the owner needs to keep it with their records.
Registration with your local council
Testable devices are generally registered with the local council. How this works varies. The City of Moreton Bay says owners must register testable devices with Council, while the Gold Coast says registration happens when a licensed plumber commissions the device and is updated each year after testing. Fees or renewal notices may apply. Because processes differ between council areas, check with your own local council about what applies to your property.
Do not tamper with or remove a device
Councils note that removing or tampering with a backflow prevention device without approval is an offence in some areas, and that penalties can apply where required testing is not done. If a device is leaking, damaged or in the way of other work, have a licensed plumber deal with it rather than removing it.
What to do next
- Find out whether your property has a backflow prevention device. Look near the water meter, irrigation connection, fire services and tank connections.
- Check your council notices and records for registration and testing dates.
- Book a licensed plumber with a backflow endorsement to test any testable device.
- Keep every test report together.
If you are planning irrigation, a tank with mains backup, or a commercial fit-out, ask about backflow protection early, as it is much easier to include at the start than to add later.
Booking your backflow prevention testing
Most testable devices need backflow prevention testing every year by a licensed tester. After testing, the results are lodged with your council or water supplier, such as Urban Utilities. Our backflow testing team can handle it for you.
Not sure if your backflow device is due for testing? Call The Plumbing Gang on 1300 671 525 or see our water quality services.