What is a backflow assembly?

Another name for it is a backflow device, or a backflow preventer.  Call it what you want, but the purpose of a backflow assembly is to prevent backflow from happening.

Which leads most people to ask: what is backflow?

Imagine turning on the tap in your kitchen and having polluted water come out.  That is one of those nightmare scenarios every homeowner has thought of, and it is a scenario which is practically impossible in today’s world.  But it was not impossible prior to 1971 and the passage of the Clean Water Act.  Prior to 1971, there was no protection against backflow, which is the reversal of flow of potable water in the water supply system.

Water is meant to flow in only one direction, from a city’s water supply to homes and businesses. It is forced through the water pipes using a pressure system i.e. the water is pushed through pipes using pressure pumps.  The whole system works well until there is a sudden drop in water pressure, as in a busted water main.  If the pressure drops too much, it is entirely possible, even in 2019, for the water to reverse direction in the pipes.  In other words, it is possible for polluted water to flow back towards the main potable water supply.

The only thing preventing that from happening is the under-appreciated backflow assembly, which is now required by law thanks to the Clean Water Act of 1971.

What exactly is a backflow assembly?

A backflow device is usually a one-way valve, only allowing water to flow in one direction.  The valve will only open in one direction, thus preventing water from reversing direction.

Nikola Tesla actually invented the one-way Tesla valve in 1916 and patented it in 1920. It was a remarkably simple device then and it is a remarkably simple device now, but like all mechanical devices, it is prone to wearing out and breaking down over time. That is why backflow inspections must be conducted annually according to the Clean Water Act and subsequent legislation passed since 1971. Every city in the United States has their own backflow requirements, but they are all fairly consistent with Federal law. Only certified backflow specialists can work on a backflow assembly.  Only certified backflow parts can be used for backflow repairs and/or backflow installations.

As long as the requirements are met in each city, you can be assured that when you turn on your faucet in the kitchen, clean, safe water will come out.

For more information about backflow, and to find out what your responsibilities are as a property owner, call your local Water Department of your Public Works Department.  They can provide you with the information you need.

We are City Backflow Testing, working out of Fort Worth, Texas. We are licensed and certified in over thirty cities in the Greater Dallas/Fort Worth area, so you can rest assured that if you call us about backflow, we are fully capable of handling any problem you have.  Our number is (817) 996-2000.