Cross Connection Control and Backflow Prevention Program

Drinking water is used for a variety of purposes such as watering the lawn, fighting fires, and manufacturing. With all of the uses of drinking water comes the potential for contamination to enter the drinking water system. The goal of the Cross Connection Control Program is to identify potential connections that could contaminate the water and either eliminate the potential connection or protect the water system with a backflow assembly.

Resources

Cross Connection Control FAQs

Help protect your Drinking Water from Contamination - Household Hazards

Lawn Irrigation Systems and Backflow Prevention

Protect Your Water Heater from Thermal Expansion and Explosion

Residential Fire Sprinkler Systems and Backflow Prevention

What is a Cross Connection?

Testing

Backflow assemblies must pass a test once upon installation and annually thereafter to make sure it is working. Only a Washington State certified Backflow Assembly Tester can perform the test.

To find a certified tester, Washington Certification Services maintains a list of currently certified testers by county. Please note that the county listing is simply where the tester is based out of and does not limit where they can test.  The list can be found at the following website:

https://wcs.greenriver.edu/bat/hire-a-bat/

Winterizing

Cold weather can damage backflow assemblies, so take care to winterize if needed.

 The City of Wenatchee has a great brochure on How to Winterize a Backflow Assembly

BACKFLOW ASSEMBLY TESTERS

Below please find important information about testing backflow assemblies in the City of Pateros' water system. 

Backflow assembly testers play a critical role in ensuring the safety of the City's drinking water. 

Please read the Code of Conduct for Backflow Assembly Testers:

The following standards shall apply to all backflow assembly testers for testing, repair, and certification of backflow prevention assemblies within the City of Pateros service area.  

1. No person other than an employee of the City of Pateros is authorized to operate the streetside meter shutoff valve (angle meter, curb stop or gate valve).  The tester must call the City of Pateros if it becomes necessary to operate this valve to make a replacement or repair.  The tester may call City Hall, during normal business hours (7:00 am - 3:30 pm, Monday - Friday) at (509) 923-2571 for assistance.  After hours, on weekends, and holidays, calls must be directed to after-hour and emergency staff (information on the water department contact page.) Non-emergency calls outside regular hours will be charged a fee of $100.00 (2024 rate) per occurrence as set in the city's adopted fee schedule. (PMC 13.04.300)

2. Backflow prevention assembly installations shall comply with Pateros City Code 13.12 and the City of Pateros Cross Connection Control Program. 

3. When testing an existing backflow assembly, reports must be submitted to City of Pateros, Public Works, Email: jwilson@pateros.us or via hand deliver to City Hall or by US Postal Service, P.O. Box 8, Pateros, WA 98846. 

5. Reports must be submitted within 10 days of the initial test.  If additional time is needed for a repair, please notify the City’s Cross Connection Control Specialist.  

6. Testers shall report failures and repairs of backflow assemblies.  Please note that a specialty plumber’s license is required by the Washington State Department of Labor and Industries for backflow assembly repairs inside of a building.  The tester shall be responsible for complying with the requirements of the Washington State Department of Labor and Industries.      

7. It is the responsibility of the tester to call questionable practices to the attention of the City of Pateros.

8. Testing equipment shall be calibrated, at a minimum, once per year.  Calibration shall be conducted by using the procedures adopted by the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) as now exists or as may be hereafter amended.

9. Testers shall maintain a current State of Washington backflow assembly tester Certification.

10. Testers or the company they work for shall have a current City of Pateros Business License as required by Pateros Municipal Code 5.04. 


Annual test reports for existing backflow assemblies must be submitted to:

Jord Wilson
City Administrator/Public Works Supervisor
by Email: jwilson@pateros.us
via hand deliver: City Hall, 113 Lakeshore Drive
by USPS: P.O. Box 8, Pateros, WA 98846

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact us at (509) 923-2571 or email jwilson@pateros.us


Thank you for helping to keep the City of Pateros drinking water safe!