Backflow Preventer

Category: infrastructure

A mandatory plumbing safety device that stops contaminated irrigation water from siphoning back into the clean domestic drinking supply.

Irrigation lines contain stagnant water, animal feces, and chemical fertilizers. If a water main breaks down the street, it creates a massive vacuum that can siphon this toxic water backward into your home's drinking lines. A backflow preventer creates a one-way mechanical check valve seal.

Common Examples

• Local building ordinances mandate an annual certified check on the main backflow preventer assembly to protect the municipal water grid.
• The technician drained the pressure assembly on the backflow preventer to insulate the brass valves from hard winter freeze cracking.