Backflow
Backflow Testing for Irrigation Systems in Eastern Iowa
Six certified technicians on the crew. We test and file the paperwork with your city.
Backflow testing is the annual, state-certified pressure test of the backflow preventer on an irrigation system, required by most eastern Iowa municipalities to keep lawn water from contaminating the drinking supply.
What a backflow preventer does
Your sprinkler system is connected to the same water that comes out of your kitchen tap. If pressure in the city main drops, from a water main break or a fire hydrant being opened, water can be pulled backward out of the irrigation lines. That water has been sitting in the yard with fertilizer, lawn chemicals, and soil. The backflow preventer is the valve that stops it from getting into the drinking supply.
Those valves wear out. Springs weaken and rubber checks harden. An annual test is the only way to know the device still closes the way it should.
Backflow testing in Cedar Rapids and Linn County
Most of our backflow testing is in Linn County: Cedar Rapids, Marion, Hiawatha, and Robins. When your water utility sends the annual test notice, call us with the due date. We schedule the test, run it with calibrated gauges, and file the report with your utility, so you don't have to chase the paperwork.
We test the same way in Johnson County towns like Iowa City, Coralville, and North Liberty. If you're not sure whether your utility requires a test, check with them, or call us and we'll tell you what we know.
Who does the test
Six people on our crew are certified backflow testers. Utilities only accept reports from a certified tester using calibrated gauges, so the test has to be done by someone who holds that certification.
How the job goes
How a backflow testing job goes
Every step below is how this service runs when we do it, no surprises on the invoice.
- 01
Annual due date
Most eastern Iowa cities require irrigation backflow devices to be tested once a year, and the notice usually comes from the city. Call us when yours arrives and we'll get you scheduled.
- 02
On-site test
One of our six certified test technicians hooks calibrated gauges to the device, runs the check-valve pressures, and records the readings.
- 03
Pass and file
If it passes we will file the report with your city, you don't have to chase the paperwork.
- 04
Repair if it fails
If a check valve or relief valve is bad, we rebuild it on the same visit when we have the parts. Re-test is included.
Ready for this specific job?
Start a backflow testing quote
Just need your address and the name of your water utility. We'll get you on the annual schedule and handle the city paperwork.
(319) 774-3750Common questions
Common questions about backflow testing
These are the questions we actually get about this service, not a generic FAQ pasted onto every page.
- How often does my backflow preventer need to be tested?
- Most cities in Linn and Johnson counties require irrigation backflow devices to be tested once a year. The notice usually comes from your city or water utility. Your city's ordinance sets the exact schedule.
- Who is allowed to test a backflow preventer in Iowa?
- Only a tester registered with the Iowa Department of Inspections, Appeals, and Licensing. Iowa Code § 135K.3 bars anyone from testing or repairing a backflow prevention assembly without that registration. All six of our technicians are registered.
- What happens if I miss my backflow test?
- Cities can send a shutoff notice when a required test report isn't filed. Iowa's plumbing rules also let a city discontinue water service when a required backflow assembly isn't installed (481—425.5(3)). If you've missed a deadline, call us and we'll get the test done and filed as soon as possible.
- Will you test a device on a system you didn't install?
- Yes. We test backflow preventers on irrigation systems from any installer.
- What happens if my device fails?
- We find the part that isn't holding, usually a check valve or relief valve, and rebuild it on the same visit when we have the parts. The re-test after the repair is included.
- Do you send the results to the city?
- Yes. When your device passes, we file the test report with your city. You don't need to submit anything yourself.
- How do I know the test is accurate?
- Iowa rules require testers to verify their gauges at least every 13 months against NIST-traceable standards, and gauges that are off by more than ±0.2 psi can't be used (481—476.6(3)). We recalibrate our gauges every year.
- How much does backflow testing cost?
- We charge a flat annual rate for testing. Call or text for current pricing, or request a quote online.
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