No. All companies that are registered to test in Manatee County can be found on our Potable Testers List. The list indicates number of tests performed by the company in the last 12 months.

Prices vary depending on who you call. We recommend getting multiple quotes.

If your letter is titled "Annual Testing of Backflow Prevention Assembly(ies)" you need to arrange for testing of your backflow preventer with a company from the County's Testers List. The company will report your test results to us through the secured contractors’ portal. Testing must be completed within 30 days from the date of the letter.

If your letter is titled "Final Notice for the Testing of your Backflow Prevention Assembly(ies)" you have seven days to notify Cross Connection Control office whether your backflow preventer testing has been completed. If your backflow preventer is still out of compliance in seven days, the County's contract plumber will be scheduled to perform the inspection(s) and a fee of at least $50 per backflow preventer will be charged to the property owner.

If you received a letter titled "Failed Backflow Prevention Assembly - BF#XXXXXXXX" Your backflow preventer failed the annual inspection and needs to be repaired or replaced and re-certified within 30 days. Call an authorized plumber on the County's Testers List immediately and have the plumber bring your backflow preventer to compliance to avoid water service interruption.

If you received a certified letter titled "Failed Backflow Prevention Assembly – Excessive Vegetation – BF #XXXXXXXX" your backflow preventer failed inspection due to excessive vegetation. Please trim back your plants and arrange for testing with a company from Potable Testers List. This must be completed within 30 days to avoid water service interruption.

They are upside down U-shaped pipes with two check valves, typically located at your water meter.

All testing must be done by a contractor that is registered with the Cross Connection Control office and possesses a valid, up-to-date plumbing license, current insurance, backflow preventer testing certification, and currently calibrated test kit. For testing of fireline backflow preventers, the State's Fire Marshal certificate is required.

Potable Testers List

Fireline Testers List

The property owner owns the backflow preventer and is responsible for testing and maintenance of the assembly.

Customers that irrigate with potable water are required to have two backflow preventers, one at the meter and another one on the irrigation line. Customers with two meters, potable and irrigation, are also required to have two backflow preventers, one at each meter.

Please see “Who is required to have a backflow preventer?” above.

Yes, but it must be re-certified by a Potable Testers List.

No. A backflow prevention assembly is required for properties with in-ground irrigation systems. If an irrigation system is removed and no other conditions requiring backflow preventer exist at the property, the property owner may submit a Petition to Remove a Backflow Prevention Assembly to the Cross Connection Control Office. Petitions can be mailed to 4520 66th St. W., Bradenton, FL 34210 or emailed to [email protected]. Petitions will be reviewed within 30 days. Backflow preventer shall never be removed without approval.

The standards for backflow installation require a 3' clearance to prevent damage of the assembly from overgrowth and accommodate room for the tester to safely inspect the backflow preventer. Please trim back your plants and arrange for testing with a company from our Potable Testers List. This must be completed within 30 days to avoid water service interruption.

If backflow prevention assembly fails annual or noncompliance testing, property owner is required to repair or replace and re-certify assembly within thirty (30) days. If a backflow assembly is still out of compliance after 30 days, all water services to the property will be discontinued until the assembly is brought into compliance.

If backflow preventer is not tested in the allotted time, the County's contract tester will be scheduled to perform inspection and fee of at least $50 per backflow preventer will be charged to the property owner. The charge per backflow prevention assembly will occur if:

• Backflow prevention assembly is tested, whether it passes or fails test; or
• Backflow prevention assembly is inaccessible for testing (behind locked gate, submerged in excessive vegetation, customer refusing to allow testing, etc.); or
• Backflow prevention assembly is removed/missing.

Your backflow preventer was tested by the County's contract tester as part of noncompliance testing. A property owner was charge in accordance with the Cross Connection Control Rate Resolution No. R-14-23. If this charge was made in error, please contact the Cross Connection Control office at [email protected] or call (941) 792-8811 ext 5267 or 5283.

For more information regarding backflow preventers, contact:
Cross Connection Control, Utilities Department
Telephone: (941) 792-8811 ext. 5267 or ext. 5283
Email: [email protected]