Backflow Testing in Arlington, VA

Signs an Arlington property needs backflow work

• A new lawn sprinkler system is going in at a house in Cherrydale or another single-family area, and the permit still needs its final cross-connection inspection
• A restaurant or office space along the Rosslyn-Ballston corridor has its yearly County inspection on the calendar
• The relief port spits water every time the irrigation zones come on
• A hard freeze split the brass body or blew out a test cock
• A boiler fill, pool fill or chemical feeder was tied into the water supply with nothing protecting it
• Sprinkler heads lost pressure after someone worked on the valve

How backflow is handled in Arlington

Arlington is a county with no separate city government, so the County runs both the public water system, through the Department of Environmental Services' Water, Sewer, Streets Bureau, and building inspections. The Cross Connection Control Program sits with Inspections. Before the inspector arrives, the County wants the device tested by a backflow professional who holds the Virginia certification for that work, and any permit that includes a backflow device has to pass a final cross-connection inspection before it can close.

Most County water is Potomac River water treated by the Washington Aqueduct at the Dalecarlia plant, while the Willston pressure zone gets water bought from Fairfax Water. The County lists hardness at 8 grains per gallon, enough for a mineral film to form on check seats over many seasons. Ownership splits at the meter: the County owns the main, the meter and the meter box, and the property owner owns the line from the meter into the building, which is where a backflow assembly normally sits.

What affects the cost

• Test only or test plus repair. A device that holds on the first try is a short visit; a leaking relief valve or a weak check means parts and a second test.
• Type and size. A reduced pressure assembly on a restaurant line has more parts than a small vacuum breaker on a home sprinkler.
• Location. A unit in a mechanical room is quicker to reach than one in a crowded utility closet or below grade.
• Condition. A cracked body or seized shutoff valves often makes a new assembly the better call.

What happens when you call

The call connects you with an independent plumber who works in Arlington. Say whether the device protects a home irrigation system, a commercial kitchen or a building's main service, and mention any inspection date the County gave you. Ask the plumber to confirm their Virginia backflow certification before the visit. If water is gushing from the assembly, close the irrigation valve or the main shutoff until help arrives.