BACKFLOW PREVENTION JOURNAL
Protecting our most precious resource
A dedicated resource for professionals in the plumbing industry’s expert sector, offering comprehensive coverage of the policies, practices, technologies, and standards essential to protecting the public water supply.
Our articles provide plumbing industry professionals with comprehensive coverage of backflow incident reports, updates to plumbing codes and drinking water regulations, product performance improvements, and important industry events. We also share practical guidance and resources for establishing and maintaining cross-connection control programs, along with other essential topics focused on protecting the public water supply.
Backflow Prevention Installation Mistakes That Still Persist in 2026. After traveling across the United States conducting cross-connection control training, performing surveys, and answering questions about problematic backflow prevention installations, one issue remains surprisingly common: failure to follow the adopted plumbing code.
More than a decade after lead contamination in drinking water became a national headline, one uncomfortable truth remains clear in 2026: Lead in drinking water is still a serious public health problem.
A clear answer every property owner deserves. One of the most common and most important questions asked by business owners and property managers is: “Why do I need to have backflow prevention installed, tested, and maintained in my facility?”
Over the years, the cross-connection control industry has been shaped not just by codes, standards, and test procedures but by people.
The term containment protection is foundational in the cross-connection control industry and in 2026 it remains just as important as ever.
Why water, infrastructure, and education are our shared responsibility. There are moments in life that force us to slow down and reconsider what truly matters. In a world that feels faster, louder, and more polarized every year, those moments are often deeply personal.
Sometimes perspective comes from stepping outside our own borders. While traveling internationally to teach backflow prevention and cross-connection control, it becomes impossible not to compare what we see abroad with what we experience at home. In 2026, those comparisons feel more relevant — and more urgent — than ever.
Why consistency, science, and public health must drive the answer. There are few topics in the water industry that generate as much agreement — and yet as much debate — as backflow prevention assembly testing.
Clean, safe drinking water remains one of the most critical public health needs in modern society, but it is often taken for granted. However, despite decades of plumbing codes, standards, and training, improperly installed backflow prevention devices and assemblies remain widespread in both commercial and residential settings.