Facts Do Matter in 2026 

Why Evidence, Not Opinion, Must Guide Cross-Connection Control Decisions
In any meaningful discussion about cross-connection control and backflow prevention, one principle must remain non-negotiable: 

Facts matter. 

Yet in 2026, confusion between fact, opinion, preference, and perception continues to influence policy decisions, regulations, and enforcement practices across the water industry — often with unintended consequences. 

To move forward responsibly, we must be clear about what these terms actually mean. 

• Fact: Something known or proven to be true. 
• Opinion: A belief or judgment not necessarily based on evidence. 
• Preference: A personal liking for one option over another. 
• Perception: How something is interpreted or understood, which may or may not reflect reality. 

These words are not interchangeable. When they are treated as such, policy drifts away from science and public health protection. 

When Opinion Replaces Evidence
In the cross-connection control industry, solutions should be driven by verified risks and documented failures, not by assumptions or anecdotal concerns. 

Unfortunately, situations still arise where: 

• Policies are changed to address problems that do not factually exist 
• Long-standing, effective programs are modified without supporting data 
• Narratives are constructed after decisions are made to justify those decisions 

This approach mirrors deciding the outcome before investigating the facts — then ignoring any evidence that contradicts the original conclusion. 

That is not how public health protection should work. 

The Core Goal Has Not Changed
Regardless of jurisdiction, regulation, or program structure, everyone involved in cross-connection control should share the same goal: 

• Protect the public water system 
• Ensure water can be used safely and confidently 
• Prioritize public health over convenience, politics, or personal agendas 

Achieving this requires fact-based systems, not preference-based ones. 

Why Product Standards and Listings Matter
Backflow prevention assemblies are trusted to perform under real-world conditions because they: 

• Are built to recognized product standards 
• Undergo rigorous third-party testing 
• Are evaluated independently of the manufacturer 

This is the foundation of listing programs. Without independent verification, there is no factual basis for trusting that an assembly will perform as intended when installed in the field. 

Facts, not marketing claims, are what make these programs credible. 

Installation, Selection, and Maintenance Must Be Fact-Driven
Protection does not stop at manufacturing. Facts must guide: 

• Where protection is required 
• What type of protection is appropriate 
• How it is installed 
• How often it is tested and maintained 

This requires coordination among multiple stakeholders: 

• Water suppliers managing containment protection 
• Plumbing professionals installing isolation and containment protection 
• Inspectors verifying compliance 
• Designers accounting for system hazards 
• Certified testers maintaining assemblies 

When these groups work collaboratively — and respect each other’s roles — programs become stronger and more defensible. 

Where Programs Break Down
In too many jurisdictions, energy is wasted on issues that do not materially improve water system protection, such as: 

• Endless disputes over specific test procedures 
• Restricting acceptable certifications instead of strengthening certification quality 
• Creating monopolies rather than enforcing third-party independence 

One of the most damaging practices is allowing single-party certification, where the same entity: 

• Provides training 
• Writes the exam 
• Proctors the exam 
• Grades the exam 
• Issues the certification 
• Collects the fees 

From a quality assurance perspective, this is indefensible. 

Raising the Bar Matters More Than Protecting Turf
Documented examples exist where large classes, minimal hands-on training, and inadequate testing resources still result in 100% pass rates. Fighting this erosion of professional standards is far more important than debating minor procedural differences between accepted test methods. 

A weak certification program does more harm to public trust than any disagreement over hose placement or test sequence. 

Progress Through Collaboration, Not Control
Several years ago, industry organizations collaborated on: 

• Minimum requirements for tester training and certification 
• Statements on when and how often assemblies should be tested 

These efforts intentionally focused on what mattered most: 

• That assemblies are tested 
• That certifications are credible 
• That public health is protected 

The group avoided procedural turf wars, recognizing that multiple test procedures can accurately evaluate assemblies when properly applied. 

Although progress has slowed due to logistics and industry politics, the work remains critical and unfinished. 

Why This Still Matters in 2026
Water systems today face: 

• Aging infrastructure 
• Increased public scrutiny 
• Greater accountability
• Higher expectations for transparency 

In this environment, fact-based decision-making is not optional. Closed minds, personal agendas, and preference-driven policies do not protect drinking water. 

Facts do. 

The least productive use of time and resources is attempting to enforce a single certifier or single test procedure to create control or exclusivity. The most productive use is strengthening programs, improving training quality, and ensuring real protection exists where hazards are present. 

There are better ways to spend our time and our collective expertise. 

Sean Cleary

Sean Cleary serves as Vice President of Industry Programs and Operations for the IAPMO Backflow Prevention Institute, advancing education and technical training in cross-connection control and backflow prevention. The IAPMO Backflow Prevention Institute helps to ensure that the professionals responsible for protecting drinking water are properly trained and certified. A licensed master plumber with more than four decades of experience, Sean has worked in all phases of the plumbing and mechanical industries, with deep expertise in cross-connection control systems. He is a Past President of the American Society of Sanitary Engineering (ASSE) and served for more than a decade as Chairman of the ASSE Cross-Connection Control Technical Committee. A graduate of the United Association Instructor Training Program, Sean has dedicated much of his career to strengthening professional competency, standards alignment, and technical excellence across the industry. Under Sean’s leadership, the IAPMO Backflow Prevention Institute prepares plumbers, pipe fitters, irrigation techs, sprinkler fitters, HVAC techs, plumbing engineers, inspectors, facility managers to earn and maintain ASSE and other industry certifications through comprehensive training and continuing education offered across the United States and internationally. Sean co-authored the IAPMO Backflow Reference Manual and has contributed to numerous technical publications. Through his work with IAPMO, ASSE, the American Society of Plumbing Engineers (ASPE), and state plumbing inspector organizations, Sean helps ensure that certified professionals are equipped to prevent contamination and safeguard the drinking water systems communities rely on every day.