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.
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.
In any meaningful discussion about cross-connection control and backflow prevention, one principle must remain non-negotiable: Facts matter.
Backflow prevention testing remains one of the most critical — and often overlooked — services in the plumbing, mechanical, fire protection and water industries. As regulations tighten and public awareness of water safety continues to grow, backflow testing and certification are no longer optional add-ons. In 2026, they are essential services for any contractor serious about protecting customers, complying with plumbing codes, and growing a sustainable business.
The Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA) was enacted in 1974 to protect public health by regulating the nation’s public drinking water systems. Under the SDWA, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), in partnership with state primacy agencies, establishes and enforces drinking water quality standards to ensure safe water is delivered to the public.
A common question in the plumbing, fire protection, and water utility industries is whether backflow prevention assemblies are necessary on fire sprinkler systems. Related questions quickly follow: Are backflow preventers required on residential fire protection systems? Do combined domestic and fire systems need protection? Is backflow protection worth the pressure and volume loss? Have fire protection systems actually caused documented backflow incidents?
Water drawn from natural sources — rivers, lakes, streams, and wells — often contains microorganisms, dissolved chemicals, and suspended particles. Before it can be used as potable water, process water, or system water for heating, cooling, or irrigation, it must be treated to reduce contaminants to safe and appropriate levels.