Residential Backflow is a National Problem

Let’s Work Together

Many homeowners do not understand their role in keeping their home drinking water safe. Residential Backflow is a national problem. Schedule a test with us today so that we can insure your home is free from backflow. Together, we can make your community’s drinking water is the healthiest water accessible to the masses.

Notable Study

In 2004, the University of California (USC) published a study of Cross-Connections in U.S. Midwest Households. Surveys indicated 9.6% of the homes had direct cross-connections to a health hazard. On average, 73% of water use was unprotected, constituting cross-connections. Only 4.3% of the homes had either no unprotected cross-connections or had unprotected cross connections to a non-hazardous substance.

Homes with a cross-connection (either direct or indirect) to a health hazard constituted 95.7% of the homes. Although this is a large percentage, the greatest concern was with the 9.6% of the homes having a direct cross-connection to a health hazard.

In most cases, these cross-connections were due to improperly plumbed toilet fixtures, or specific toilet fixtures that could create a backpressure situation and force hazardous water from the toilet tank into the drinking water supply.

Most of the residents were completely unaware of what cross-connections were or what could be done to prevent them. When the on-site survey was conducted, the residents were given a brochure describing typical household cross-connections and what could be done to abate them. It would appear that further study would be needed to get a better overall picture of household cross-connections.

Even without further study, however, it is evident that better public education is necessary. Public education for the homeowner or resident would go a long way in helping to reduce the problem of cross-connections in the home.

Data Accessed June 2019, https://fccchr.usc.edu/pcchp.html.