Q & A: Removing Your backflow assembly
DISCLAIMER: Anybody performing plumbing work is responsible for following all applicable rules pertaining to the work. If you need assistance, please consult a company with the equipment, knowledge, and licensing necessary to safely and legally help you.
Can I remove my backflow assembly?
Customers sometimes express an interest in removing their backflow assembly to avoid the time and expense required to test, maintain, and repair this equipment. Though we do not offer removals as a service, we support this endeavor when customers are interested, and when the equipment can be safely and legally removed. Whether your water district will allow you to remove your backflow assembly will depend on...
What's my first step?
Your water district has final say on whether the backflow assembly will remain in place, so we always recommend that you start by contacting them to ask them a few questions, including:
Who do I contact about these questions, or for more information?
Procedures and policies vary widely by water district, so please contact your local provider's backflow department before doing any work. They can answer any questions you may have about provide more details on how the work should move forward so they can give you more detailed instructions. Here's contact info for most of the districts we serve: :
What's involved in removing a backflow assembly?
This depends on what type of line you're working with. There are usually two main scenarios:
Who can remove my backflow assembly?
Please refer to this section of our repair FAQ for more information on this topic.
What can I expect in terms of costs?
Removing a backflow assembly is often more costly than customers anticipate. Many of the prices we've heard from landscapers and plumbers range somewhere in the neighborhood of $500, but this can vary widely depending on the details of the work, and the contractor you choose to work with. At this price, it takes about ten years for removal to pay for itself in saved testing costs, and many folks with backflow assemblies that are otherwise in good working order decide to simply continue with testing until/unless the assembly develops issues that would require a costly fix.
If your backflow assembly is failing or in poor condition, or if downstream components (like upstream shutoff or service piping) are in poor condition, the math can change drastically. Replacing a failing or degrading backflow assembly often runs in the $1,000-$1,500 range, and you can count on at least a few hundred to replace faulty shutoffs, replace broken pipes, or make other upstream repairs. If the backflow assembly is serving something you no longer use, like an old landscape sprinkler system, decommissioning is very often cheaper than repairs or replacement, and it will save you future testing costs to boot.
DIY work is tempting for many property owners, and it could potentially save you some money, but keep in mind that the project may range from simple to exasperating, depending on the details of the work, combined with your experience, attention to detail, and general frustration tolerance. Some mistakes, like accidentally severing a nearby utility line, could easily cost you far more than what you would otherwise have saved. Consider what your time is worth and carefully think through the details of the project as you decide how to proceed.
Anything else I should know if I plan to decommission my landscape sprinkler system?
For irrigation systems specifically, we always advise customers to consider a few extra questions before going all-in. Ask yourself...
Can I remove my backflow assembly?
Customers sometimes express an interest in removing their backflow assembly to avoid the time and expense required to test, maintain, and repair this equipment. Though we do not offer removals as a service, we support this endeavor when customers are interested, and when the equipment can be safely and legally removed. Whether your water district will allow you to remove your backflow assembly will depend on...
- What's downstream of your backflow assembly: A landscape sprinkler system? A fire system? A hot tub or pool? A radiant heating system? All of these (among other uses) present potential contamination risks to your water supplier, in which case backflow protection will probably need to remain in place unless you wish to permanently disconnect any uses that warrant backflow protection.
- Local rules for backflow protection and cross-connections: for example, some water districts play it safe and require a backflow assembly at every meter, regardless of reported uses downstream. Or backflow protection may be required by city code for certain property types (especially commercial and multi-family residential).
- Hydraulic conditions: sites with substantial hydraulic head (such as tall buildings, or other sites with elevation gain downstream of the water meter) often benefit from backflow protection, which can also help your water district better regulate its service pressure.
What's my first step?
Your water district has final say on whether the backflow assembly will remain in place, so we always recommend that you start by contacting them to ask them a few questions, including:
- Is my backflow assembly eligible for removal?
- If removing my backflow assembly requires disconnecting any specific downstream water uses (like a landscape sprinkler system, for example, or a pool), what would I need to disconnect?
- Is there any paperwork I need to fill out in advance?
- Is there an approval process I'll need to go through before beginning removal?
- Which contractors are properly licensed to remove my backflow assembly?
- What other guidelines should I be following as part of the removal?
- What is the process for confirming/documenting removal and marking the backflow assembly inactive in your system?
Who do I contact about these questions, or for more information?
Procedures and policies vary widely by water district, so please contact your local provider's backflow department before doing any work. They can answer any questions you may have about provide more details on how the work should move forward so they can give you more detailed instructions. Here's contact info for most of the districts we serve: :
- City of Hillsboro: Rob Compton ([email protected] or 503.615.6702)
- McMinnville Water and Light: Amy Gonzalez ([email protected] or 503.472.6916 x5)
- City of Newberg: Backflow Testing Program ([email protected] or 503.554.6839)
- City of Sheridan: Sandy Davis ([email protected] or 971.312.2261) or Joe Loiselle ([email protected] or 503.437.0674)
- City of Forest Grove: Allen Raanes ([email protected] or 503.992.3115)
- City of Dundee: Chuck Simpson ([email protected] or 503.538.6700)
- City of Yamhill: Kim Steele ([email protected] or 503.662.3511)
- City of Carlton: Morgan Shelton ([email protected] or 503.852.3800)
What's involved in removing a backflow assembly?
This depends on what type of line you're working with. There are usually two main scenarios:
- If you're removing a backflow assembly because the downstream piping is no longer needed or used, this is often referred to as decommissioning, or "cut and cap." Many customers may wish to decommission (or cut and cap) their landscape sprinkler system, for example, and this is a helpful term to use to help water district staff better understand what you're trying to do. This usually involves, at minimum, removing the backflow assembly and capping the line. You may also be required to remove all unused piping to within a certain distance of where it "tees" off of the main line.
- If you're removing a backflow assembly on a line that you still use, but which no longer requires backflow protection, you'd simply replace the backflow assembly with a length of potable pipe. When this is done, it's usually because a water district has changed their backflow protection requirements. For example, we see this most often in the City of Sheridan, where the city used to require backflow protection on all new residential service lines, regardless of uses downstream. They have since discontinued this policy, so old assemblies are often eligible for removal if there are no specific cross-connection concerns onsite.
Who can remove my backflow assembly?
Please refer to this section of our repair FAQ for more information on this topic.
What can I expect in terms of costs?
Removing a backflow assembly is often more costly than customers anticipate. Many of the prices we've heard from landscapers and plumbers range somewhere in the neighborhood of $500, but this can vary widely depending on the details of the work, and the contractor you choose to work with. At this price, it takes about ten years for removal to pay for itself in saved testing costs, and many folks with backflow assemblies that are otherwise in good working order decide to simply continue with testing until/unless the assembly develops issues that would require a costly fix.
If your backflow assembly is failing or in poor condition, or if downstream components (like upstream shutoff or service piping) are in poor condition, the math can change drastically. Replacing a failing or degrading backflow assembly often runs in the $1,000-$1,500 range, and you can count on at least a few hundred to replace faulty shutoffs, replace broken pipes, or make other upstream repairs. If the backflow assembly is serving something you no longer use, like an old landscape sprinkler system, decommissioning is very often cheaper than repairs or replacement, and it will save you future testing costs to boot.
DIY work is tempting for many property owners, and it could potentially save you some money, but keep in mind that the project may range from simple to exasperating, depending on the details of the work, combined with your experience, attention to detail, and general frustration tolerance. Some mistakes, like accidentally severing a nearby utility line, could easily cost you far more than what you would otherwise have saved. Consider what your time is worth and carefully think through the details of the project as you decide how to proceed.
Anything else I should know if I plan to decommission my landscape sprinkler system?
For irrigation systems specifically, we always advise customers to consider a few extra questions before going all-in. Ask yourself...
- Am I 100% sure I have no foreseeable need for the irrigation system to keep my current landscaping or lawn in good condition, or to establish new landscaping that I may wish to install?
- How will decommissioning the irrigation system affect the resale value of my home? Depending on your landscaping, and the age and maintenance/repair needs of your current system, the answer may range from "no much" to "a whole lot."
- Does my HOA have any rules regarding irrigation systems? Your HOA may have requirements pertaining to sprinkler systems that could make decommissioning inadvisable. They may require regular lawn irrigation or a functioning sprinkler system, for example. Check with your HOA for more information on this.
- What would the cost/benefit analysis be for getting my currently unused system up and running again? If having a well-watered lawn, berry patch, veggie garden, or ornamental landscape would substantially enhance your day-to-day life, it may be worth talking with a landscaper to see what the cost would be to have the system assessed, renovated, and/or upgraded to help bring your dream landscape to fruition.
That about covers it! If you have any questions you don't see answered here, please give us a buzz!