| Wilmington
residents expect their water to be clean and safe.
For this reason, the City's Department of Public
Utilities goes to great effort to ensure that the water
delivered to your home is of the highest quality.
Water distribution systems are designed for water to
flow only in one direction from the main to the
customer. However, there are conditions that take
place within the system that can cause the water to flow
in the opposite direction. When water flows
backwards in an unprotected system, it is called
backflow.
Backflow can occur when pressure in the distribution
system drops. Examples of this are during fire
fighting or when a water main breaks. When this
happens, and substance that may be in contact with the
water line through a cross connection could be sucked
into the system. This type of backflow is called
back-siphonage.
Backflow can also occur when an unprotected water
supply line is attached to a container or pipe which
contains substances under pressure, such as a boiler or
a water circulation system. Conditions can cause
these substances to be pumped back into the water system
through the cross connection. This is known as
back-pressure. (Source: Wilmington's Department of
Public Utilities, Environmental Services Div.) |
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Backflow Prevention
Federal law requires the City of
Wilmington to protect the water supply from potential
contamination or pollution. The City has
developed and implemented an ordinance that requires all
industrial, commercial and irrigation customers to
install backflow prevention assemblies. These
assemblies must be installed on the customer's property.
After an approved backflow prevention assembly has been
installed and tested, it must be re-tested annually. |
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Working Together
RJP Contractors would like to offer Home
Owner's Associations a cost-effective, efficient process
to annually test the backflow preventers.
Customers will receive a notice of the annual
inspection. Simply fax it to our office, we will
schedule the inspection. Homeowners do not have to
be present for the inspection to take place.
Once the inspection is completed, RJP will complete the
appropriate forms for City compliance and then the
report will be cataloged by RJP to schedule the next
annual inspection. |
