Backflow Testing in Fallbrook, CA

Signs your backflow device needs work

• Your water supplier sent a test request or asked about a device on file
• Water spills from the device every time an irrigation zone starts
• The assembly has never been tested since you bought the property
• A cracked body or split fitting turns up after a cold night
• You're adding irrigation, a recycled water hookup or a business use, any of which usually brings cross-connection requirements

Local conditions in Fallbrook

FPUD was formed to deliver water to the Fallbrook community and now serves about 35,000 people across a 28,000-acre service area. Its supply blends imported Colorado River and State Water Project water, treated at Metropolitan's Lake Skinner plant, with local water from the Santa Margarita River. The district also runs a recycled water system. A district with drinking water and recycled water in the same area has every reason to watch cross connections, but no FPUD testing schedule, tester list or reporting method turned up, so the district's own notice is your guide. FPUD answers at (760) 728-1125.

On ownership, FPUD says customers repair leaks on the property's side of the meter, while the district handles the meter, the street and hydrants. A backflow device on your side of the meter falls in that private zone. Rainbow Municipal Water District serves some outer Fallbrook addresses, and its requirements may differ, so check the name on your bill.

Properties with a lot of landscaping run irrigation hard through hot inland summers, and exposed devices on hillsides can take a beating on cold winter nights.

What drives the price

• How many devices the property has
• Type and size of each assembly
• A repair kit versus full replacement
• Distance and access on rural roads
• Permits: Fallbrook is unincorporated, so permit questions for a new or relocated assembly go through the County of San Diego

What happens when you call

You reach a free referral service that connects you with an independent plumber serving Fallbrook. Have your water bill handy so you can say whether you're on FPUD or Rainbow, and describe where the device sits and what it's doing. The plumber can test, repair or replace the assembly and fill out whatever form your district asks for.