Under Barwon Water’s Backflow Prevention Containment Policy, new and existing commercial, industrial and residential properties rated as medium or high risk of contaminating the water supply are required to have appropriate backflow prevention device/s installed at the main water meter.
Medium or high-risk property examples are (but not limited to):
- Schools
- Kindergartens & Early Learning Centres
- Medical clinics
- Shops
- Factories
- Warehouses
- Hair dressing salons
- Aged care facilities
- Petrol stations
- Panel beating & spray painting premises
- Funeral homes
- Restaurants & cafés
- Caravan parks
- Car yards
- Dry cleaners
- Hotels/motels
- Hospitals
- Public swimming pools
Each device must be tested annually by an accredited backflow prevention plumber to ensure it continues to work efficiently to stop backflow from entering the water supply.
What is backflow?
Backflow occurs when water within a property is drawn back into the water mains, compromising the integrity of our reticulated water supply system, and possibly contaminating our drinking water. This can happen when:
- pressure within the main supply drops
- there is a cross connection between your water supply and a contaminated source, or
- a nearby property working with chemicals or other contaminants uses the water supply.
Contaminants in our drinking water endanger people’s health and can be deadly. By minimising the risk of this occurring, backflow prevention protects and preserves the quality of our water supply and safeguards the health and wellbeing of our community.
Call Tomlinson Plumbing on 5261 2422, we’re accredited backflow prevention device testers.