Backflow Testing Glendale: Keeping LA County Businesses in Compliance
Glendale is a bustling commercial center in LA County — from the Brand Boulevard corridor to the Glendale Galleria area, from Montrose's mixed commercial spaces to the office buildings serving the city's diverse business community. If you own or manage a commercial property in Glendale, annual backflow testing is part of your responsibilities as a property owner. Here's everything you need to know.
What is backflow and why does it matter?
Backflow is the unwanted reversal of water flow in your plumbing system — contaminated water flowing backward into the clean water supply. A properly installed and maintained backflow prevention device stops this from happening, protecting your building's occupants and the public water supply.
California law requires annual testing of these devices on most commercial properties. The Glendale water department enforces this requirement, and failure to test results in fines and potential water service disconnection.
Which Glendale properties need testing
- Restaurants and food service establishments
- Office buildings and commercial offices
- Medical and dental offices
- Schools and educational facilities
- Multi-unit apartment and condo buildings
- Hotels and hospitality properties
- Industrial facilities
- Any property with an irrigation system connected to potable water
- Properties with fire suppression systems
What the test involves
A certified backflow tester isolates your backflow prevention device and checks each valve for proper operation. An RPZ (Reduced Pressure Zone) assembly, the most common type for commercial properties, has two check valves and a relief valve — all three need to pass their individual checks for the assembly to pass certification. The entire test takes 15-30 minutes per device.
If your device passes, you receive a certification document. Submit it to the Glendale water department and you're compliant for another year. If it fails, repairs need to be made and the device re-tested.
Glendale-specific requirements
Glendale maintains its own water system with specific requirements for backflow assembly installation, testing schedules, and record keeping. Working with a tester who knows Glendale's water department ensures your testing meets local standards and your paperwork is submitted correctly.
Staying on schedule
Missing a backflow test deadline triggers a notice from the water department and can escalate to fines. The easiest approach: schedule your annual test at the same time every year and set a reminder a few weeks before the deadline.
JJJ Plumbing provides certified backflow testing, repair, and certification for Glendale and all of LA County. We handle the testing and the paperwork — you just need to make the call. (626) 506-6951.