Backflow testing in Palm Beach County

Who has to test in Palm Beach County

The rule depends on the utility that sends your water bill. Each line below is from that utility's own page.

• City of West Palm Beach Public Utilities: Testable assemblies on non residential connections must be tested after installation or repair and every year after, at the customer's expense.
• City of Boca Raton Utility Services: Facilities needing a backflow device include restaurants, medical and dental offices, schools, irrigation systems, buildings over three stories and reclaimed water users, among others.
• Palm Beach County Water Utilities Department: A county employee performs the first test at installation; after that a licensed contractor must test the assembly every year and after any repair or replacement.

Sources: City of West Palm Beach Public Utilities; City of Boca Raton Utility Services; Palm Beach County Water Utilities Department

How each utility takes the test report

Most utilities here take the report online through a vendor portal; the tester files it. Open a utility for its own deadline, filing steps and fees.

What testing costs in Palm Beach County

These are amounts the utility or a company published on its own page, shown as published, never averaged.

• Palm Beach County Water Utilities Department: The county performs the initial certification test when service is activated and bills $40.00 per assembly, plus $40.00 for each retest.
• Palm Beach County Water Utilities, West Palm Beach area: Palm Beach County initial backflow certification fee, $40.00 (date not shown).

Sources: Palm Beach County Water Utilities Department; Palm Beach County Water Utilities, West Palm Beach area

If the test is missed

• City of West Palm Beach Public Utilities: Violations of the manual can bring code enforcement proceedings, civil citations or a city lawsuit, and water service can be cut for failing to test.
• City of Boca Raton Utility Services: While BSI handles records, the City of Boca Raton keeps responsibility for managing the program, enforcement actions and billing.
• Palm Beach County Water Utilities Department: If an assembly is still out of compliance 60 days after the due date, the customer is warned that water service may be interrupted.

Sources: City of West Palm Beach Public Utilities; City of Boca Raton Utility Services; Palm Beach County Water Utilities Department

Florida rules behind the local programs

State rules set the minimum; the utilities above add their own deadlines and tester registration.

• The rule says each CWS's written plan must specify test frequency, and sets a floor: assemblies required at non-residential service connections (any connection other than a residential one as defined in the rule) are tested after installation or repair and at least annually. The frequency is set inside each CWS's plan but may not be less strict than this floor.
• Assemblies required at residential service connections (two inches or less, building containing only dwelling units, including dedicated irrigation or fire connections) are tested at least every two years, not annually.
• The state requires each CWS's plan to set the frequency, tester qualifications and test procedures, so details differ by utility.

Sources: Florida rule; Florida rule; Florida rule