Becoming a certified backflow tester in South Carolina
R.61-58.7(F)(8) sets four types of certified backflow tester: General Tester, Limited Tester, Inspector Tester and Manufacturer's Agent.
Getting certified in South Carolina
SCDES defines the General Tester as the certified class that provides backflow testing services to the general public.
SCDES certifies testers through a four-day course; students who pass a proctored practical exam and a written exam are certified as Backflow Prevention Assembly Testers.
SCDES must be the certifying agency for all testers in South Carolina. Testers certified elsewhere must attend and pass a one-day SCDES event with a written and practical exam.
The SCDES reciprocity application states a fee of $175.00 for the required one-day class and processing of certification.
Under R.61-58.7(F)(8), a tester's license expires three years from issue; renewal requires a written exam (70% to pass) and testing an RP, a double check and a pressure vacuum breaker with the tester's own gauge.
R.61-58.7(F)(8) allows a nominal fee for administering tester recertification, capped at fifty dollars ($50.00).
Under R.61-58.7(F)(8), SCDES may revoke a tester's certification for incompetence or falsified test results.
Sources: Four classes of certified tester; General Testers serve the public; SCDES runs a four-day certification course with written and practical exams
Who may test in South Carolina
SCDES states that all backflow testing in South Carolina must be done by a state certified backflow prevention tester.
Charleston Water System asks customers to have assemblies tested annually by a third-party tester from its own Approved Tester List.
Sources: Only state certified testers may test; Charleston Water: only its Approved Tester List
Approved training courses
SCDES certifies every tester in South Carolina and runs the four-day tester course itself. Testers certified elsewhere attend a one-day SCDES class; the reciprocity fee is $175.
A tester's license expires every three years. To recertify, contact one of the recertification stations SCDES lists; the proctor sets the dates and costs. Test gauges must be certified or calibrated every year.
| Provider | City | Course | Cost | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SC Department of Environmental Services (state course) | West Columbia, North Charleston and Seneca, SC (2026 classes) | Four-day tester certification course | Not printed | des.sc.gov |
| Zorn Consulting, LLC | Cope, SC | Recertification station (written exam and wet lab) | Set by proctor | des.sc.gov |
| Palmetto Alliance Institute | Oconee, Pickens and Anderson area | Recertification station (written exam and wet lab) | Set by proctor | des.sc.gov |
| Campobello Water (clinics at Inman) | Spartanburg area | Recertification station (written exam and wet lab) | Set by proctor | des.sc.gov |
| City of Columbia | Columbia area | Recertification station (written exam and wet lab) | Set by proctor | des.sc.gov |
| City of Florence | Florence area | Recertification station (written exam and wet lab) | Set by proctor | des.sc.gov |
| Charleston Water System | Charleston area | Recertification station (written exam and wet lab) | Set by proctor | des.sc.gov |
| Greenwood C.P.W. | Greenwood area | Recertification station (written exam and wet lab) | Set by proctor | des.sc.gov |
| Grand Strand Water and Sewer Authority | Myrtle Beach, Conway and Marion areas | Recertification station (written exam and wet lab) | Set by proctor | des.sc.gov |
Sources: SCDES, cross-connection control and backflow prevention; SCDES, tester certification course overview; SCDES reciprocity application; SCDES, recertification stations and study guide
Common questions
Who certifies backflow testers in South Carolina?
The South Carolina Department of Environmental Services (SCDES) certifies all backflow testers through a four-day course with written and practical exams. Certification lasts three years.