Orange County Utilities: backflow testing rules
Serves Unincorporated Orange County, FL. Every point below comes from Orange County Utilities's own pages, linked; check your notice for your own deadline.
Who must test
- Commercial and industrial backflow preventers must be tested at installation and every year after; residential ones at installation and every two years, plus after any repair, relocation or replacement. Source.
How the report is filed
- The certified tester emails the results, including any repairs or replacement, to Water.Backflow@ocfl.net on the county field test report form. Source.
Tester registration
- Anyone testing, installing or repairing an assembly in Orange County must be a state licensed plumbing contractor registered with the county building division; fire line testers need fire marshal certification. Source.
Fees
- Residential customers with a backflow preventer pay a $3 monthly maintenance fee on the utility bill, and the county does the testing for them. Source.
Approved testers
- Registered backflow testers can be looked up on the county's online services at fasttrack.ocfl.net by license type. Source.
If a test is missed
- Failing to test or maintain a required device is grounds for water service termination under Orange County Ordinance No. 2017-16, and the county may test or replace it at the customer's cost. Source.
Program
- Since January 1, 2018 Orange County Utilities owns, tests, repairs and replaces residential backflow devices; commercial owners still handle their own testing and reports. Source.
How to file your backflow test with Orange County Utilities
- Read your notice. It names the assembly, its location and the date the report is due.
- Book a tester Orange County Utilities accepts. See finding a tester below; book early so there is time to repair a failed assembly.
- The tester tests the assembly and fills in the test report. A failed assembly is repaired and tested again.
- The report is filed. The certified tester emails the results, including any repairs or replacement, to Water.Backflow@ocfl.net on the county field test report form.Source.
- Fees. Residential customers with a backflow preventer pay a $3 monthly maintenance fee on the utility bill, and the county does the testing for them. Source.
- Keep a copy and set a reminder for next year. Set a free test-due reminder.
Finding a tester Orange County Utilities accepts
Orange County Utilities keeps its register of testers in an online lookup on fasttrack.ocfl.net. We link it and do not copy it, because it changes as testers register. Open the lookup. The testers on this site hold a state certificate; registration with Orange County Utilities is a separate step.
Before you book, ask the tester:
- Are you registered with Orange County Utilities?
- Will you send the test report to the utility for me, and how?
- When is my report due? The date is on your notice; the tester needs time to test, repair if needed and file.
Other water utilities in Florida
- Miami-Dade Water and Sewer Department
- City of Tampa Water Department
- Orlando Utilities Commission
- Broward County Water and Wastewater Services
- City of Boca Raton Utility Services
- City of Fort Lauderdale Public Works
- City of Hollywood Public Utilities
- City of Pembroke Pines Utilities
Read October 6, 2026. Program page: ocfl.net.