Cross Connection How To

Cross Connection How To

Before you start any project requiring a cross connection control, such as fire sprinkler system or irrigation sprinkler system, you will need a plumbing permit. You get the permit from the authority with jurisdiction over your home or business, which is usually your city or county’s building and permit department.

While your local jurisdictions issue the permits, Tacoma Water is ultimately responsible for all cross connections.

Jurisdiction permit information is below:

Tacoma – Building and Land Use Office
Federal Way – Permit Center
Fircrest – Building Permits
King County – Environmental Health Services
Lakewood – Building Permits
Pierce County – Planning and Land Services
Puyallup –Building Services
Ruston – Permits and Licenses
University Place – Building, Plumbing & Mechanical Permits

How to Test and Inspect Your Backflow Assembly

Any state certified backflow assembly tester (BAT) can test your assembly. To help you choose, see our list of certified backflow assembly testers.

If you select a BAT not on our list, please make sure that the tester provides us with copies of their current state certification and test equipment calibration certificates. We will not accept test reports from testers that have not provided that information. We verify that testers on our list are certified by the state and that their test equipment is calibrated, but we do not verify the status of tester business licenses. You should always ensure that the tester you hire meets the local licensing requirements.

We must inspect all new assemblies upon installation and conduct periodic re-inspections. Submit your online inspection request form to get started.

To help you streamline your annual testing, you can enroll in our Authorized Tester Program. This program allows us to send your annual test reminder directly to a BAT of your choice. It also lets us discuss your test results directly with the tester. This frees you from having to send test results to us since we will request them from the BAT. There is no cost for using the program.

 

How to Submit a Test Report to Tacoma Water

We accept most versions of backflow assembly test reports, provided they are completed in accordance with our guidelines and cover everything on the Tacoma Water test report form. See details and relevant forms below:

Join the Backflow Assembly Tester List

If you are a backflow assembly tester and would like to be included on the tester list we distribute to our customers, please complete and submit the authorized tester participation form.

The order in which we list testers is randomly generated each month. Testers remain listed for the current calendar year, provided their test kit calibration information is current with us.

Authorized Tester Participation Form
Current Tester List

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