Water Backflow Preventer Testing

Backflow Preventer Installation

Since I am married and live in a house in suburbia with a lawn, I have a lawn sprinkler system. The  water department insists that you install a backflow preventer in the water line that connects the sprinkler system to the main water supply line. This device is supposed to prevent water from the sprinkler system from being sucked back into the water mains should the main water supply fail. Since sprinkler systems are right down there at ground level where people may have applied pesticides or fetilizer and where animals are doing their business, the water in the sprinkler lines could be contaminated and so if it should ever get sucked back into the mains, the main supply could become contaminated, which could be bad for everyone in the neighborhood, if and when the water ever gets turned back on.

Vacuum Breaker

    I never liked the idea of annual testing, I mean who needs one more annual expense? So I thought I would get a vacuum breaker and install it in place of the backflow preventer.  The nice thing about backflow preventers is that they can be installed underground where they are out of sight and safe from freezing. Vacuum breakers need to be installed above ground, which means you need to turn off the water in the winter. They also need to be concealed from the homeowners association which takes a dim view of anything that disturbs the Disneyland like ambiance of the neighborhood.
    I've been kicking the idea around for a while, well, ever since I built the house, but installing one would involve a bunch of work, i.e. digging. That plus the fact that a good vacuum breaker would probably cost a couple of bucks led me to stall actually doing anything about it. Besides, I had more important stuff to do, like go to work and drink coffee. And the city, besides saying there was a requirement to get the backflow preventer tested back when I first built this house had never said anything more.
    The city has finally gotten off their bums and for the last six months or so have been sending me letters telling me I need to get the device tested. The letters have been coming more frequently, so I finally decided I should get it done. So I looked up their list of "approved backflow testers". It had phone numbers, but no addresses. These guys can't all be in Hillsboro, there isn't that much business, so being the nitwit I am I decided to track them down and see where they were actually located. I didn't want to be calling someone from the back of beyond. If it takes him an hour to get here it is most assuredly going to be reflected in the price. Better to call someone local.

List of CERTIFIED BACKFLOW DEVICE TESTERS for Hillsboro, Oregon with locations

Update March 2016. Replace missing picture.