Water and drain service
Backflow testing, installation and DEP filing in NYC
NYC DEP requires backflow prevention devices on many properties and an annual test by a certified tester, filed with the city. We install, test, repair and file in Brooklyn, Queens, Staten Island and Manhattan.
Backflow services
From the DEP letter to the filed test report.
Annual backflow testing
Required yearly on every installed device. Our certified tester performs the test and files the report with DEP.
Backflow preventer installation
RPZ and double-check assemblies sized to the service, with the engineering plans DEP requires for new installations.
Repair and rebuild
Failed test? Most devices are rebuilt with a repair kit and retested the same visit.
DEP compliance letters
If you received a DEP notice requiring a device or a test, we handle the response and the deadline.
Restaurants and commercial kitchens
Devices on the main and on equipment such as carbonators and dishwashers, tested on your schedule. See restaurant plumbing.
Irrigation and fire lines
Devices on lawn sprinkler systems and, with the appropriate contractor, fire service lines.
Why DEP requires it
A backflow preventer stops water in a building from flowing backward into the public main if pressure drops in the street, which can happen during a main break or heavy hydrant use. Without it, whatever is in the building's pipes, boiler water, chemicals, a submerged hose, can be pulled into the drinking water supply. DEP requires devices on properties with a potential hazard, which includes most commercial buildings, restaurants, buildings with boilers connected to the water supply, and properties with irrigation systems.
The device must be tested annually by a tester certified by New York State and registered with DEP, and the report filed. Missed tests bring notices and, eventually, water service action. We track the due date and schedule the test before it lapses.
Do you need a device?
- DEP sent a letter: yes, by the date in it
- Restaurant or food service: yes
- Commercial or mixed-use building: usually
- Boiler with a direct water feed: usually
- Lawn irrigation system: yes
- One-family house with none of the above: usually not
Backflow testing and prevention by borough
Same-day and scheduled service in every neighborhood we serve.
Brooklyn
ZIP codes 11201–11256
- Williamsburg
- Greenpoint
- DUMBO
- Brooklyn Heights
- Cobble Hill
- Carroll Gardens
- Red Hook
- Park Slope
Queens
ZIP codes 11004–11697
- Astoria
- Long Island City
- Sunnyside
- Woodside
- Jackson Heights
- Elmhurst
- Corona
- Flushing
Staten Island
ZIP codes 10301–10314
- St. George
- Tompkinsville
- Stapleton
- New Brighton
- West Brighton
- Port Richmond
- Westerleigh
- Clifton
Manhattan
ZIP codes 10001–10282
- Financial District
- Battery Park City
- Tribeca
- SoHo
- Chinatown
- Lower East Side
- East Village
- Greenwich Village
Questions
How often does a backflow preventer need testing in NYC?
Once a year, by a certified tester, with the test report filed with DEP.
What happens if a backflow test fails?
The device is repaired, usually with a rebuild kit on the spot, and retested. If it cannot be repaired, it is replaced.
Do I need engineering plans to install a backflow preventer?
For a new installation on a property DEP has identified, yes; DEP requires plans prepared by a licensed engineer or architect. We coordinate that as part of the job.
Can you respond to a DEP backflow notice?
Yes. We review the notice, install or test as required, and file the paperwork before the deadline.
Related: Restaurant plumbing · Maintenance plans · Plumbing maintenance
DEP letter about backflow?
Installation, testing and filing, handled before the deadline.
646-980-2411