Cross Connection Control
What you need to know
If you receive a letter indicating that your backflow preventer(s) must be tested, you will need to contact a qualified professional to schedule the test.
Testing must be performed by an American Society of Sanitary Engineering (ASSE) certified professional. Most plumbing companies and water industry businesses employ ASSE certified professionals.
If the backflow preventer fails the test, it must be repaired by a licensed plumber and tested again before the test form is submitted. Once your test is complete, you must submit a completed commercial backflow test form by mail or email using the instructions below.
- Mail:
Backflow Prevention
Water System, City of Grand Rapids
1900 Oak Industrial Drive NE
Grand Rapids, MI 49505 - Email:
backflow@grand-rapids.mi.us
You can find a certified tester using the ASSE Certified Professionals Search.
We are committed to providing customers with safe and reliable drinking water. Protecting the drinking water supply is a shared responsibility. As part of this commitment, we operate a cross-connection control program to help prevent contamination of the potable (drinking) water supply.
What is a Cross-Connection?
A cross-connection is any actual or potential physical link between a safe, potable water supply and a source of non-potable, contaminated water or fluids. These dangerous, often invisible, connections allow contaminants—like chemicals, sewage, or stagnant water—to enter drinking water pipes via backflow caused by pressure changes.
The Michigan Safe Drinking Water Act requires water suppliers to have a comprehensive cross connection control program. This program is for the elimination and prevention of all cross connections. Routine inspections of existing commercial, industrial and multi-family residential properties are conducted to locate cross connections. One and two family residential homes are required to be inspected for cross connections at the time of construction or renovation when changes to the plumbing system are made.
Customers must maintain their potable water systems free of cross connections as required by The Michigan Plumbing Code, Part 14 Administrative Rules promulgated under The Michigan Safe Drinking Water Act and Local Cross Connection Rules. If contamination was to happen in your potable water system as a result of a cross connection, the property owner could be held liable for damages.
Cross-connection Prevention
Every connection to a potable water system needs to be protected against backflow. You must protect the system by an air gap or an approved backflow prevention device.
Take time to inspect your private water system and make any necessary corrections. If you can't inspect your private water system for cross connections, contact a plumber. A plumber can inspect it for you.
Check out Section 11 of the Water System Rules and Regulations. This section provides more specific details about required backflow prevention devices. Residential customers can find more information by clicking on the Residential Cross Connections button. If you have any questions, please contact us.
Backflow Testing
One and two family residential customers that have an irrigation system with a testable backflow preventer will need to submit a current year backflow test once every five years upon notification from the Water System. For more information click on the Residential Irrigation FAQ’s button.
Commercial, Industrial and multi-family residential customers will need to submit current year backflow tests once every two years upon notification from the Water System. Properties that are deemed high hazard facilities will have to submit backflow tests every year.
Contact Us
Phone
616-456-4170
Fax
616-456-3138
Email
backflow@grcity.us
Location
1900 Oak Industrial Dr NE
Grand Rapids, MI 49505
