The City of Wilsonville supplies drinking water to the community that meets all EPA and Oregon Health Division requirements for public health and safety. Although the water that reaches Wilsonville homes and businesses is safe, it can be contaminated when non-potable water backflows into the potable water supply. Although most modern water-using fixtures and appliances have built-in backflow prevention features, there are some situations where a backflow prevention assembly is needed. Examples of these situations include yard irrigation systems, boilers, solar water heaters, fire sprinkler systems, spas, and swimming pools. Backflow prevention assemblies can be installed for these fixtures, on the owner's piping system, to keep non-potable water from backflowing into the owner’s or the City’s water system.
Examples of backflow prevention assemblies include:
If you are not sure whether or not you have a backflow prevention device, please see the online Backflow document for some basic information on how to identify your water meter and backflow assembly.
The City administers a Backflow Prevention Program to ensure that backflow prevention assemblies are installed where necessary and tested upon installation and annually thereafter by an Oregon Health Division certified tester. This program is required by Oregon law and City of Wilsonville code to ensure drinking water quality. It is the responsibility of the property owner to have backflow prevention assemblies installed where necessary and tested annually. Since most residential backflow prevention assemblies are used for irrigation systems, the deadline for testing of residential assemblies is June 30th to coincide with the start of irrigation season. For commercial accounts, the deadline for testing is the last day of the month in which the assembly was installed. Atmospheric vacuum breakers (AVBs) are excluded from this annual testing requirement. The Public Works Department notifies property owners by mail prior to their annual testing deadline. For property owners’ convenience, the City of Wilsonville maintains a list of certified backflow prevention assembly testers in the area.
If you have a backflow prevention assembly on your property, please do your part to maintain a safe drinking water supply for yourself and everyone in Wilsonville. Make sure your assembly is tested annually if required and, if needed, make any repairs immediately. Once installed and properly maintained, backflow prevention assemblies help keep the water you drink safe.
If you have any questions about Wilsonville’s Cross Connection Control Program, or want to know whether you need a backflow prevention assembly, please call the Cross Connection Control Manager at 503-570-1550.
For Backflow testers wanting to test, repair or replace backflows within the City of Wilsonville, testers will need to complete the Wilsonville Backflow Testers Requirements Form and return it to Public Works.