October is peak season for pumpkins, costumes, and spooky stories. It is also a perfect time to shine a flashlight into the places most people never think about: cross-connections, backflow devices, and the records that live in dusty file folders. Backflow incidents are the real-life horrors that can make your community sick and your program pay the price. The good news is they are preventable!
This guide walks you through the real risks, the technical checks that matter, and the program-level plays that turn chaos into control. When you finish reading, you will have a concrete plan to reduce risk, speed response, and sleep through Halloween night.
What is the Scary Stuff, Really? Backflow Explained with BSI’S Backflow Academy:
Backflow is when water goes the wrong way and drags contaminants into the potable water system. There are two main causes:
- Backpressure – when downstream pressure is higher than supply pressure. This can happen because of pumps, thermal expansion in boilers, or pressurizing equipment.
- Backsiphonage – when negative pressure in the distribution system creates a vacuum that pulls nonpotable water back into the supply. This can happen during breaks in the main, firefighting, or rapid high demand.
Both can lead to contaminants such as fertilizers, chemicals, wastewater, or industrial fluids entering drinking water. That is a public health emergency, not just paperwork.
BSI Online provides backflow education, comprehensive training, and resources to help you master the complexities of backflow program management. Whether you are a professional in the water industry, a property manager, or a business owner, our academy equips you with the knowledge and skills needed to navigate the intricate regulations and technical aspects of backflow prevention. Through practical insights and up-to-date compliance guidance, Backflow Academy empowers you to protect your water systems effectively, ensuring safety and compliance at every step.
Why October Matters:
Seasonal activity can increase risk, and October is a turning point:
- Irrigation systems are being shut down or flushed for winter, which often exposes cross-connections and failed devices.
- Event season is in full swing, with temporary plumbing for festivals and outdoor dining increasing the chance of temporary cross-connections.
- Many organizations conduct mid-year audits in fall, which makes it a smart time to incorporate backflow checks into your audit cycle.
Industry Experts:
BSI Online is proud to have industry experts on our team, including:
- A founding member of the American Backflow Prevention Association (ABPA)
- University of Florida TREEO/Backflow Management Certified Personnel
- Mechanical Engineer
- Licensed plumbers/backflow assembly testers
- Water Operator and State Plumbing Inspector
A Realistic Nightmare Scenario and How to Avoid:
Imagine a large event with temporary catering lines. A hose is connected to an auxiliary water source to fill an iced beverage station. During a brief pressure drop on the street main, that hose siphons contaminated water back into the building plumbing. The building keeps serving drinks. People get sick. The utility gets emergency calls, and the response cost and negative press are detrimental.
How to avoid it: enforce policies for temporary connections, require portable air gaps or PVBs on event hookups, verify permits and temporary device installs, and log everything in a central system.
Stop the Nightmares for Good!
If you would rather spend October planning a Halloween playlist than worrying about late notices and contamination events, we can help. BSI Online combines field-tested workflows, secure reporting, and automated compliance to keep your water safe and your team calm.
Seamless 24/7 Access to Backflow Program Management with BSI Online
The water purveyor has full control of its backflow program with access 24 hours a day, 7 days a week! BSI Online is industry-leading with the accessibility of our cloud-based solution, allowing multi-user access with custom user roles and permissions, and unlimited user licenses! Our water purveyors receive an emailed copy of the test report with complete transparency of all letters and reports sent.
Unlike other systems that only provide periodic reporting, BSI Online provides real-time data and reports to our clients. The water purveyor can create and access real-time custom and queried reports, including a non-compliance report. All information is available 24/7/365 directly from your dashboard! For more information, reach out to us at marketing@backflow.com. Click here!
