December can often feel like the calm after a busy year. Communities shift indoors, irrigation systems are winterized, and many commercial facilities reduce operations or close temporarily… overall water demand drops significantly.
For water purveyors and municipalities, however, this is rarely a quiet month. Year-end compliance deadlines, reduced staffing, and colder weather create a unique combination of challenges that can elevate backflow and cross-connection risks if they go unaddressed.
The end of the year also offers a valuable opportunity to strengthen your cross-connection control program before the new reporting cycle begins.
Why Winter Changes the Risk Profile
Lower water usage alters flow patterns across a system:
❄️ Stagnation in seasonal or vacant properties allows water to sit in service lines for weeks or months.
❄️ Heating and boiler systems operate at peak loads, creating pressure fluctuations.
❄️ Freeze-thaw cycles and emergency repairs can produce sudden vacuum conditions.
❄️ Holiday schedules often mean fewer staff are available for routine oversight and faster response times.
These factors do not eliminate the need for backflow protection; they make properly functioning, regularly tested assemblies even more critical.
Common December Pressure Points
❄️ Dormant commercial and industrial facilities with trapped chemicals
❄️ Increased boiler and heating-system demand
❄️ Reduced field staffing and longer response times
❄️ Last-minute customer or contractor modifications to protect against freezing
❄️ Delayed test report submissions as everyone rushes to close out the year
Turning Year-End Pressure Into Long-Term Improvement
The challenges that surface in December – missed tests, late paperwork, and communication bottlenecks reveal exactly where a backflow/cross-connection control program can be strengthened. Addressing the areas where improvement is necessary now prevents the same issues from repeating in 2026.
Now is the ideal time to evaluate processes, adopt tools that reduce manual work, and set the stage for a smoother, more proactive year ahead.
How BSI Online Supports Water Systems Through Year-End and Beyond
BSI Online was designed to help water purveyors maintain control during the busiest (and quietest) seasons alike. Key ways we help in December:
❄️ Real-time compliance dashboards with instant visibility into outstanding tests and due dates
❄️ Automated customer and tester reminders that keep reports flowing in
❄️ Cloud-based digital test-report submission – no more waiting for paper forms or mailed envelopes
❄️ Customizable year-end reports generated in minutes for regulators and auditors
❄️ Dedicated support staff to handle inbound water customer and tester inquiries when internal resources are limited
The result: compliance stays on track, staff time is protected, and the transition into the new year is significantly less stressful.
Start 2026 on the Path to Compliance
A successful January begins in December. Taking steps now to streamline tracking, testing, and reporting supports the entire compliance cycle.
If this year revealed opportunities to modernize your backflow program, BSI is here to help you implement those changes quickly and effectively.
Wishing you a safe, successful close to 2025 and a well-prepared start to the year ahead.
