Backflow Testing in Redlands, CA

How often does my Redlands assembly need testing?

At least once a year, plus after it is installed, repaired, replaced or relocated. The Redlands Municipal Utilities & Engineering Department's plan applies that rule to all backflow prevention assemblies with active water service, so a landscape meter that runs only part of the year still counts. Redlands supplies water to the city and Mentone, parts of Crafton Hills and San Timoteo Canyon and a small part of San Bernardino, and the same plan covers those customers. The owner pays for the test.

Who can test it, and how do results reach the City?

The tester must hold a recognized backflow tester certification, carry a City business license, submit an annual gauge calibration to the City and file results through BSI Online. That's a longer list than many cities use, so confirm a tester is set up with Redlands before the appointment. A test done by someone without those credentials, or recorded on a paper form that never reaches BSI Online, may not count. The utility's customer service line, (909) 798-7516, can confirm whether your result was received.

What if the assembly fails or needs to move?

A failed assembly needs repair or replacement and a new test, since the plan requires testing after repair or replacement. Typical fixes are new check rubber, springs or a relief valve kit; a cracked or obsolete body is replaced. Moving or adding an assembly is plumbing work that may need a permit from the City of Redlands Building & Safety Division at its One Stop Permit Center on Cajon Street, which issues plumbing permits and runs an online portal. Redlands' water is a mix of groundwater and treated surface water, and both carry minerals that can build up on check seats over the years.

A local note

Assemblies on mature landscaping and long-standing commercial buildings may have been in place for many years, and older units are the ones most likely to need a rebuild. If you manage several Redlands properties, put every device on one yearly calendar so no test slips past its anniversary date. The City also reports no lead or galvanized-requiring-replacement service lines in its distribution system, so a backflow visit is usually about the assembly itself, not the pipe feeding it.