Backflow Prevention for Small Businesses
Does your shop, clinic or cafe need a backflow device? What the rules mean and how annual testing works.
or email info@springvaleplumbing.com.au
- Springvale based
- Licensed plumbers and gasfitters
- Price agreed first
- Homes and shops
Why it matters
Backflow can draw contaminated water from your premises into the drinking water supply. Businesses that use chemicals, food processing equipment, medical equipment or irrigation may be required to have a device.
Who usually needs one
Restaurants, cafes, hairdressers, dental and medical clinics, car washes, factories, and buildings with fire services.
Types of devices
Different hazards need different devices, from simple dual check valves to reduced pressure zone devices for high-risk sites.
Annual testing
Testable devices must be tested every year by a licensed tester, and results reported to the water corporation.
Moving into a new tenancy
Check whether the premises already has a device and when it was last tested. A change of use may need a different device.
Reminders
We keep records and send reminders before tests are due.
Failed tests
Springs, seals and check valves wear. A failed device must be repaired and retested. We carry common kits and usually fix devices in one visit.
Costs of getting it wrong
A contamination incident can harm people and lead to serious consequences for a business. Keeping devices tested and maintained is a small task that avoids a big risk.
Homes and irrigation
Some homes with chemical-dosing irrigation or rainwater tanks connected to the house also need protection. We check and advise.
Food businesses
Coffee machines, carbonators and dishwashers connected to the water supply can create a backflow risk. Most need at least a non-testable device at the appliance, and the site may need a boundary device. We check and advise. If you are not sure whether your premises has a device, look near the water meter for a valve assembly with test points, or ask your landlord. We can inspect the site and tell you what is required.
Springvale ground and pipes
Springvale sits on a mix of sandy loam and heavier clay, and much of the suburb was built in the 1950s and 1960s with earthenware sewer pipes and galvanised or early copper water pipe. Clay joints shift over time and let roots in, rusting galvanised pipe slowly narrows and leaks, and drains under subdivided blocks are often shared between homes. We use drain cameras, locators and pressure tests to see exactly what is going on before anyone digs.
Related services
- Emergency plumbing
- Blocked drains
- Hot water
- Gas fitting
- Hot water replacement
- Heat pumps
- Leaking taps
- Burst pipes
- Toilets
- Leak detection
- Pipe relining
- Stormwater
- Bathrooms and kitchens
- Commercial plumbing
- Grease traps
- Backflow testing
More guides
Why Springvale homes and shops call us
Homes and shopfronts
From 1950s brick veneers to restaurant kitchens on the main strip, we work on both every week.
Plain explanations
We show you what we found, in plain English, with photos when they help.
A price before work
You get a fixed price once the fault is found. Nothing starts until you say yes.
Tidy and on time
We ring ahead, protect floors and take the old parts and mess away.
Get a free quote
Tell us what is happening and a licensed Springvale plumber will call you back.
How quoting works
Ring 03 7076 1660 or send the form with a short note and a photo if you can. A licensed plumber calls you back, asks a few questions and books a time. On site they find the cause, explain your options in plain English and give you a fixed price. Nothing starts until you agree, and larger jobs get a free written quote.
Need a plumber in Springvale?
Springvale, Springvale South, Noble Park, Keysborough and nearby suburbs. Quote-only: the plumber finds the fault first, then gives you a fixed price.