A backflow assembly is a valve unit fitted to your water line. Its job is to keep dirty or contaminated water from reversing into the public supply. California expects a qualified tester to check every assembly annually and send the result to your water utility. If you own or manage a business in Burbank, this is one of the routine jobs a commercial plumbing visit covers, and we can line up the tester for you.
What is commercial backflow testing and who needs it?
A test confirms that the internal check valves and the relief valve in your assembly still seal under pressure as designed. Businesses that need it are those the water utility has rated as a contamination risk: restaurants, medical and dental offices, car washes, irrigation systems, fire sprinkler lines, laundries, and buildings with boilers or chemical use.
Under California's cross-connection rules, water suppliers run programs that survey properties and require assemblies at the connection where the risk is higher. Burbank Water and Power runs that program for the city. Its notice, not your guess, tells you whether a device on your property is on the list.
If you are not sure, look for a brass or bronze device with two shutoff valves and small test ports, usually near the meter, on an irrigation line or inside a mechanical room. A plumber can identify it. Backflow matters because a pressure drop in the street main can pull water from a boiler, a sprayer or a tank back into the pipe that serves the neighbors.
How often must a commercial backflow assembly be tested in Burbank?
Burbank Water and Power states that all backflow prevention assemblies require annual testing, and some may need more frequent checks depending on use and risk. The utility mails a notice and test form about one month before your compliance month. Test again after any repair, replacement or move of the assembly.
State policy says the same thing in more general terms: assemblies in a public water system's program are to be field tested at least annually. Your local utility sets the date and the reporting method, so follow the notice you receive, not a date from a neighbor.
Keep your last test report. If the notice does not arrive, the duty to test does not go away. Call Burbank Water and Power at (818) 238-3700 on weekdays and ask for your compliance month.
Who is allowed to test a backflow assembly in Burbank?
Burbank Water and Power requires a tester with the water industry certification it recognizes, and you may choose any tester from the list it publishes. From July 1, 2026, testers of meter protection assemblies need credentials from a provider recognized by the State Water Resources Control Board. Confirm your tester's status before booking.
The utility says it does not vouch for the quality of anyone on its list, so the choice is yours. Ask the tester for proof of recognition and ask whether they submit the report themselves. In Burbank, testers file results through an online portal run for the utility, and the tester normally handles the submission.
This is why a general plumber is not automatically the right person. A business that specializes in commercial work and backflow assemblies will already know the portal and the paperwork. We send a local plumber able to test and repair the assembly in a single visit.
What happens during a commercial backflow test?
The tester closes the shutoff valves in sequence, connects a calibrated differential pressure gauge to the test ports and measures whether each check valve and the relief valve open and seal at the pressure they should. A passing assembly takes well under an hour in most cases. A failing one needs repair or replacement and a retest.
The sequence for your building looks like this:
- The tester confirms the assembly type, size and location, and finds any damage or missing parts.
- Water to the building is shut off briefly. Tell tenants, kitchens or irrigation timers beforehand.
- The tester runs the test, records the readings and notes whether it passed.
- If it fails, the plumber quotes the repair, often a rubber seat, a spring or a check valve kit, or a replacement for an old unit.
- The result goes to the utility and you receive a copy.
Expect a brief interruption to the water. A restaurant should book the slot ahead of service, and any repair means a retest later.
What does it cost, and what happens if I miss the test?
Testing is a quick job with a fixed scope, so it is normally priced per assembly instead of by the hour, with repairs billed on top. Local figures vary with assembly size and count, so no price is printed here. The full breakdown is in our backflow testing cost guide. Missing the date has a defined penalty.
Burbank Water and Power states that if a test is not submitted by the due date, it may hire a plumber and bill you the full cost of the test plus a $65 administrative fee. A device that passed but was never reported is treated as a cross-connection violation, and continued noncompliance can lead to fines or service termination.
Avoid that by acting when the notice comes. A weekday booking at standard rates is far cheaper than an emergency visit at the end of your compliance month.
What does a commercial plumber do besides backflow testing?
Commercial plumbers handle bigger pipe and shared systems, such as leak repair, drain and sewer clearing, grease interceptors, commercial water heaters, restroom fixtures, gas shutoffs and tenant buildouts. The work is scheduled around opening hours and often needs permits. Backflow work sits in the middle because it touches both plumbing and water utility rules.
Live-work units and home offices blur the line between residential and commercial, and backflow rules can reach either one. One look at the connection is usually enough for a plumber to say.
For repairs, the same plumber can handle a failed assembly, a leak on the line before it or a pipe that froze or cracked. For urgent problems see our page on emergency commercial plumber visits, and for budget see commercial plumber hourly rates.
Questions people ask
How long does commercial backflow testing take?
One assembly that passes generally takes less than an hour, brief shutoff included. A failure adds time, since the plumber must repair the unit and test it again. Buildings with several assemblies, for example domestic, irrigation and fire lines, need longer. When you request a visit, tell us the number and the locations.
What should I ask before I hire someone for commercial backflow testing?
Find out if Burbank Water and Power recognizes the tester, if they file the report on your behalf, what repairs cost should the device fail, and if a retest is included in the price. Ask how they handle a short water shutoff in your business so a service day is not lost.
Do I need to be on site for backflow testing?
A person on site needs to open up the building and the assembly, and to okay any repair. The tester shuts the water off for a short time, so a manager who knows your trading hours is useful. If the assembly is in a locked room or on a roof, arrange the key before the visit.
Is annual testing a city rule or a state rule?
Both. California requires water suppliers to run cross-connection control programs, and the State Water Board's policy calls for testing assemblies at least annually. Burbank Water and Power applies it to customers and sets the date, notice and reporting. If your property is served by another utility, such as Glendale Water and Power or LADWP, check that utility's rules.
What if the notice never arrived?
You are still responsible. Phone Burbank Water and Power at (818) 238-3700 on weekdays between 7:30 a.m. and 5 p.m. and request your compliance month. Then book a tester well before the date. Do not count on a missed notice to excuse a late test, so do not wait for the mailbox.
More services are listed on the plumber guide for Burbank.
References
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