Backflow Testing in Golden, CO

Signs you should schedule backflow work

• The city has asked for a test report on your assembly
• Your tester flagged the device as failed
• Water leaks from the device or its test cocks when the line is pressurized
• You are adding a sprinkler system or a connection that needs protection
• The device froze during a cold spell along Clear Creek

Golden's water system and backflow rules

Golden treats Clear Creek water at its own plant, and the City of Golden Utilities Department handles the cross-connection program. Assemblies must be tested by a certified cross-connection control technician, and the technician submits the results through the city's online test form or an emailed PDF form. The page the fact sheet relies on does not state how often testing is required, so confirm your schedule with Golden Utilities at 303-384-8170 instead of assuming one.

Homes inside city limits are on the city system, and few use wells. Addresses with a Golden mailing ZIP outside city limits may be served by another provider, and that provider's backflow rules would apply instead. Your water bill tells you which one you have.

Golden's setting matters too. The city sits between the Table Mountains and Lookout Mountain, cold air pools along the creek, and outdoor devices that aren't drained before freezing nights are the ones that crack. About 56% of homes in ZIP 80401 were built before 1980, so older irrigation tie-ins without proper protection can turn up during a test.

What affects cost

• Test, repair or replace. A passing test is the shortest visit.
• Assembly type. Reduced pressure units have more parts to check and rebuild.
• Freeze damage. Cracked bodies generally mean a new assembly.
• Permits. Golden's Building Division handles plumbing permits over the counter by email, usually in one to two business days.

When you call

An independent plumber who serves Golden will ask about the device, its location and why you need the visit. Ask whether they are certified as a cross-connection control technician so the report can go to the city right after the test. If the assembly is leaking now, close the valve that feeds it, usually the irrigation shutoff in the basement or a curb box in the yard, and leave it off until the plumber has looked at it.