Backflow Testing in Sun City West, AZ

Signs you need a tester

• EPCOR sent word that an annual test is due
• The assembly near your meter weeps or sprays when the drip system starts
• A repair or relocation was done and the device has not been retested
• You moved in and have no record of when the last test happened
• A pool, fountain or landscape line was added off the house supply
• The device looks bleached, cracked or crusted after years in the sun

Local conditions in Sun City West

Sun City West is unincorporated and has no city government, so the water rules come from the utility, not a town hall. EPCOR, a private regulated company, serves about 15,600 connections here. Its Cross Connection Control Department puts the duty on the customer: required assemblies are tested at installation, after repair or relocation, and once a year after that, by a certified backflow tester. The report must reach EPCOR within 30 days of the test. EPCOR also asks that assemblies sit within 36 inches of the water meter unless it directs otherwise. Questions go to 480-450-2077 or crossconnection@epcor.com.

The community's water report lists hardness of 3 to 11 grains per gallon, on the softer side for the Valley, so scale is less often the culprit here than worn rubber and springs. Desert sun is hard on exposed parts in any case.

Plumbing permits for new or moved assemblies come from Maricopa County Planning and Development, since there is no city building department. Golf courses and recreation centers are community-managed, and their equipment is not something a homeowner schedules.

What affects cost

• A straight annual test compared with a test, a rebuild and a retest
• Device type: pressure vacuum breaker, double check or reduced pressure
• Whether the unit must be moved closer to the meter to meet EPCOR's placement rule
• Replacement parts versus a whole new assembly
• Any county permit for relocation or new work

Once you call

You'll be connected with an independent plumber who covers Sun City West. Share the EPCOR notice, mention where the device sits relative to the meter, and ask the plumber to send the report to EPCOR so it lands within the 30-day window.