By now, we all know the drill with those “Exit Only” signs found on roadways and in parking lots. A safety precaution meant to maintain proper traffic flow so that vehicles move in one direction. A backflow prevention system works similarly by protecting potable water supplies from contamination due to backflow. Essentially, it’s a one-way gate that allows a city’s public water supply to flow into a customer’s pipes. It opens one way and stops anything from returning into the main water supply.
When most people think of a leak or a break in a water main supply line, they imagine lost water. Or they picture water actually seeping up from the ground. While that does happen, these events can also be the cause of a significant drop in pressure. When the pressure drops, there’s no force pushing water through pipes. The water that’s now contaminated with pesticides, human waste, soap, and other chemicals can potentially flow backward and straight into the cities water lines.
Today, we’ll talk about how a backflow prevention system works, the commonly installed types, and why it’s important to have. (more…)