What is a “Cross Connection”?

A cross connection is a permanent or temporary piping arrangement which can allow you drinking water to be contaminated if a backflow condition occurs.

What is “Backflow”?

It’s just what it sounds like: the water is flowing in the opposite direction from its normal flow. With the direction of flow reversed, due to a change in pressure, backflow can allow contaminants to enter our drinking water through cross connections.

Any fertilizers, chemicals, pesticides or other substances that are applied to your lawn or garden may contaminate the water that collects around your sprinkler heads. If just one or your sprinkler heads became submerged in this contaminated water and your sprinkler system was not equipped with a backflow preventer, it would become possible for contaminants to flow back into your drinking water. To protect your drinking water from these hazards, the Uniform Plumbing Code and the Oquirrh Mountain Water Company Rule for the Control of Backflow and Cross Connections require that all lawn sprinklers connected to the potable (drinkable) water system shall be equipped with an approved backflow preventer. Without the protection of a backflow preventer, your health could be at risk.

Required Backflow Type:

WILKINS MODEL 375 RP REDUCED PRESSURE BACKFLOW PREVENTER.

This type of backflow preventer will protect the water supply effectively if installed and maintained properly. You can purchase these backflow preventers at your local plumbing supply or home center. Double check valve and pressure vacuum breakers devices are NOT approved backflow preventers.

Once your sprinkler system and the Reduced Pressure Backflow Preventer are installed, notify Oquirrh Mountain Water Company for an inspection of the backflow preventer installation and if approved, received your $500 inspection deposit.

Annual Water Quality Reports

INSTALLING A SPRINKLING SYSTEM?

Have you purchased backflow protection?
Your sprinkler system is a potentially hazardous cross connection!

Oquirrh Mountain Water Company

​​(801) 508-0397