A small mix-up in the search box brings people here. "Bend, OR" is Oregon, and its city rules are not covered on this page. We work around Long Beach, California, and below you will find how backflow protection works for local homes, lots and small businesses, plus the yearly test, the fees and the paperwork.
Backflow is the reverse trip: water traveling from a hose, a sprinkler loop or a fire line into the drinking supply. The valve set that blocks it is called a backflow assembly. If you own one, it is tested on a schedule, and when the test is due you need a plumber who handles it. For the wider code picture, see our notes on permits and gas piping rules.
What is the tester doing at my device?
Using a gauge kit clipped onto the small test ports, the tester shuts the valves one after another, watches how the check valves and the relief port behave, and writes the readings on a report. A pass goes to the water provider. A failure leads to a rebuild or replacement, then a fresh test.
On a typical home irrigation setup, the assembly sits in a ground box or standing above the soil, close to the meter or next to the sprinkler valves. It could be a pressure vacuum breaker, a double check or a reduced pressure type. The tester will want the make, model and serial number stamped on the body. Water is cut for a short stretch during the work.
Service normally returns within the hour. If the assembly has gone years without a test, parts inside can be worn or fouled with debris, so a repair kit is common.
Who has to test, and how often does it happen?
Long Beach Utilities rules say the owner of an assembly connected to the public water system must have it tested every year, using an approved tester, and the test sheet goes to the utility. Testing and any repair are due within 30 days of the annual due date. The utility may ask for tests more often if the hazard is serious.
The City of Long Beach Health Department runs the Cross-Connection Program and keeps a list of testers. A due-date letter normally arrives from the water provider. Ignoring it is a poor idea: the utility's rules allow it to shut off service if an unprotected cross-connection exists or an installed assembly is found defective.
San Pedro and Wilmington get water from LADWP, and several neighboring cities use their own water providers, so the program, forms and deadlines can differ. Check your latest notice or ask the water provider before you book.
What is the yearly bill for a test?
Most residential tests in California run roughly $90 to $200 per assembly, based on a 2026 cost guide that reports a national residential average near $143 and a California range of $128 to $279 for some providers. Reduced pressure units tend to cost more than vacuum breakers. Read these as a rough guide; a written quote after the visit is the real number.
Price depends on assembly size and type, reach, who files the paperwork, the number of devices and whether one fails. A repair kit or a full replacement, including a permit where one applies, comes on top of the test fee. A newly installed or replaced assembly usually needs a separate certification test, which costs more than the annual check.
Ask the plumber for the test price in writing, what the filing fee covers if there is one, and a repair range in case the device fails. If you manage several sites, our page on commercial backflow testing covers multiple devices.
How do I know my assembly needs a look?
A notice from the water provider is the main trigger, but physical signs count too: water spitting from the relief port, a device knocked by a mower or moved, a leak at a union, mineral crust or rust on the body, sprinklers that came on with low pressure, or an assembly that nobody remembers testing.
Salt air near the harbor speeds up corrosion on exposed brass and steel, so look over assemblies in side yards and garages. A device sitting in a box that floods is also a worry, so keep the lid clear and the box drained. Unsure whether you own one? Search for a brass or bronze valve assembly near the meter with two small test ports.
Lawn irrigation gets its own write-up in sprinkler system backflow testing, and the broader explainer is under backflow prevention testing.
Who can legally test or install one?
Testing must be done by someone on the approved tester list for the water provider. Putting in, moving or fixing an assembly is plumbing work. Most of it needs a contractor license in this state; the licensing board runs a lookup on its website. Always check the tester against the list first.
New assemblies must be low-lead rated, according to Long Beach Utilities rules, and a brand-new installation may need a plan check and a first test done by the utility. Permit requirements depend on the work, so the plumber can say if the city permit counter has to be involved.
Common questions
What length of visit is normal?
Roughly 15 to 30 minutes per assembly, and the water is off for only part of it. A repair adds time, and a second trip may follow when a part is on back order. Allow for access, so clear plants and clutter away from the device before the plumber arrives.
Does the plumber file the test report?
Usually yes, but ask. Many testers send the form to the water provider for you and include the fee in the price. In Long Beach the test sheet goes to the utility, and the 30-day window runs from the due date, so confirm who is sending it and when.
Can I be out when the tester comes?
Sometimes. The tester needs to reach the device and a shutoff, and the household should know the water will drop for a few minutes. With a locked yard, leave access details and a phone number so the plumber can confirm first.
See Harbor Lights Plumbing for the other services and what they cost.
References
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