As required by federal, state and local regulations, Citizens Energy Group enforces its Backflow Prevention and Cross Connection Control Program to keep our drinking water safe.
Customers with backflow prevention devices play an integral role in ensuring water safety, quality and reliability for the entire community through the installation, maintenance and annual testing of their devices in compliance with these regulations.
How Do I Know If I Have a Cross Connection and a Backflow Prevention Device?
A cross connection is any physical arrangement where a public water supply is directly connected, either continuously or intermittently, with any secondary source of supply.
Examples include irrigation systems, storage reservoirs, plumbing fixtures, small boilers, cooling towers, fire water storage tanks, commercial laundry, commercial dishwashers, soda machines or other devices that contain or may contain water, contaminated liquid, or other water of unknown or unsafe quality.
A backflow prevention device, or cross connection control device, is any device or assembly that can prevent contaminants from entering the public water supply. Your plumber or irrigation contractor can confirm whether you have any backflow prevention devices.
What Happens If I Don’t Get My Device Tested?
Improperly maintained backflow prevention devices can cause contaminated water to flow back into our public water supply, adversely affecting the availability of the water supply and/or threatening public health. It is imperative that water customers annually test devices and submit test results through the proper channels to help prevent this from occurring.
Noncompliance may prompt Citizens to take further action, which may include penalties, fines or termination of water supply.
How Can I Learn More?
Visit citizensenergygroup.com/backflow for more information about our Backflow Prevention and Cross Connection Control Program. If you have a backflow prevention device, Citizens relies on you to fulfill your responsibility to hire a certified backflow tester and have them submit your test results within 30 days. A list of certified Indiana testers is available under the “Resources” tab at TrackMyBackflow.com.
If you have additional questions about the Backflow Prevention and Cross Connection Control Program, please contact Aqua Backflow, which has been engaged by Citizens to assist with program operations. They can be reached at info@AquaBackflow.com or 847-742-2296.