An Ounce of Prevention Can Be a Pound of Pain

Annual backflow preventer tests irritate some JEA customers, but offer worthwhile prevention for safe drinking water

In a time when neighbors are often sharply divided in their opinions and beliefs, there is at least one issue upon which we can all agree: drinking water should be safe. 

For residents and business owners that live and work in the historic districts, the responsibility of ensuring safe, uncontaminated drinking water falls mainly on JEA. But JEA customers also have an important role to play by maintaining backflow prevention devices on their properties.

If you don’t know what a backflow prevention device is, and you own property, keep reading. This may save you time, money and trouble down the road.

Backflow occurs when water flows in the wrong direction from a customer’s water system into the public water supply. It may be caused by back-siphonage or back pressure, according to JEA.

A backflow prevention device, or backflow preventer, is a mechanical device that prevents water from entering the public water supply. These devices are required on properties that have an irrigation system that uses reclaimed, pond or well water.

The issue of testing, repairing or replacing backflow preventers emerges every few years here in Northeast Florida as property owners are unexpectedly notified that they must pay hundreds of dollars to repair or replace their malfunctioning backflow preventer.

Estimates vary from just over $500 to more than $1,400 to replace the devices – a not-so-insignificant investment for small businesses or homeowners on a fixed income.

Why such a wide range of cost estimates? Who performs these tests? And is it ethical for them to offer repairs on a backflow preventer they tested? Why are these notifications catching property owners by surprise? And are any properties exempt from this requirement?

The Resident News went searching for answers to help inform readers and here’s what we found. 

Testing and Compliance

Since 1990, the Florida Building Code has required that residential irrigation systems have a backflow preventer. According to JEA’s website, the City of Jacksonville and JEA both require that all commercial water services install a backflow preventer device “unless specifically exempted.”

In 2014, to further protect drinking water from possible contamination, Florida updated the code, requiring utilities to establish and implement a cross-connection control program using backflow protection. This update created more stringent rules for the frequency of testing and reporting to the Department of Environmental Protection. 

According to JEA and publicly available state codes, backflow preventers must be tested every year for commercial properties and every two years for residential properties. For residential customers, this process is automatic. The devices are tested by JEA contractors, “unless [customers] choose to opt out and have their own vendor perform the test,” according to a JEA spokesperson.

However, commercial property owners “are responsible for maintaining their own compliance,” the JEA spokesperson said. According to its website, JEA sends emails and automated phone calls to remind commercial customers that their backflow preventer is due for testing.

“Whether or not you receive a courtesy reminder from JEA, you need to contract to have your backflow preventers tested before the due date,” the JEA spokesperson said. Commercial property owners may also opt-in to JEA’s backflow testing program to have a JEA-approved vendor test their devices.

Qualified Vendors

On its website, JEA offers a list of qualified vendors with phone numbers, though the utility does not recommend one vendor over another.

JEA states on its website: “JEA Qualified Vendors also may contact you to schedule testing. While you’re not required to hire any vendor that contacts you, the vendor you select must be a JEA Qualified Vendor,” though the spokesperson added they “recommend” customers contact several vendors before making a decision.

JEA does not prohibit its qualified vendors from offering to repair or replace the same backflow preventers those vendors have tested. In fact, it’s common practice for vendors to follow up with a cost estimate after they have notified that customer that their backflow preventer failed.

Mike Barker, who owns several commercial properties in Riverside and is a JEA customer, believes this is problematic.

“In my opinion, it is a conflict of interest,” Barker wrote in an email regarding his experience with JEA vendor Fire Sprinkler Services FL (FSS), which inspected several of his properties. “Shortly after alleging the failure, FSS sent us a repair quote of $1,100 to remedy the violation.”

“FSS positioned themselves to benefit from their own report, and quoted twice what our plumber did for a repair,” Barker stated. Barker provided The Resident News with a similar quote from FSS for $1,445, dated November 15, 2021.

According to Rosie Ailstock with FSS, the company performs thousands of residential and commercial backflow preventer tests every year for JEA and other direct customers. Ailstock said the company notifies customers that they are not required to use FSS for repairs.

“We sometimes have this stated in quotes, emails and we let people know over the phone. We believe it’s good business to get multiple quotes to keep companies honest with their pricing,” Ailstock said.

The November 2021 quote from FSS shared by Barker, states “We appreciate the opportunity to provide you with our price for the following scope of work.” However, the quote does not contain any statement notifying him that he is not required to use their services.

JEA’s spokesperson said, “Vendors contracted with JEA to perform backflow preventer testing are required to communicate that the customer does not have to use their services for repairs.”

The Resident News also reached out to Bob’s Backflow and Plumbing Services, another JEA qualified contractor that performs thousands of backflow preventer tests every year.

Kari Gardner, who serves as vice president and runs the company with her husband, said they take a more direct approach. After performing a test, they leave a JEA-supplied door-hanger that summarizes the results of the test, and they attach an additional note to customers stating “you are not obligated to use our company for repairs.” Gardner said her employees then follow-up with customers via phone and offer a cost estimate on the repairs.

“We’re just very up front with people that they don’t have to use us,” Gardner said. “Our business model is we’re just honest. If we’ve screwed up, we tell people.”

A Range of Costs

Gardner said Bob’s Backflow and Plumbing Services charges approximately $560 to replace a typical residential backflow preventer on a 1-inch water supply line. That estimate includes cutting out the old device, installing the new one and weatherizing it for added protection.

Ailstock estimated approximately $595 to “several thousand” for a replacement with FSS. She said variables include size, type, whether it’s surrounded by concrete, whether the work must be done after hours, etc. – “not to mention the cost of materials that keep going up.”

The cost of the devices themselves ranges from around $150 to more than $500. Gardner said her company orders parts in bulk to help keep costs down for customers. “[Backflow prevention] is all we do, so we buy large quantities for better pricing,” she said.

There are additional costs for failure to comply. If a commercial property owner neglects to get their backflow preventers tested by the annual deadline, JEA may schedule a test and add that cost – roughly $35 – to the customer’s next utility bill.

Failure to repair or replace a backflow preventer could result in additional fines and the discontinuation of utility services, though JEA’s website states it “only uses these actions as a last resort to ensure the safety of the public water supply.”

Exemptions

In a statement, JEA said it has an “exemption program” and only “low-risk commercial premises are eligible,” citing an example of a low-risk commercial property as an accounting office in a converted home.

“The customer must apply for the exemption and be approved by the Cross-Connection Control team. The guidelines are on the application,” JEA said. However, when asked for a copy of the application, the JEA spokesperson did not send it before our print deadline.

JEA said it tracks exempt properties, however, the utility requires property owners to reapply for exemption every two years regardless of whether they were granted exemption in the past.

JEA’s Cross Contamination Control Policy states that JEA “requires backflow preventers to be maintained on all commercial facilities built since 1990. Commercial facilities built prior to 1990 that present a hazard to the public water system must also maintain a backflow preventer.”

In the policy, JEA lists nearly 50 types of facilities that present a “hazard” to the public water system and, therefore, are not exempt. These categories include medical offices, hospitals, restaurants, schools and dozens of various industrial facilities.

For more information on exemptions, JEA customers can contact its Cross-Connection Control Team at (904) 665-6250 or email [email protected].

Caught by Surprise

Some JEA customers appear to be surprised when it’s time for their backflow preventer test. For some, this may be an entirely new issue to navigate, whereas customers like Barker are irritated by the “absurd” and complicated process for exemptions and the lack of clear communication from vendors.

JEA appears to have taken a proactive approach to informing its customers of its policies and notifying them of imminent deadlines. The utility has created several pages worth of educational material and resources on its website. It has published, in full, its Cross Contamination Control Policy and its full list of qualified vendors. The site also says JEA has sent annual reminder letters to all commercial water customers for the past several years. A JEA spokesperson confirmed that by 2016, the utility was contacting all commercial customers annually and “most of our customers with JEA residential irrigation services biennially.” 

“We are also working to increase awareness through customer education programs,” the company states.

For many, backflow preventer maintenance might seem as appealing as filing federal taxes or getting a colonoscopy. It’s certainly not something you look forward to doing. However, it’s an obligation that won’t disappear anytime soon. And like a colonoscopy, this ounce of prevention may be worthwhile if it keeps drinking water safe for the broader community.