Backflow Testing in Rialto, CA

Who sets the backflow rules for my Rialto address?

Your water retailer does. The City of Rialto's drought planning application lists three: the City itself, through Rialto Water Services, which is operated by a third party; West Valley Water District; and Fontana Water Company. Your bill names the right one. The City system relies mainly on local groundwater. Fontana Water Company publishes its backflow rules, and Rialto Water Services and West Valley customers should ask their provider directly about intervals and report forms.

What does Fontana Water Company require?

Its Cross-Connection Control Program covers all commercial, landscape and fire service connections, plus residential connections that also have a non-potable auxiliary supply. Only a certified backflow tester may test a device. The company does the initial test on a new assembly; after that, the customer maintains the privately owned device and submits a Backflow Test and Maintenance Report to the company's Cross Connection Department every year. The company also asks customers to shut water off at their own gate valve rather than the angle stop or meter valve, which belong to the company.

Do I need a permit for a new or relocated assembly?

Possibly. Plumbing changes inside city limits go through the City of Rialto Building & Safety Division at 150 S. Palm Avenue, which takes permit applications online through the City's Tyler EnerGov portal. A plumber can tell you whether your job counts as a like-for-like swap or new work, and your water provider may also want to approve the device type before it goes in.

One local note

Rialto sits between Fontana, Colton and San Bernardino, and service boundaries don't follow street names neatly. If you own more than one property in town, don't assume the same provider or the same report form for each. Keep a copy of every test report with the property records.

It also helps to know what your assembly protects. A device on a landscape meter guards against fertilizer and soil water being drawn back into the main, while a fire service assembly keeps stagnant sprinkler water out of the drinking supply. Telling the plumber which job the device does, and when it was last tested, lets them bring the right repair parts on the first trip and saves a second visit after a failed test.