Backflow Testing in Alameda County, California
AWWA-certified annual backflow testing across EBMUD, Alameda County Water District, Pleasanton, Livermore, and Dublin San Ramon Services District, with direct filing through each utility's channel.
- CCL: #1062017
- AWWA Backflow Tester Cert.: #15112
- AWWA Specialist Cert.: #03373
- Cross-Connection Specialist on staff
- 14 Alameda cities served
Serving: Oakland, Berkeley, Alameda, Fremont, Hayward, Livermore, Pleasanton, Dublin, San Leandro, Union City, Newark, Emeryville, Albany, Piedmont.
Do I need backflow testing in Alameda County?
If you have a backflow prevention assembly (RP, DC, PVB, or SVB) on your Alameda County property, yes, and the answer is the same whether the water comes from EBMUD (most of Oakland, Berkeley, Alameda, Albany, Emeryville, Piedmont, San Leandro, Castro Valley), Alameda County Water District (Fremont, Newark, Union City), or a Tri-Valley retailer (Pleasanton, Livermore, Dublin, Cal Water Livermore).
“After the device is installed, the law requires that it be tested by a certified test person at least once a year.”
Scale matters here. EBMUD serves 1.4 million people across 332 square miles, 20 cities, and 15 unincorporated areas, while ACWD operates 86,519 service connections serving 344,000 people across the Tri-City area. Every registered assembly on either system needs an annual test on file.
Not sure which utility governs your service address? Call (800) 684-8346 and we will identify the right purveyor and filing method before we schedule.
Water purveyors in Alameda County requiring annual testing
Annual testing is universal. What varies across Alameda County: the governing regulation (district code vs. municipal code vs. CPUC tariff), the filing method, and whether the utility does its own testing.
| Purveyor | Service Area | Governing Rule |
|---|---|---|
| East Bay Municipal Utility District (EBMUD) | Oakland, Berkeley, Alameda, Albany, Emeryville, Piedmont, San Leandro, Castro Valley, portions of Hayward and Oakland hills | EBMUD Regulations Section 26 (eff. 2025-07-01) |
| Alameda County Water District (ACWD) | Fremont, Newark, Union City, and southern parcels of Hayward | ACWD Ordinance 2025-01 |
| City of Hayward Water System | Most of Hayward (southern edges on ACWD; portions of Castro Valley on EBMUD) | City CCC program under CCCPH |
| City of Pleasanton Utilities | Pleasanton | Pleasanton MC Ch. 14.16 (Ord. 2296, July 2025) |
| Dublin San Ramon Services District (DSRSD) | Dublin (plus Dougherty Valley in Contra Costa Co.) | DSRSD Cross-Connection Control Master Plan |
| City of Livermore Municipal Water | City of Livermore | Livermore MC Chapter 13.09 |
| California Water Service (Cal Water) Livermore District | Portions of Livermore | CPUC Tariff Rule 16 |
“State regulations require sites with a well or source of auxiliary water to install and annually test a backflow preventer regardless of whether it is connected to the potable water system.”
Zone 7 Water Agency is the Tri-Valley wholesale supplier and does not run a retail cross-connection program. Castro Valley Sanitary District is a wastewater-only district, not a drinking-water purveyor.
How our testing process works
- 1
Identify your purveyor
EBMUD, ACWD, Hayward, Pleasanton, Livermore, DSRSD, or Cal Water. Each governs its own program and filing method; step one is matching the service address to the right one.
- 2
On-site test (10 – 20 minutes)
We run the certified test procedure with calibrated gauge equipment. Most residential and small commercial devices test with a full water shut-off.
- 3
If a device fails
We quote the repair on site (commonly a rubber kit, check, or relief valve), and schedule the retest. We avoid starting work without your approval.
- 4
Report filed within 24 hours
EBMUD filings go by mail to MS 47 in Oakland; submission is required shortly after notification — check your notice for the deadline. Pleasanton filings go through Aqua Backflow. ACWD, Hayward, Livermore, DSRSD, and Cal Water go through direct utility channels.
- 5
Annual reminder
We track your anniversary date and reach out ahead of time so you never face a utility notice or administrative fee.
Devices we test
ASSE 1013
Reduced Pressure Assembly (RPA / RPZ)
High-hazard applications: research labs at LLNL/Sandia/LBNL, hospital boilers at UCSF Benioff Oakland and Kaiser, Port of Oakland cold-storage, Tesla Fremont process water.
ASSE 1015
Double Check Valve Assembly (DCVA)
Lower-hazard commercial irrigation, residential fire lines, and HOA landscape meters. The most common device class on EBMUD, ACWD, and Tri-Valley residential accounts.
ASSE 1020
Pressure Vacuum Breaker (PVB)
Above-ground irrigation protection. Very common on Livermore Valley wine-country residential and small commercial landscape accounts, plus East Bay hillside properties.
ASSE 1056
Spill-Resistant Vacuum Breaker (SVB / SRVB)
Modern PVB variant with reduced nuisance spill. Common retrofit on Dublin, Pleasanton, and Fremont residential irrigation where a legacy PVB has reached end of life.
California and federal compliance context
“Cross-connections and backsiphonage represented the largest underlying contributing factors among distribution system deficiencies identified in drinking water outbreaks reported during 1971–2006.”
1.4M
people served by EBMUD across 332 square miles, 20 cities, and 15 unincorporated areas. EBMUD service area.
State authority now sits with the CA SWRCB Cross-Connection Control Policy Handbook (effective July 1, 2024, replacing CCR Title 17 §§ 7583–7586 and 7601–7605). Additional authorities: AWWA M14, 5th ed., USC FCCCHR Manual 10th ed., EPA Cross-Connection Control Manual, and CA Health & Safety Code § 116800.
Cities we serve in Alameda County
Oakland
County seat, on EBMUD. UCSF Benioff Children's Hospital, Alameda Health System's Wilma Chan Highland Hospital (trauma), Kaiser Oakland, Sutter Alta Bates Summit, the Port of Oakland, and Clorox corporate HQ drive a broad RP assembly base here.
Berkeley
EBMUD customer city. Sutter Alta Bates Berkeley and Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory anchor the commercial RP base; hillside residential irrigation makes PVB work steady.
Fremont
ACWD Tri-City customer city. Tesla's Fremont factory, Kaiser Fremont, and Washington Hospital are major RP accounts; Fremont is also a growing data center submarket.
Hayward
The City of Hayward schedules and performs assembly tests for its own customers, which is unusual in California. Private testers are still allowed; we coordinate with the City's program so you do not end up double-tested.
Livermore
Livermore Municipal Water runs its program under Municipal Code Chapter 13.09. Lawrence Livermore and Sandia National Labs and the Livermore Valley wineries (Wente, Concannon, Murrieta's Well) together drive a notable share of the county's high-hazard RP demand.
Pleasanton
Pleasanton Municipal Code Chapter 14.16 (Ord. 2296, July 2025). Stanford Health Care Tri-Valley (ValleyCare) is the headline RP account; the City uses the Aqua Backflow portal for filings.
Dublin
Served by DSRSD. Commercial campus development along I-580 and Dublin Boulevard drives most of the DC and RP work; DSRSD approves testers individually before any work on its system.
San Leandro
EBMUD customer city. Ghirardelli Chocolate manufacturing and the Oakland Airport-adjacent industrial corridor keep commercial RP and fire-line DC work consistent.
Alameda, Albany, Emeryville, Piedmont
All EBMUD customer cities. Mostly residential DC and PVB work, with commercial RP concentrated on Alameda Point redevelopment sites and the Emeryville biotech corridor.
Union City & Newark
ACWD Tri-City cities alongside Fremont. Newark industrial parks and Union City data-center and logistics facilities drive commercial RP demand under ACWD Ordinance 2025-01.
Our credentials
California
CCL #1062017
Active contractor state license.
Backflow tester
AWWA Backflow Tester Cert. #15112
AWWA-certified backflow tester in good standing.
Specialist
AWWA Specialist Cert. #03373
Cross-Connection Control Specialist certification.
Utility channels
EBMUD + ACWD + Aqua
Active on every major Alameda filing workflow.
Our lead technician is Jesse Cuevas, Cross-Connection Specialist with 13+ years in backflow prevention, installation, testing, and repair. We maintain active testers on EBMUD's approved list, ACWD's 2026 approved list, and the Pleasanton 2025 testers roster, and we submit directly to every utility in this county. Field work is not sub-contracted.
Frequently asked questions
How often is backflow testing required in Alameda County?
Every purveyor in Alameda County requires an annual test, aligned with the California State Water Resources Control Board Cross-Connection Control Policy Handbook (effective July 1, 2024). ACWD states it plainly: the law "requires that it be tested by a certified test person at least once a year."
Which water purveyors in Alameda County require annual testing?
EBMUD (Regulations Section 26), Alameda County Water District (Ordinance 2025-01), City of Hayward, City of Pleasanton (MC Ch. 14.16 / Ord. 2296), Dublin San Ramon Services District, City of Livermore Municipal Water (LMC Ch. 13.09), and California Water Service Livermore District (CPUC Tariff Rule 16) all require annual testing. Zone 7 is wholesale only.
Does the City of Hayward test my device for me?
Hayward is unusual. The City schedules and conducts backflow assembly tests for customers on its system, per the City's cross-connection program. Owners can still hire a private tester for faster turnaround, multi-property coordination, or repair work; we coordinate directly with the City so you do not end up double-tested or double-charged.
What happens if my device fails the test?
We explain the failure on site, quote the repair (typically a rubber kit, check, or relief valve replacement), and schedule the retest. We avoid starting work without your approval. Under EBMUD Section 26, ACWD Ordinance 2025-01, and the Tri-Valley cities' codes, the utility can ultimately curtail water service for uncorrected failures.
Who is legally allowed to test backflow devices in California?
Only a backflow prevention assembly tester certified by AWWA or the USC FCCCHR and listed on the applicable purveyor's approved tester roster. Our lead specialist holds AWWA Backflow Tester Cert. #15112 and AWWA Specialist Cert. #03373. The company carries CCL #1062017.
How do I submit my EBMUD or Pleasanton test report?
EBMUD accepts completed test forms by mail to EBMUD Backflow Prevention Section MS 47, PO Box 24055, Oakland, CA 94623, with submission required shortly after notification — check your specific notice for the deadline. Pleasanton submissions go through the Aqua Backflow online portal. We handle both on your behalf and send you a copy with the invoice.
Annual deadlines in Alameda County are enforced by each utility under its own code or tariff. Non-compliance can trigger service curtailment or administrative fees.
Mon – Sat, 7:30 AM to 5:00 PM. Emergency response available.
Sources and authorities cited on this page
California state authority. CA SWRCB Cross-Connection Control Policy Handbook, CA Health & Safety Code § 116800, CCR Title 17 § 7605 (repealed).
Federal + standards. EPA Cross-Connection Control Manual, CDC MMWR cross-connection surveillance, AWWA M14 5th ed., USC FCCCHR, ASSE International.
Alameda County purveyors. EBMUD Backflow Prevention, EBMUD Regulations Section 26, ACWD Backflow Prevention, ACWD Ordinance 2025-01, Hayward CCC, Pleasanton CCC program, DSRSD backflow requirements, Livermore backflow, Livermore MC Ch. 13.09, Cal Water CCC.