Backflow Testing in Sacramento County, California
AWWA-certified annual backflow testing across every major Sacramento County purveyor, from the City of Sacramento and SSWD to Folsom, Galt, and the East County districts.
- CCL: #1062017
- AWWA Backflow Tester Cert.: #15112
- AWWA Specialist Cert.: #03373
- Cross-Connection Specialist on staff
- 14 Sacramento purveyors covered
Serving: Sacramento, Elk Grove, Folsom, Citrus Heights, Rancho Cordova, Galt, Carmichael, Fair Oaks, Orangevale, Arden-Arcade, North Highlands.
Do I need backflow testing in Sacramento County?
If you have a backflow prevention assembly (RP, DC, PVB, or SVB) on a Sacramento County service, yes. Every major purveyor enforces annual testing under either its own district regulation or Sacramento County Code Chapter 6.30, all aligned with the CA SWRCB Cross-Connection Control Policy Handbook.
“Any external backflow device that is required to be installed is required to be tested annually.”
Sacramento Suburban Water District alone serves nearly 200,000 customers, and the county totals over 1.58 million residents, so the installed device base is very large.
Not sure which utility serves your address? Call (800) 684-8346 and we will confirm the purveyor and filing method before we schedule.
Water purveyors in Sacramento County requiring annual testing
Sacramento County runs an unusually consolidated program. County Environmental Management (EMD) administers Code Chapter 6.30 as the umbrella, while each district or city files under its own regulation below it.
| Purveyor | Service Area | Governing Rule |
|---|---|---|
| City of Sacramento Department of Utilities | City of Sacramento proper, portions of Natomas and Pocket | Sacramento City Code Ch. 13.04 (Water System); Sac. Co. Code Ch. 6.30 |
| Sacramento Suburban Water District (SSWD) | Arden-Arcade, Foothill Farms, Citrus Heights, Carmichael, Fair Oaks, North Highlands, Antelope, McClellan Business Park, Del Paso Manor | SSWD Regulation No. 14 — Prevention of Contamination by Backflow and Cross-Connections |
| Sacramento County Water Agency (SCWA) | Unincorporated south county, Laguna-Vineyard, Mather-Sunrise, Arden Park, Hood, Walnut Grove | Sacramento County Code Chapter 6.30 (administered by County EMD) |
| Citrus Heights Water District | ~60% of City of Citrus Heights + portions of Fair Oaks, Orangevale, Carmichael, Roseville | CHWD Rules & Regulations; Sac. Co. Code Ch. 6.30 |
| Carmichael Water District | Unincorporated Carmichael (~8 sq mi, 11,700 connections) | CWD Regulation 4060 — Cross Connection Control Regulation (20250818) |
| Fair Oaks Water District | Fair Oaks (~9.5 sq mi, ~37,000 people) | FOWD Policy 6030; Sac. Co. Code Ch. 6.30 |
| Rancho Murieta Community Services District | Rancho Murieta master-planned community | RMCSD District Code Chapter 14 (water code, am. 02/2023) |
| San Juan Water District | Granite Bay (retail ~17 sq mi, >11,000 connections) + wholesale to CHWD / FOWD / OVWC / Folsom | SJWD Engineering Standards + Sac. Co. Code Ch. 6.30 |
| Orange Vale Water Company | Central Orangevale + portions of Fair Oaks and Folsom (~5,500 connections) | OVWC Construction Standards; SWRCB CCCPH |
| Golden State Water Co. — Arden Cordova | Rancho Cordova, Gold River, Arden Manor (~17,280 customers) | GSWC Cross-Connection Control Protection Program (CPUC-regulated; CCCPH) |
| California American Water — Sacramento District | Suburban Rosemont, Parkway, Lincoln Oaks / Antelope pockets | CPUC Tariff Rule 16; SWRCB CCCPH |
| City of Folsom — Environmental & Water Resources | City of Folsom (~23,500 connections, ~82,000 residents) | Folsom Municipal Code Chapter 13.22 — Water System Cross-Connection Control (Ord. 1315) |
| City of Galt — Public Works Utilities | City of Galt | Galt Municipal Code Chapter 13.04; Sac. Co. Code Ch. 6.30 |
| Elk Grove Water District | Elk Grove east of Hwy 99 and south of Sheldon Rd | EGWD rules; Sac. Co. Code Ch. 6.30 |
“To ensure proper operation of a backflow prevention assembly, it must be tested and certified upon installation and at least annually thereafter, as required by State law.”
How our testing process works
- 1
Identify your purveyor
City of Sacramento, SSWD, SCWA, CHWD, CWD, FOWD, SJWD, OVWC, GSWC, Cal Am, Folsom, Galt, RMCSD, or EGWD. Each has its own filing channel under County Code Chapter 6.30.
- 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
We submit to your purveyor using their required channel and send you a copy with the invoice.
- 5
Annual reminder
We track your anniversary date and reach out ahead of time so you never face a county or district non-compliance notice.
Devices we test
ASSE 1013
Reduced Pressure Assembly (RPA / RPZ)
High-hazard: hospital boilers, data center cooling-tower make-up, semiconductor DI loops, chemigation, fire lines with additives. Dominant class at UC Davis Med Center, Intel Folsom, Aerojet, and McClellan.
ASSE 1015
Double Check Valve Assembly (DCVA)
Low-hazard commercial irrigation, residential fire lines, HOA landscape meters. Most common residential device across SSWD and SCWA.
ASSE 1020
Pressure Vacuum Breaker (PVB)
Above-ground irrigation protection. Very common on residential and small commercial landscape accounts countywide.
ASSE 1056
Spill-Resistant Vacuum Breaker (SVB)
Modern PVB variant with reduced nuisance spill. Standard retrofit choice when a legacy PVB reaches end of life.
California and federal compliance context
“On December 19, 2023, the State Water Resources Control Board adopted the Cross-Connection Control Policy Handbook (CCCPH) with an effective date of July 1, 2024.”
1.58M
residents in Sacramento County (2020 Census) served by 14+ drinking-water purveyors under one county-level program umbrella.
Authorities: AWWA M14 5th ed., USC FCCCHR, EPA Cross-Connection Control Manual, CA H&S Code § 116800.
Cities we serve in Sacramento County
Sacramento
State capital and county seat. UC Davis Medical Center, Sutter Medical Center, Mercy General, Kaiser Sacramento, the Capitol complex, and Sacramento International Airport drive a concentrated base of commercial RP accounts.
Elk Grove
Served by Sacramento County Water Agency west of Hwy 99 and by Elk Grove Water District east of Hwy 99. Residential DC + PVB work dominates, with fire-line RP on newer commercial corridors.
Folsom
Folsom Municipal Code Chapter 13.22 governs. Intel Folsom campus and Folsom State Prison are the anchor commercial-RP accounts; City MUD runs ~23,500 connections.
Citrus Heights
Citrus Heights Water District serves most of the city. Mostly residential DC and PVB; commercial RP concentrated along Sunrise Blvd and Greenback Ln.
Rancho Cordova
Split between Golden State Water Arden Cordova and SCWA. Aerojet Rocketdyne is the historical anchor; data center and logistics submarkets on the east side are newer RP loads.
Carmichael & Fair Oaks
Carmichael Water District tests many of its own devices under Regulation 4060; FOWD administers Policy 6030. Both require RPPA/RPDA assemblies for new fire services.
Arden-Arcade & North Highlands
SSWD territory serving ~200,000 customers. McClellan Business Park data centers sit inside SSWD and carry elevated cooling-tower RP load.
Galt & Rio Linda / Elverta
Small systems in the south and northwest. Ag and residential DC / PVB work predominates; county EMD coordinates compliance under Chapter 6.30.
Our credentials
California
CCL #1062017
Active contractor state license.
Backflow tester
AWWA Backflow Tester Cert. #15112
AWWA-certified tester.
Specialist
AWWA Specialist Cert. #03373
Cross-Connection Control Specialist.
Family-owned
Jesse Cuevas
Owner and lead tester.
Our lead technician is Jesse Cuevas, Cross-Connection Specialist with 13+ years in backflow prevention, installation, testing, and repair. We maintain active tester status across Sacramento County programs and file directly to every purveyor we cover. Field work is not sub-contracted.
Frequently asked questions
How often is backflow testing required in Sacramento County?
Every major purveyor in Sacramento County requires an annual test, aligned with the California State Water Resources Control Board Cross-Connection Control Policy Handbook (effective July 1, 2024) and Sacramento County Code Chapter 6.30 (Protection of Drinking Water — Backflow Prevention).
Which water purveyors in Sacramento County require annual testing?
City of Sacramento, Sacramento Suburban Water District (Regulation No. 14), Sacramento County Water Agency, Citrus Heights Water District, Carmichael Water District (Regulation 4060), Fair Oaks Water District (Policy 6030), Rancho Murieta CSD, San Juan Water District, Orange Vale Water Company, Golden State Water Arden Cordova, Cal Am Sacramento, City of Folsom (MC Ch. 13.22), City of Galt, and Elk Grove Water District all require annual testing under Sacramento County Code Chapter 6.30 + the SWRCB CCCPH.
What happens if my device fails the test?
We explain the failure on site, quote the repair (commonly a rubber kit, check, or relief valve), and schedule the retest. We avoid starting work without your approval. Under county code and district regulations, the purveyor can ultimately shut off 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 test report to the City of Sacramento or SSWD?
We file the certified test report form directly with your purveyor using their required channel (email, online portal, or direct submittal) within 24 hours of the test, and send you a copy with the invoice.
Do McClellan Park data centers and aerospace facilities need backflow testing?
Yes. Cooling-tower make-up water, deionized lab loops, and chemigation tie-ins are classic high-hazard cross-connections requiring a reduced-pressure (RP) assembly with annual testing. This covers McClellan Park data centers, Intel Folsom, Aerojet Rocketdyne, and the UC Davis Medical Center complex.
Annual deadlines in Sacramento County are enforced by your city, district, or the County EMD. Non-compliance can result in water service shut-off.
Mon – Sat, 7:30 AM to 5:00 PM. Emergency response available.
Sources and authorities cited on this page
California state authority. CA SWRCB CCCPH, CA H&S Code § 116800.
Federal + standards. EPA CCC Manual, AWWA M14 5th ed., USC FCCCHR.
Sacramento County purveyors. Sac. Co. EMD, Sac. Co. Code Ch. 6.30, SSWD CCC, CWD, FOWD, OVWC, RMCSD, GSWC, Folsom MC 13.22.