How Much Does a Backflow Test Cost?
Short answer: $90 per device in most of Los Angeles and Orange County. That is the number, not a range, and it is the same whether the assembly is a small irrigation PVB or a fire line.
This page used to publish price ranges. That was not useful to anyone. If you are a property manager trying to budget for forty buildings, "somewhere between $85 and $250" tells you nothing. So here is what we actually charge.
Annual backflow testing
| Where | Price |
|---|---|
| Most of Los Angeles County and Orange County | $90 per device |
| Palmdale, Lancaster, Ventura, Riverside, San Bernardino, San Diego | $450 minimum — covers up to 5 devices, then $90 each after |
The outer-county minimum is about drive time, not a different test. A single device in Temecula is most of a technician's morning. If you have five or more devices at one site out there, the math lands close to our normal rate.
What the $90 includes
- The certified test, performed by an AWWA and county-certified tester
- Photo documentation of the assembly, whether it passes or fails
- The completed test report
- Submittal of that report to your water purveyor, in whatever portal or format they require
That last one matters more than people expect. California has a lot of water purveyors and they do not agree on anything. Some use SwiftComply, some use BSI, some use KloudGin, some still want a paper form emailed to one specific person. Getting the test done is the easy part. Getting the paperwork accepted is where properties get red-tagged, and it is included in the price.
On device type: we do not price differently for DCVA, PVB, RP/RPZ, SVB or fire lines in our core area. A larger assembly takes longer, but you are not charged more for it. Very large devices, roughly 8 inch and up, and anything sitting in a flooded vault, we look at first and quote specifically.
What changes the price
Access
A backflow in an open enclosure at ground level is straightforward. One in a below-grade vault with a foot of standing water is not. If the vault needs pumping, or the enclosure is locked and nobody has a key, that becomes a return trip. You will hear about it before we do anything extra.
How many devices are in one place
If you have a lot of devices at a single property, or a portfolio we can route together, there is room to talk. Density is what makes testing efficient. Twenty devices at one campus is a good day. Twenty devices spread across five cities on dates we cannot control is not the same job, and the price reflects that honestly.
District filing fees
Some water districts charge their own fee to accept a test report. That is set by the district, not by us, and it passes through exactly as billed. It is usually listed on the notice you received.
If the device fails
Roughly one test in seventeen turns up a device that needs repair. Our trucks carry parts for every major brand, so most repairs happen on the same visit instead of becoming a second appointment.
Repair pricing depends on the size of the assembly and what failed. A small domestic device and a 6 inch fire line are not close to the same number. We quote the repair before touching it, and re-certification is included when we do the repair ourselves.
We will never pass a device that failed. It is dishonest, it puts our license at risk, and it puts everyone's water at risk. There is no price that changes that.
Certifications
A certification, which is usually what a district wants on a new or replaced assembly, starts at $150. It is a different scope than an annual test and involves more documentation.
Why some quotes come in lower
You will occasionally see backflow testing advertised well under our rate. Sometimes that is a genuinely efficient operation. Sometimes it is a drive-by, or a test that gets performed but never filed correctly.
The risk with a cheap test usually is not the test. It is the paperwork. If the report does not reach your purveyor in the right format before your due date, the property is out of compliance no matter what happened in the field, and you are the one dealing with the notice.
Common questions
Does the price change for different device types?
No. The $90 rate applies to DCVA, PVB, RP/RPZ, SVB and fire line assemblies alike in our core service area.
What does it cost outside Los Angeles and Orange County?
Palmdale, Lancaster, Ventura County, Riverside County, San Bernardino County and San Diego County carry a $450 minimum covering up to five devices at one site. Additional devices past five are $90 each.
Are there hidden fees?
No. Some districts charge their own filing fee, which passes through with no markup. Anything else, like a vault full of water or a locked enclosure, gets discussed and approved before we do the work.
How far ahead should I schedule?
Two to four weeks before your due date is comfortable. We can usually move faster than that, and often do, but it removes the pressure if a device fails and needs a repair and re-test.