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Q. How can water backflow from the customer to the JEA drinking water supply?
A. This happens in 2 ways:

1. Back siphoning occurs when there is a loss in water pressure from the public supply. This may occur if a water line is broke or if storms damage water pumps. With low water pressure, water trapped in a customer’s pipes may siphon back into the JEA system pulling any contaminants with it.
2. Back pressure occurs when the water pressure in a customer’s pipes becomes greater than the pressure exerted by the public water supply forcing the customer’s water and any contaminants back into the public water supply. Increased pressure could take place when a customer uses pumps or elevated tanks.

Q. How does JEA protect the community from backflow?
A. JEA as well as the City of Jacksonville Building Inspection Division require assemblies to be installed by certain customers on their drinking water line that prevent water from backflowing from their pipes into the public supply. These are called backflow prevention assemblies.

Q. Are all customers required to have backflow prevention assemblies?
A. Requirements for backflow assemblies are determined by the degree of hazard present at a customer’s premise. For example; Customers with in ground irrigation systems must have a backflow assembly. Since these systems are in ground they may get dirt or other contaminants in their pipes which in turn could be backwashed into the public drinking water.

Q. What are the maintenance requirements for backflow prevention assemblies?
A. Assemblies must be tested annually by a certified backflow prevention assembly tester to make sure they function properly.

Q. Are there any regulatory requirements for backflow prevention assemblies?

A.	Local Requirements –	JEA’s Cross Connection Control Policy  City of Jacksonville Building Code, Chapter 341
	State Requirements –	Florida Safe Drinking Water Act, section 403  Florida Administrative Code Chapter 62-555  Florida Building Code 2001
	Federal Requirements –	The Safe Drinking Water Act (1996)