Local guide / Kennewick, WA
Backflow Testing for Kennewick Sprinkler Systems
That brass valve assembly next to your sprinkler line has a job, and the City of Kennewick expects it to be tested. Here is what it is and why it matters.
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Photo: Columbia River, Kennewick, Washington by Ken Lund, CC BY-SA 2.0
Why Kennewick takes this seriously
Kennewick has run a Cross Connection Control Program since 1978. According to the City, it started after an unprotected cross connection between city water and irrigation water was said to have put people in the hospital.
A cross connection is any link between your drinking water and something that is not drinking water. A lawn sprinkler system is the most common one in a house. Sprinkler lines sit in soil, fertilizer and standing water, and if pressure in the city main drops (a main break, firefighting, a big draw somewhere nearby), that water can be pulled backward into the pipes you drink from. That reverse flow is called backflow.
The City says it monitors over 1,800 backflow prevention methods across its system, and every property owner on city water has to follow Kennewick Municipal Code chapter 15.41.
Which device is on your sprinkler line?
The City lists a few approved ways to stop backflow. On a home sprinkler system you will usually see one of these.
- Pressure vacuum breaker assembly (PVBA). A spring loaded check valve plus an air inlet valve. The City says it is used for irrigation systems supplied by city water only, and it has to sit 12 inches above the highest piping point in the system. That is why you often see it standing up out of a flower bed.
- Double check valve assembly (DCVA). Two spring loaded check valves in a row. It can go above or below ground, which is why some homes have it in a box in the yard. The City says it is for non health hazards and for irrigation supplied by city water only.
- Reduced pressure backflow assembly (RPBA). Two check valves with a relief valve between them. The City calls it the only one suitable if you inject fertilizer or other chemicals into your irrigation. It must be installed above ground and is usually the most expensive and complex option.
If you are not sure what you have, look for the maker's name and model on the body of the valve. Your tester will need that information anyway.
Backflow valve leaking or failed its test in Kennewick? Call to reach a local plumber.
Call (509) 286-1592The yearly test
The City's pages for each device say the same thing: state rules require an annual test by a state certified backflow assembly tester. The tester hooks gauges to the small test cocks on the assembly and checks that each valve holds the way it should.
The water customer is responsible for making sure the device is operated, maintained and tested under the City's Cross Connection Control Regulations. In practice that means you book the test and pay for it, and the result goes to the City on its official test report form.
The City keeps a Backflow Assembly Testers List and a copy of the test form on its backflow pages. Those are the easiest places to start.
When the device fails or starts leaking
A failed test usually means a worn spring, a dirty check seat or a cracked part. Some of that can be rebuilt with a repair kit and some of it means a new assembly. Either way the device has to be retested after repair.
Signs you have a problem before test day comes around:
- Water spraying or dripping from the top of a vacuum breaker when the sprinklers run
- A soggy spot or constant trickle around a buried double check box
- Sprinkler pressure that drops off suddenly at the start of the season
- Cracks in the brass body after a cold snap, if the line was not drained in fall
Tri-Cities winters get cold enough to split these valves, so draining the system before the first hard freeze is worth doing every year.
Who to call
For questions about the City's program, Kennewick lists Utility Repair and Maintenance at 509-585-4419, and the main City number is 509-585-4200 (8:30am to 4:30pm, Monday to Friday).
If the assembly is leaking, cracked, or failed its test and needs repair or replacement, that is plumbing work on your water service. Call to reach a local plumber who can repair or replace the device and line up the retest.
Sources
Where these facts come from
Checked 2026-10-31. Rules and phone numbers change, so confirm with the source before you rely on them.
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Call any time to reach a local Kennewick plumber for backflow repair and replacement.