The purpose of the Cross-Connection Control Section is to prevent waterborne diseases and contaminants from entering the City of Tallahassee's distribution system and thus the water we drink. More exactly, the program is intended to prevent delivered water - water that has passed beyond the City of Tallahassee's distribution system and into your private plumbing system - from reentering the public water system and being delivered to other consumers.
The program aims to protect the City of Tallahassee and its consumers from those water-using facilities which could possibly harm the quality and safety of the City of Tallahassee water supply by backflow conditions through cross connections. Please email or call at 850-891-1248 if you have any questions about Cross Connection or Backflow Testing.
Quick Links
Rules and Regulations for Backflow Prevention and Cross-Connection Control
We are pleased to announce the City Commission's adoption of Rules and Regulations for Backflow Prevention and Cross-Connection Control. The rules create consistency with State rules for Cross-Connection Control for Public Water Systems (Ch. 62-555.360), while providing benefits and conveniences to residential customers to achieve customer compliance other than discontinuance of water service.
The rules further will provide a notification process to advise residential and non-residential customers of the required backflow prevention assembly testing, installation, or maintenance.
Questionnaire for Residential Customers
The new regulations allow some residential customers to have their backflow prevention assemblies tested every two years instead of every year.
To find out if your assembly qualifies for the two-year testing, please:
- Complete the online submission form here
- Download a fillable PDF version here. Print, scan and email the completed form to ccc@talgov.com or mail it to Cross-Connection Control 4505-A Springhill Road, Tallahassee FL 32305
City-Coordinated Backflow Prevention Assembly Testing Program
The City offers a backflow prevention assembly testing program for residential and commercial customers. This service is designed to help residential and commercial customers comply with the required annual or biennial backflow assembly testing requirements. This service allows residential and commercial customers the option of having a City contractor test their backflow assembly and pay for the service through a fee on their utility bill. Residential customers will be charged on their monthly bill over a period of 12 or 24 months, depending on their testing schedule. Commercial customers will be charged a one-time fee.
To join this program and benefit from this service, please:
- Complete the residential customer online submission form
- Complete the commercial customer online submission form
If you prefer to directly retain your own testing contractor you may do so as long as you remain compliant with the City’s testing requirements. Customers who have failed to have their devices tested and are delinquent after receiving City notifications will automatically be enrolled in the City-coordinated testing program.
Certified Tester Information
Important Changes for all Certified Testers
The City of Tallahassee Cross-Connection Control section is pleased to announce the City Commission's adoption of new Cross-Connection Control Rules and Regulations, Known as the CCC Manual.
To comply with the new Rules, the office of Cross-Connection Control is updating all Cross-Connection control technicians' applications.
- Please download and complete the registration application and mail to the office of Cross-Connection Control on or before June 30, 2015 in order to keep your approved status or become registered.
- You will receive a notification of approval as a registered certified technicians or rejection with reasons including all supporting documentation.
The office of Cross-Connection Control will continue accepting your test reports regarding a backflow prevention assembly until June 30, 2015. All test reports regarding a backflow prevention assembly submitted to the office of Cross-Connection Control after June 30, 2015 must be tested, prepared and signed by an approved City of Tallahassee Cross-Connection Control registered certified technicians that has submitted the updated registration application and obtained approval from the City.
Frequently Asked Questions
- What is Cross-Connection Control?
Cross-Connection Control is a program designed to take the safeguards necessary to protect the actual or potential physical connection between the public drinking water system and a potential source of contaminated water or other liquid.
- What is backflow?
When conditions within the City's water distribution system deviate from the "normal" conditions, water flow can be reversed. This is called backflow and can contaminate the City's water distribution system.
- Why is it important to complete and return the questionnaire form sent to residential customers with backflow prevention assemblies?
In addition to helping update records, the questionnaire provides the CCC Office with important information to determine if your backflow assembly qualifies under the new rules and regulations to be tested every two years rather than annually. If our office does not receive the completed questionnaire form, your backflow will remain on annual testing requirements.
- How do I qualify for a biennial testing (once every two years) as a residential customer with a backflow prevention assembly?
You can qualify if your service connection is two inches or less in diameter and supplies water to a building or premise containing only dwelling units and the dwelling units or building meet the following conditions:
a. The dwelling, or building within which the dwelling is located, is fewer than five stories in height
b. There is no booster pump in the dwelling or building
c. There is no alternate water source on the property
d. There is no other potential hazard listed on Appendix A
- What is the Residential Testing Opt-In Program?
It is a new service offered by the City of Tallahassee to residential customers with backflow prevention assemblies. Under this program, a residential water service customer can authorize the City's contractor to test the backflow prevention assembly on the customer's behalf. If a residential water service customer elects to "opt-in", a fee for testing the backflow assembly shall be charged to the customer's monthly utility bill. The fee shall be $3.00 per month if testing is required biennially (every two years) and $6.00 per month if testing is required annually. The water service customer will remain registered in the program until written cancellation is received from the customer. However the customer will continue to be charged a monthly fee until payment for the prior testing has been paid in full.
The City's "Opt-In" Program is only for testing. Any maintenance or service needs identified through testing remain the responsibility of the water service customer. The City's contractor will notify the customer of any required repairs that were determined during the backflow assembly test.
This new service is designed to help streamline the testing process. Participation in this program is optional. If you prefer to directly retain your own testing technician or contractor, you may do so as long as you remain compliant with the City's biennial testing requirements.
Complete the online submission form here
Download a fillable PDF version here. Print, scan and email the completed form to ccc@talgov.com or mail it to: Cross-Connection Control 4505-A Springhill Road, Tallahassee FL 32305
Please email or call at 850-891-1248 if you have any questions about Cross Connection or Backflow Testing.