Water regulations - Backflow prevention
- How does backflow occur?
- Backflow can occur when the mains pressure becomes lower than customers' pressure and can be caused by:
- Fire fighting
- Burst mains
- Pumps on supply pipes
- Incorrectly installed plumbing systems
- How can backflow be prevented?
- It can be prevented by:
- Installing a storage cistern to 'break' the mains supply at a float operated valve
- Installing mechanical backflow preventers, such as non-return valves
- Ensuring physical air gaps are maintained at taps and top-up pipes
- How do the inspectors carry out their role?
- They inspect plumbing systems, processes and equipment. They assess risk by identifying contraventions and any remedial action required, informing customers of timescales for rectification. Finally, they re-inspect to ensure any remedial work is completed. All inspection results are added to a database.
