Backflow Assembly Annual Test per ASSE 5013/5015

Why this matters

Most water purveyors require annual testing of every backflow assembly serving a customer with degree-of-hazard above residential domestic; that means commercial buildings, irrigation systems, fire-protection mains, mortuaries, hospitals, and any premise the cross-connection survey flagged. A failed or missed test triggers shutoff notices, board-of-health citations, and in jurisdictions following ASSE 5013/5015 Series, the tester themselves can lose certification if a report is falsified. The annual test is the single most common revenue line for cross-connection plumbers, and it is also where missed steps turn into liability.

ASSE 5013 vs 5015 quick distinction

ASSE 5013 covers backflow prevention assembly testers. ASSE 5015 covers the Cross-Connection Control Specialist (CCS) who designs, inspects, and surveys cross-connections. Most field testers are 5013-certified; the survey work that determines what assembly is required at a service is 5015. A 5013-only certificate does not authorize you to specify the device type or location, only to test what is installed.

Tools and reference standards

You need an ASSE 1064-listed differential pressure gauge with a documented calibration record (annual interval is standard; the purveyor will ask). Typical gauges: Mid-West 845-5, Watts TK-99E. Bring two test hoses, three test cocks fittings (1/4 inch), bleed-off bucket, the assembly's USC FCCCHR approval letter (if locally referenced), and printable test forms in the purveyor's required format. Confirm the assembly model number is on the latest USC FCCCHR list of approved assemblies; an unlisted assembly fails on identification before any pressure reading.

Test procedures by assembly type

Reduced Pressure Zone (RPZ, RP): Five tests per the USC Field Test Procedure. Test 1: RV opening point (no less than 2.0 psi differential). Test 2: Check Valve 1 tightness (no less than 5.0 psi differential, sustained). Test 3: Check Valve 2 tightness (against backpressure, holds tight). Test 4: RV operation under reverse-flow conditions. Test 5: Air-gap function check (visual; relief discharge to atmosphere). All five must pass; a single fail means the assembly is out of service until repaired and retested.

Double Check Valve Assembly (DCVA): Two tests. Test 1: CV1 tightness under reverse pressure (no less than 1.0 psi differential, sustained). Test 2: CV2 tightness under reverse pressure (no less than 1.0 psi differential). DCVAs are not relief-valve devices; they protect against backpressure and back-siphonage on low and medium hazard, not high hazard.

Pressure Vacuum Breaker (PVB): Two tests. Test 1: Air inlet opening (no less than 1.0 psi above downstream pressure during opening event). Test 2: Check valve tightness. PVBs are typical on irrigation services where there is no continuous backpressure expected; a PVB on a backpressure service is an incorrect application and should be flagged on the report.

Spill-Resistant Vacuum Breaker (SVB/SVB-1): One test for air inlet opening point.

Field choreography

Notify the building contact 30 minutes before shutdown. The assembly will be off-line for 5 to 15 minutes per test. Open the gauge bleed valves before any test connections; trapped air at the gauge reads as a differential and fails the assembly falsely. Shut down number 2 first, then number 1; reverse on restart. Bleed water through each test cock for at least 3 seconds before reading, to ensure the line and fitting are full and air-free. Use the OEM-published acceptable readings; do not interpolate.

Documenting and filing

The report must include: assembly make, model, serial, size, location, protected service, the five (or two) test results, the gauge serial and calibration date, the tester certification number, and the time stamps. Most jurisdictions require electronic filing through the purveyor's portal (BSI Online, Aqua Backflow, SyncBASE) within 24 to 72 hours of the test. Keep a paper or PDF copy on the customer file for 5 years. A failed assembly requires a repair-and-retest within the purveyor's grace window (commonly 14 to 30 days); past that, the purveyor can terminate water service.

References

• USC Foundation for Cross-Connection Control and Hydraulic Research, Field Test Procedures for Backflow Prevention Assemblies, 10th Edition
• ASSE Series 5013 Performance Standard for Backflow Prevention Assembly Testers
• ASSE Series 5015 Performance Standard for Cross-Connection Control Specialists
• ASSE 1013 (RP), 1015 (DCVA), 1056 (SVB) Assembly Product Standards
• AWWA Manual M14, Recommended Practice for Backflow Prevention and Cross-Connection Control