Complying with the new Ottawa backflow prevention program bylaw

City of Ottawa

The City of Ottawa’s Backflow Prevention Program protects drinking water quality by ensuring the appropriate installation and inspection of devices that prevent contaminated water from flowing back into the City’s water distribution system.

The City of Ottawa Backflow Program came into effect on June 28, 2017.

The program will effect around 15,000 industrial, commercial properties in the Ottawa area that are at risk of backflow incidents.

  • Owners with severe backflow incidents will have 1 year to complete a site survey and 1 year to install backflow devices.
  • Owners of moderate backflow incidents will have 1 year to complete a site survey and 2 years to install backflow devices.

Backflow Prevention Survey

If you receive a letter from the City of Ottawa, you must hire a certified backflow surveyor to perform a building survey. Once this has been completed the City will confirm and approve the survey.

Depending on the outcome of the survey, the City of Ottawa will determine what device, if any, needs to be installed within a certain time frame.

A survey will be required every 5 years to make sure the building does not change classification.

Tourangeau Mechanical can help every step of the way, from the backflow survey, installation of a new device to annual backflow testing.

Get in touch with one of our certified backflow surveyors