# Plan New-Home Irrigation Backflow Protection Before Rough-In

Source: https://brictale.com/build/materials/plan-new-home-irrigation-backflow-protection-before-rough-in
Published: 2026-09-20
Audience: Homeowner
Published by Brictale, a consumer home-intelligence publication. https://brictale.com

## Short answer

Before plumbing or landscape rough-in, document the water source, irrigation branch, possible contaminants and local hazard classification. Ask the water purveyor and authority having jurisdiction to approve the device category, meter arrangement, location, clearances, drainage, permit and testing path in writing. Reserve accessible space and name the owner for records, required recurring tests and winterization; a DCVA, PVBA and RP are not interchangeable nationally.

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# Plan New-Home Irrigation Backflow Protection Before Rough-In

For a new U.S. home, decide the irrigation branch by documenting the water source, potable-system connection, possible chemicals or stored water, and local hazard classification before pipe is buried or a valve-box pad is poured. Ask the water purveyor and authority having jurisdiction (AHJ) to confirm the assembly category, meter arrangement, location, clearances, drainage, permit, testing and records in writing. Reserve access and assign ownership for recurring tests and winterization. A DCVA, PVBA and RP are not interchangeable national answers.

This is a planning guide for a new single-family home in the United States. It covers landscape irrigation connected to a public or private potable supply. It does not design sprinkler zones, choose a pump, recommend a chemical application, calculate irrigation demand, or make a universal device recommendation. Use the [Brictale build journey](/build) and the [homeowner blog](/blog) for the broader project sequence; this page concentrates on one materials-and-systems decision that can otherwise be discovered after concrete, paving or landscaping has made the right answer expensive.

## 1. Make the first decision: define the water source, branch and owner

**The first decision is not “which backflow preventer should I buy?”; it is whether the irrigation connection, source and responsibilities are described well enough for the local authorities to classify it.** A homeowner should leave this chapter with a one-page connection brief showing where water comes from, which pipe serves irrigation, whether the branch is domestic or dedicated, what can enter that branch, where the meter and isolation valves can sit, and who will obtain each approval.

The health rationale is straightforward. The [U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s cross-connection fact sheet](https://www.epa.gov/system/files/documents/2021-12/ds-toolbox-fact-sheets_ccc.pdf) defines a cross-connection as an actual or potential connection between a potable supply and nonpotable plumbing. It describes backflow as unintended reverse flow and identifies private irrigation systems as a possible cross-connection to a public-water-system distribution network. This national explanation tells you why the connection deserves an early decision; it does not tell you which assembly a particular U.S. utility will accept.

Start with a drawing that can be read by four people who do different work: the homeowner, the plumbing designer or plumber, the irrigation designer or installer, and the water purveyor or AHJ reviewer. Put a north arrow or a simple site orientation on it. Identify the public meter or well pressure tank, the house service, the proposed irrigation point of connection, the assembly location, the isolation valves, the master valve if required, the controller, each zone valve, and any other water source. A rough sketch is acceptable for the first call, but the issued permit drawing must follow the jurisdiction’s requirements.

Record the source in plain language rather than using a vague label such as “city water.” Write one of these, then correct it if necessary:

- public potable water supplied by [utility name], service address, meter number and jurisdiction;
- a private potable well serving both house and irrigation, with well owner, pressure system and county or state health authority identified;
- a private potable source serving irrigation only, with the separation from the drinking-water plumbing shown; or
- a source that is nonpotable, reclaimed, surface water or storage water, which moves the project outside the simple potable-branch assumption and requires a separate local review.

The source field is not paperwork for its own sake. A public water purveyor may have containment requirements at the service or meter. A private well may not have a municipal backflow department, but it can still have an authority having jurisdiction, a health department, plumbing code, subdivision covenant, or lender requirement. A connection that looks physically harmless can become a cross-connection if a hose, chemical injector, tank, pool, fertilizer system, fire line, or other nonpotable component can connect to the drinking-water piping.

Next, identify the branch boundary. A “domestic branch” means the irrigation takeoff shares the home’s service or meter arrangement. A “dedicated irrigation branch” means the irrigation flow is separately metered or separately routed under a utility-approved arrangement. These names are planning labels, not proof that the utility offers a second meter or that the second meter changes the backflow requirement. Put a dashed line around the part that will be installed by the plumbing contractor and a different line around the part that will be installed by the irrigation contractor. The point where those responsibilities meet is the handoff to resolve first.

Then assign responsibility by output, not by job title. A usable responsibility table looks like this:

| Output | Homeowner or owner’s representative | Plumbing professional | Irrigation professional | Water purveyor or AHJ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Confirm source and account | Provides service address, meter and well information | Checks the service drawing | Confirms irrigation source and demand inputs | Confirms service jurisdiction and application path |
| Describe hazard inputs | Discloses chemicals, tanks, pools and future plans | Maps potable and nonpotable piping | Identifies injection, fertilizer or treatment equipment | Assigns or confirms hazard category |
| Choose accepted arrangement | Records the decision and budget allowance | Coordinates service, valves and assembly space | Coordinates point of connection and controller | Approves device category, meter and location requirements |
| Obtain approvals | Pays fees and keeps the permit packet | Submits work within license scope | Submits irrigation plan where required | Reviews plans, issues permit or gives written direction |
| Verify and hand over | Keeps records and schedules future work | Makes plumbing ready for inspection | Makes irrigation accessible and provides as-built plan | Inspects, tests or receives test record according to local rule |

This table does not transfer legal responsibility. It prevents the common failure where everyone assumes another party asked the water utility. The homeowner owns the coordination gap even when licensed professionals perform the work. Ask each professional to mark the line they own and the document they will deliver. If the answer is “the installer knows,” request the installer’s written basis before purchasing an assembly.

![Diagram of a new-home irrigation connection brief showing source, meter, isolation, backflow assembly, branch and responsible parties](https://brictale.com/images/home/build/materials/plan-new-home-irrigation-backflow-protection-before-rough-in/connection-brief-boundaries.webp)

At this stage, do not use the phrase “the code requires a DCVA” unless you can name the jurisdiction, code edition or utility program, hazard classification and exact connection. The [EPA guidance](https://www.epa.gov/system/files/documents/2021-12/ds-toolbox-fact-sheets_ccc.pdf) expressly notes that cross-connection programs vary by state and municipality. The next decision is therefore a local classification question: what can be connected, and what does this jurisdiction consider the resulting hazard?

## 2. Classify the hazard with the local water purveyor before selecting a device

**The correct device category comes after the water purveyor or AHJ classifies the hazard; the homeowner should submit the connection facts and request an accepted assembly, not ask an installer to pick from a national shopping list.** The classification should consider the source, pressure conditions, possible substances, whether the branch can be under backpressure or backsiphonage, and the local approved-equipment list and testing program.

A useful hazard interview has two passes. The first pass describes what exists on the initial build. The second asks what might be added later. Write yes, no or unknown for each item:

1. Does irrigation draw from a public potable service?
2. Does irrigation draw from the same private well and pressure system as drinking water?
3. Is any irrigation line connected to a tank, pond, cistern, pool, stream, reclaimed-water line or other source?
4. Can a hose end, quick-coupler, fertilizer injector, pesticide injector, treatment cartridge or chemical tank be connected downstream?
5. Can the downstream line be pressurized by a pump, elevated tank, boiler-like process, fertilizer injector or another pressure source?
6. Can the downstream line be pulled into a vacuum when the public or house-side pressure falls?
7. Will a contractor, landscaper or future owner add equipment not shown on the current plan?
8. Does the utility require premises containment even when the irrigation equipment itself appears low risk?

“No chemical injector” is a useful fact only if it is written as a design boundary. Put it on the plan as “no chemical injection or additive connection permitted unless the water purveyor and AHJ reclassify and approve the change.” That creates a change-control trigger. It does not promise that the connection is low hazard; only the responsible authority can make that determination.

Raleigh, North Carolina provides a clear example of why the classification comes first. Its Water guidance says domestic, irrigation and fire services in its service area require approved containment backflow protection, while other services with higher risk require testable assemblies. Raleigh states that cross-connection protection is based on the degree of health hazard. Those are requirements for Raleigh, North Carolina, not a rule for every U.S. city. They are a useful model for the question to ask your own water purveyor: “What hazard classification applies to this exact irrigation connection, and does your program require containment, a testable assembly, or another approved method?” See [Raleigh’s Backflow Device Compliance guidance](https://raleighnc.gov/water-and-sewer/services/backflow-device-compliance).

Ask for five separate answers because “approved” can mean several different things:

- **Assembly type:** Is a double check valve assembly (DCVA), pressure vacuum breaker assembly (PVBA), reduced pressure assembly (RP or RPZ), air gap, or another method accepted for this hazard?
- **Approval listing:** Must the model meet a standard such as ASSE and appear on a specified approval list? Raleigh, North Carolina says its assembly must meet American Society of Sanitary Engineering standards and be on the University of Southern California approval list; record that exact local condition if Raleigh is your jurisdiction, but do not silently export it to another state. [Raleigh’s local approval language](https://raleighnc.gov/water-and-sewer/services/backflow-device-compliance) is evidence of a local rule, not a universal product list.
- **Installation position:** Must the assembly be above grade, in a vault, indoors, outside the building, at the property line, before any branch, or at the point of delivery? Do not assume “near the meter” answers all of these.
- **Testing:** Is an initial test required? Is recurring testing annual, periodic, event-based, or only for certain hazards? Who may perform it, and where must the report go?
- **Change path:** What happens if the future irrigation plan adds a chemical injector, booster, storage tank or second source?

Now distinguish device families conceptually without selecting one. Portland, Oregon’s official guidance describes a DCVA as commonly used for hazards that do not pose a health risk, usable under continuous pressure, and protective against both backsiphonage and backpressure. It presents a PVBA as a common residential-irrigation example with a local above-finished-grade condition, while also stating that the Portland Water Bureau does not allow PVBA for backflow protection. It describes an RPBA as designed for backpressure or backsiphonage, with a relief valve that can discharge; a functioning assembly may release small amounts and a malfunctioning one may discharge a large volume. These are equipment-family descriptions from Portland, Oregon—not national permission to install one. [Portland’s device-family descriptions and local limits](https://www.portland.gov/water/backflow-prevention/backflow-assemblies) support the comparison.

Portland, Oregon illustrates both the usefulness and the limit of a local example—and an important source contradiction to resolve. Portland’s residential page presents DCVA and PVBA as common residential-irrigation examples and says a DCVA may be below grade while a PVBA must be at least 12 inches above finished grade. But the same page explicitly states that the Portland Water Bureau does not allow either an atmospheric vacuum breaker or PVBA for backflow protection. Therefore, do not present PVBA as a Portland-accepted option: a Portland homeowner must confirm the currently accepted arrangement with the Portland Water Bureau. The page also explains an RP assembly’s possible discharge and drainage needs. Use [Portland, Oregon’s assembly page](https://www.portland.gov/water/backflow-prevention/backflow-assemblies) as a comparison source that exposes what must be reconciled, not as a permit or national recommendation.

The classification handoff is complete only when the answer is attached to a plan revision or email that names the site. A verbal “that should be fine” is not enough for a buried connection. Save the sender, date, jurisdiction, service address, hazard description, approved category, model-list rule, installation conditions, tester requirement and expiration or revision note. If the utility will not pre-approve a model, save the exact statement that the installer must submit the final model during review.

If the official answer conflicts with the installer’s proposal, stop the purchase. Do not solve the conflict by choosing the more expensive or more restrictive device on your own. A different device can require different discharge, drainage, freeze protection, pressure allowance, test access, permits and service clearances. The next decision is how to route the irrigation water and preserve an accepted arrangement without making domestic service or future maintenance unnecessarily difficult.

![Decision map connecting irrigation source and cross-connections to local hazard review, approved device category, permit and testing](https://brictale.com/images/home/build/materials/plan-new-home-irrigation-backflow-protection-before-rough-in/hazard-classification-decision-map.webp)

## 3. Compare a dedicated irrigation branch with a domestic branch without treating either as automatically safer

**A dedicated irrigation branch can improve isolation and documentation, while a domestic branch can reduce service complexity, but neither branch arrangement automatically determines the required backflow assembly or eliminates local approval.** Compare both against the actual meter policy, service size, fees, water-pressure needs, future maintenance and hazard classification for the property.

Use a two-column comparison before the plumbing layout is frozen. In the domestic-branch option, the irrigation takeoff is coordinated with the home’s potable service. The drawing must show where the takeoff occurs, which side of the meter the assembly sits on, how the house can be isolated, how irrigation can be isolated independently, and how a tester can work without removing landscaping or shutting down more of the house than the local program allows. In the dedicated-branch option, show the second point of connection, meter ownership, meter-box location, backflow position, isolation, downstream irrigation control and how the branch is protected if the house is vacant.

The decision criteria are operational rather than ideological:

| Criterion | Domestic branch | Dedicated irrigation branch | Question that must be answered locally |
|---|---|---|---|
| Utility availability | May use the existing service arrangement | May require a second tap, meter or application | Does the purveyor offer this arrangement at this address? |
| Isolation | House and irrigation may share upstream piping | Irrigation may have a clearer shutoff boundary | Which valve may the owner operate, and where must it be? |
| Testing access | Tester may need access near the house or meter | Tester may work at a separate point | Can the assembly be tested without removing finishes or planting? |
| Water accounting | One meter may combine domestic and irrigation use | Separate reading may be available | What charges, deposits, fees or sewer-account rules apply? |
| Pressure and flow | House fixtures and irrigation share upstream assumptions | Branch sizing and service limits need review | Does the proposed branch preserve required domestic pressure and flow? |
| Future changes | An added injector can affect the shared service | A change may stay on the irrigation branch but still affect source protection | What re-review is triggered by chemicals, storage or a second source? |
| Closeout | One service record may contain several downstream components | A separate record set may be easier to hand over | Who receives the test report, as-built plan and permit closure? |

Do not promise a lower sewer bill or a better pressure result from a separate meter. Those are utility and design questions. Do not promise that a dedicated meter makes the branch nonpotable. If the water is potable at the point of connection, the backflow decision still exists. Conversely, do not assume a domestic branch is the cheapest in total. A later excavation to add an accepted meter, isolation valve or accessible assembly can cost more than reserving the location before slabs, retaining walls, paving and planting.

A practical way to compare the options is to describe the handoff boundary rather than ranking the two layouts. For each option, write:

- upstream source and owner;
- meter number or proposed meter location;
- first isolation valve and who may close it;
- assembly location and orientation;
- downstream branch and first master or zone control;
- test ports and technician standing area;
- discharge or drainage destination if the selected assembly can release water;
- permit and plan-review path;
- initial test and future test interval;
- person who will keep records and person who will schedule the next test.

The option with the most attractive diagram is not necessarily the option that will pass review. The option with the shortest pipe run may leave no room for a tester. The option with the separate meter may place the assembly in a public easement where the property owner cannot maintain it. The option with the assembly inside a garage may create drainage, freeze, access or flood questions. Compare the complete life-cycle path.

### An illustrative branch comparison with sensitivity

The following is a modeled example, not a code determination, price estimate or test result. Its purpose is to show how the worksheet makes uncertainty visible. Inputs are scores from 0 to 3 that the project team assigns after receiving local answers: 0 means unresolved or unacceptable, 1 means weak, 2 means workable, and 3 means documented and strong. The score is a coordination aid only.

For each option, calculate:

`coordination score = local approval + access + isolation + record ownership + future-change clarity`

Each input is unitless and ranges from 0 to 3, so the maximum is 15 points. Suppose an illustrative new home has no chemical injection, uses public potable water, and has a meter at the front property line. The domestic-branch option has these inputs: local approval 2, access 1, isolation 2, record ownership 1, future-change clarity 2. Its score is `2 + 1 + 2 + 1 + 2 = 8 points`. The dedicated-branch option has local approval 1 because the utility has not yet confirmed a second meter, access 3, isolation 3, record ownership 2, and future-change clarity 2. Its score is `1 + 3 + 3 + 2 + 2 = 11 points`.

The result does not authorize the dedicated branch. It says that the dedicated option deserves a utility application before the plumbing plan is frozen. If the utility later rejects a second meter, its local-approval input changes from 1 to 0 and its score becomes `0 + 3 + 3 + 2 + 2 = 10`; that option must be removed even though the arithmetic remains high. If a future chemical injector is added and the authority classifies the connection as high hazard, the future-change input for both options should become 0 until a revised assembly and drainage plan are approved. The sensitivity is the point: a single authoritative answer can outweigh several convenient layout scores.

Do not use the score to choose a DCVA, PVBA or RP. Use it to decide what question or approval is still missing. The decision gate is “approved branch arrangement with a documented handoff,” not “highest worksheet score.” The next decision is where the assembly can physically live after that branch arrangement is accepted.

## 4. Reserve the physical location before rough-in, concrete and landscaping

**Reserve the meter, isolation valve, assembly, test-port and maintenance space on the construction plan before rough-in; an assembly that is technically approved but buried, flooded, frozen or blocked by a wall is not a finished homeowner solution.** The location must be checked in plan, elevation and maintenance access, including the future grade and the landscape that has not yet been installed.

Draw the assembly as equipment with a service envelope, not as a small symbol on a pipe. Show the assembly body, shutoff valves, test ports, unions or service points required by the selected equipment, box or enclosure, finished grade, gravel or base if the local detail requires it, drainage route, freeze protection, and the person’s standing position while testing. Show the dimension from the house wall, property line, meter, fence, retaining wall, driveway, sidewalk, gate and planting bed. Add a note that the final dimensions come from the local utility, approved detail, manufacturer instructions and AHJ.

The meter and assembly relationship is jurisdiction-specific. Portland, Oregon shows a residential irrigation DCVA just after the water meter on private property at the property line, while Fort Worth, Texas’s published water-design policy says assemblies should be installed at the point of delivery before any branch and on private property just inside the city right-of-way unless an inspector specifies another area. These are different named jurisdictions with similar planning lessons: identify the ownership boundary, establish which side of the meter is private, and do not leave “near the meter” as the only location note. Compare [Portland’s local meter example](https://www.portland.gov/water/backflow-prevention/backflow-assemblies) with [Fort Worth’s published installation policy](https://www.fortworthtexas.gov/files/assets/public/v/2/government/documents/fw-water-installation-policy-design-criteria.pdf), then ask the authority for the site-specific location and current detail.

### Plan four kinds of access

**Physical access** means a technician can reach every valve, test port, fastener and relief outlet without dismantling a deck, removing a fence panel or kneeling in a narrow planting strip. Leave the access that the local detail requires, not only the diameter of the pipe. A box that fits the assembly can still fail if its lid cannot be lifted or a test gauge cannot be attached.

**Visual access** means the owner can find the assembly, identify its direction of flow and see whether the box is flooded, packed with soil, damaged or obstructed. Label the assembly and its source when the local authority permits or requires it. Photograph it before the box is covered and retain the photo with the as-built record.

**Hydraulic and discharge access** means water released by the selected assembly has somewhere safe to go. A reduced pressure assembly may discharge during ordinary pressure changes or when it is not functioning correctly. Portland, Oregon’s guidance says an RP should be installed where discharge will not cause water damage and where proper drainage exists. That is a Portland example, but the design lesson is broad: if the accepted assembly can discharge, show the discharge path and ask whether the AHJ requires an air break, drain to daylight, receptor, containment or another method. [Portland’s RP drainage explanation](https://www.portland.gov/water/backflow-prevention/backflow-assemblies) supports this planning check.

**Seasonal access** means the assembly can be protected and serviced through the local freeze, heat, flood and landscape cycles. Do not enclose a relief outlet in a sealed box with no drainage. Do not place a testable assembly in a low area that becomes a pond. Do not use mulch, soil or later sod to reduce the clearance. Do not assume an insulated enclosure is approved; ask what protection, drain and ventilation the local authority requires.

### Treat local dimensions as examples, not transferable code

Portland, Oregon’s page gives a PVBA elevation example and says a DCVA can be installed above or below ground within the conditions described, but it also says Portland Water Bureau does not allow PVBA for backflow protection. Fort Worth, Texas’s May 2019 water-design policy gives its own clearance examples, including different clearances for assemblies two inches and smaller versus larger assemblies, while Fort Worth’s current irrigation materials add checklist requirements for irrigation installations. The dimensions should be copied only from the jurisdiction that governs the property and the approved assembly model. Do not combine Portland’s illustrative PVBA elevation with Fort Worth’s box detail, and do not treat the Portland PVBA example as an accepted Portland choice.

The Fort Worth, Texas example is particularly useful for what must be visible in the plan. The City’s current [Irrigation System Requirements](https://www.fortworthtexas.gov/departments/water/savefwwater/irrigation/system-requirements) page requires a scaled irrigation plan showing the water source, backflow assembly and valves; its linked [Irrigation System Check List & Compliance Certificate](https://www.fortworthtexas.gov/files/assets/public/v/1/water/documents/backflow/irrigation-sys-checklist-compliance-certificate.pdf) includes an as-built plan, an isolation valve at the water connection, a DCVA or approved backflow assembly, a flow-control master valve on the discharge side for new installations, and owner closeout materials. Fort Worth’s published [water-design policy](https://www.fortworthtexas.gov/files/assets/public/v/2/government/documents/fw-water-installation-policy-design-criteria.pdf) separately supplies prompts about below-grade test-port plugs, orientation, clearance and drainage. These requirements belong to Fort Worth, Texas. Use them as prompts for your own checklist: “Where are test ports? What is under the assembly? Which valve isolates it? Is a master valve required? What orientation is approved? What happens if the box floods?”

### Protect the handoff from future grade changes

A new house often changes grade after the first plumbing drawing. The landscape contractor adds soil, a mason adds a seat wall, the driveway rises at the garage, or a homeowner requests a hedge in front of the box. Put a “finished grade at assembly” elevation on the civil or landscape plan. Require a redline if grade, wall, paving or planting moves within the service envelope. Make the irrigation installer responsible for showing the final grade and the plumber responsible for confirming the pipe and valves remain accessible.

Before releasing rough-in, take four measurements from fixed references: meter centerline to assembly centerline, property-line or wall reference to assembly, finished grade to critical assembly point, and clear standing or test-port space. Record units in inches or feet and the date. If the assembly will be below grade, record the box interior dimensions, base, drainage and cover elevation rather than simply writing “valve box.” These are construction-control measurements, not a substitute for the AHJ inspection.

The next decision is whether the arrangement can be shown on a permit drawing with an accepted device category, or whether a pre-application review is needed before anyone installs the first valve.

![Cutaway planning view of an irrigation backflow assembly with meter, isolation valves, test access, finished grade, clearance and discharge route](https://brictale.com/images/home/build/materials/plan-new-home-irrigation-backflow-protection-before-rough-in/assembly-access-envelope.webp)

## 5. Turn the plan into permits, approved equipment and accountable handoffs

**Treat plan review, equipment approval and permits as three separate gates: the local authority must accept the hazard and arrangement, the selected assembly must meet the allowed approval/listing conditions, and the responsible party must obtain permits before work begins.** A product box, an installer’s experience and a manufacturer’s installation sheet do not replace those gates.

Prepare a permit packet that can be read without a site meeting. Include the site address and jurisdiction, water source, meter arrangement, irrigation point of connection, hazard inputs, assembly category or approved equal, manufacturer and model if known, orientation, valves, test ports, clearances, drainage, freeze protection, downstream master valve or zone controls, controller location, and the sequence for initial test and inspection. Include the irrigation plan if the authority requires one. Mark anything that is still pending with the person and date responsible for resolving it.

Raleigh, North Carolina says plans are reviewed and that its standard utility notes must identify the backflow type or approved equal according to hazard classification when a water connection is shown on a site-permit plan. It also says the assembly must be tested initially and periodically under the manufacturer’s recommendation or the local cross-connection program, whichever is more stringent. This is the model of a complete gate: classification, drawing note, approved device and testing path. It is not a rule that can be applied to a project outside Raleigh, North Carolina. [Raleigh’s plan-review and testing guidance](https://raleighnc.gov/water-and-sewer/services/backflow-device-compliance) shows the questions to put in your own submittal.

Fort Worth, Texas demonstrates a different local gate. Its current [Irrigation System Requirements](https://www.fortworthtexas.gov/departments/water/savefwwater/irrigation/system-requirements) page says a permit is required for irrigation installation, a permit and fee are required when irrigation is directly connected to municipal water, and the permitting process is handled through Development Services. The [same current page requires a scaled irrigation plan](https://www.fortworthtexas.gov/departments/water/savefwwater/irrigation/system-requirements) that identifies the water source, backflow assembly and valves, and says the device must be independently tested by a licensed backflow tester. It also requires a [final homeowner or owner-representative walk-through](https://www.fortworthtexas.gov/departments/water/savefwwater/irrigation/system-requirements) covering the maintenance checklist, plan and system records. If the property is in Fort Worth, Texas, verify the current permit type and application details with Development Services. If it is elsewhere, identify the equivalent department instead of copying the Fort Worth permit name.

### Name the approval authority for each question

Use this escalation map:

- **Water purveyor:** source connection, meter ownership, containment, approved assembly list, test frequency, test report submission and utility access.
- **AHJ or plumbing department:** permit, adopted plumbing code, inspection, local amendments, location, enclosure, drainage and contractor license scope.
- **Health department or private-well authority:** private-source separation, well or nonpotable-source concerns, and any local public-health requirement.
- **Licensed plumber:** domestic service, branch piping, valves, thermal or pressure implications, assembly installation within license scope and rough-in readiness.
- **Irrigation designer or licensed irrigator where required:** zone flow, point of connection, controller, irrigation plan, master valve, sensors and as-built changes.
- **Certified backflow tester:** testability, gauge connection, initial test, pass/fail results, repairs and report submission under the local program.
- **Homeowner:** disclosures, decisions, fees, access, records, future change control and annual or periodic scheduling.

One professional may hold several roles, but the outputs still need names. A plumber can install the assembly without being the authorized tester. An irrigation installer can provide a plan without being authorized to determine the water purveyor’s hazard category. A homeowner can request a permit without being allowed to perform every part of the work. Make the scope visible in the contract and permit packet.

### Confirm the approval list without overbuying

If the local authority specifies ASSE, USC Foundation for Cross-Connection Control and Hydraulic Research approval, a state list, or a local approved-equipment list, record the exact requirement and check the final model, size, orientation and application. Do not treat two models with the same nominal diameter as interchangeable. The approved orientation, test ports, relief discharge, clearances and repair parts may differ. Keep the manufacturer’s installation instructions and the approval record in the project file.

Do not select an RP simply because it sounds safest, or a DCVA simply because it is compact. An RP can need drainage and may discharge. A DCVA may not be accepted for the classified hazard. A PVBA may have elevation or continuous-pressure conditions. The appropriate assembly is the one the local authority accepts for the actual hazard and that can be installed, tested, drained and maintained in the available space.

### Make procurement conditional

Write the purchase release as a conditional milestone: “Release the backflow assembly after the utility/AHJ confirms the hazard category, approved type, approved model/list, orientation, location, test requirement and permit path.” If procurement lead time is long, ask the authority whether a specific model family may be reserved, but do not install an unapproved temporary assembly and hope to exchange it after concrete. A substituted model can change box size, pipe centers, relief discharge, standing room and inspection results.

The handoff to rough-in is complete when the permit number or written review path exists, the issued plan has a unique revision, the equipment basis is recorded, and the contractor can mark the exact location on the site. If one of those is missing, the next decision is not “start trenching”; it is “which unanswered approval blocks the work?”

## 6. Sequence installation and verification around construction milestones

**Release irrigation backflow work in a sequence that preserves inspection access: classify first, draw second, permit third, rough-in fourth, install and expose the assembly fifth, test sixth, inspect seventh, and landscape only after the record is accepted.** The exact order can differ by jurisdiction, but the dependency is stable: the tester and inspector must be able to see, reach and identify the work.

Here is a construction sequence a homeowner can place on the master schedule.

### Milestone 1: brief and site verification

Before plumbing rough-in, the homeowner provides the service address, utility account or well information, site plan, future landscape assumptions, and any known equipment. The plumber and irrigation professional walk the proposed route and mark the meter, point of connection, assembly, isolation, master valve, controller and downstream zones. The water purveyor or AHJ receives the hazard questionnaire. The deliverable is a signed or emailed connection brief with open questions.

Verify that the site conditions match the drawing. Find the property line, right-of-way, meter box and proposed grade. Do not rely on an old survey for the equipment access envelope if a fence, retaining wall or driveway has changed. If the meter is not installed yet, show the utility’s planned location and the tolerance for the assembly connection. The next decision is branch arrangement and hazard category.

### Milestone 2: accepted plan and permit path

The plumber or designer updates the drawing with the authority’s answer. The owner checks that the drawing does not quietly substitute a different assembly family. The irrigation professional confirms that zone flow and design pressure assumptions do not contradict the service plan, but irrigation hydraulic design is outside this article’s scope. The permit applicant submits the required documents. Save the application, comments, approved plan, permit number and revision date.

If the authority returns a comment such as “show approved equal,” ask what must be shown: a product model, a listing, a standard detail, or a plan note. If it returns “provide clearance,” ask for the governing dimension, reference point and finished-grade assumption. Resolve comments in writing and cloud the revision. A redline that never reaches the installer is not a controlled change.

### Milestone 3: below-grade and structural coordination

Before the trench is backfilled or a slab edge is closed, install sleeves or conduits that the approved plan requires; coordinate with the plumber and civil contractor. Mark the assembly box and valves with offset dimensions from fixed features. Photograph open trench conditions. Confirm the box does not sit where roof runoff, driveway drainage or foundation drainage will flood it. Confirm the future landscape grade does not cover the test ports or lid.

Do not bury a testable assembly merely because a catalog drawing shows underground installation. The local authority may allow a particular assembly below grade but still require a specific vault, orientation, drainage, clearance and access. Portland, Oregon’s examples and Fort Worth, Texas’s published policy differ, which is exactly why the local approved detail controls. Keep [Portland’s local assembly examples](https://www.portland.gov/water/backflow-prevention/backflow-assemblies) and [Fort Worth’s published installation policy](https://www.fortworthtexas.gov/files/assets/public/v/2/government/documents/fw-water-installation-policy-design-criteria.pdf) as comparison references only; neither is permission outside its jurisdiction.

### Milestone 4: install the approved assembly and controls

The installer verifies the delivered model against the approved plan before cutting pipe. Record manufacturer, model, size, serial number if available, flow direction, orientation, valve positions and physical location. Install the upstream isolation valve and downstream controls exactly as the local approval requires. If the plan includes a master valve, label it and show its relationship to the assembly. If the authority requires a strainer, drain, air gap or enclosure, verify it before the box is closed.

Fort Worth, Texas provides a detailed local example of why this inspection should be done before landscaping. Its current [Irrigation System Requirements](https://www.fortworthtexas.gov/departments/water/savefwwater/irrigation/system-requirements) page requires the plan to show the water source, backflow assembly and valves, while the linked [official checklist](https://www.fortworthtexas.gov/files/assets/public/v/1/water/documents/backflow/irrigation-sys-checklist-compliance-certificate.pdf) checks an as-built plan, isolation valve, approved assembly, discharge-side master valve for new installations and owner closeout materials. Fort Worth’s published [water-design policy](https://www.fortworthtexas.gov/files/assets/public/v/2/government/documents/fw-water-installation-policy-design-criteria.pdf) adds local prompts about test-port plugs, orientation, clearance and drainage. These are Fort Worth requirements, not a national checklist, but they make good prompts for a local pre-inspection walk.

### Milestone 5: test before requesting inspection when the local process requires it

The certified tester checks that the assembly is accessible, identified and filled with water according to the testing procedure. The tester records the assembly type, size, manufacturer, model, serial number, location, hazard and test results. The tester repairs or reports a failure through the local process; the homeowner should not ask a plumber to “make the form pass” without a real test. If the authority requires a test report before inspection, attach it to the inspection request.

Fort Worth, Texas’s current irrigation page requires independent testing by a licensed backflow tester, while the City’s published May 2019 water-design policy says annual testing is required for commercial users and initial testing is required for newly installed, replaced, relocated or removed assemblies serving commercial, irrigation and residential services when applicable. That policy does not support a blanket annual interval for every residential irrigation connection. Ask Fort Worth Water which current rule applies to the home’s hazard classification, who may test, where the report goes and what must precede inspection. Raleigh, North Carolina says initial and periodic testing follow the manufacturer or local cross-connection program, whichever is more stringent. Those local examples demonstrate why the schedule cannot be copied nationally. Cite [Fort Worth’s current irrigation requirements](https://www.fortworthtexas.gov/departments/water/savefwwater/irrigation/system-requirements), [Fort Worth’s published testing policy](https://www.fortworthtexas.gov/files/assets/public/v/2/government/documents/fw-water-installation-policy-design-criteria.pdf) and [Raleigh’s testing language](https://raleighnc.gov/water-and-sewer/services/backflow-device-compliance) in the project record, then follow the jurisdiction where the home is located.

### Milestone 6: inspection and closeout

Before the inspector arrives, remove construction debris, expose the required equipment, open the approved access path, and make the meter and controller available. Put the permit number, approved plan, test report, as-built redline and contact details in one packet. If a box is temporarily covered for safety, ensure the inspector can reopen it without damaging the assembly or landscape. Never use soil, sod or mulch to hide an unresolved access issue.

After inspection, record the result and every correction. If the inspector asks for a different orientation, location, drain or valve, revise the as-built plan after the work is completed. If the assembly is replaced, relocated or repaired, determine whether a new permit or test is required. Fort Worth, Texas’s published water-design policy requires initial testing for newly installed, replaced, relocated or removed assemblies for irrigation and residential services when applicable; another jurisdiction may use different words, but the change-control question remains essential.

### Milestone 7: landscape release

Release final grading, paving and planting only after the assembly passes the jurisdiction’s inspection path and the service envelope is marked on the landscape plan. Tell the landscaper what cannot be planted over, built against or drained toward the box. Give the controller location and the winterization owner to the person who will operate the system. The next decision is ownership: who will know the assembly exists after the builder, plumber and irrigation installer leave?

## 7. Leave an ownership, testing and winterization record for the person who will live in the home

**The handoff is complete only when the owner can locate the assembly, isolate irrigation, find the test report, understand the local testing interval and know whom to call for a failed test, freeze event or future system change.** Backflow protection is not a one-time product purchase; it is a maintained connection with a record and a responsible person.

Create a closeout page with these fields:

| Record field | What to write | Verification |
|---|---|---|
| Jurisdiction | City, county, state, water purveyor and AHJ | Match permit and service address |
| Source | Public meter, private well or other approved source | Match approved plan and meter/well record |
| Branch | Domestic or dedicated, with point of connection | Trace from meter to assembly and first downstream control |
| Hazard basis | The substances, equipment and pressure conditions submitted | Confirm no undocumented injector, tank or second source exists |
| Assembly | Type, manufacturer, model, size, serial number and orientation | Photograph nameplate and flow arrow |
| Location | Box/enclosure, offsets, grade and access envelope | Compare final grade and landscape plan |
| Valves | Upstream isolation, downstream/master/zone controls | Operate only as allowed and label each control |
| Test | Initial date, tester, license/registration, pass/fail and report | Store the official report, not only a text message |
| Next test | Exact local interval or event trigger | Enter a calendar reminder and a backup reminder |
| Winterization | Responsible person, method approved by installer/AHJ and seasonal trigger | Confirm it does not conflict with device instructions |
| Change control | “Re-review before adding injector, tank, source or branch” | Put this note in the owner manual and landscape contract |

EPA’s national fact sheet says an effective program’s records should cover testing and repair, tester certification, inspection dates and results, and says customers should understand their responsibility for testing and repairing irrigation assemblies. That supports the record structure above, but EPA does not create a universal homeowner retention period in this guide. Follow the local program’s submission and retention requirements. [EPA’s recordkeeping guidance](https://www.epa.gov/system/files/documents/2021-12/ds-toolbox-fact-sheets_ccc.pdf) belongs next to the local rule, not in place of it.

### Brictale’s remote-assessment stop boundary

**Stop remote diagnosis and contact the appropriate utility, AHJ or qualified professional when contamination is suspected, pressure is abnormal, energized electrical work is involved, access is unsafe, or the proposed device arrangement is unresolved.** Do not taste or use water that may be contaminated, repeatedly cycle a valve to “see what happens,” or treat a leak, surge, pressure loss or relief discharge as proof of a particular device failure. If it is safe to use a known, accessible isolation valve without entering water or touching electrical equipment, keep irrigation isolated while the water purveyor and qualified plumber or certified backflow tester advise you. Do not open a live controller, touch pump or controller wiring, enter a confined space, climb into a flooded valve box or excavation, or reach into a box with hidden electrical or structural hazards; use the appropriately licensed professional. If the utility, AHJ or installer has not resolved the approved device family, location, orientation, drainage, permit or test path, stop ordering, burying, covering or operating the affected work until that approval is recorded. A homeowner can photograph, measure from a safe location, preserve documents and ask focused questions; those observations do not replace an inspection, test or site-specific determination.

### Testing is a jurisdiction-specific obligation

Do not write “test annually” in a national home manual unless the local authority actually requires it. Fort Worth, Texas’s published policy says annual testing is required for commercial users, while initial testing applies to newly installed, replaced, relocated or removed assemblies for irrigation and residential services when applicable; Fort Worth’s current irrigation page requires independent testing by a licensed backflow tester. For a Fort Worth home, ask the city to classify the specific assembly and state the recurring interval and report path in writing. Raleigh, North Carolina describes initial and periodic testing under the manufacturer’s recommendation or local program, whichever is more stringent. A different jurisdiction may exempt a device, use a different interval, require event-based testing, or require a registered tester and electronic submission. Save the exact local language and the next due date.

The owner’s calendar entry should include the assembly location, access instructions, permit or account number, tester qualification requirement, report destination, and the person who will be present if access is not public. A reminder that says only “backflow test” is weak. A reminder that says “irrigation assembly at front property line, clear box, contact [local program], report due [date], owner [name]” can survive a change in landscaper.

### Winterization is a plan, not a universal blowout recipe

Freeze protection depends on climate, assembly type, enclosure, piping layout, water source, local instructions and the installer’s method. This guide does not prescribe compressed-air pressure, valve sequencing, drain-down steps or a device-specific winterization procedure. Those details can damage equipment or create a new hazard if guessed. Ask the installer and local authority what must be shut, drained, protected or left operational, and record who performs it and when.

The physical plan must still anticipate winterization. Provide access to shutoffs and drain points that the approved method requires. Do not place the assembly where a seasonal closure can discharge onto a foundation or public walk. Do not cover relief openings or test ports with insulation that prevents testing. If an enclosure is used, ask whether the authority requires a drain, daylight discharge, insulation, heat or another method. Portland, Oregon’s RP guidance specifically connects discharge with drainage and water-damage risk; the local jurisdiction for the home controls the actual solution. [Portland’s discharge and drainage example](https://www.portland.gov/water/backflow-prevention/backflow-assemblies) is a useful prompt, not a universal winterization standard.

### Future changes need a reclassification trigger

Write a change notice into the owner packet and any irrigation service agreement. The owner must contact the water purveyor or AHJ before adding:

- fertilizer, pesticide, acid, dye or other chemical injection;
- a storage tank, pond, cistern, pump or booster;
- a second water source or cross-connection to a well, reclaimed line or surface water;
- a hose connection, quick-coupler or service outlet not shown on the approved plan;
- a new branch, fire connection or building addition;
- a relocated meter, assembly, valve box or finished grade;
- an automatic master valve or controller arrangement that changes pressure or test access.

The owner should also recheck the record after a repair. A replacement assembly may have a different orientation or access envelope. A new fence may block the tester. A landscape contractor may bury the lid. A plumbing change may create a second cross-connection. A new homeowner may assume a separate irrigation meter means the water is nonpotable. Put the source and hazard boundary in plain language on the as-built drawing.

The next decision is whether the closeout packet proves that the installed arrangement matches the approved arrangement. If not, the project is not ready to treat landscaping as complete.

## 8. Use the handoff worksheet to catch failure cases and choose the next approval

**Use the worksheet as a stop-and-release tool: every row needs an owner, an input, a source or approval, a verification action and a next decision before work advances.** It is deliberately more demanding than a device-shopping checklist because the expensive failure is often not the valve itself; it is discovering after installation that the branch, location, permit, test path or future maintenance responsibility was never accepted.

### Original contribution: New-home irrigation backflow handoff worksheet

The contribution is a reusable worksheet built from a source comparison between U.S. EPA program guidance and the named local examples from Portland, Oregon; Raleigh, North Carolina; and Fort Worth, Texas. It makes the non-universal parts visible rather than pretending that one local installation detail applies across the United States.

**Summary:** A source-comparison worksheet that turns the irrigation backflow decision into documented handoffs between the homeowner, water purveyor, authority having jurisdiction, designer, installer, tester and future owner.

**Method:** Map the source, branch, hazard inputs, local device rule, physical location, permits, testing and ownership as a sequence of yes/no handoffs; then compare candidate arrangements only after the utility and AHJ classify the connection.

**Limitations:** This is an illustrative planning aid, not a code determination, hydraulic design, device selection, engineering inspection or substitute for the local water purveyor, authority having jurisdiction, licensed installer or certified tester.

The worksheet starts with an evidence column so that a future owner can tell the difference between a national rationale and a local requirement:

| Row | Input to record | Responsible handoff | Evidence or approval to attach | Release question |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Jurisdiction | City, county, state, utility and AHJ | Homeowner | Service address and official contact | Which authority governs this connection? |
| 2. Water source | Public potable, private well or other approved source | Homeowner plus plumber | Meter/well record and source drawing | Is the water potable at the irrigation point? |
| 3. Branch arrangement | Domestic or dedicated; meter and takeoff | Plumber plus utility | Approved plan or written utility response | Is this branch available and accepted? |
| 4. Cross-connections | Hoses, tanks, injectors, pools, pumps, other sources | Irrigation designer plus owner | Marked plan and change boundary | What can enter or pressurize the branch? |
| 5. Hazard | Local classification or unresolved | Water purveyor/AHJ | Email, plan comment or approval | Which device category is allowed? |
| 6. Approval list | Standard, approved list, model and orientation | Plumber/tester | Listing and manufacturer instructions | Does the final model match the approved basis? |
| 7. Meter/isolation | Meter, first valve, assembly and master valve | Plumber | Dimensioned site and plumbing plan | Can each service boundary be isolated safely? |
| 8. Location | Grade, enclosure, access, clearance and freeze protection | Plumber plus civil/landscape | Detail, photos and as-built dimensions | Can a tester reach every required point? |
| 9. Drainage | Relief/discharge and flood condition | Plumber plus AHJ | Drain or daylight detail if required | Where does released water go? |
| 10. Permit | Permit type, number, inspection trigger | Applicant/homeowner | Issued permit and comments | May work begin under this permit? |
| 11. Initial test | Tester qualification, date and result | Certified tester | Official test report | Does the result accompany inspection? |
| 12. Recurring test | Interval, event trigger and report destination | Homeowner | Calendar entry and local program record | Who schedules and receives the reminder? |
| 13. Winterization | Method, season, shutoffs and owner | Installer plus homeowner | Written instructions and access photo | Can the method be performed without guessing? |
| 14. Change control | New source, chemical, tank, grade or relocation | Future owner | Re-review note in manual | What change requires a new approval? |

Fill the worksheet with “unknown” rather than a guessed answer. An unknown is a useful state if it has an owner and due date. For example: “Hazard classification — unknown; owner — plumber; ask — Raleigh Water cross-connection program; due — before permit submission.” A blank row disappears in a meeting; an unknown row creates a handoff.

![Lifecycle comparison of irrigation backflow planning handoffs from source brief through permit, test, closeout and future change](https://brictale.com/images/home/build/materials/plan-new-home-irrigation-backflow-protection-before-rough-in/handoff-worksheet-lifecycle.webp)

### Failure case 1: “The landscaper will handle it”

The landscape installer may know zone valves and controller wiring but may not be responsible for the water meter, plumbing permit, cross-connection classification or certified test. The fix is to require a written division of scope. Ask who will contact the purveyor, who will submit the plan, who will install the assembly, who will test it, who will request inspection, and who will provide the as-built plan. If two parties each say the other handles the permit, stop the schedule until the applicant is named.

### Failure case 2: the device is selected from a generic internet list

A product listing can show that a device exists; it cannot prove that it is approved for the property’s hazard, local standard, orientation or test program. The fix is to attach the authority’s response and the final model’s approval/listing documentation. In Raleigh, North Carolina, the city’s guidance names ASSE standards and the USC approval list; in another jurisdiction the requirement may differ. Do not use Raleigh’s list as a national shortcut. [Raleigh’s approval requirement](https://raleighnc.gov/water-and-sewer/services/backflow-device-compliance) is a local example of the evidence to collect.

### Failure case 3: the box is installed where the finished landscape will bury it

The rough grade may be correct when the box is installed and wrong after topsoil and sod. The fix is a fixed-reference elevation, final landscape coordination, a photo before cover and an owner instruction that the service envelope cannot be filled or planted. Require the installer to verify the lid and test access after final grade but before the last planting pass.

### Failure case 4: the assembly passes the pipe drawing but has no drainage path

This failure is most important when the accepted assembly can relieve water. The fix is to show the discharge destination, grade and flood condition, and to confirm the detail with the AHJ before installation. Portland, Oregon explains the water-damage and drainage issue for RP assemblies, but its page is not a permit for a home elsewhere. [Portland’s RP drainage guidance](https://www.portland.gov/water/backflow-prevention/backflow-assemblies) supports asking the question early.

### Failure case 5: the meter is installed but the branch owner is unclear

An owner may believe the utility maintains everything in the meter box; the utility may treat the downstream assembly and valve as private property. The fix is to put ownership on the plan and service record: meter, upstream valve, assembly, downstream valve, controller, zone valves and landscape piping. Ask the utility where its ownership boundary lies and save the answer. Never infer ownership from physical proximity.

### Failure case 6: the permit is closed but the test record is missing

Inspection and testing can be separate records. The fix is to request the test report, tester credentials or registration, report destination and due date as part of closeout. Fort Worth, Texas’s current irrigation page requires independent testing by a licensed tester, and its published water-design policy distinguishes annual testing for commercial users from initial testing for irrigation and residential services when applicable. That distinction is why the homeowner should save the exact current city response for this address rather than assume an annual interval. [Fort Worth’s current irrigation requirements](https://www.fortworthtexas.gov/departments/water/savefwwater/irrigation/system-requirements) and [published testing policy](https://www.fortworthtexas.gov/files/assets/public/v/2/government/documents/fw-water-installation-policy-design-criteria.pdf) support the record-control lesson; the local program controls.

### Failure case 7: a future owner adds an injector without re-review

The original plan may have had no chemical injection. A later fertilizer injector changes the hazard facts. The fix is a visible change-control note on the owner manual, a label at the controller, and a contract clause requiring re-review before a connection is added. The owner should contact the water purveyor or AHJ, not rely on a new landscaper’s verbal assurance.

### Failure case 8: winterization instructions are a generic blowout script

A generic pressure or valve sequence may be unsuitable for the selected assembly and local system. The fix is to obtain written, equipment-specific instructions from the installer and check whether the authority or manufacturer imposes additional requirements. Record the shutoff location, responsible person and seasonal trigger. If the instructions cannot be followed without entering a confined space, working near live electrical equipment or changing a permitted assembly, use a qualified professional.

### The final fallback decision if the utility rejects the proposed arrangement

If the water purveyor or AHJ rejects the proposed branch, device, location or testing path, do not continue with the rejected detail. Mark the rejected row in the worksheet, quote the reason accurately, and return to the earliest changed decision. Then follow this order:

1. Ask whether the rejection is about source, hazard, device category, model approval, location, drainage, permit, testability or records.
2. Ask what evidence or revised drawing would resolve it.
3. Ask whether the branch should change from domestic to dedicated, or from dedicated to domestic, without assuming the new arrangement is approved.
4. Ask whether the utility requires a different assembly family, additional isolation, a different elevation, a drain, a new meter application or a separate service.
5. Revise the plan and release schedule; do not make an undocumented field substitution.
6. Obtain the new approval, permit revision or inspection instruction before ordering or burying the affected work.

The fallback is not “install the most protective-looking device.” An RP can be rejected because the site cannot safely drain it. A DCVA can be rejected because the classified hazard needs another protection level. A PVBA can be rejected because the elevation, pressure or local program does not allow it. A separate meter can be rejected because the utility does not offer it at that address. The correct fallback is the next arrangement the governing authority accepts and the project can maintain.

### Compact originality brief

**Current answers:** EPA explains the public-health reason for cross-connection control, while Portland, Oregon; Raleigh, North Carolina; and Fort Worth, Texas publish useful but jurisdiction-specific assembly, location, approval, permit and testing details.

**Missing decision:** A new-home homeowner still needs to decide what to ask and when: source, branch, hazard, device category, meter and isolation location, access, drainage, permit, test, winterization and future ownership before rough-in is released.

**Original contribution:** The New-home irrigation backflow handoff worksheet compares source-level guidance with local examples and forces each non-universal choice into a named handoff with an owner, record and release question. The illustrative coordination score shows how one rejected utility assumption can change the next action without pretending to choose a device.

**How it can be checked:** A reviewer can trace every evidence ID in `evidence.json` to its official URL, compare the article’s local claims with the named jurisdiction, inspect whether all worksheet rows have owners and evidence, and verify the final plan, permit, assembly model, test report, access photos and owner calendar against the installed home.

The next decision after this worksheet is specific: submit the completed connection brief and dimensioned location to the actual water purveyor and AHJ for the property, then release the plumbing and landscape rough-in only after the accepted branch, hazard classification, assembly basis, permit path and testing handoff are recorded. For the wider materials-and-systems journey, continue to the [Brictale materials guide](/build/materials); for this irrigation connection, keep the worksheet with the home’s permanent records.

### Evidence and scope

The national source in this article is the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s October 2021 Distribution System Toolbox fact sheet. The local examples are explicitly labeled Portland, Oregon; Raleigh, North Carolina; and Fort Worth, Texas. A local example is included to make the planning questions concrete, not to imply that the rule applies across the United States. The article was substantively reviewed on September 8, 2026 against the linked official pages and the evidence records attached to this package. Local rules, permit forms, approval lists and testing programs can change; confirm the current requirements for the actual service address before construction.

## Evidence

- The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency defines a cross-connection as an actual or potential connection between potable water and nonpotable plumbing, and identifies backflow as unintended reverse flow that can create a public-health hazard. [Protecting Water Quality through Cross-Connection Control and Backflow Prevention](https://www.epa.gov/system/files/documents/2021-12/ds-toolbox-fact-sheets_ccc.pdf). Scope: U.S. EPA Distribution System Toolbox fact sheet, October 2021; national public-water-system guidance and rationale, not a local installation rule.. Accessed: 2026-09-08.
- EPA says cross-connection and backflow-prevention programs vary by state and municipality, and that allowable assemblies, testing frequency and repair options can vary by state. [Protecting Water Quality through Cross-Connection Control and Backflow Prevention](https://www.epa.gov/system/files/documents/2021-12/ds-toolbox-fact-sheets_ccc.pdf). Scope: U.S. EPA Distribution System Toolbox fact sheet, lines discussing state and municipal variation; general coordination guidance.. Accessed: 2026-09-08.
- EPA lists testing and repair activities, tester certification, assembly inspection dates and results among records for an effective cross-connection control program, and says customers should understand their responsibilities for irrigation assembly testing and repair. [Protecting Water Quality through Cross-Connection Control and Backflow Prevention](https://www.epa.gov/system/files/documents/2021-12/ds-toolbox-fact-sheets_ccc.pdf). Scope: U.S. EPA Distribution System Toolbox fact sheet; program and recordkeeping guidance, not a homeowner-specific retention period.. Accessed: 2026-09-08.
- Portland, Oregon presents DCVA and PVBA as common residential-irrigation examples and gives example placement conditions, but the same page explicitly says the Portland Water Bureau does not allow AVB or PVBA for backflow protection; the PVBA example must not be treated as an accepted Portland option. [How to choose and install a backflow prevention assembly](https://www.portland.gov/water/backflow-prevention/backflow-assemblies). Scope: City of Portland, Oregon Water Bureau page; it contains both a residential example and an explicit prohibition on AVB/PVBA for backflow protection. Use the contradiction to prevent a false Portland recommendation; local examples only, not a national device recommendation.. Accessed: 2026-09-08.
- Portland, Oregon explains that a reduced pressure backflow assembly can discharge water during operation or failure and should be located where discharge will not cause water damage and where proper drainage exists. [How to choose and install a backflow prevention assembly](https://www.portland.gov/water/backflow-prevention/backflow-assemblies). Scope: City of Portland, Oregon Water Bureau example for reduced pressure assemblies; local placement guidance.. Accessed: 2026-09-08.
- Portland, Oregon gives a local example of an irrigation double check assembly just after the meter on private property and describes different example grade and depth conditions for DCVA and PVBA, while the same page separately says the Water Bureau does not allow PVBA for backflow protection. [How to choose and install a backflow prevention assembly](https://www.portland.gov/water/backflow-prevention/backflow-assemblies). Scope: City of Portland, Oregon Water Bureau page; its PVBA elevation is an example on a page that also prohibits PVBA for backflow protection. Do not treat that example as acceptance or transfer dimensions to another jurisdiction.. Accessed: 2026-09-08.
- Portland, Oregon describes a DCVA as commonly used for backflow hazards that do not pose a health risk, usable under continuous pressure, and protective against both backsiphonage and backpressure; it also gives local above- or below-grade placement limits. [How to choose and install a backflow prevention assembly](https://www.portland.gov/water/backflow-prevention/backflow-assemblies). Scope: City of Portland, Oregon Water Bureau description of DCVA behavior and example placement conditions; local technical guidance, not a national device-selection rule.. Accessed: 2026-09-08.
- Portland, Oregon presents PVBA as a common residential-irrigation example with a local above-finished-grade condition, but the same official page says the Portland Water Bureau does not allow PVBA for backflow protection. [How to choose and install a backflow prevention assembly](https://www.portland.gov/water/backflow-prevention/backflow-assemblies). Scope: City of Portland, Oregon Water Bureau residential irrigation example and explicit local prohibition; do not treat the example or elevation as approval outside Portland, Oregon.. Accessed: 2026-09-08.
- Portland, Oregon describes an RPBA as designed to prevent backflow caused by backpressure or backsiphonage, with a relief valve that can open and discharge water; the page warns that a functioning assembly may release small amounts and a malfunctioning one may discharge a large volume. [How to choose and install a backflow prevention assembly](https://www.portland.gov/water/backflow-prevention/backflow-assemblies). Scope: City of Portland, Oregon Water Bureau description of RPBA operation and discharge; local installation-planning guidance, not a national approval or drainage standard.. Accessed: 2026-09-08.
- Raleigh, North Carolina states that domestic, irrigation and fire services must have approved containment backflow protection, with protection based on the degree of health hazard. [Backflow Device Compliance](https://raleighnc.gov/water-and-sewer/services/backflow-device-compliance). Scope: City of Raleigh Water service-area plan-review guidance, updated August 27, 2026; Raleigh-specific requirements.. Accessed: 2026-09-08.
- Raleigh, North Carolina says the backflow assembly must meet American Society of Sanitary Engineering standards and be on the University of Southern California approval list, subject to the local program and applicable guidance. [Backflow Device Compliance](https://raleighnc.gov/water-and-sewer/services/backflow-device-compliance). Scope: City of Raleigh Water service-area requirements for plan review and containment assemblies; not a national approval rule.. Accessed: 2026-09-08.
- Raleigh, North Carolina says plans are reviewed for backflow compliance, water connections on site-permit plans must show the backflow type or approved equal according to hazard classification, and required containment assemblies receive initial and periodic testing under the manufacturer or local program, whichever is more stringent. [Backflow Device Compliance](https://raleighnc.gov/water-and-sewer/services/backflow-device-compliance). Scope: City of Raleigh Water service-area plan review and testing language; local process example.. Accessed: 2026-09-08.
- Fort Worth, Texas says a permit is required for irrigation-system installation, and that a permit and fee are required when irrigation is directly connected to the municipal water supply; its page identifies the Development Services Department as the permitting contact. [Irrigation System Requirements](https://www.fortworthtexas.gov/departments/water/savefwwater/irrigation/system-requirements). Scope: Current City of Fort Worth, Texas irrigation requirements page; permit and licensing guidance for irrigation connected to municipal water, not a national rule and not a substitute for the current permit application.. Accessed: 2026-09-08.
- Fort Worth, Texas says assemblies should be at the point of delivery before branches, on private property just inside the right-of-way unless an inspector directs otherwise, protected from freezing, accessible for maintenance and testing, and installed with specified clearances that vary by assembly size and installation. [City of Fort Worth Water Department Installation Policy and Design Criteria](https://www.fortworthtexas.gov/files/assets/public/v/2/government/documents/fw-water-installation-policy-design-criteria.pdf). Scope: City of Fort Worth, Texas Water Department Installation Policy and Design Criteria, May 2019, section 5.21.6; local installation requirements and dimensions that must be rechecked against the current city program and approved assembly.. Accessed: 2026-09-08.
- Fort Worth, Texas’s irrigation checklist includes an as-built plan, an isolation valve at the water connection, a DCVA or approved backflow assembly, a flow-control master valve on the discharge side for new installations, and owner closeout materials. [Irrigation System Requirements and Irrigation System Check List & Compliance Certificate](https://www.fortworthtexas.gov/files/assets/public/v/1/water/documents/backflow/irrigation-sys-checklist-compliance-certificate.pdf). Scope: City of Fort Worth, Texas landscape-irrigation checklist, linked from the current Irrigation System Requirements page; checklist-level local prompts for installation and handoff, not a universal detail.. Accessed: 2026-09-08.
- Fort Worth, Texas’s published water-design policy says annual testing is required for commercial users and initial testing is required for newly installed, replaced, relocated or removed assemblies serving commercial, irrigation and residential services when applicable. [City of Fort Worth Water Department Installation Policy and Design Criteria](https://www.fortworthtexas.gov/files/assets/public/v/2/government/documents/fw-water-installation-policy-design-criteria.pdf). Scope: City of Fort Worth, Texas published May 2019 policy section 4.8.1; annual language is scoped to commercial users, while residential applicability must be confirmed with the current city program. Not a national testing interval or a claim that every residential irrigation assembly is annual.. Accessed: 2026-09-08.
- Fort Worth, Texas states that new irrigation installations must include an isolation valve between the water meter and backflow assembly and a flow-control master valve on the discharge side of the assembly. [Irrigation System Check List & Compliance Certificate](https://www.fortworthtexas.gov/files/assets/public/v/1/water/documents/backflow/irrigation-sys-checklist-compliance-certificate.pdf). Scope: City of Fort Worth, Texas checklist for new irrigation installations; local component and closeout requirements, not a universal rule.. Accessed: 2026-09-08.
- Fort Worth, Texas requires a backflow prevention device at the irrigation connection to the water supply and says it must be independently tested by a licensed backflow tester. [Irrigation System Requirements](https://www.fortworthtexas.gov/departments/water/savefwwater/irrigation/system-requirements). Scope: Current City of Fort Worth, Texas irrigation requirements page; local testing and licensing requirement, not a national rule.. Accessed: 2026-09-08.
- Fort Worth, Texas requires an irrigation plan before installation, requires the plan to be drawn to scale, and specifies that it identify the water source, backflow prevention assembly, and valves among the system components. [Irrigation System Requirements](https://www.fortworthtexas.gov/departments/water/savefwwater/irrigation/system-requirements). Scope: Current City of Fort Worth, Texas irrigation requirements page, including its minimum irrigation-plan standards; local plan-content requirement, not a national rule.. Accessed: 2026-09-08.
- Fort Worth, Texas requires a final irrigation-system walk-through with the owner or owner representative and requires the maintenance checklist to identify the meter, isolation valve, backflow assembly, plan, controller manual and maintenance items; the signed checklist and plan are provided to the owner. [Irrigation System Requirements](https://www.fortworthtexas.gov/departments/water/savefwwater/irrigation/system-requirements). Scope: Current City of Fort Worth, Texas irrigation requirements page, walk-through and maintenance-checklist section; local closeout and handoff requirement, not a national rule.. Accessed: 2026-09-08.