Backflow Prevention in Little Rock, AR

Backflow prevention in Little Rock, AR stops dirty water from flowing backward into your clean water lines. Backflow happens when water pressure drops and the flow reverses. A backflow preventer is a valve that only lets water move one way.

• Arkansas plumbing code requires one on lawn sprinkler systems.
• Wells, home fire sprinkler systems, and commercial buildings also need one.
• A licensed plumber installs it. A state-certified tester checks it, yearly for businesses and recommended yearly for homes.

If you use a hose, a lawn sprinkler, or a fertilizer sprayer at your Little Rock home, backflow can happen to you. Water normally flows in from the city main to your taps. When pressure in that main drops, the flow can reverse.

A water main break or a fire crew opening a nearby hydrant can cause that pressure drop. Water then gets pulled backward through anything connected to your lines. A hose sitting in a pool or a sprayer full of lawn chemicals becomes a straw into your kitchen tap.

What can get pulled back into your drinking water:

• Fertilizer and weed killer from hose sprayers
• Pool water from a submerged hose
• Bacteria and dirty water pooled around sprinkler heads

A backflow preventer stops this. It uses check valves that close when flow tries to reverse, so water only moves one way. Central Arkansas Water runs a cross-connection control program to protect the public water supply. A working backflow preventer is your part of that protection.

If your home in Chenal Valley or West Little Rock has an in-ground sprinkler system, you need a backflow preventer. Arkansas plumbing code requires one on lawn irrigation. Central Arkansas Water requires a reduced pressure zone assembly, or RPZ, on all new in-ground systems.

Sprinkler heads pop up to water, then drop back into the soil. Dirty water collects around them between cycles. During a pressure drop, that water can get pulled back into your lines.

Your setup	What you need
In-ground lawn sprinklers	RPZ backflow preventer
Private well on the property	Backflow preventer
Home fire sprinkler system	Backflow preventer
Garden hoses only	Hose bibb vacuum breaker on each outdoor faucet

Not every house needs a full backflow preventer. When we visit, we check your setup and tell you what applies to your home. Summer is when sprinklers run hardest, so it's a good time to make sure yours is protected.

If you just bought a home in Little Rock, or an inspector flagged your sprinkler system, start by finding the backflow preventer. Look outside on your side of the water meter. It sits above ground on the line that feeds your sprinklers, before the first branch.

What a backflow preventer looks like:

• A brass or bronze valve body above the ground
• Two shutoff handles, one on each end
• Small test ports along the side
• A relief port on RPZ models

Some sit inside an insulated box to protect them from cold. If you own an older home in Hillcrest, check the sprinkler system closely. Older assemblies can stay in place under current rules, but they must be replaced if they're moved or need more than basic upkeep.

When we come out, we find the backflow preventer, tell you what type it is, and check its condition. If it's missing or outdated, we explain your options before any work starts.

If you're adding sprinklers, a well, or replacing an old valve at your Little Rock home, the install has to be done right. In Arkansas, only a licensed plumber can install or replace a backflow prevention assembly. A tester's license alone doesn't allow it (source).

Central Arkansas Water also requires a permit before installation begins. The utility can inspect the finished install to confirm it matches the approved plans. If an assembly isn't installed and kept up right, the utility can shut off water service until it's fixed.

Where we place your backflow preventer:

• On your side of the water meter, before the first outlet
• On the line that feeds your sprinklers or other hazard
• Above ground, never buried in the soil
• Level, not standing up vertically

We also leave enough open space around it for testing. An RPZ needs clear room on each side, above, and below. Its top can't sit more than 30 inches above the ground (source).

An RPZ releases water through a relief port when it senses a pressure problem. We set it where that water can drain away without pooling or flooding the vent. A blocked vent can keep the valve from doing its job.

How the install works:

1. Shut off your water supply.
2. Flush the line to clear out dirt and debris.
3. Cut in the new backflow preventer.
4. Connect it and check for leaks.
5. Turn the water back on and confirm normal flow.

We only install assemblies approved for use in the Central Arkansas Water system. After the install, a state-certified tester runs the first test within 10 days. You end up with a setup that meets local rules and protects your drinking water from day one.

If your Little Rock backflow preventer failed its test or water is spraying from the valve, act quickly. A failed device can let dirty water slip back into your lines. A leaking one wastes water and raises your bill.

Signs your backflow preventer has a problem:

• Water keeps running from the relief valve
• Water stains or rust on the valve body
• Sudden spikes or drops in water pressure
• Hissing or banging noises near the valve

Not every problem means a new valve. Here's what each one usually needs:

Problem	What it usually needs
Cracked brass body	Full replacement
Outdated or wrong type of device	Full replacement
Worn rubber parts or dirty check valves	Repair by an ADH-certified repair technician

We handle replacements. We remove the damaged assembly and install a new approved one in its place. A state-certified tester then runs the first test within 10 days.

Many failures show up in spring, when sprinklers turn back on after winter. A freeze can crack the body without any sign until the water is back under pressure. If you see water pouring out at startup, shut off the sprinkler supply and call us.

If your home in The Heights or Pleasant Valley has a backflow preventer outside, cold weather is its biggest threat. Water trapped inside freezes and expands. That can crack the brass body overnight.

Hard freezes don't hit Little Rock often, but they do real damage when they come. The February 2021 storm froze and broke pipes and fire sprinkler lines across Central Arkansas. A backflow preventer with water still inside faces the same risk.

How to protect your backflow preventer in late fall:

1. Shut off the water that feeds your sprinkler system.
2. Open the drain valves to let water out of the line.
3. Open the test cocks to release trapped water.
4. Turn the shutoff handles and test cocks halfway, about 45 degrees.
5. Wrap the valve with an insulated cover or heat tape.

The halfway position matters. A fully open or fully closed valve can trap water inside the ball, and that water can freeze and crack it.

Another option is to remove the backflow preventer for winter and store it somewhere warm. Put it back once the freeze risk has passed.

A few minutes of prep in the fall can save you a replacement in the spring. It can also keep a cracked valve from flooding your yard when the water comes back on. If yours cracks anyway, we replace it.