Aurora Water's late penalties are the steepest in the metro. Get the test done and filed before the due date.
Aurora backflow rules at a glance
| Water provider | Aurora Water, cross-connection control program (Aurora City Code Sec. 138-170) |
|---|---|
| How often | Before a certificate of occupancy, then at least once a year. The city can require more frequent tests. |
| Who can test | A certified cross-connection control technician, meaning an ASSE or ABPA backflow tester certification |
| Deadline | Proof of testing is due by the annual due date. Records of tests, repairs, and replacements are due within five working days of the work. |
| How reports are filed | Through Aurora Water's online backflow test portal, by a registered tester |
| Singer Plumbing Co. | Registered tester in Aurora Water's backflow portal (approved October 2026). We file your report for you. |
| Late penalties | 30 days past due: $1,000 civil penalty on the water bill ($600 waived if you comply within 60 days of the due date). 60 days: $2,000. Within 90 days: a termination notice, and service can be shut off seven days later. |
Summarized from Aurora Water's published program information (source), checked October 2026. The notice from your water provider always has the final word on your due date.
Don't wait for the reminder
Aurora's code gives a property 30 calendar days past the annual due date before the first penalty hits, and a reminder only goes out once the property is already out of compliance. If you know roughly when your test was done last year, book this year's a few weeks ahead of that date.
Penalties can be appealed
Aurora's code lets owners appeal penalties to the utility's general manager. It's still far cheaper and easier to just have the test on file on time.
What we do on a Aurora backflow test
- Confirm the assembly type, size, and serial number against your provider's records
- Test every check valve and relief valve with a differential pressure gauge calibrated October 2026 and traceable to NIST
- Tag the assembly with the service date, our business information, and the tester's certification number
- File the completed report the way Aurora Water requires
- Send you a copy of the report, with photos
If the assembly fails
Most failures come down to a dirty or worn check valve, a tired relief valve, or a split rubber part. Those get cleaned or rebuilt and retested, usually in the same visit, after you approve the price. If the body itself is cracked, usually from a missed winterization, the assembly has to be replaced. Replacing an assembly is installation work, which in Colorado needs a licensed plumber; we'll tell you exactly what's needed and do the retest once it's in.
Before we come out
- Have the notice from your water provider handy, or send a photo of it when you book
- Tell us where the assembly is, and leave any gate unlocked or the mechanical room open
- For sprinkler assemblies, the water needs to be on. If the system is still winterized, we can do the spring startup and the test in one visit.
Not sure what kind of assembly you have? PVB vs. DCVA vs. RPZ →
Backflow testing nearby
Denver · Thornton · Westminster · Arvada · Northglenn · Broomfield · Golden · Lakewood · Englewood · Commerce City · Wheat Ridge · Parker · Boulder · Louisville · Lafayette · Greenwood Village · Centennial · Commercial & HOA testing · For plumbing & irrigation companies · Every provider's rules
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