Parker Water & Sanitation wants new assemblies tested within 10 days and irrigation assemblies tested at every spring startup.
Parker backflow rules at a glance
| Water provider | Parker Water & Sanitation District (PWSD), Cross-Connection Control Program. Some Parker subdivisions are served by Cottonwood, Pinery, Stonegate, Compark, or Meridian instead. |
|---|---|
| Who needs an assembly | Commercial, irrigation, and multifamily (4+ units) services need a reduced pressure (RP) assembly. Single-family homes only when PWSD finds a hazard, such as a pool, hot tub, or home business. |
| How often | Domestic and fire assemblies every year. Irrigation assemblies at seasonal startup. New assemblies within 10 days of installation. |
| Who can test | ABPA- or ASSE-certified testers with a currently calibrated test kit, registered on PWSD's tester portal |
| How reports are filed | Through PWSD's online Backflow Tester Submission Portal. No filing fee is listed. |
| Failed tests | Tell PWSD within one business day; repair or replace and retest within 30 days |
| If you ignore it | Service can be suspended or disconnected, and PWSD can hire a tester and bill the owner for a missed annual test |
| Program contact | crossconnectioncontrol@pwsd.org · district office 303-841-4627 |
Summarized from Parker Water & Sanitation District's published program information (source), checked October 2026. The notice from your water provider always has the final word on your due date.
Not every Parker address is PWSD
PWSD serves most of the Town of Parker plus parts of Castle Pines and Lone Tree, but some subdivisions get water from Cottonwood, Pinery, Stonegate, Compark, or Meridian. The name on your water bill or backflow notice tells you whose rules apply, and we'll file with that provider.
Irrigation tests happen at startup
PWSD ties irrigation tests to the spring startup, with the report due within 10 days. If your system is still winterized, we can turn it on, check it, and test the backflow assembly in one visit.
What we do on a Parker 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 Parker Water & Sanitation District 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
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