Backflow testing in Durham Region, handled
One contact for the whole cycle: we book the test, coordinate access with your building, get the device tested and tagged by a registered tester, file the report with BSI Online, and remind you before next year. For commercial, industrial, institutional and multi-residential properties in all eight municipalities.
- One program, Region-wideBy-law 24-2018 applies the same way in all eight Durham municipalities. There is no separate Oshawa or Whitby program.
- $25 filing fee, per reportBSI Online charges it when the report is submitted. Ask whether a quote includes it. Ours does.
- Failures reported within 24 hoursThe by-law sets a short clock. We handle the notification and coordinate the repair and retest.
What we handle for you
Tell us about the building
Address, roughly how many devices, and whether a notice with a due date has arrived. Not sure about the device? That is fine.
We book and coordinate access
A slot that suits the building, including early morning and after-hours. We line up access with the super or facility contact.
The device is tested and tagged
30 to 60 minutes per device. Water is off to that line only, briefly. Gauge readings on every check and relief valve.
The report is filed with BSI Online
Submitted on your behalf. The Region reviews it and issues the tag. You get a copy for your records.
A reminder before next year
We flag the next due date 30 days out so the letter from the Region is never a surprise.
What the annual test is, who needs it, and what you get · The visit in detail
The three devices we test
Domestic water, boiler and mechanical, and irrigation devices. Not fire sprinkler lines, and not five-year cross-connection surveys, which the Region restricts to plumbers and engineers.
DCVA (Double check valve assembly)
Moderate hazard. Domestic water service to commercial buildings and plazas; Apartment and condo buildings.
About DCVA testingRPZ (Reduced pressure principle assembly)
Severe hazard. Boiler and mechanical rooms with chemical treatment; Medical, dental and veterinary suites.
About RPZ testingPVB (Pressure vacuum breaker)
Moderate hazard. Lawn irrigation systems on commercial, institutional and multi-residential properties; Landscape and sports-field irrigation.
About PVB testingOne program, eight municipalities
Durham supplies water and enforces the by-law at the Regional level. The requirement is the same everywhere; what changes is the building stock, the drive, and how we batch the schedule.
- OshawaDowntown Oshawa, South Oshawa and the 401 corridor, North Oshawa and Windfields
- WhitbyDowntown Whitby, Brooklin, Port Whitby and the 401 employment lands
- AjaxDowntown Ajax and Harwood Avenue, Pickering Village, The Bayly Street and Salem Road employment area
- PickeringPickering City Centre, Bay Ridges and Frenchman's Bay, Brock Road and Bayly Street industrial
- ClaringtonBowmanville, Courtice, Newcastle
- UxbridgeUxbridge town centre, Uxville and the industrial area, Goodwood, Zephyr, Leaskdale, Sandford and the hamlets
- ScugogPort Perry, Blackstock, Greenbank
- BrockBeaverton, Cannington, Sunderland
Why a specialist and not a plumbing call
Backflow testing (or backflow inspection, as the notice sometimes calls it) usually gets handed to whichever contractor last fixed something in the building. It gets done late, the report sometimes never reaches the Region, and nobody remembers the due date next year.
- The filing is the deliverable. A test that is not filed with BSI Online does not count. We confirm it is on record.
- Same process every year. The device history is kept, the reminder goes out before the notice does, and the schedule repeats.
- Portfolio scheduling. One contact for every building you manage, one route across Durham, one consolidated set of reports.
- Slots that suit the building. Early morning for offices and plants, after close for restaurants and clinics.
- Honest about repairs. A failed device is repaired by a licensed plumber. We coordinate it and handle the retest.
Testing is performed by an OWWA-certified cross-connection control specialist registered with Durham Region’s backflow prevention program through BSI Online.
Who this is for
- Apartments and condosSuper or property manager as contact, mechanical room access, a brief interruption to the domestic line timed for low use, boards kept informed with a one-page summary.
- Industrial and manufacturingAll devices on one visit, timed between shifts or during a planned water outage. Confined and elevated locations flagged in advance.
- Irrigation and landscapeSpring start-up runs planned by area, coordinated with the irrigation contractor, so the test happens the week the system comes on.
- Medical and dentalBefore the first appointment or after the last, weekday or Saturday. Water off to the line for 30 to 60 minutes; sterilisation schedule respected.
- Property managersOne list, one route grouped by municipality and access window, one set of reports, reminders 30 days before each due date.
- Restaurants and food serviceBefore open or after close, weekdays or weekends, so service is never interrupted. Water off to the line for 30 to 60 minutes.
- Schools, churches and institutionsCustodial or facilities contact; term breaks, PA days, weekdays for churches, quiet hours for care homes.
Questions we get most
Who has to test backflow preventers in Durham Region?
Owners of industrial, commercial, institutional and multi-residential properties. Regional Municipality of Durham By-law 24-2018 requires the backflow preventer on the water service (and any other devices on the premises) to be tested every year by a qualified tester, with the report filed through BSI Online. Single-family homes are generally outside the program.
I got a letter about backflow testing. Who sent it and is it real?
The notice comes from BSI Online, the company that administers the program on the Region’s behalf. It is real, it names your property and device, and it has a due date. It asks you to have the device tested by a registered tester and the report submitted. See our page on the backflow test notice for a walk-through of the letter.
How much does backflow testing cost in Durham?
It depends on how many devices you have, their type, where they are, and when the test has to happen. Testing in the GTA is commonly quoted from around $360 per device by some providers, but the working range for commercial devices in Ontario is wider than that, and multi-device buildings get per-device pricing. We quote per property. See what drives the price.
Is Oshawa’s backflow program different from Whitby’s or Ajax’s?
No. Water in Durham is supplied and regulated at the Regional level. One by-law (24-2018), one administrator (BSI Online), one set of rules for Oshawa, Whitby, Ajax, Pickering, Clarington, Uxbridge, Scugog and Brock. Anything that says otherwise is out of date or wrong.
What happens if the device fails the test?
The tester reports it as a failure, the Region is notified within the by-law’s short window, a licensed plumber repairs or replaces the device, and it is retested. We coordinate the repair through a licensed plumbing partner and handle the retest and re-filing. Details on the failed test page.
Do you offer after-hours testing?
Yes. Restaurants, clinics, and plants that cannot lose water mid-shift can book early morning, evening, or weekend slots. Say so when you request a quote and we schedule around the building.
Get a quote for your building
Send the address and the notice if you have one. We reply with a price per device, a slot that suits the building, and the filing handled.