Backflow testing for schools, churches and institutional buildings

What the by-law means by institutional

Section 1.1(r) of By-law 24-2018 defines institutional as lands, buildings or structures used by an organised body, society or religious group for promoting a public or non-profit purpose, including accessory office uses. Section 3.1 applies the by-law to every institutional property supplied with Regional water. In Durham that takes in:

• Public, Catholic, French-language and independent schools; colleges and their satellite campuses
• Churches, mosques, temples, gurdwaras, synagogues, halls and parish centres
• Community centres, arenas, libraries and municipal buildings
• Long-term care, retirement and group homes
• Charities, service clubs and non-profits with their own buildings

Each has a premise isolation device on record with the Region, tested every year by an authorized tester, at the owner’s expense (section 6.3). Many have more than one device.

What devices institutional buildings usually have

Building	Typical devices
Elementary school	DCVA on the domestic service; RPZ on the boiler make-up; PVB on field irrigation if any
Secondary school	The above plus RPZs on science labs, cafeteria kitchen, auto or tech shops, pool chemical feed
Place of worship with a hall	DCVA on domestic; RPZ on the kitchen line if there is a commercial kitchen; RPZ on boiler make-up
Community centre or arena	RPZ on ice plant and refrigeration make-up, RPZs on kitchen and pool systems, DCVA on domestic
Care or retirement home	DCVA on domestic; RPZs on boiler, kitchen and laundry chemical feeds; sometimes zone devices per wing

Each device is tested separately and reported separately. The notice lists what the Region has on file. If you are not sure how many you have, send the notice and we tell you.

Who handles it, and the timing that works

School boards typically manage backflow across dozens of buildings from a central facilities office. The useful thing we can offer is a Region-wide schedule for the Durham schools in one board, timed to PA days, March break, and summer, with one register of devices, dates and results at the end. If a board already has a tester under contract, we are happy to be the second option for overflow or specific sites.

Independent schools, places of worship and non-profits usually have a property committee, an operations lead, or a volunteer treasurer holding the notice. For these buildings the practical points are: who has the mechanical room key, when the building is empty for an hour, and where the last report is. Weekday daytime for a church is often ideal; after dismissal or a PA day for a school.

Care and retirement homes cannot simply lose water. Zone devices are tested line by line; the premise device is tested in the quietest window (often very early morning) with nursing and kitchen staff informed. We plan it with the maintenance lead.

Budget and records for a committee or board

Testing is priced per device with the visit shared. Repairs, if a device fails, are separate and quoted first, and done by a licensed plumber. For a committee that meets monthly, we can send a one-page summary after each cycle: devices on file, test dates, results, filing confirmations, and anything flagged for next year. Reports must be kept on site for five years under section 6.6; a folder in the office or a PDF in the shared drive is fine.

Fields, grounds and the spring test

Schools, churches and community centres with irrigated fields or grounds have a PVB or DCVA on the irrigation line, tested at spring start-up when the system is pressurised. That device has its own record and often its own notice, with a spring anniversary. See the irrigation page.

What we do not do for institutional buildings

Fire sprinkler line devices (section 9.1 of the by-law requires personnel approved by the Commissioner), the five-year cross-connection survey (plumbers, engineers and technologists), and repairs. If a notice asks for a survey or an install, a plumber acts first and we test afterwards.