Start here
Use this hub if you want a clear starting point for backflow testing guides. We explain public-source terms such as cross-connection, backflow, and backsiphonage, then point you to the page that matches the topic you need.
For a quick overview, open the glossary. If you want the assembly-focused notes, see the backflow assembly test. For report wording, go to the backflow report form.
Also in the set
This set also includes a reduced pressure guide, which paraphrases the procedure used for that device type, plus related notes that help you read source language without treating the page as a form.
EPA’s Cross-Connection Control Manual says backflow is flow into potable water pipes from a source other than the intended source, and it says backsiphonage is backflow caused by negative pressure in those pipes. The same manual lists six basic means used against backflow, including air gaps, barometric loops, atmospheric and pressure vacuum breakers, a double check with an atmospheric vent, double check valve assemblies, and reduced pressure principle devices. See the reduced pressure procedure for that topic.
A report in Backflow Record is a record you fill in. It is not a substitute for a licensed tester or for the form your water supplier requires. It does not report an inspection result, and it does not mean a plumbing rule was met.