The City of Chino Hills has a well-established and robust backflow prevention program that helps ensure the safety of its public water supply.
Chino Hills property owners are responsible for installing, testing, and maintaining backflow prevention devices and must comply with the city's requirements to avoid penalties. Ensuring timely testing, maintenance, and repair of backflow devices is crucial for protecting both individual properties and the public water system. Non-compliance can result in fines, civil liabilities and the disruption of water service.
With Backflow Test Pros' Managed Backflow Testing & Maintenance service, there is no need for Chino Hills businesses and homeowners to spend hours going over county and local water utility regulations, ordinances, requirements, deadlines, fees, guidelines, reporting schedules and forms.
Everything is Done for You to simplify the backflow maintenance process and ensure compliance with local regulations.
Backflow Test Pros provides dedicated support in everything from initial scheduling, water department communications, due date tracking, same day approval, routine maintenance and urgent repairs.
As a Backflow Test Pros client you can rest assured knowing that your backflows assemblies are monitored and compliant with local water authority regulations.
Backflow Test Pros Turn-key Backflow Maintenance includes:
Relying on Backflow Testing Pros' licensed, certified and bonded professionals ensures that your backflow assembly installation, testing and repair is performed by certified cross connection control and backflow prevention experts in a timely manner conforming to backflow prevention testing, repair and installation protocols required by the City of Chino Hills State Water Board regulations and backflow prevention certification bodies.
With state-of-the-art diagnostics, tests, timely repairs, and proactive maintenance, we help commercial and residential customers in Chino Hills and across Southern California avoid costly civil liabilities, penalties and water service disruptions.
1. Scope & Authority
Chino Hills, being within San Bernardino County, is subject to the County’s ordinance requiring water suppliers and purveyors to prevent backflow or cross-connection contamination, in conformity with California’s Title 17 cross-connection control regulations. (San BernardinoCounty § 33.0619)
The County also administers a “Certificate of Competence” program for testers, inspectors, and maintainers of backflow prevention assemblies in its jurisdiction.State-level authority (Health & Safety Code, Title 17, and the State Water Boards’ Cross-Connection Control Policy) overlays all local and county rules, and binds cities including Chino Hills.
Chino Hills publishes “Domestic & Recycled Water Standards” in its city engineering /utility standards, including standard details for backflow prevention devices(e.g. typical reduced pressure device, detector check, etc.) as part of its water system design standards.
2. Responsibilities of Property Owners
Installation & Maintenance: Owners must install an approved backflow prevention device at service connections or internal cross-connections whenever mandated by the city or water supplier.
The device must be accessible, maintained, and kept in proper working order.
Annual Testing: After initial installation, the device must be tested at least annually by a certified tester (holding the County’s “Certificate of Competence”).
Additional tests are required after repair, relocation, or replacement of the device.
Repairs & Replacements: If a device fails its test, the owner must promptly repair or replace it to regain compliance. It may not be placed back into service until it passes a retest.
Reporting: Test results, plus records of installation, repair, or change in location, must be submitted to the city water authority or designated backflow program.
Only certified testers may perform tests, maintenance, or repairs, and submit results under the program’s rules.
3. Scenarios Requiring Backflow Prevention Assemblies (BPAs)
The types of systems or situations likely requiring a BPA (or equivalent device) include:
Landscape irrigation / sprinkler systems
Fire protection / sprinkler systems, fire suppression systems
Alternate water sources (private wells, cisterns)
Industrial, commercial or process water systems with contaminant potential
Internal cross-connections or plumbing configurations that cannot be adequately isolated or eliminated
4. Testing & Maintenance Requirements
Mandatory Testing Events:
Upon installation / commissioning
After repair, replacement, or relocation
At least annually in normal operation
Potentially more often if repeated failures or elevated hazard exist
Submission of Test Reports:
Reports must be submitted in the timeframe required by the city or water authority.
Failed devices must not be used until repaired and retested successfully.
All associated costs (testing, repair, replacement) are borne by the property owner.
5. Approved Devices & Certified Testers
Approved Devices:
Only accepted backflow assemblies meeting recognized standards (AWWA, USC / Cross-Connection Control handbooks, Title 17) may be used.
The selection (RP, double check, detector check, vacuum breakers, etc.) must match the level of hazard.
Devices must comply with state “lead‑free” material requirements for potable water systems.
In Chino Hills’ water standards, device types such as reduced pressure assemblies, detector check (for private fire service), and standard backflow prevention devices are referenced.
Certified Testers:
In San Bernardino County, testers must have the County’s “Certificate of Competence” to inspect, maintain, or test backflow assemblies.
Certification requires passing both a written exam and a hands-on practical examination covering multiple device types (DC, PVB, SVB, RP).
The County may waive portions of the exam for applicants who have completed recognized backflow training.
Under the State’s Cross‑Connection Control Policy, by mandated future dates testers must be certified by a California-recognized certification body, and then eventually only via ANSI-accredited bodies.
6. Enforcement & Penalties
Non‑Compliance:
Failure to install, test, or maintain required BPAs may subject the property to violations or enforcement actions.
The city may withhold water service or suspend use until the cross-connection hazard is eliminated.
The water supplier may refuse new or continued service to noncompliant properties.
Penalties:
Late test result submission, failure to repair after a failed test, refusal to comply may incur administrative fines or late fees.
Continued non‑compliance could lead to more serious penalties or termination of water service until conditions are brought into compliance.
Chino Hills Water Authority Contact Info:
City of Chino Utilities / Water
13220 Central Avenue
Chino, CA 91710
Tel: 909-334‑3264
