The City of Oxnard has a well-established and robust backflow prevention program that helps ensure the safety of its public water supply.
Oxnard 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 Oxnard 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 Oxnard 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 Oxnard and across Southern California avoid costly civil liabilities, penalties and water service disruptions.
1. Scope & Authority
The City of Oxnard enforces backflow prevention and cross-connection control to protect its potable water system from contamination. These regulatory powers are grounded in Title 17 of the California Code of Regulations, and incorporated by reference into Oxnard’s municipal code via Section 22‑72 (Cross‑Connection Control Standards).
The City Manager is authorized to adopt a Backflow Prevention and Cross-Connection Control Program Manual to govern the design, installation, maintenance, inspection, and reporting of backflow prevention devices.
2. Responsibilities of Property Owners
Installation & Maintenance: Property owners must install and maintain approved backflow prevention devices (BPAs) or assemblies where cross-connections or potential contamination hazards are present. The devices must conform to standards defined in Oxnard’s Backflow Prevention and Cross-Connection Control Program Manual.
Annual Testing: At a minimum, property owners are obligated to have all backflow prevention devices inspected or tested at least once per year, or more frequently if deemed necessary by the Water Superintendent or his/her designee.
Devices must also be tested:
at installation, after repairs or replacement, and after relocation of the device.
All inspection, maintenance, repairs, or replacements are at the expense of the property owner.
Repairs & Replacements: After receiving an annual notice from the City, property owners must arrange for testing and then submit completed compliance forms (including test results) and any associated fees to the Water Resources / Public Works Department (or the Water Resources Manager) within 30 days of the notice.
If the compliance forms are not submitted on time, a second notice will be sent, and late fees may be assessed.
3. Scenarios Requiring Backflow Prevention Assemblies (BPAs)
The City of Oxnard requires BPAs under conditions that may pose risk of contamination through cross-connections, including but not limited to:
Irrigation Systems (especially where fertilizers, chemicals, or pumps are used)
Swimming Pools & Spas
Fire Protection / Sprinkler Systems (especially when non-potable water or booster pumps are involved)
Auxiliary / Alternative Water Sources (such as wells, cisterns, rainwater reuse, greywater systems)
Commercial / Industrial Uses where hazardous or non-potable fluids are used or processed
The precise application of which type of BPA (reduced pressure, double check, vacuum breaker, detector assemblies, etc.) depends on the degree of hazard and is governed by the City’s Cross-Connection Control Manual and adopted standards.
4. Testing & Maintenance Requirements
Annual Testing: All backflow prevention devices must be inspected/tested at least annually (or more often, if required).
Certified Testers: Only persons holding a valid Certificate of Competence for backflow prevention (issued by Oxnard’s Water Superintendent under the city’s program) may inspect, maintain, repair, or replace backflow devices.
Testers must maintain their qualification status; falsifying reports or failing to comply with regulations may lead to revocation of the certificate.
Test Report Submission: Testers or property owners must submit completed test reports and inspection compliance forms to the Water Resources / Public Works Department within the timeframe specified (typically 30 days after notice).
Fees set by ordinance or resolution accompany the reporting and inspection compliance.
Repair & Retesting: If a backflow device fails inspection or testing, the owner must promptly arrange for repair or replacement. After the repair, the device must be retested to confirm compliance.
5. Approved Devices & Certified Testers
Approved Devices: Backflow prevention assemblies must satisfy the design, performance, and installation criteria set forth in the City’s Backflow Prevention and Cross-Connection Control Program Manual, which incorporates by reference relevant standards from the California Department of Health Services and the California Uniform Plumbing Code.
Certified Testers: Inspectors, maintenance personnel, repairers, and replacers must hold a valid Certificate of Competence issued by Oxnard’s Water Superintendent, in compliance with city rules.
Misconduct or falsification of inspection/maintenance reports can lead to certificate revocation; re-certification is barred for two years following revocation.
6. Enforcement & Penalties
Non-Compliance: Violations such as failure to test, failure to submit reports, or failure to maintain required backflow protection may lead to enforcement actions by the City, including notice to comply, assessments of late fees, and possible disconnection of water service.Failure to install, maintain, and test BPAs as required can result in enforcement actions, including notice of violation and disconnection of water service by the water purveyor.
Service Interruption and Restoration Conditions: The City may refuse to restore water service until all deficiencies—installation, testing, repairs, or submission of reports—are fully corrected to the satisfaction of the Water Resources Department or Water Superintendent.Water service will not be restored until the required backflow prevention device is installed, tested, and found compliant to the satisfaction of the water purveyor.
Certificate Revocation / Disqualification: Any person holding a Certificate of Competence who violates the backflow inspection/maintenance rules or submits false reports may have their certificate revoked. The individual is then disqualified from recertification for a period of two years.
Oxnard Water Authority Contact Info:
City of Oxnard – Water Resources
251 South Hayes Avenue
Oxnard, CA 93030
Tel: 805-385‑8136
