February 22, 2017

Written By: Ricci's Landscape Management

Got an Irrigation System?

What is backflow prevention, and why is it necessary?

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Lawn with wavy mow lines in front of a landscaped garden featuring shrubs, flowers, stone edging, and trees—expertly crafted by Merrillville landscape designers.

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A landscaped garden with stone paths, a small pond, lush greenery, flowering plants, bird feeders, and a brick house in the background—expertly crafted by Schererville landscape design services.

A landscaped garden with a curved lawn, surrounded by mulch beds, shrubs, flowers, and tall evergreen trees under a clear blue sky—expertly crafted by Crown Point landscaping professionals.

A landscaped garden with stone steps, green shrubs, and blooming hydrangeas showcases the artistry of Crown Point landscaping, set against a backdrop of trees under a clear sky.

Aerial view of a landscaped backyard with a swimming pool, lounge chairs, a hot tub, and a putting green, reflecting the quality of Crown Point landscaping around the main house nestled among trees and greenery.

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A gravel path curves through a landscaped garden with mulch, rocks, yellow flowers, and lush greenery surrounded by tall trees—an inviting scene crafted by Merrillville landscape designers.

Aerial view of a modern house with a backyard featuring a swimming pool, patio seating, landscaped garden by Crown Point landscaping, and a small putting green, all enclosed by a black fence.

Curved concrete walkway bordered by mulch, low shrubs, small landscape lights, and trees on a sunny day—an inviting space crafted by expert Valparaiso landscapers.

Stone patio with a central fire pit, surrounded by landscaped garden beds and bordered by trees in the background. Stairs lead down to the patio—an inviting outdoor space crafted by Merrillville landscape designers.

A backyard patio with stone pavers, a circular fire pit, landscaped flower beds, and a view of a pond and nearby houses—expertly crafted by Crown Point landscaping specialists.

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Stone steps rise through a landscaped garden with flower beds, shrubs, and a small American flag beside the house on a sunny day, showcasing the artistry of Merrillville landscape designers.

A small garden pond with rocks, a waterfall feature, blooming flowers, green plants, and a red brick house in the background—expertly crafted by Merrillville landscape designers.

Backyard patio area with a gazebo, outdoor seating, and landscaped flower beds bordered by stone edging, expertly crafted by Merrillville landscape designers in a suburban neighborhood on a partly cloudy day.

Brick walkway with garden landscaping by Valparaiso landscapers leads to a pool area with blue lounge chairs and orange umbrellas beside a tan house surrounded by greenery.

A landscaped backyard by Merrillville landscape designers features a stone retaining wall, ornamental grasses, and a pool area with lounge chairs and orange umbrellas beside a modern house.

A landscaped garden by Schererville landscape design services features a small waterfall, pond, large rocks, and lush green shrubs and flowering plants under a sunny sky.

A landscaped garden with a small stone waterfall, pond, green plants, and a wooden bench among large rocks under trees—expertly crafted by Valparaiso landscapers for a serene outdoor retreat.

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Curved stone walkway bordered by green grass leads to a house with a stone exterior, professionally landscaped with shrubs and small trees by experienced Valparaiso landscapers.

Defining and Understanding Backflow

Backflow occurs when the water pressure that enters your house drops suddenly; a siphon effect is created which can result in contaminated water being drawn back into your clean water supply (an underground water main or a private well, etc.).

Sources that Cause Backflow:

Neighborhood pipe break
House fire
Household devices: dishwashers, garbage disposals, toilets, hand-held shower heads, bath whirlpools, etc.
Outdoors: faucets you attach a hose to, irrigation systems, swimming pools, ponds and fountains.

What are the Effects of Backflow?

The water pressure drops and a backflow occurs while you are . . .

using fertilizers and/or pesticides on the lawn, pets using your lawn for waste, or muddy water on your lawn will come in contact with your irrigation system. Contaminated water, which collects around a submerged sprinkler head could be drawn into the irrigation system and end up in your water supply.
using your garden hose to clean out the gutters which can cause the pollutants to be drawn back into your main water supply.
filling your swimming pool, chemicals, bacteria, etc. can be brought into your water supply.
spraying fertilizer or insecticide via an attachment on your hose will potentially add those chemicals into your drinking water.

What is a Backflow Preventer?

Backflow preventers is similar to a one-way gate for water that stops water that enters private irrigation lines from re-entering the city’s water lines and potentially leading to a contamination.

Without a working backflow preventer, water from a sink, bathtub, hose or dirty irrigation line can easily be pulled back into the main lines. Think about the amounts of lawn chemicals, insecticides, bacteria, etc. that could backflow into your drinking water. How long could that go unnoticed before you notice serious symptoms that effect your health? Backflow preventers help to prevent this from happening. It’s worth it – don’t you think?

It’s the law!

The state of Indiana requires annual backflow testing for residential customers with irrigation systems and every six months for most commercial customers (even those who do not have an irrigation system). If you do not get tested, you may receive a fine and/or lose your privilege to be hooked up to the water system.

Please remember that only state certified personnel can perform backflow testing. Ricci’s Landscape Management (RLM) is certified and ready to test both residential and commercial systems. When you sign up for irrigation services with RLM, you can rest assured your system will receive proper startup in the spring, shut down in the fall, and any maintenance required in between. Through one of our irrigation maintenance service programs, our certified and professionally trained technicians will help you avoid unwanted brown grass spots and overwatering your plants, as well as ensuring that your irrigation system is good to go throughout the season!

Ready to sign up? Call our office today at 219.327.8101, or fill out our contact form here.

Contact RLM Today

Request a quote from RLM to discover how our exceptional landscape installation and maintenance services can transform your outdoor space. Let us help you bring your vision to life with our expertise and passion for landscaping.

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