While you may not hear about them very often, backflow events do occur from time to time. These events can lead to injury, illness, and even death due to the backflow of hazardous or toxic substances. Protecting your home and family from these events is relatively simple, especially with the help of GoodBee plumbing and drains. By installing a water backflow prevention device, you can rest assured that you are safe from the possibility of contamination due to a backflow event.

There are several reasons why having a water backflow preventer installed in your home is essential. These can range from simple safety reasons to legal necessity. Knowing these different reasons is extremely important to avoid both legal repercussions and bodily harm. Here are the most common reasons for installing a water backflow prevention device.

Back-pressure occurs when the customer’s pressure exceeds the supply-side water pressure, which is similar to blowing air back through a straw, causing bubbles to form in the glass. For example, if natural gas gets forced into a potable water tank, it can move to a kitchen faucet. Some back-pressure sources may be boilers, power washing equipment, or pumps in the water distribution system. The possibility of unwanted material entering the system is known as direct cross-contamination.

Gives separate TDS readings of both incoming and product water. Includes all mounting hardware, fittings, and instructions. Can be ordered as an option to either the 1200 gallon or 600 gallon Watts R12 unit. Batteries included.

Reverse osmosis has unique properties and solves problems that are often impossible for conventional filters. For a good list of percentage rejection figures for various contaminants, go here. Keep in mind that the list gives expected figures for small drinking water units, and the high pressure units described here usually perform a few percentage points better. Keep in mind, too, that carbon filtration can be used in conjunction with whole house reverse osmosis units and the carbon/reverse osmosis combination adds virtually all chemical contaminants to the list of items reduced.

Keep in mind that the 600 gallon example is theoretical. A 600 gallon per day unit may produce much more or much less than 600 gallons per day. RO production depends on such variables as TDS (total dissolved solids) of the water treated and temperature of the water. RO units produce much faster when treating warm rather than cold water.

The R-12 is basic RO at its best: tough and reliable, with standard-sized components, designed for years of reliable service. You will appreciate the use of standard-sized components when it comes time to replace a part. For example, the R-12 uses an easy to find 2.5" X 40" membrane. When you replace it, you will have lots of brand and price options that aren't available with proprietary units for which the manufacturer requires you to buy his brand at his price. Pumps and motors are also standard industry items that you can purchase from a variety of sources.

The system pictured above illustrates a complete system. This is a “generic” picture to illustrate the functioning of large reverse osmosis units in general. It is not a picture of the systems offered for sale on this page.

Contamination hazard assessment identifies and evaluates the potential contamination sources within the water distribution system. This assessment helps determine the level of backflow prevention required at specific points.

Note: A TDS tester is an absolutely necessary tool for maintaining a reverse osmosis unit. However, you can get by with a less expensive, hand-held tester. (See our "RO Parts" page for hand-held testers.)

Having a backflow preventer is a legal requirement in most states, so installing one of these devices can help you avoid unnecessary legal issues related to your plumbing. For example, in Louisiana, the Department of Health requires all water systems to develop and implement a backflow prevention program to help protect the public water supply. As Covington’s premier plumbing option, we work hard to ensure that all homes and businesses follow these legal guidelines.

If you're running your RO unit on relatively clean water, this feature is probably not needed. However, if the TDS of the water you're treating is high, this feature will be more than worth the expense.

In the event of a natural disaster or emergency, having a water backflow preventer ensures your water supply remains secure.

The R-12 is perfectly sized for most home users. We offer it in two production sizes — 600 and 1200 gallons per day. The units are identical, except that the 1200 gallon unit has two membranes and the 600 has one.

Water backflow prevention contributes to environmental conservation by reducing the risk of contaminants in the public water supply. Protecting natural resources and ecosystems from pollution is a responsibility that goes beyond legal obligations.

Watts “Whole House Option” for R-12 RO Units includes virtually everything you need for a complete installation, including a storage tank with bulkhead fittings, pre-wired float switch, and Grundfos repressurization pump. The top-quality Grundfos pump offers the great advantage that it can be installed without an additional pressure tank.

An RPZ device is a specialized backflow preventer that offers advanced protection by utilizing a double-check valve system with a reduced pressure zone chamber. RPZ devices are typically employed in high-risk areas.

The units use either one or two 2.5" X 40" reverse osmosis membranes and recovery rate is up to 50%. It has an adjustable recycle system to reuse some of the reject water.

We like the R-12 because of its simplicity and ease of installation and operation. It is ideal for most residential applications.

R-12 units are designed for wall mounting. If you prefer a free-standing installation, however, order this stainless steel leg kit. Works for 600 or 1200 gallon models.

Back-siphonage occurs when higher pressure fluids, gases, or suspended solids move to an area of lower pressure fluids. This phenomenon is similar to using a drinking straw; suction reduces the pressure inside the straw, which causes the liquid to rise through the straw and into the drinker’s mouth. When a significant pressure drop occurs in a water delivery system, a similar suction is created, pulling unwanted materials into the system, also known as indirect cross-contamination.

A backflow incident response plan outlines the procedures and actions necessary in the event of a backflow incident or contamination threat. A well–defined plan is critical for minimizing risks and ensuring a swift response.

Sediment can be removed either with a cartridge-style filter such as our System A unit or by a backwashing filter. Zeolite, Filter Ag, and Multi-Media are common sediment removal media.

For certain difficult waters, whole house reverse osmosis is sometimes not only the best solution, it is virtually the only solution. The most common application for large, point-of-entry reverse osmosis is water with high salt content. Reverse osmosis effectively removes sodium, chloride, fluoride and other difficult-to-treat contaminants.

Contaminant intrusion refers to the entering of unwanted entry pollutants, chemicals, or harmful substances into clean, potable water. This can occur through backflow events and poses serious health risks.

This term describes the unintended communication or transfer of pressure between different water lines. Crosstalk can lead to pressure imbalances, increasing the risk of backflow.

Hardness is best treated by a water softener, but alternatives like poly-phosphate injection and alternative scale prevention systems are sometimes used. As stated above, twin softeners work best with RO units because an uninterrupted supply of softened water is required.

Water backflow prevention is an aspect of plumbing that can sometimes get forgotten, but it is crucial. Without a water backflow preventer, water can flow in either direction, which is a significant hazard for contamination. The Louisiana Department of Health requires all water systems to implement and maintain a water backflow prevention program to help protect the public water supply. While these public programs are great, you can preserve the drinking water in your own home with the help of GoodBee’s backflow services. Here’s everything you need to know about keeping your water clean and safe with water backflow prevention.

Post-RO Treatment. Since reverse osmosis treatment lowers the pH of water, most users will want a post treatment system to raise the pH to neutral or near neutral. This is most commonly done with a simple calcite tank. The calcite tank can be placed before the atmospheric storage tank or as the last item in the treatment system, before the water enters the home. You'll need a larger calcite tank if you place it after the storage tank because it will have to handle water at a much higher flow rate.

This is a physical barrier between the end of a potable water supply and the open receiving vessel. It creates a gap of air that prevents direct contact or connection between the two water sources, ensuring backflow prevention.

Installing a water backflow preventer can help protect the value of your property. Potential buyers may be more inclined to invest in a property with a reliable water backflow prevention system as it demonstrates the homeowner’s commitment to safety.

Water backflow prevention is necessary to keep your drinking water safe and free of any contamination. Installing and maintaining a water backflow prevention device is the best way to ensure that your home remains protected. In cities like New Orleans that experience frequent pressure changes, you may see even more of a need for backflow prevention services.

Here are some product suggestions for pre-treatment. This is not intended as a complete discussion but as a reference to pages on our site where you can find more information and purchase pre-treatment products. We welcome calls and emails requesting more information on these issues.

The “whole house option” for large RO units is a product that's long overdue. It takes the guesswork out of planning a whole house installation. Except for incidentals specific to your application, which are hardware store items, it has everything you need to store the water made by the RO unit and send it to your home.

A reverse osmosis unit to produce as much water as the household might need for a day. For example, a 600-gallon per day unit would be typical. A 600-gallon unit would produce usable water at the rate of about 25 gallons per hour. Since 25 gallons per hour is not enough to supply the demands of normal household functions such as laundry and showers, a storage system is needed so that ample water will be on hand when needed.

The standard way to increase pH after a reverse osmosis unit is with a backwashing calcite filter. For smaller, non-backwashing calcite tanks, please call (888) 382-3814.

Hydraulic Gradient represents the difference between two points within a water distribution system. Understanding this is crucial for identifying potential backflow scenarios and designing effective prevention measures.

Here at GoodBee Plumbing and Drains, we offer everything you need to keep your water backflow prevention device up to date. From installation to routine testing, we will be with you every step of the way, ensuring your home’s drinking water is clean and safe from contamination. Our professional technicians know just how important it is to keep your home protected, and we are eager to help take care of the job, no matter how big or small it may be. Contact us today for more information on our services and to get started.

The purpose of the auto-flush feature is to flush the membrane upon startup and periodically thereafter. It can make a remarkable difference in performance and membrane longevity if your dissolved solids level is high. It can add greatly to the lifespan of membranes, and it can significantly improve the unit's TDS rejection performance.

A water backflow prevention device is a device that works to protect potable water from contamination or pollution due to backflow. In layman’s terms, it’s essentially a device that stops water from flowing backward in your pipes. This backflow could introduce contaminated liquids, gases, or suspended solids into your drinking water. To fully understand how this happens, there are a few terms to know.

Storage tank and accessories. An atmospheric (non-pressurized) storage tank large enough to provide ample water for daily activities. The reverse osmosis unit refills the tank as water is taken from it. The water is stored at atmospheric pressure and must, therefore, be re-pressurized for use. The tank needs a few accessories, like bulkhead fittings to allow entry and exit of water, a float switch to tell the RO unit when more water is needed, and miscellaneous piping.

Repressurization system. This system can consist simply of a pump that comes on automatically when water is needed and supplies pressurized water to the home, or it can include a smaller bladder tank that is filled to house pressure by a pump to give a more even supply of water when the demand arises. With most repressurization pumps, the bladder tank will be essential to avoid erratic pump performance. Some very high quality pumps are designed to operate without the additional bladder tank.

Iron can be removed by Filox or Birm filters. You may need to pre-treat for the filter an oxidizer such as aeration or chlorination. Iron in small amounts can also be reduced with a water softener. For RO pre-treatment, twin softeners are preferred, because they can provide an uninterrupted flow of treated water. (Please call (888) 382-3814 for information about twin softeners.)

The most important term to understand is backflow, which refers to the undesirable reversal of flow into the drinking water supply. There are some common points where the potable water supply connects with the non-potable water supply, such as in appliances like a dishwasher or clothes washing machine. These cross-connection points must be carefully designed to ensure that backflow cannot happen between these water supplies.

Pre-treatment for the RO unit, as needed. The reverse osmosis unit itself usually has only a small sediment prefilter. For some situations, where the water is good except for a high amount of sodium, for example, no additional pretreatment is needed. For most well water, however, the RO unit will need to be protected from sediment, iron, manganese, or hardness. This may require the use of a sediment filter, a water softener, an iron filter, or a sequestering additive (such a polyphosphate injection) as a pretreatment to protect the RO unit. RO units used on city water (for water vending or final rinse car wash applications, for example) will require carbon or carbon/KDF prefiltration to protect the RO unit from chlorine or chloramines.

The DCDA is an advanced backflow prevention device with two check valves and a detector assembly that can provide alerts or shut off water if backflow is detected, offering an extra layer of protection in high-risk areas.

Knowing that your drinking water is safe and free from contaminants provides peace of mind for you and your family by eliminating the worry about health hazards associated with water backflow events and unnecessary stress when preparing for natural disasters, as noted above.

Cross-connection control refers to the measures and devices to prevent unwanted connections between potable and non-potable water sources. This plays a vital role in safeguarding against backflow incidents.

Backflows have the potential to cause severe damage to your pipes due to foreign materials. By having a backflow preventer installed, you can avoid having to deal with these potentially costly repairs. Plus, by avoiding these repairs in the first place, you avoid the inconvenience of going without water for days while repairs are underway. In addition, water backflow preventers can help ensure you won’t need to deal with any additional repair issues.

The delivery pump is the superior, self-priming Grundfos MQ3-45 110-120 volt 1 HP pump. The complete-in-itself MQ3 takes all the worry out of pump setup. You won't need a separate pressure tank, which more basic repressurization pumps require, and you won't need a pressure switch, additional electrical connections or fittings, or any of the other accessory items pump installation usually requires. Very easy to set up and operate, the MQ3 features a user-friendly control panel that has everything you need to get the pump up and running quickly. The pump has its own small built-in pressure tank to assure smooth, instant delivery of water upon demand. The check valve is also built into the pump. The pump is protected from an empty storage tank by a built-in dry run protection feature which automatically shuts off the pump if no water is available and even has an automatic restart feature to restore the pump to service when water is available.

Backflow preventer testing involves periodic assessments and evaluations of backflow prevention devices to ensure proper functioning. Testing is essential for maintaining the system’s integrity.

The whole house option comes with an atmospheric storage tank. Three tank sizes are available. 300 gallons is an ideal size for most residential whole house installations. The tank is pre-fitted with three bulkhead fittings, and the RO shutoff float valve is preinstalled, so that you just have to plug the RO unit into the electrical outlet on the float switch and plug the float switch into a standard 115 volt AC outlet and you're ready to go.

This page presents only one of many large reverse osmosis units available through Pure Water Products from Watts, one of the nation's premier makers of large reverse osmosis units.

A few different devices are available to help with water backflow prevention, and the best option depends on your specific plumbing needs. One of the simplest types of backflow preventers is an air gap, simply a physical separation between the end of a potable water supply pipeline and the open receiving vessel. Another common type of backflow preventer is the pressure vacuum breaker (PVB). This device usually consists of an inlet shutoff valve, spring-loaded check valves, test valves, and an outlet shutoff valve, but PVBs only protect against back-siphonage. Some other standard prevention devices are spill-resistant vacuum breakers, double-check valves, and reduced pressure principle backflow assemblies. Luckily, at GoodBee Plumbing, we have experience with all different types of water backflow prevention devices, so we have your needs covered.

Cross-contamination pathways represent the various routes through which pollutants or contaminants can potentially enter the potable water supply. Identifying and addressing these pathways is crucial in backflow prevention.