Do I need a backflow test?
Plain-words version of the City of Columbus rules, read Oct 29 2026. The City’s pages are the official word; each point links to where it comes from.
Yes, once a year, if you have an assembly
Any property with one or more backflow prevention assemblies has to hire a City-approved certified tester for a test every year, plus any repairs the test shows. Homes usually have one on the lawn sprinkler line. Non-residential customers must have a backflow preventer at the end of each service line. City Consumer’s Page
What you pay
The City charges $25.00 per device, per year (City Code 1105.09, items N and P, in effect since July 1 2011). That’s separate from what the tester charges you. City Consumer’s Page · What it costs
Who counts as “approved”
A tester on the City list holds an Ohio Department of Commerce backflow certification, is registered with Columbus Building Regulations and with the City’s Backflow Compliance Office, and has a test kit calibrated in the last 12 months. Approved tester list, header
How the result gets to the City
You don’t mail anything. Your tester submits the result to the Backflow Compliance Office within 5 days of the test through the City’s online system. You can check the status on the City’s customer portal. Testers Requirements and Guidelines
Why the City’s list looks shuffled
The City puts testers in random order on purpose, “to minimize preferential selection”, and being on the list isn’t an endorsement. This site sorts A to Z and sells no placement. List header
Del-Co Water customers
Del-Co is a separate utility with its own approved list (updated Jun 26 2026). Testers file Del-Co results through Del-Co’s portal, not the City’s. Del-Co list
Still not sure?
Call the City’s Backflow Compliance Office: 614-645-6674, weekdays 7:00 to 3:30, 910 Dublin Road, Columbus 43215, or email backflow@columbus.gov.
Not covered here: the Ohio state rule text (OAC 3745-95). We haven’t read it for this page.