Why Preventing Backflow Is Important

Back in 1973, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency enacted the “Safe Drinking Water Act” to safeguard public water systems from being contaminated by unwanted particles or pollutants due to cross-connections or backflow. This is a significant concern for farms and lawns using irrigation systems.
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Overseeing backflow has become so crucial that even an official organization, American Backflow Prevention Association (ABPA), was established to make sure that backflows are prevented. The association with more than one thousand members defines backflow as “the undesirable reversal of flow of non-potable water (irrigation water or other treated water) through a cross-connection and into the piping of a public water system or consumer’s potable (drinking) water system.”
Backflow can have two causes: backpressure backflow and backsiphonage.

Backpressure backflow occurs when downstream pressure, particularly from the irrigation system, becomes greater than the upstream or supply pressure coming from the water line. This causes unwanted materials to enter the public water system.

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On the other hand, backsiphonage is caused by a negative pressure, such as vacuum or partial vacuum, in the water system that sucks water in irrigation lines toward the said system.

Prevention devices, examples of which are reduced pressure zone (RPZ) device and pressure vacuum breaker (PVB), are some of the best curbs to backflow. Often, the application of these two suffices.
EZ FLO irrigation equipment are fitted with backflow prevention devices to make sure that fertilizer fed into the system is applied to soils and does not return to water tanks or public water systems. Visit this website to read more about backflow.

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