Backflow testing, Central Coast Backflow Prevention & Testing
Licensed plumber & gas fitter · the Central Coast & Lake Macquarie
Backflow testing comes around every year: a testable backflow prevention device has to be tested, certified and the result lodged with your water authority, Central Coast Council or Hunter Water. Thermostatic mixing valves (TMVs) have to be installed and maintained as well. We install and repair both, and carry out the annual backflow test and certification, a recurring compliance job many households and small businesses forget about until a notice arrives. Backflow testing for strata and commercial sites is covered on the commercial plumbing page.
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What's included
- Backflow device installation
- Thermostatic mixing valve (TMV) install & maintenance
- Annual backflow testing & certification
- Water-authority lodgement
- Device repair & replacement
- Commercial & strata sites
- Compliance reminders
What's not included
- Testing a device that was installed wrong without quoting the fix first
- Lodgement skipped, results go to the water authority every time
- Devices on council mains or shared strata risers, those need the right approvals first
Why every year, and where TMVs fit
Hunter Water notes that a testable device has internal seals, springs and moving parts that wear or fail, which is why it is tested after installation and every year after. A backflow device protects the drinking supply; a TMV protects the person at the tap. A TMV result is written up for the owner rather than lodged with the water authority, and how often it is tested depends on the type of facility. TMV testing in NSW covers which buildings need one and what the test report records, and the valve work itself is on the TMV testing and servicing page.
Indicative pricing
$130–$220
A market-typical guide, not a quote. Your exact price for the job is confirmed in writing before any work starts.
See the full price guideLicensed & insured
Every job is carried out by Josh, a licensed plumber and gas fitter (NSW licence 498220C; Donza Plumbing Pty Ltd, ABN 51 697 209 153), and certified to AS/NZS 3500 plumbing & AS/NZS 5601 gas.
Servicing
On the tools
Try this first
When it is a job for us.
Worth a go yourself
- Check the due date on the test notice from Council or Hunter Water
- Find the device, usually a pair of valves at the meter or the boundary
Call us when
- A test notice has arrived and the date is close
- The device is leaking, corroded or has not been looked at in years
- You are fitting out a site that needs a device installed
What it costs
The annual test and certification runs $130–$220 in the price guide, lodged with your water authority. A repair or a replacement device is quoted once we have seen what is installed.
Recent work
Accredited backflow testing and TMV servicing is part of the regular compliance work, with results lodged to Central Coast Council across the 2259, 2261, 2262 and 2263 suburbs and to Hunter Water for Lake Macquarie, Newcastle, Cessnock and Maitland jobs. Recent installs include a boundary backflow assembly in a garden bed at Budgewoi, and a testable device on the water service at the property boundary in Belmont North, with isolation valves and a strainer either side.
How the job runs
What to expect, start to finish.
Identify the device
What is installed, where it sits, and what the authority expects of it.
Test and tag
The annual test run with gauges, tagged and recorded properly.
Lodge the result
Certification lodged with Council or Hunter Water, your copy left with you.
Set the reminder
Next year is on file so the notice does not catch you short again.
Good to know
Backflow Prevention & Testing FAQs
Who actually needs a backflow device?
Properties the water authority classes as a risk to the mains supply: many commercial and strata sites, properties with irrigation or fire services, and anywhere contamination could be drawn back into the drinking supply. If a test notice has arrived, the authority already considers yours testable.
How often does the device have to be tested?
Testable devices in NSW are tested and certified every 12 months, and the result is lodged with the water authority, Central Coast Council or Hunter Water depending on where the property sits. It recurs every year, which is why we keep the reminder on file for repeat customers.
What is a TMV and how is it different?
A thermostatic mixing valve blends hot and cold down to a safe outlet temperature so people are not scalded. It is a different device to a backflow preventer and is serviced rather than lodged, common on NDIS, commercial and shared facilities.
What happens if I ignore the test notice?
The authority can follow it up, and an untested device is an unproven one protecting the drinking supply. The test itself is quick; the expensive version is the failed device nobody knew about. Bring the notice and we will sort the rest.
Keep reading
Guides & local pages
Customer feedback
What customers say.
Josh did an incredible job for us, the way he conducts himself is outstanding. Polite, respectful and great workmanship Highly recommend him.
Very happy with the service and the jobs we have had done. Turns up on time pricing is great and time frame to book was good I would recommend
Professional with high attention to detail
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