Where the drains end up matters just as much. Nearly all of University Place is on the Pierce County Sewer system, which runs to the Chambers Creek Regional Wastewater Treatment Plant inside the city. A small number of older homes near the bluffs and Day Island were on septic into the 1990s, and a few may remain; most have since connected. From our shop in Port Orchard, University Place is about 40 minutes from Port Orchard, over the Narrows Bridge and south on Bridgeport Way or Jackson Avenue; we schedule it alongside nearby stops so windows stay tight.
Why backflow preventer installation is a little different in University Place
Commercial properties in University Place, from restaurants to car washes to medical offices, usually need an RPZ on the service and sometimes on individual equipment. We install them above grade with proper discharge so the relief port does not flood a floor.
Then there is the Puget Sound winter. The bluff above the Narrows takes the wind, and homes along Grandview and Soundview froze lines in December 2022 and January 2024 that homes a mile inland did not. Heavy winter rain runs off the plateau into the canyons and overloads old storm and sewer connections.
Local conditions that affect backflow preventer installation in University Place
Local conditions shape the work. In University Place: Galvanized supply in older cottages near Day Island and Sunset Beach
Rural parts of University Place on community water systems often still have an old well on the property. The purveyor treats that as a cross-connection, and we resolve it with either an RPZ on the service or a documented disconnection of the well piping.
In University Place specifically, one issue comes up more than most: Bluff-side crawlspace freezes along Grandview and Soundview
Newer homes in University Place with residential fire sprinklers frequently have a double check assembly in the garage or crawlspace that nobody has looked at since the house was built. We inspect, test-coordinate and replace those when they fail.
Signs University Place homeowners call us for backflow preventer installation
Worth a call
- An old assembly is corroded, the shutoffs will not close, or the test cocks are seized
- A home inspector or county inspector flagged a cross-connection
- The brass body cracked in a winter freeze
- Your water district sent a notice requiring a backflow assembly or an annual test
- A certified tester failed your existing device
How we handle backflow preventer installation in University Place
For backflow preventer installation in University Place the order of operations is figure out what the purveyor wants, site check and flat quote, install with testable access, initial certification, then record and remind. That sequence keeps the work predictable and the price honest.
Read the full step-by-step for backflow preventer installation →
University Place neighborhoods and areas we serve
Call from Soundview, Sunset Beach or anywhere else in University Place, including the places near Tacoma Narrows Bridge view from the bluff and Chambers Bay golf course and Chambers Creek Regional Park that other outfits treat as a long drive.
Backflow Preventer Installation questions from University Place
Is a permit needed to install a backflow preventer in University Place?
Usually a plumbing permit is required, and the purveyor needs the installation and test report. We take care of both as part of the job.
Which water districts in University Place require backflow preventers?
Every public water purveyor serving University Place runs a cross-connection program under Washington's drinking water rules. If you have irrigation, fire sprinklers, a boiler or a well on the property, expect a requirement.
How quickly can you install a backflow device in University Place?
Most residential assemblies are installed within a few days of approving the quote, and we carry common PVB and double check sizes on the truck. RPZs for commercial services may need to be ordered.
My backflow test failed in University Place. Do I have to replace the device?
Not always. If the body is sound we rebuild it with new checks and springs, which is far less than replacement. If the body is pitted or the shutoffs are gone, we recommend a new assembly and show you why.
Why is water coming out of my backflow device?
If it is an RPZ, the relief port is doing its job because a check valve is fouled or failed, or because of pressure fluctuation on the street. Debris after a water main repair is a common cause. It needs service, but it is not an emergency unless it will not stop.
We bring the same equipment to University Place that we use at home in Kitsap: sectional and drum machines, a push camera with a monitor, our own hydro jetting truck, and a van stocked for the common repairs.