Del Mar runs its own water system, so backflow requirements for Del Mar customers come from the City's Public Works department. We did not find a published testing program on the pages reviewed, so ask Public Works what applies. Call the number on this page to be connected with a local plumber in Del Mar.
Signs to call a plumber
- Water dribbles from a relief port or test cock
- Bolts and fittings are crusted with salt corrosion
- Sprinklers lost pressure after landscape work near the meter
- A restaurant, shop or multi-unit building has a device with no recent test
- You are adding irrigation, a fire sprinkler system or a pool fill line
- The device is cracked, leaning or partly buried
Local conditions in Del Mar
The City of Del Mar buys untreated water from the San Diego County Water Authority, has it treated at the City of San Diego's Miramar plant, and stores it in four City reservoirs before delivery. Because the City is the water purveyor, it is the agency that decides which properties need a backflow assembly. A Del Mar backflow program did not turn up in our review, so the honest step is to ask Public Works at (858) 755-3294. Commercial services, irrigation and fire sprinkler lines are the usual places an assembly is expected anywhere in California.
Del Mar's water is hard: the City's report lists an average of 229 ppm, about 13.4 grains per gallon. That mineral load builds up on check valve seats and can keep a device from passing. The coastal setting adds salt air, which attacks brass and bolts on any outdoor assembly. The City puts a lot of weight on keeping its beaches and lagoons clean, and while that is mostly a sewer concern, it reflects the same idea behind backflow protection: keep contaminated water out of systems that should stay clean.
Adding or relocating a device is plumbing work. The City of Del Mar Building & Safety Services takes plumbing permit applications online through eTRAKiT (permit desk 858-755-9313).
What affects the cost
- Whether a device is tested, rebuilt or replaced
- Corrosion that keeps fittings from opening
- Assembly size on commercial or multi-unit services
- Permit and inspection for new piping
- Number of devices tested in one trip
What happens when you call
An independent plumber who works in Del Mar picks up your request. Tell them what the device protects, whether the City has asked for a test and what condition it looks to be in. If water is pouring out, close the irrigation valve or the main shutoff until the plumber arrives.
Backflow Testing questions in Del Mar
Does an ordinary single-family home need a yearly backflow test?
Does hard water shorten the life of a backflow assembly?
Can cold nights or salt air damage an outdoor backflow assembly?
Do I need a permit to add, move or replace a backflow device?
More plumbing services in Del Mar
Backflow Testing nearby
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Sources
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