Backflow Testing in Advance, NC

Reasons Advance homeowners end up dealing with backflow

• Your lawn has in-ground irrigation fed by Davie County water
• You need a record showing the testable device was checked this year
• The device near the meter is leaking, or water seeps from its test cocks
• You're planning sprinklers for a lot off NC 801 or US 158
• A test came back failed and parts need replacing
• You aren't sure whether your address is on county water or a private well

What applies in Advance

Advance is an unincorporated community, so there's no town utility. Where county lines reach, water comes from Davie County Public Utilities, which treats water from the Yadkin and South Yadkin rivers. Davie County runs a state-mandated backflow program: customers on the public system must install backflow prevention where it's required, and every testable device must be tested annually.

The county also says most homes without in-ground irrigation don't need a testable device. For a typical Advance house, then, the question comes down to sprinklers. Housing here is newer than much of the region, with a median build year of 2001, so plenty of subdivision lots got irrigation when they were built. Those devices are now old enough for springs and rubber seats to wear.

Davie County says the meter usually sits in the front yard near the road, in the utility right-of-way. Its FAQ doesn't spell out where county responsibility ends and yours begins, so contact Davie County Public Utilities if a leak is right at the meter. Homes on a private well fall outside the county program, and no source gives a count of rural Advance homes on wells.

Cost drivers

• Whether the visit is a test alone or includes repair and a retest
• The kind of device: double check, reduced pressure or a vacuum breaker style
• How many devices or irrigation connections the property has
• Freeze damage that rules out a rebuild
• Whether new work needs a permit through Davie County's Inspections Division

When you call

You'll reach an independent plumber who serves Advance, Farmington, Fork Church and the surrounding parts of Davie County. Mention the device type if it's stamped on the body and whether your meter is on county water. If water is spraying, shut the irrigation valve or the main until help arrives.