As your water provider, the City of Red Oak must follow the requirements of the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) and administer a Cross-Connection Control Program. This Program helps to protect the public water supply and ensures that everyone in the City of Red Oak continues to enjoy safe drinking water. While the City of Red Oak has had such a Program for some time, we are implementing new measures to strengthen our compliance with state requirements so that actual or potential connections between the drinking water supply and possible sources of contamination or pollution are separated. 

The backflow assembly that is part of your system controls cross-connections and prevents the possibility of backflow. In order to insure that this backflow assembly is working properly, it must be certified upon installation and tested periodically thereafter as required by state code. 

Helpful links

Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ)

American Backflow Prevention Association (ABPA)

What is Backflow?

 Backflow is the undesirable reversal of flow in a drinking water distribution system. Water that is always under pressure can only flow in one direction. You might ask, then how can water flow in reverse? Water will always flow towards the point of lowest pressure. If a water main were to break or if the fire department opened several fire hydrants to help fight a fire, the pressure in the main water line could drop. The water demand could cause a reversal in flow and the possibility of contamination needs to be recognized so it can be eliminated. A garden hose submerged in a hot tub, swimming pool, car radiator, or attached to an insect/fertilizer sprayer could siphon the liquid back into the water main. Backflow prevention assemblies are designed to protect the public water system from these types of concerns.