Fort Washington is on WSSC Water. Testable backflow assemblies, such as irrigation vacuum breakers and RPZs, must be tested every year and after installation, repair or relocation by a WSSC-registered journeyman or master plumber who is a certified cross-connection technician, while non-testable dual checks and boiler devices are rebuilt or replaced every five years. Call the number on this page to be connected with a local plumber in Fort Washington.
Fort Washington was mostly rural until around 1960 and is now a suburb of riverfront homes, neighborhoods like Tantallon and Fort Washington Forest, and marinas along the Potomac. Wherever a yard has in-ground irrigation, there is a testable assembly WSSC expects to see tested. Questions about a specific device on record can go to WSSC's cross-connection program at 301-206-4004.
What to do now
- Identify the device. Look for a brass assembly on a riser near the foundation, a boxed device in the yard, or a valve set on a fire sprinkler or boiler line.
- Decide if it is testable. Testable units have small test cocks on the side. Dual checks without them follow the five-year rebuild or replacement rule instead.
- Book the right plumber. Only a WSSC-registered plumber with cross-connection certification may test or repair a testable assembly.
- Shut it down if it is pouring water. Close the irrigation shutoff or main valve until the visit.
- Keep records. Save every test report so the next owner, or WSSC, can see the history.
Signs and likely causes
| Symptom | Likely cause |
|---|---|
| Constant discharge from an RPZ relief port | Fouled or worn first check, or a damaged relief valve diaphragm |
| Water bubbling from a vacuum breaker cap | Worn air inlet seat or poppet |
| Low pressure at sprinkler heads | Partly closed shutoff, stuck check or debris in the inlet |
| Split body after a cold snap | Water left inside through a freeze |
| Green crust on fittings | Long-term weathering, common on exposed assemblies |
WSSC adds orthophosphate to coat pipe interiors and limit corrosion, but the outside of a yard assembly still weathers. Riverfront exposure and years of sun and frost take a toll on rubber parts and fittings.
Cost factors
- Assembly type and size
- Pass on the first test, or rebuild and retest
- Whether the device must be replaced, which needs a WSSC permit
- Access around landscaping, decks or finished basements
- Number of devices on the property, such as both irrigation and a boiler
Plumbing permits in Prince George's County come from WSSC, not the county's DPIE, so a replacement is handled through WSSC ePermitting by the plumber doing the work.
Backflow Testing questions in Fort Washington
Can I rebuild or replace a backflow device myself?
How often does a backflow assembly have to be tested here?
Can a winter freeze damage an outdoor backflow preventer?
What is the difference between a PVB, a double check and an RPZ?
More plumbing services in Fort Washington
Backflow Testing nearby
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