Wilmington residents expect their water to be clean and safe.  The City of Wilmington goes to great lengths to ensure that the water delivered to our citizens is of the highest quality.  When water leaves the treatment plant, it is in its freshest and purest state.  Along the way, however, there is a danger that the water may become contaminated or polluted from sources out of our control.  This can happen when the water supply line is connected to equipment containing a substance not fit for drinking.  These "cross connections" may be permanent or temporary and could cause the delivery of an unusable product, cause illness, or even death.

What is Backflow?
Backflow is the undesirable reversal of the flow of water or mixtures of water and other undesirable substances from any source (such as used water, industrial fluids, gasses, etc.) into the distribution pipes of the water system.

Backflow Permit Application

Water distribution systems are designed to flow in one direction from the main to the customer. With the direction of flow reversed, due to a change in pressures (such as fire fighting efforts or a main break), backflow can allow contaminants to enter our drinking water system through cross-connections.  When this happens, any substance that may be in contact with the water line could be sucked into the system.  Backflow can also occur when the unprotected water supply line is attached to a container or pipe which contains substances under pressure, such as a boiler or a water recirculating system.  Conditions can cause these substances to be "pumped" back into the water system through a cross connection.

A single backflow incident can potentially affect hundreds or even thousands of people.  Preventing the backflow of contaminants in the water system is absolutely essential if health and property are to be protected.

What is a Cross Connection?
Cross connections are the physical links that allow backflow incidents;  permanent or temporary piping arrangement which can allow your drinking water to be contaminated if a backflow condition occurs.

A potentially hazardous cross-connection occurs every time someone uses a garden hose sprayer to apply insecticides or herbicides to their lawn or by placing the hose in a bucket of  soapy solution while washing their car.  Another cross-connection occurs when someone uses their garden hose to clear a stoppage in their sewer line.