Backflow Testing in Kiowa, CO

Signs to call a plumber

• An irrigation backflow device drips, sprays or won't hold pressure
• You are adding a sprinkler system, stock tank fill or other outdoor connection
• A device froze during a cold snap on the plains
• KWWA or the Town has asked about protection on your service
• Water pressure in the house changed after outdoor work

What's known in Kiowa

Kiowa is the Elbert County seat, and inside Town limits water comes from the Kiowa Water and Wastewater Authority, with billing handled through the Town office at 404 Comanche Street (303-621-2366). The supply is groundwater disinfected with chlorine. Our fact sheet does not list a KWWA backflow testing program, test frequency or tester rule, so we won't guess at one. Call the Town office to ask what KWWA expects for your property.

A couple of KWWA rules are worth knowing because they touch the same piping. KWWA's technical standards require a water pressure relief valve in the internal plumbing of every property it serves, and homeowners are responsible for the water service line from the main to the house, with meter pits on the owner's property. Any backflow device on that line is the owner's to maintain.

Rural 80117 addresses outside the Authority weren't verified and may rely on other water arrangements. Plains winters bring hard freezes and wind, so any device above ground needs draining and insulating in fall.

What affects the cost

• Repair versus new install. Rebuilding a device costs less than adding protection where none exists.
• Device type. Pressure vacuum breakers and reduced pressure assemblies differ in parts and labor.
• Freeze damage. Cracked bodies need replacing.
• Permits. Inside Town limits, plumbing work goes through the Town Building Department, with SAFEbuilt doing inspections; outside, Elbert County.

When you call

You'll be connected with an independent plumber who serves Kiowa. Explain what the device protects and whether KWWA has asked for anything. If the device is leaking, shut the valve feeding it until the plumber looks at it. It also helps to know where the meter pit sits on your lot, since KWWA places it on the owner's property and the service line from there to the house is yours. A plumber checking a device may spot a leak on that line too.