Today’s service call took us to Vineland, NJ, where we performed an annual backflow preventer test and maintenance service at a multi-family apartment complex. The property management company, responsible for maintaining the building’s plumbing infrastructure, scheduled the test as part of their compliance with Vineland Municipal Utilities’ backflow prevention program.

The building’s irrigation system, supplying water to the landscaping and green spaces around the property, relies on a Watts LF009M2QT Reduced Pressure Zone Assembly (RPZ) to prevent any contaminated water from flowing back into the public supply.

Initial Inspection and Testing

The LF009M2QT was installed in an above-ground insulated enclosure near the complex’s maintenance shed. Our initial visual inspection revealed:

• Minor corrosion on the relief valve body.
• Shutoff valves in good condition with no visible leaks.
• No significant debris buildup inside the enclosure.

We proceeded with our standard backflow preventer test:

1. Check Valve #1 – Passed, holding steady at 3.0 PSI (above the required 2.0 PSI).
2. Check Valve #2 – Passed, maintaining 2.7 PSI.
3. Relief Valve – Failed, discharging intermittently at 1.6 PSI (below the minimum 2.0 PSI).

Repair and Maintenance

Since the relief valve failed to hold the required pressure, we needed to perform a minor rebuild. The process involved:

• Disassembling the relief valve to check for debris or wear.
• Replacing the rubber diaphragm and seating disc, which had signs of aging.
• Cleaning and flushing the valve body to remove any small particulates that could affect function.

After completing the repairs, we retested the system, and the relief valve now opened at 2.3 PSI, passing the compliance standard.

Final Steps and Certification

Once the backflow assembly was confirmed to be functioning correctly, we:

• Completed the official test report for submission to Vineland Municipal Utilities.
• Provided a copy of the compliance certificate to the property manager.
• Scheduled the next annual test to ensure uninterrupted compliance.

Final Recommendations

Before leaving, we advised the maintenance team to:

1. Monitor the enclosure to prevent excessive condensation buildup, which can accelerate corrosion.
2. Perform quarterly visual inspections to catch minor leaks early.
3. Ensure proper winterization during colder months to avoid freeze damage.

Another successful job for South Jersey Backflow, keeping Vineland’s apartment residents safe with a properly functioning irrigation backflow preventer!