Got a Backflow Test Notice from Durham Region?
That letter means a backflow prevention device on your property is due for its annual test. Durham Region's backflow program is administered by BSI Online, which mails due-date notices to property owners on the Region's behalf — and the file stays open with the Region until a passing test report is submitted through the BSI portal.
Ignoring the notice doesn't make it expire. Untested devices are tracked as non-compliant under the Region's backflow by-law, and follow-up escalates from there. Property managers across Durham treat these letters as non-optional for good reason: the fix is a single visit from a certified tester.
We handle the full cycle for Oshawa properties — the certified test, the tag, and the report filing with BSI — so your file is closed before the deadline on your letter.
Call (289) 512-2896 to book before your deadline
Why Annual Backflow Testing Is Mandatory in Durham Region
Durham Region By-law 24-2018 requires every testable backflow prevention device on industrial, commercial, institutional, and multi-residential properties to be tested once a year by a qualified tester. The by-law exists to stop water from flowing backwards through cross-connections and contaminating the municipal drinking water supply.
The Region runs the program through BSI Online: BSI mails test-due notices to property owners, registered testers file passing reports through the BSI portal, and the Region issues test tags for compliant devices. Qualified testers are certified by the Ontario Water Works Association (OWWA) or ASSE and registered with Durham Region through BSI.
Durham Region's official Backflow Prevention Program page
Which Backflow Preventers Need Testing?
Three device types cover nearly every testable installation in Oshawa. Your notice letter or the tag on the device identifies which one you have — or send us a photo and we'll identify it for you.
- DCVA (double check valve assembly) — the standard device for moderate-hazard connections, typically found on domestic and fire lines in commercial buildings.
- RP / RPZ (reduced pressure zone assembly) — required for severe-hazard connections such as boiler rooms, chemical feed systems, and medical or industrial equipment.
- PVB (pressure vacuum breaker) — common on lawn irrigation systems, tested on the same annual schedule as indoor devices.
What Happens During a Backflow Test?
A backflow test is a 30–60 minute site visit. The tester isolates the device briefly — water to that line is off for only a few minutes — connects a calibrated differential pressure gauge, and records readings for each check valve and relief valve.
A passing device gets a test tag, and the report is filed with BSI Online on your behalf. That filing is what actually closes the compliance file with Durham Region — you don't chase portals, paperwork, or deadlines. Owning that filing step is the part property managers value most, and it's included.
What If the Device Fails the Test?
A failed device must be repaired by a licensed plumber and then retested before the Region records it as compliant. The common failures — fouled check valves, worn seats, relief valves that won't hold pressure — are usually repairable within days.
We coordinate the repair and the retest as one job: a licensed plumber handles the repair, a certified tester performs the retest, and the updated report goes to BSI so the file closes without you managing two contractors.
What Does Backflow Testing Cost in Durham Region?
Backflow testing in the GTA is commonly quoted from around $360 per device, with lower per-device rates on multi-device properties. We quote per property, on request — call or send the form with your address and how many devices you have.
When you compare quotes, ask what's included. A complete price covers the test itself, the tag, the report filing, and the $25-per-report filing fee that BSI Online charges when a test is submitted. Some quotes leave the BSI fee out and add it afterwards.
Call (289) 512-2896 for a backflow testing quote
Backflow Testing Across Oshawa & Durham Region
We book backflow tests across all of Oshawa first — industrial properties near the harbour, commercial plazas along Taunton Road, and multi-residential buildings downtown — and cover the rest of Durham Region on the same By-law 24-2018 annual cycle: Whitby, Ajax, Pickering, Courtice, and Bowmanville.
