Only a certified Cross Connection Control Specialist can test a backflow preventer and file the report in Ontario. Here is what the OWWA certification covers and five questions to ask before you book.
A plumber offers to do your backflow test while he is already on site, and the price is good. Before you say yes, one question matters more than the price: can his report be filed? If he is not a certified tester, it cannot, and you will pay for the test twice.
Quick answer
- In Ontario, backflow preventers must be tested by a certified Cross Connection Control Specialist (CCCS), trained and examined through the Ontario Water Works Association (OWWA) program.
- Certification must be kept current through recertification; a report from an uncertified or lapsed tester cannot be filed with the municipality.
- The test gauge must be calibrated annually and be traceable to NIST standards, or the readings are not valid.
- Before booking, ask for the tester’s certificate number, the gauge’s last calibration date and confirmation that they file the report.
- Some authorities, including Halton Region, publish lists of authorized testers you can check.
Who can legally test a backflow preventer in Ontario?
Only a certified Cross Connection Control Specialist. Toronto’s Water Supply By-law and the by-laws across the GTA require that the person testing the device holds this certification, and the municipality will not accept a report from anyone else.
A plumbing licence on its own is not enough. Many certified testers are licensed plumbers, but the certification is a separate credential earned through a dedicated course and exam.
The reverse is also true: a certified tester does not automatically hold a plumbing licence. Repairs and installations need a licensed plumber, which is why a company that does both saves you a second call.
What does OWWA cross-connection control certification involve?
The OWWA Cross Connection Control Specialist program is a course covering backflow theory, device types, test procedures and the by-laws that apply in Ontario, followed by an exam. Passing it earns the CCCS certificate that municipalities look for on every report.
The certificate is not permanent. Testers recertify at intervals set by OWWA, which keeps their knowledge of CSA B64.10 device standards and test procedures current.
When a certificate lapses, so does the tester’s ability to file. Reports submitted after the lapse cannot be accepted, and the device shows as untested in the City’s records.
The quiet failure: an owner who hires an uncertified tester usually finds out months later, when a compliance notice arrives for a device they believed was done. The test must then be repeated by a certified specialist, and the property stays non-compliant until that report is filed.
Why does gauge calibration matter?
A backflow test measures small pressure differences across each check valve, and a gauge that has drifted can pass a device that should fail. That is why the gauge must be calibrated annually against NIST-traceable standards.
The calibration certificate for the gauge is part of a credible test. A tester who cannot tell you when the gauge was last calibrated is not someone whose report you want attached to your property.
A calibrated test also protects you when a device fails: the readings justify the repair, and the retest within 72 hours confirms the fix. Our repair service includes that retest.
What should I ask a backflow tester before booking?
Ask five questions. A certified professional answers all of them without hesitation, and the answers protect you from paying for a test that goes nowhere.
- What is your Cross Connection Control Specialist certificate number, and when does it expire?
- When was your test gauge last calibrated, and can you show the certificate?
- Will you file the report with the municipality, and will I receive a copy?
- Do you tag the device after the test?
- If the device fails, can you repair it and retest within 72 hours?
Want the answers up front? Our testers are OWWA-certified Cross Connection Control Specialists working with annually calibrated gauges, and every test includes the tag, the report and the filing — $350 for a single device, less per device for multi-device sites. Get a fixed quote or call (647) 578-9903.
How do I verify a backflow tester’s certification?
Ask for the certificate and check it against the issuing body, and where the municipality publishes a list, check that too. Halton Region, for example, publishes a list of authorized testers under its Cross-Connection Control Program, so Oakville owners can check a name before booking.
In Toronto, the City’s online test report form captures the tester’s credentials with every submission, which is how an invalid certificate gets caught. You can also call Toronto Water at 416-394-8888 with questions about a filed report.
Backflow Inspector, a service of MT Drains & Plumbing, makes its testers’ certification and gauge calibration records available on request before any work is booked. For the rules in your own municipality, see our Ontario backflow regulations guide, or book the annual test directly.
Quick answers
Certified testers, calibrated gauges, filed reports
Our OWWA-certified Cross Connection Control Specialists test, tag and file for a fixed $350 per single device, with certification records available before you book.