Backflow Testing in Smithfield, NC

What does Smithfield's ordinance require?

The Town of Smithfield sets assembly requirements by degree of hazard and also lists facilities that must have one, including lawn and commercial irrigation systems. Each assembly is tested when installed and then at least once a year, by its installation anniversary. The tester must be approved by the Town and certified, with NC AWWA training. The consumer pays for the testing, and any repairs a test calls for must be made within 30 days.

The anniversary detail matters: your due date isn't a single town-wide deadline but the date your device went in. Keep the install paperwork, or ask the Town for the date on file. If you own more than one assembly, say an irrigation device and a domestic one on a business, each may carry its own date.

Am I a Town of Smithfield water customer?

Maybe not, even with a Smithfield address. The Town treats its own Neuse River water at its plant on North 2nd Street, but there's also a separate Smithfield South water district supplied by Johnston County Utilities. Outlying 27577 homes may be on Johnston County water or private wells. The ordinance described here is the Town's; if your bill comes from Johnston County, ask the county what applies.

Why do Smithfield devices fail?

Common causes are the same everywhere: debris lodged in a check, worn rubber seats and diaphragms, weak springs, and freeze damage to exposed assemblies. Smithfield's housing adds another factor. About 65% of homes were built before 1980, and older supply lines can shed scale and rust that end up in the device. Irrigation added to an older house is sometimes tied in at an odd spot, and a plumber may suggest moving the assembly closer to the meter while fixing it. A failed test starts the 30-day repair clock, so schedule the repair promptly and have it retested.

Building inspections for the Town are handled by Johnston County Building Inspections under contract, and the Town's Planning office issues zoning permits first, so a new installation may involve both.

Local note

If you're unsure who to call about the Town's program, start with Town Hall; the ordinance and approved tester requirements come from the Town, not the county.