Backflow Laws: Alaska
Alaska Backflow Prevention Laws, Regulations, and Compliance Requirements
Alaska's backflow prevention requirements are established under 18 AAC 80.025 of the Alaska Administrative Code, administered by the Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC). This guide covers the state regulatory framework, Anchorage Water and Wastewater Utility's formal program, Fairbanks and Juneau requirements, and compliance considerations unique to Alaska's geography and climate.
Alaska State Regulatory Framework
Alaska’s drinking water program is administered by the Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC), which holds EPA primacy to enforce the Safe Drinking Water Act statewide. The principal backflow prevention regulation is 18 AAC 80.025 — Cross-connections prohibited and backflow protection — within the DEC’s drinking water rules at 18 AAC 80, amended most recently through Register 190 (April 2009) with ongoing updates through October 2023.
Under 18 AAC 80.025(a), cross-connections between a public water system and any source of contamination are expressly prohibited. Subsection (b) requires that where the DEC determines a facility has potential to contaminate a public water system through backflow, the public water system owner must install, maintain, and test a backflow prevention device conforming to ANSI/AWWA Standards C510 (Double Check Valve Assembly) or C511 (Reduced Pressure Principle Assembly) on the water service line to that facility. The regulation allows the water system owner to delegate installation, maintenance, and testing to the facility operator — but delegation does not relieve the water system owner of ultimate responsibility.
Additionally, Alaska’s plumbing code provisions at 18 AAC 31.220 prohibit cross-connections in all plumbing systems. The plumbing code is enforced by local municipalities through their building and code enforcement departments. New installations and replacements of testable backflow assemblies require permits in most Alaskan municipalities.
DEC Oversight and Technical Assistance
DEC’s Environmental Health division conducts sanitary surveys of public water systems that assess cross-connection control program adequacy. Small and rural water systems in Alaska — which represent the majority of the state’s 1,700-plus public water systems — receive technical assistance from DEC in developing cross-connection control programs appropriate to their service areas. DEC can be reached at (toll free) 1-866-956-7656 from Anchorage or 1-800-770-2137 from Fairbanks.
Tester Certification Requirements
Alaska does not administer a statewide backflow tester certification program. Certification is managed locally by individual water utilities. The most widely accepted credential in Alaska is the American Backflow Prevention Association (ABPA) Backflow Assembly Tester certification, offered through providers including the University of Alaska Southeast campus training program. ABPA certification requires a 40-hour course, passing a written closed-book examination (minimum 70%), and completing a hands-on proficiency examination, with ongoing continuing education for recertification every three years.
Anchorage Water and Wastewater Utility (AWWU) manages its own tester registration through the SwiftComply platform. Testers must register through AWWU’s portal at sc-tester.com to be authorized to file test reports. Testers serving other communities must confirm approval requirements with each local water system before performing work.
Alaska's Geographic Reality
Alaska’s vast geography — spanning 663,268 square miles — means certified backflow testers may not be readily available in many communities outside Anchorage, Fairbanks, and Juneau. Property owners in smaller communities should plan testing several weeks in advance, confirm tester availability and travel requirements with their local water system, and never wait until a deadline notice arrives before scheduling.
Major Water Purveyors in Alaska
Anchorage Water and Wastewater Utility (AWWU)
AWWU is Alaska’s largest water utility, serving approximately 250,000 customers in the Anchorage Municipal Service Area. AWWU operates a formal Cross-Connection Control Program (CCCP) administered by Field Services. AWWU uses SwiftComply for test result submission — testers must register at sc-tester.com and submit results through anchorageak.c3swift.com. AWWU Field Services is available at awwufieldservices@awwu.biz or (907) 564-2762, Monday–Friday 8 AM–5 PM Alaska Time. AWWU requires annual testing for all covered assemblies with assembly type determined by standard hazard classification (RPZ for high hazard, DCVA for lower hazard).
Fairbanks Area Systems
The City of Fairbanks utilities and the Fairbanks North Star Borough utility department serve the state’s second-largest metro area. Cross-connection control requirements and approved tester rosters should be confirmed directly with the specific utility serving your Fairbanks property. Fairbanks programs are aligned with 18 AAC 80.025 requirements.
City and Borough of Juneau Utilities
Juneau’s relative isolation in Southeast Alaska means tester availability can be more constrained. Property owners in Juneau should confirm testing requirements and available certified testers through Juneau’s utility department well in advance of any compliance deadline.
Rural and Small Community Water Systems
Many rural Alaskan communities are served by small water systems with informal or developing cross-connection control programs. Property owners in rural Alaska should contact their specific water system or DEC’s Environmental Health division to confirm compliance obligations applicable to their location.
Freeze Protection Is Critical in Alaska
Above-grade backflow assembly installations in Alaska require robust freeze protection for winter survival. Many Alaska communities require heated enclosures for exterior assemblies. An assembly destroyed by a single freeze event may require full replacement rather than rebuild — confirm freeze protection standards with your local building official and water utility before any installation.
Property Owner Compliance Summary for Alaska
Installation: Install the assembly type required by your water utility based on hazard assessment. Wells and other auxiliary supplies require RPZ assemblies.
Testing: Annual testing by a tester approved by your specific water utility. In Anchorage, this means AWWU-registered testers only.
Filing: Results filed through your utility’s designated platform (SwiftComply in Anchorage). Confirm requirements with other utilities directly.
Freeze protection: Above-grade assemblies must be protected from freezing per local standards.
Records: Retain all test and repair documentation.
Find a Certified Backflow Tester in Alaska
Visit getyourbackflowtested.com/backflow-testing-near-me/alaska-backflow-testing for AWWU-approved testers and guidance on finding certified professionals in other Alaskan communities. For rural communities, contact your local water system or DEC directly.
Alaska Regulatory Reference Links
| Resource / Agency | URL / Link Target |
|---|---|
Alaska DEC — 18 AAC 80 Drinking Water Regulations | |
18 AAC 80.025 — Cross-connections and backflow protection (LII) | |
AWWU — Backflow Prevention Program | |
AWWU SwiftComply Tester Registration | |
UAS — ABPA Backflow Assembly Tester Certification |