Backflow Laws: Alabama
Alabama Backflow Prevention Laws, Regulations, and Compliance Requirements
Alabama property owners and facility managers with testable backflow prevention assemblies are subject to a compliance framework built on the Alabama Safe Drinking Water Act, enforced by the Alabama Department of Environmental Management (ADEM) under Chapter 335-7-9, implemented through the Alabama Plumbing Code, and administered locally by each water purveyor's cross-connection control program. This guide covers Alabama's complete regulatory structure — state law, testing requirements, tester credentials, major water purveyors, and the specific nuances of Alabama's largest utilities.
Alabama State Regulatory Framework
Alabama’s backflow prevention requirements are grounded in the Alabama Safe Drinking Water Act, codified at Code of Alabama 1975, Sections 22-23-33, 22-23-49, 22-22A-5, and 22-22A-6. These statutes authorize the Alabama Department of Environmental Management (ADEM) to establish water supply regulations protecting public health. ADEM exercises this authority through its Division 7 Water Supply Program, with cross-connection control requirements contained specifically in Alabama Administrative Code Chapter 335-7-9 — Cross-Connection Control Requirements.
ADEM Chapter 335-7-9, originally effective December 5, 1990 and subsequently amended, is Alabama’s primary state-level cross-connection control regulation. It establishes the framework under which public water systems in Alabama must operate cross-connection control programs and grants water purveyors the authority to deny or discontinue water service to customers who fail to install, test, or properly maintain required backflow prevention assemblies. Under ADEM Code R. 335-7-9-.05, a water purveyor may discontinue service to any customer if a required backflow prevention device is not installed or properly maintained, with service restoration contingent on correcting all deficiencies to the satisfaction of both the supplier and ADEM.
Alabama holds EPA primacy under the federal Safe Drinking Water Act, meaning ADEM is the designated state drinking water agency responsible for implementing SDWA requirements in Alabama. ADEM’s cross-connection control rules draw directly from the EPA’s Cross-Connection Control Manual (2003) for technical standards on hazard classification, assembly type selection, and program administration.
Alabama Plumbing Code Requirements
Alabama’s plumbing code is based on the 2021 International Plumbing Code (IPC) with Alabama-specific amendments. Chapter 6 of the Alabama Plumbing Code governs water supply and distribution, including backflow prevention and cross-connection control at the installation level. The code requires backflow protection appropriate to the hazard level at each cross-connection point, with specific assembly requirements for high-hazard connections (RPZ), moderate-hazard connections (DCVA), and lower-hazard connections (PVB or dual check device). All wetted plumbing components, including backflow assemblies, must comply with NSF 372 with a weighted average lead content of 0.25 percent or less — consistent with the federal 2014 lead-free mandate.
Alabama’s plumbing code is enforced at the local level by municipal building and plumbing inspection offices. New installations and replacements of testable backflow assemblies require a permit in most Alabama jurisdictions, with the specific permit process varying by municipality.
Tester Certification Requirements in Alabama
Alabama does not maintain a state-administered backflow tester certification program. Instead, certification is handled at the local jurisdiction level — each water purveyor or municipality sets its own certification standards and maintains its own approved tester list. The minimum credential standard across most Alabama jurisdictions is completion of a minimum 32-hour backflow prevention testing course from an accredited provider, with a written examination, recognized by AWWA or the American Backflow Prevention Association. Recertification is typically required every three years.
Because certification is locally administered, a tester approved by Birmingham Water Works Board may need separate approval to file test reports with Central Alabama Water or Auburn Water Resource Management. Contractors working across multiple Alabama service areas should confirm their approval status with each water purveyor before performing tests in that purveyor’s service territory.
Alabama's Key Distinction: Local Jurisdiction Control
Unlike states with centralized tester certification administered by the state DEP, Alabama’s tester approval is decentralized to individual water purveyors and local jurisdictions. Each major utility — Birmingham Water Works, Central Alabama Water, Auburn WRM, Alabaster Water Board, and others — maintains its own approved tester list with its own written examination and approval requirements. A tester must be on each utility’s specific approved list to file test reports with that utility. Always confirm your contractor’s approval status with your specific water system before scheduling a test.
Major Water Purveyors in Alabama
Birmingham Water Works Board (BWWB)
The Birmingham Water Works Board is the largest water utility in Alabama, serving approximately 600,000 customers across Jefferson County and portions of surrounding counties — a service area encompassing Birmingham and dozens of surrounding municipalities. BWWB operates one of the more structured backflow prevention programs in the state, with a published Cross-Connection Control and Backflow Prevention Policy Manual (most recently updated 2021) that governs requirements for all commercial, industrial, domestic, irrigation, and fire line services in its territory.
BWWB requires that all commercial, industrial, domestic, irrigation, and fire service lines have an approved backflow prevention assembly installed. The assembly type is determined by hazard level: RPZ assemblies for high-hazard connections (health hazard category), DCVA assemblies for lower-hazard connections (pollution hazard category). Single-family and multi-family residential requirements are assessed based on site-specific hazard conditions. Any customer with an auxiliary water supply — a well, pond, or any non-public water source — must install an RPZ assembly.
BWWB maintains its own approved backflow tester list. To be added, a contractor must hold a current backflow certification from an accredited backflow school and pass a BWWB-administered written examination with a 70 percent or higher score. BWWB’s enforcement is active: customers receive compliance letters on a monthly basis, with a second letter allowing 30 additional days and a third and final letter giving 10 days before potential water service interruption. BWWB requires that approved assemblies be manufactured by Ames, Watts, or approved equivalents.
Fire service line requirements under BWWB are specific: backflow prevention assemblies must be installed on all fire service lines and all domestic service lines of two inches and larger. BWWB requires coordination for any fire service shutoff for maintenance or repair.
Central Alabama Water (CAW)
Central Alabama Water serves Coosa County and portions of Chilton, Elmore, and Shelby counties — a large rural and suburban territory in central Alabama. CAW’s cross-connection control program applies to all commercial, industrial, domestic, irrigation, and fire line services. Similar to BWWB, CAW requires RPZ assemblies for all connections involving auxiliary water supplies (wells, ponds, springs, rivers, etc.) and for high-hazard commercial uses including hospitals, healthcare facilities, chemical plants, mortuaries, restaurants, car washes, and sewage treatment plants.
CAW requires that all connections from an auxiliary source be installed only after inspection by CAW’s Backflow Inspector — construction, installation, or alteration of any auxiliary water system or reclaimed water system in CAW’s service area without CAW inspection is a violation subject to service termination. Annual testing is required for high-hazard assemblies, with testing performed by CAW-approved certified testers. CAW’s program is aligned with ADEM Chapter 335-7-9 requirements.
Auburn Water Resource Management
Auburn Water Resource Management serves the City of Auburn and surrounding areas in Lee County. Auburn’s Backflow Prevention and Cross-Connection Control Policy (latest Auburn revision) is structured around ADEM Chapter 335-7-9 and the Auburn, Alabama Design and Construction Manual. Auburn’s program applies to all commercial and industrial connections and to residential connections with identified cross-connection hazards. Auburn’s policy requires that tester certification meet or exceed AWWA or American Backflow Prevention Association standards. Auburn’s policy specifies that original manufactured parts must be used in all repairs and that the design or operational characteristics of an assembly cannot be changed during repair without prior Board approval.
Alabaster Water Board (AWB)
The Alabaster Water Board serves the City of Alabaster and surrounding areas in Shelby County. AWB updated its Backflow Prevention and Cross-Connection Policy in 2021 (with updates through 2024) to align with current ADEM requirements. AWB notifies customers of testing responsibilities on February 1st of each year, with an April 1st deadline for reporting annual test results. AWB’s enforcement authority flows directly from ADEM Code R. 335-7-9-.05, giving the Board authority to deny or discontinue service for non-compliance.
Trussville Gas and Water
Trussville Gas and Water serves the City of Trussville in Jefferson County. Trussville’s backflow program has a notable distinction: it uses differentiated testing frequencies based on assembly type. Double Check Valve assemblies in Trussville’s service territory are required to be tested every three years, while Reduced Pressure Zone assemblies must be tested every two years. This is less frequent than the annual testing standard applied by most other Alabama utilities and represents one of the more property-owner-friendly testing schedules in the state. Testing must be performed by an approved licensed testing contractor, with results submitted to Trussville Gas and Water.
Other Notable Alabama Water Systems
Alabama has hundreds of public water systems, many of them small municipal utilities and water boards. Notable systems include the Huntsville Utilities water division (serving Madison County’s largest city), the Montgomery Water Works and Sanitary Sewer Board (serving Montgomery County), and the Mobile Area Water and Sewer System (MAWSS — serving Mobile County). Each operates its own cross-connection control program aligned with ADEM Chapter 335-7-9 requirements. Specific testing frequencies, tester approval requirements, and filing procedures should be confirmed directly with each utility.
Key Municipal Nuances in Alabama
Birmingham: BWWB's Proprietary Tester Approval Process
Birmingham’s utility program stands out for its proprietary tester approval process. Unlike many utilities that accept any tester holding a nationally recognized ASSE 5110 or AWWA certification, BWWB requires testers to pass BWWB’s own written examination in addition to holding an accredited backflow certification. This means a contractor who is approved by Central Alabama Water or Auburn WRM is not automatically approved to file test reports with BWWB — they must separately apply and pass the BWWB exam. Contractors working in the Birmingham metro area should confirm their BWWB approval status before accepting work in BWWB’s service territory.
Trussville: Non-Annual Testing Schedule
Trussville Gas and Water’s differentiated testing schedule — three years for DCVA assemblies, two years for RPZ assemblies — is atypical for Alabama and should be noted by property managers who own properties in multiple Alabama service territories. A property manager accustomed to annual testing under BWWB or CAW requirements should not assume the same frequency applies in Trussville without confirming with the utility.
Rural Systems: Variable Program Sophistication
Alabama’s many small rural water systems range from well-organized programs aligned with ADEM requirements to minimal programs that rely primarily on plumbing code enforcement through local building departments. Property owners in rural Alabama should contact their specific water system to confirm whether a formal backflow testing program is in place and, if so, what the testing schedule and tester approval requirements are. In some rural jurisdictions, local plumbing inspectors rather than water utility cross-connection specialists may be the primary enforcement point.
Record Retention Requirement in Alabama
Under ADEM Chapter 335-7-9 and most Alabama water purveyor programs, inspection and testing records for backflow prevention assemblies must be maintained for a minimum of five years. Property owners and facility managers should maintain copies of all test reports, repair invoices, and assembly installation documentation. These records are required to be made available for inspection by ADEM or the water system on request. Failing to produce records during an ADEM compliance review can result in enforcement action even if the underlying testing was performed.
Property Owner Compliance Summary for Alabama
For most commercial, industrial, and multi-family residential property owners in Alabama, the practical compliance obligations are:
Installation: Have the correct assembly type installed based on your water purveyor’s hazard assessment for your property. High-hazard connections require an RPZ; lower-hazard connections may use a DCVA. Wells and other auxiliary water supplies require an RPZ.
Testing: Have your assemblies tested according to your water purveyor’s schedule — annually for most Alabama utilities, with variations (Trussville Gas and Water uses two-year RPZ and three-year DCVA schedules). Testing must be performed by a tester on your utility’s approved list.
Filing: Test reports must be filed with your specific water utility within the deadline they specify. In Birmingham, reports are filed directly with BWWB; confirm the filing procedure with your specific utility.
Repair: If an assembly fails a test, arrange repair and retest promptly. ADEM and most Alabama utilities authorize service disconnection for persistent non-compliance or for failure to repair a failing assembly within a reasonable window.
Records: Retain all test reports, repair records, and assembly documentation for a minimum of five years and make them available for inspection on request.
Find a Certified Backflow Tester in Alabama
Because Alabama’s tester approval is managed locally by each water purveyor, the most important first step when looking for a tester is to confirm which utility serves your property and then request that utility’s current approved tester list. The GetYourBackflowTested.com Alabama directory lists certified professionals verified against the credential and utility approval standards for the major Alabama water systems. Find certified testers at getyourbackflowtested.com/backflow-testing-near-me/alabama-backflow-testing.
Alabama Regulatory Reference Links
| Resource / Agency | URL / Link Target |
|---|---|
ADEM — Chapter 335-7-9 Cross-Connection Control Requirements | |
ADEM — Division 7 Water Supply Program | |
Alabama Code §§ 22-23-33, 22-23-49 (Safe Drinking Water Authority) | |
Alabama Public Health — Bureau of Environmental Services Plumbing/Cross Connection | |
Alabama Plumbing Code 2021 (IPC-based) — Chapter 6 Backflow | |
Birmingham Water Works Board — Backflow Policy & Tester List | |
Central Alabama Water — Cross Connection & Backflow Prevention | |
Auburn Water Resource Management — Backflow Policy | |
Alabaster Water Board — Backflow Policy (2021, updated 2024) | |
Trussville Gas and Water — Backflow Prevention Program |