Backflow News
Watts Water Technologies Expands SentryPlus Alert: Smart Flood and Freeze Sensors Now Shipping on Febco and Ames Assemblies
Watts Water Technologies has been steadily expanding its SentryPlus Alert connected sensor ecosystem across its full portfolio of backflow prevention assemblies — including Watts, Febco, and Ames brands — representing one of the most significant technology upgrades to the backflow prevention product category in decades. The system, which ships as a standard pre-installed sensor on select Watts and Febco RPZ backflow preventers, allows property owners and facility managers to connect their assemblies to building management systems, Wi-Fi networks, irrigation management systems, or a cellular gateway, receiving real-time alerts when relief valve discharge, flood conditions, or near-freezing temperatures are detected.
What SentryPlus Alert Does
SentryPlus Alert technology operates across three distinct protective functions. The first is flood protection: the system continuously monitors for excessive relief valve discharge from RPZ assemblies, which occurs when the RPZ’s differential pressure relief valve opens in response to a failing check valve. An RPZ relief valve that is discharging continuously is doing its job — preventing contaminated water from entering the potable supply — but it can discharge at rates of up to 500 gallons per minute and go unnoticed for days in an unmonitored commercial building. When a flood sensor detects discharge, the system can alert facility personnel via email, SMS, or voice call through the Nexa water management platform, or transmit data to a building automation system (BAS) or building management system (BMS). A pre-engineered flood protection valve station — the Series PVS-7000, incorporating the Series LFF113FP automatic shutdown control valve — can automatically shut off the water supply when discharge is detected, providing protection even when no one is on-site.
The second function is pressure monitoring: available on the Model IOT versions of the Series LF007 and LF709 with NRS gate valves, the system measures pressure fluctuations at three points across the assembly using integrated sensors on the test cocks. This data is transmitted to BMS or building management systems, allowing operators to monitor assembly performance continuously rather than only at annual test intervals. The replacement kit includes three sensor modules. The third function is freeze detection: sensors mounted on cold-vulnerable assemblies — including Watts Series 007, LF007, 800M4FR, LF800M4FR, 800M4QT, LF800M4QT, and Febco Series 765, 850, and LF850 — detect when temperatures approach and reach freezing. The freeze alert capability is activated through an add-on connection kit compatible with Wi-Fi, BMS, and IMS systems.
Shipping with Sensors — But Not Yet Activated
A critical aspect of the SentryPlus Alert rollout that property owners and installers need to understand: the flood sensor ships pre-installed on select Watts and Febco RPZ backflow preventers at no additional charge. However, the sensor is dormant until a Connection Kit is purchased, installed, and activated. The connection kit purchase activates the sensor and establishes the data transmission pathway. Options include a Wi-Fi connection kit linking to the Nexa platform, a BMS connection kit for hardwired integration with building management systems, a cellular gateway connection kit, and an IMS connection kit for irrigation management system integration. Retrofit connection kits are also available for existing Watts and Ames RPZ assemblies already in service.
For installers encountering a recently manufactured Watts or Febco RPZ assembly for the first time, the pre-installed sensor should not be removed. It does not affect the assembly’s certification, function, or specification — it simply sits dormant until a connection kit is added. Watts explicitly warns: ‘If you just purchased a new backflow preventer, you’re probably wondering about the sensor attached at the relief valve. DON’T REMOVE IT.’
The Business Case: Why This Matters for Facility Managers
The economic case for connected flood monitoring is compelling for large commercial and institutional properties. According to data cited by Watts in product materials, commercial water leaks cause damages averaging $11,000 to $24,000 per incident. When flooding occurs in a commercial facility, the average cost rises above $75,000. Mold contamination, which frequently follows undetected water intrusion, can multiply remediation costs by a factor of ten. Insurance companies in the United States pay out approximately $2.5 billion annually in water damage claims. An RPZ assembly discharging at even a fraction of its maximum flow rate in an unmonitored mechanical room over a weekend can cause damage that far exceeds the annual cost of any connected monitoring system.
For property managers and facility operators who have been looking at backflow prevention purely as a compliance checkbox, SentryPlus Alert reframes the device as part of an active risk management infrastructure — one that can alert you to a problem at 2 a.m. on a Sunday before it becomes a six-figure remediation event.
What This Means for Backflow Testers and Compliance Programs
As connected sensor technology proliferates across new RPZ installations, the annual testing workflow is beginning to change. Testers encountering SentryPlus-equipped assemblies should be familiar with the sensor component and prepared to answer property owner questions about activation. Importantly, the presence of a connected sensor does not change the annual testing requirement — annual field testing with a calibrated differential pressure gauge remains mandatory under every state program. The sensor provides continuous monitoring between tests, not a substitute for the annual test. Annual testing by a certified tester continues to be the legal compliance mechanism in all 50 states.
SentryPlus Alert: Models Now Shipping with Pre-Installed Flood Sensors
Pre-installed flood sensors ship on select Watts RPZ, Febco RPZ, and Ames assemblies. Activation requires a separate Connection Kit purchase. Retrofit kits available for existing assemblies. The sensor does not change the assembly’s USC-FCCCHR certification, performance specifications, or annual testing requirements. Contact your Watts representative or visit watts.com/floodprotectionsystem for model-specific connection kit options.
Source: Watts Water Technologies — SentryPlus Alert Technology product pages (Watts and Febco lines); Watts Flood Protection Backflow System product page; Watts Freeze Detection product page; Plumbing & Mechanical magazine — ‘Smart + Connected Backflow + Leak Detection Solutions Hit Their Stride’ (May 2024). Published at getyourbackflowtested.com/backflow-news