How to track backflow test due dates for every customer

Updated 2026-10-08

Short answer: for each assembly keep the property, device details, last test date, result, tester and certificate number, and the next due date, then review everything due in the next 60 days once a month. Many utilities require irrigation assemblies to be tested at least annually by a certified or licensed tester, but the interval, the tester rules and the deadline are set locally, so write your utility's rule into the sheet rather than assuming.

What the rules look like (examples, not your rules)

San Antonio Water System requires annual testing, says irrigation assemblies need a licensed tester, has the tester file a Test & Maintenance report per assembly, and treats a failed report as a delinquency until the repair and retest are done.
The City of Davis, California requires backflow devices to be tested annually by a certified tester, and mails annual notices with the deadline.
Mammoth Community Water District requires annual testing by a certified tester and can waive it in a year the owner does not irrigate, on request, with a passing report before irrigating again.

Three places, three variations. That is the reason to track the due date per property and not as one calendar reminder.

The columns

Customer and service address.
Assembly: type, make, model, size, serial number, location on the property.
Water utility or authority and the report form it wants.
Last test date, result (pass or fail), repairs made.
Tester name and certification number at the time of the test.
Next due date (last test plus your local interval, or the utility's own deadline if earlier).
Status: scheduled, report sent, failed and awaiting retest.

The routine

On the first of the month, filter for due dates in the next 60 days and sort by service area, so one trip can cover several tests.
Contact each customer before the deadline, not after the utility's notice.
After each test, record the result the same day and send the report to whoever your utility names.
A failed test goes to the top of the list: repair, retest, then submit.
Once a quarter, find assemblies with no test on file at all. Those are the real risk.

The faster way, honestly scoped

Sprinklerly records every backflow test against a specific property, shows a contractor-wide overdue and due-soon list, and sends reminders as a property's next required test comes due (backflow tracking is on the Pro plan and above). Sending a report generates a PDF with the property, device, result, tester certification number and next due date, delivered as a secure download link. It does not know your utility's rules for you, so you set the next due date to match them. Sprinklerly is free during early access for contractors who sign up by December 31, 2026 (no credit card). Planned prices at general availability are $79, $149 and $249 per month, locked in for early-access accounts.

Start free Free during early access for sign-ups by December 31, 2026, no credit card required.

Common questions

How often does a backflow preventer need to be tested?

Many utilities require annual testing for irrigation assemblies, but it is set by your state and water utility. The examples cited here (San Antonio, Davis, Mammoth) all state annual testing; check your own authority.

What happens if a backflow test fails?

Under the San Antonio rules cited here, the assembly must be repaired and retested, and a failed report counts as a delinquency until then. Your utility may differ.

Sources

San Antonio Water System: annual testing of backflow prevention assemblies, read 2026-10-08
City of Davis: backflow testing, read 2026-10-08
Mammoth Community Water District: backflow program, read 2026-10-08

Sprinklerly is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by any utility, agency, manufacturer or publisher linked on this page. Names are used only to identify the sources. Rules for backflow testing, licensing and insurance differ by state, utility and customer, so confirm with your own authority; this page is practical guidance, not legal advice. The Sprinklerly features described are those currently shipped in the product.