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Check Your Irrigation System in Spring
When Spring arrives and freezing temperatures cease, many customers will begin to turn on irrigation systems and start watering again. Many water customers restart their irrigation systems by reinstalling the backflow assembly or hiring an irrigation contractor to perform this service for them. This important mechanism prevents water that has been contaminated by fertilizers, pet waste, and other pollutants from flowing back into our public water supply. Irrigation backflow assemblies are located outside your home directly after the water meter and are required to be tested by a City of Raleigh Certified Tester according to Raleigh City Code Section 8-2154.
If your irrigation backflow assembly was recently tested, please contact your City of Raleigh Certified Tester who performed the test to ensure the tester submitted your backflow report online. If you have not tested your irrigation backflow assembly, use our list of Certified Testers. Prior to hiring a Certified Tester, it is important to confirm that they are licensed to repair or replace the backflow assembly should it fail its operational test. Your account will be considered compliant once your backflow assembly has been tested and a passing operational test has been submitted online.
Thank you for your cooperation in addressing this important drinking water issue. If you have additional questions, please contact the Public Utilities Cross Connection team at (919) 996-2747 or email us. Call in hours are Monday - Friday, 8 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
Removal of Irrigation System
Metered Irrigation System
A non-compliant metered irrigation system will be disconnected; therefore, timely completion of the required testing will help ensure continuation of your irrigation system. A $50.00 fee will be applied to the customer account every time services are restored. If you no longer wish to have an irrigation system, you may call our Customer Care and Billing Division at 919-996-3245 and request that the irrigation service be stopped and the meter removed. There is no cost for this service and should you wish to restart your irrigation service in the future, a start-up service fee will apply. After you have made your request to stop the service and have the irrigation meter removed, please contact the Cross Connection Program at 919-996-2747 so your account can be marked inactive and you do not receive testing notifications.
Branched Irrigation System
Irrigation systems that are supplied water by a customer's domestic or drinking water service line are considered a branched system. If your branched irrigation system is non-compliant, a $100 non-testing fee will be added to the water customer's account. Therefore, timely completion of this work will ensure this fee is not assessed to the water bill. If you no longer wish to have your irrigation system in service, you must complete one of the following options:
Deactivate: To deactivate an irrigation system that branches off a domestic service, the unions on the riser/stand pipes must be permanently capped. Homeowners may complete this work or they may hire a licensed professional qualified to work on residential water services. At the completion of the required work, the property owner must submit a completed Deactivated Branched Irrigation System Form as well as pictures of the completed work or copy of invoice showing work was completed by a licensed plumber to the Cross Connection Program (fax: 919-996-1868) Upon inspection and/or approval by the Raleigh Director of Public Utilities or his designee, the account will be marked inactive and testing will not be required until the system is brought back into service.
Terminate: To permanently terminate an irrigation system that branches off a domestic service, all controls and valves shall be removed with the piping capped or plugged below ground near the source of connection. Homeowners may complete this work or they may hire a licensed professional qualified to work on residential water services. At the completion of the required work, the property owner must submit a completed Terminated Branched Irrigation System Form as well as pictures of the completed work or copy of invoice for the work completed to the Cross Connection Program. (fax: 919-996-1868) Upon inspection and/or approval by the Raleigh Director of Public Utilities or his designee, the account will be removed from the database. Note: Branched irrigation systems that are terminated and are restarted must be done with a separate meter and all City of Raleigh and North Carolina Plumbing Codes on new installations must be followed. All fees associated with the connection and installation of an irrigation meter will be the customer's expense. Please feel free to contact the Cross Connection Program with any questions you may have concerning this process at 919-996-2747.
Please submit this form to the Cross Connection Program:
Office: 919-996-2747
Fax: 919-996-1868
Email: cross.connection@raleighnc.gov
Mail: City of Raleigh
c/o Cross Connection Program
3304 Terminal Dr. Bldg 200
Raleigh, NC 27604