Charlotte Water serves one of the Southeast's fastest-growing metro areas. The system operates 140 pump stations and maintains over 5,000 miles of water mains across Mecklenburg County and portions of surrounding counties. This scale creates complexity in tracking backflow devices. The city uses GIS mapping to identify properties requiring annual backflow certification. Properties with irrigation systems fed from potable sources, buildings with fire suppression systems, commercial kitchens, medical facilities, and any structure with chemical injection systems must maintain functional backflow prevention. The city's aggressive growth means new construction constantly adds devices to the testing registry. Property owners often discover testing obligations during permit applications or water service modifications.
Working with certified testers familiar with Charlotte Water's specific procedures prevents compliance problems. The city's online portal requires exact formatting for test submissions. Serial numbers must match registry records. Test forms need specific certification numbers and calibration dates. Local testers maintain relationships with city inspectors and know how to resolve discrepancies quickly. They understand Charlotte's unique mix of old and new infrastructure. Historic neighborhoods like Myers Park have decades-old assemblies that need careful evaluation. New developments in University City have modern devices with electronic monitoring. The testing approach must adapt to these varying conditions while meeting uniform city standards for water safety.
