This back-flow prevention assembly is used to protect water supplies from contamination or pollution due to back-flow.
In a public water supply system, water is normally maintained at a significant pressure to enable water to flow from the tap, shower, etc. When the city water pressure fails or is reduced as may happen if a water main bursts, pipes freeze or there is unexpectedly high demand on the water system, the pressure in the pipe may be reduced and may allow contaminated water from the ground, from storage or from (in this picture) fire sprinkler sources to be drawn into the public water system.
I have been in the fire alarm industry for a short period of time and see these types of assemblies every day. My job is to monitor the valves (like the ones you see here) so that they are not shut down, causing the fire sprinkler system to be cut off from water supply. It is also my job to report any of the back-flow devices that have a leak to the proper agencies so that the water supply is not wasted as it drips into the soil.
So I am asking you again; have you ever seen something similar to this on or near your property? Now look and see; Is it leaking? If so, this is your tax dollar dripping onto the ground. The water used here is city water and you pay money to have that water processed and delivered to your house. Therefore you have a right to say something about it. Be a good conservationist and make a call to your city and let them know about the leak.
If you live in the south San Francisco Bay area, you can call me and I will have your complaint sent to the proper agency right away. Yeah, I work for a fire alarm monitoring company and really don't have a large involvement in this area other than I see so many of them leaking. I made it a priority to do something about that on the back-flows that supply my monitored sprinklers. You should too!
First Trust Alarm Co. Fire Alarm Inspection Department
Zachary
(831) 636-1470
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