California Backflow Tester Certification Courses
40-Hour Backflow Certification Class Schedule ($750)
Modesto, CA – Monday 04/17/23 through Friday 04/21/23
San Diego, CA – Monday 04/24/23 through Friday 04/28/23
Arleta, CA ( North Los Angeles ) – Monday 04/24/23 through Friday 04/28/23
Antioch, CA – Monday 06/05/23 through Friday 06/09/23
We are looking for hosts in the Los Angeles and Sacramento areas, check out our Host Page for more info, we offer 2 free students per class hosted. We also offer private courses
More info on how to schedule and study for the exam(s) on our USC Test Prep page
16-Hour FAILMASTER Class Schedule ( $300 )
Come Wednesday and Thursday of a regularly scheduled course, learn about the diagnostic failures and practice for any USC based practical exam. Study Guide Included
Modesto, CA – Wednesday 04/19/23 through Thursday 04/20/23
San Diego, CA – Wednesday 04/26/23 through Thursday 04/27/23
Arleta, CA ( North Los Angeles ) – Wednesday 04/26/23 through Thursday 04/27/23
Do a Private Course or Host A Public Course
No course or exam scheduled in your area ? Our motto is "We Are Where You Are" meaning we try to service local areas as well as possible. We have two additional programs available, links to more info below:
Private Course - We can come to your location and train only your staff, bring all props, handouts, equipment, etc., Minimum of 10 students
Host a Course - Similar to a private course, we come to your facility and train your staff, but also you allow other local technicians to attend. No minimums for these and you get 2 free students.
What does the Kruger’s Backflow Tester Certification mean ?
We have a 40-hour USC program, which includes a pass / fail practical and written examination. Once you pass our course, you receive a tester’s certification diploma. This may be accepted on its own in some areas, or used as a pre-requisite to a county exam, or a third party if required (AWWA, ABPA, ASSE, etc). The program includes lecture and practice on testing, repair, and design application of all four types of backflow preventers, and we cover the USC 10th Edition Testing Procedures with all listed diagnostic failures, in accordance with the applicable programs. NOTE - No 3rd party exams are hosted after the course, if these are required for your county, you can schedule with an open enrollment exam or even host your own exam at your convenience ! Full listing of county by county license registration requirements with links can be found at the bottom this webpage.
What is the next step after taking the Backflow Tester Course ?
The Kruger's Training Academy Certification can certify a technician to test preventers in some situations, mostly building maintenance / isolation devices ( such as irrigation or hydronic make up water ). To test on new construction and/or the annual tests on preventers that tie direct to water purveyors, there is likely a county exam or a third party exam and county registration required. We have a breakdown on each county’s requirements below on this webpage. For the state of California, all localities utilize a similar testing procedure to ABPA and AWWA, where there is a written exam covering the USC 10th Edition, and a practical exam with simulated failures. Check out our USC Test Prep Page for more info on how to schedule and prepare for these exams, and access to additional resources, whether you take our course or not.
Approvals and Registrations
Our 40-hour course is based on the USC (University of Southern California) textbook and course materials. We have submitted our course and received approval for our training with the major third party exam providers ( AWWA and ABPA ) and also most if not all counties in the state of California. If you have a specific question about a specific area, feel free to check our county by county breakdown at the bottom of the webpage, or reach out via phone or email and we can follow up to make sure the course is registered. Most, if not all, certification exams require formal training and / or experience in order to apply, which our 40-hour course is considered the prerequisite training for taking their exams.
Check out more info on how to register and prepare for the county or third party exams on our USC Test Prep page - with links to their schedules and free resources to help you study.
How do I become a Backflow Prevention Assembly Tester in California?
If testing only in maintenance situations ( such as irrigation or hydronic make up water ), our certification is likely adequate for insurance or other purposes you might have. If testing for new construction or annual tests for the water purveyor, it depends on the county. There is no state level agency that manages backflow licenses for California, so it is up to the local county / city / water purveyor to decide who can test their preventers. A comprehensive list of each county is below.
Local County Exam / License Information (Title is a Link to Their Website)
Los Angeles County – Testers have to be certified directly through The County of Los Angeles, Department of Public Health, we have the application downloadable here - You need to pass a practical examination, hold a formal backflow certification (40-hour), AND you have to have, or be employed by someone who has, a California C-36 Plumbing Contractor license.
San Diego County – Testers need to be either CA-NV-AWWA or ABPA certified and take a tester orientation meeting.
Orange County – Testers need to be certified directly through Orange County Health Care Agency, Division of Environmental Health. They apply for and schedule an exam after completing a 40-hour formal backflow training course.
Riverside County – Testers need to pass an exam with the Riverside County Department of Environmental Health, application requirements include an AWWA tester certification and a journeyman plumber registry number.
San Bernandino County – Testers need to hold a certification with the county Department of Environmental Health, which requires an online written exam which qualifies a tester for an in-person practical exam. If you took a 40-hour course at an “accredited institute” such as a college or AWWA, then you can request to waive the written exam.
Santa Clara County – There is no county level management agency, so testers need to be registered with each water purveyor. San Jose Water and Cal Water operate in these areas, both accept ABPA or AWWA’s certifications.
Alameda County – There is no county level management agency, so testers need to be registered with each water purveyor. For Alameda County Water District, testers have to hold an AWWA certification and simply register with them. For East Bay Municipal Utilities District, testers need an AWWA, ABPA, NCBPA or ASSE certification, and then take a written and hands on examination with East Bay MUD, they happen every six months usually January and July.
Sacramento County – Testers need to hold an AWWA certification and register with the Sacramento County Department of Environmental Management. More info at crossconnection@saccounty.net
Contra Costa County – There is no county level management agency, so it is up to the water purveyors. For East Bay Municipal Utilities District, testers need an AWWA, ABPA, NCBPA or ASSE certification, and then take a written and hands on examination with East Bay MUD, they happen every six months usually January and July.
Fresno County – There is no county level management agency, and it appears that most of the county is operated by Cal-Water, which requires AWWA or ABPA certification to register with them.
Kern County – There is no county level management agency, and it appears that most of the county is operated by Cal-Water, which requires AWWA or ABPA certification to register with them.
San Francisco County – Testers need to hold a tester certification through AWWA, ABPA, ASSE, or NCBPA, have a certificate of liability insurance, have a calibrated test kit, and submit an application to the San Francisco Department of Health.
Ventura County – This is regulated by the County of Ventura, Resource Management Association. They require you to take a 40-hour USC based course, and then take an exam which is proctored by Ventura County. The list of acceptable courses is posted at https://vcrma.org/cross-connection-control-program-faq - we do not appear on the list currently, but our submission was approved, you can confirm with the Cross Connection Control Contact – Holly Sinclair - holly.sinclair@ventura.org.
San Mateo County – There is no county level management agency, and it appears that most of the county is operated by Cal-Water, which requires AWWA or ABPA certification to register with them.
San Joaquin County – Testers need to be on the County Environmental Health Department’s tester list, and they require an AWWA certification to get on the list.
Stanislaus County – This is managed by the Stanislaus County Department of Environmental Resources, although the program is not published online, it has been confirmed that they accept either AWWA certification or NCBPA certification as a basis to get on their tester list. ABPA and others may also be accepted conditionally. Our contacts there are Rachel Riess ( rariess@envres.org ) and Karl Quinn ( kquinn@envres.org )
Marin County – This is managed by Marin Water – they require either an AWWA or ABPA certification and then you fill out a registration form to set up a hands-on demonstration with them, held in April and October of each year.
Santa Barbara County - There is no county level program, each jurisdiction has their own list. The City of Santa Barbara accepts ABPA, AWWA, Ventura County, or "similar" USC based certifications, Santa Ynez Conservation district has the same requirements but a separate submission to get on their tester list.
(if your county is not listed, you might want to google it yourself and check their requirements before registering for one of our courses)
Which Backflow Preventer Testing Procedures Should I Use?
For the state of California and most western states, the only accepted testing procedures are the USC 10th Edition, with some minor exceptions for local ones such as the sight tube DCV test with Los Angeles County.
On our YouTube Channel, we created a series of videos where we test the four types of preventers using these procedures, we also have in depth videos on how to prepare for the county or third party practical exams on our USC Test Prep Page
Reduced Pressure Principle (RPZ) - USC 2-Valve Procedures
Double Check Valve Assembly (DCV) - USC Procedures
Pressure Vacuum Breaker (PVB) - USC Procedures
Shopping for a backflow test kit or need an annual re-calibration ? Check out our 2-valve system and calibration services with Kruger Instruments @ www.krugerinstruments.com
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