Iowa Backflow Tester / Cross Connection Courses

40-Hour Certification Course Schedule ($750)

No Open Enrollment Courses Available

Have a Private Course (Minimum 5 students)

Host a Public Course and Get 2 Students Free

Approvals and Registrations

Our 40-hour course is based on the USC (University of Southern California) textbook and course materials. Our 40-hour certificate program is acceptable to ABPA as the pre-requisite training for the backflow tester exam and license. Links to the ABPA Exam Application and Certification Manual are below. The certification exam requires formal training and/or experience in order to apply, which our 40-hour course diploma is valid for this use and you just include the course info with your application.

ABPA Tester Application

ABPA Certification Manual

How Do I Become a Certified Backflow Tester in Iowa?

Backflow Preventer Assembly Testing in Iowa is regulated by the Department of Public Health, and they require that you take a training course, and then take an approved third party exam, where American Backflow Prevention Assocation ( ABPA ) exams are accepted.

https://idph.iowa.gov/regulatory-programs/backflow

Reference Iowa Admin Code 641.26.4(3) under the definitions

Taking the Certification Exam ( ABPA )

Depending on availability, some of our courses can have an ABPA test proctored at the exam location on the Saturday following a Mon – Fri course. Otherwise, you would just take it at a separate exam location that is offered by the association. In order to host an exam, there are some space and access requirements in order to do this, notably a 60 day advance application. We would leave our props and gauges on site for use by the proctors. Our courses with a test proctored afterwards will be listed in the course schedule as such, you can find their full list of exams on the ABPA website. If doing a private course, we can have a hosted exam, provided that the course is scheduled with the 60 day notices required. There is no charge by either organization for hosting an exam, the only fees paid are by applicants who wish to take it.

Which Backflow Prevention Testing Procedures Should I Use ?

The APBA exams use the USC testing procedures, although some others are approved in most areas. The ASSE 5000 Single Hose Procedures are a little more efficient and require less equipment (tees, hoses, etc.), but if taking the ABPA exam, the proctor will only accept USC 10th Edition.

On our YouTube Channel, we created a series of videos where we test the four types of preventers using both types of procedures if you wanted to check out the differences:

Reduced Pressure Principle (RPZ) - USC 2-Valve Procedures

Reduced Pressure Principle (RPZ) - ASSE 5000 Single Hose Procedures

Double Check Valve Assembly (DCV) - USC Procedures

Double Check Valve Assembly (DCV) - ASSE 5000 Single Hose Procedures

Pressure Vacuum Breaker (PVB) - USC Procedures

Pressure Vacuum Breaker (PVB) - ASSE 5000 Single Hose Procedures

Spill Resistant Vacuum Breaker (SVB) - USC Procedures

Spill Resistant Vacuum Breaker (SVB) - ASSE 5000 Single Hose Procedures

Download These Procedures in PDF