Backflow testing under Colorado Springs Utilities
Colorado Springs Utilities runs the second-biggest backflow program on the Front Range, and its enforcement teeth are written into City Code. The facts below come from the city’s program page, checked July 2026 — CSU’s own site (csu.org) carries the live program details and is where your tester’s paperwork ultimately points.
What CSU requires
- Commercial and multi-family customers must have backflow assemblies in operation wherever a cross-connection needs control.
- Every assembly is tested at installation, then annually — by a certified backflow tester.
- Due dates are assembly-specific and stated on your CSU notice — that letter, not a generic calendar, is your deadline. (Confused by the wording? Our letter decoder translates the standard paragraphs.)
The enforcement is not theoretical
The city’s page says it plainly: Springs Utilities “would be required to disconnect water service to customers who do not comply” — plus possible fines and costs under City Code. Utilities differ mostly in how fast that machinery moves; CSU’s is codified. The arithmetic never favors waiting: an annual test costs a service call (what drives the quote: pricing, decoded); a disconnection costs the test plus the reconnection ordeal.
The practical playbook
- Find your due date on the CSU notice — per assembly, not per property.
- Book a certified tester who already works CSU’s program — they know the current submission mechanics on csu.org and file promptly after testing, which is the half of compliance customers can’t do themselves.
- Keep the confirmation. A tested-but-never-filed assembly reads as non-compliant; the paper trail is the product.
Questions about your specific requirement go to CSU’s cross-connection office: Crossconnection@csu.org / 719-668-4388. Want it handled end to end? The form on this page reaches certified testers working the Springs — district filing quirks and all (how filing differs by district).
Questions people actually ask
Who does Colorado Springs require to have backflow assemblies?
Commercial and multi-family customers are required to have backflow assemblies in operation wherever a cross-connection needs controlling — tested on installation and annually thereafter. Residential irrigation systems with their own connection commonly fall under the program too; your CSU notice is the authoritative word for your address.
What happens if I ignore the requirement?
The city's program page is blunt: Springs Utilities is required to disconnect water service to customers who don't comply, and customers can face additional enforcement, fines, and costs under City Code. Reconnection after a shutoff is the expensive path — testing is the cheap one.
When exactly is my test due?
CSU assigns due dates per assembly and says so on the notice it sends you — different assembly types run on different schedules. Treat the date on your CSU notice as the deadline, and have your tester submit promptly after the test; CSU's program pages (csu.org) carry the current submission details.
Who do I contact at CSU with questions?
The cross-connection program: Crossconnection@csu.org or 719-668-4388.