The Bad and Ugly Photo Contest

You’ve probably heard about the good, the bad and the ugly. In the world of potable water protection and backflow prevention, a certified specialist tester or inspector will find Cross Connections that are controlled and in too many cases, a bad cross connection with no control. Here is a chance to share what you have come across in the field, we are looking for the bad and the ugly…cross connections of course. For an entry in our contest, please submit a photo of the cross connection and a brief explanation of your assessment and recommendations.

The photos will be judged by the Western Canada Section AWWA Cross Connection Control Committee. Annual submission deadline is April 30. Winners are selected end of May, with prizes awarded in June.

Please note this contest is for Cross Connection Control awareness and educational purposes only, we request that no location or building owner information is included in your entry submission. Please report your concerns of the Cross Connection to the owner of the building where appropriate.

Some considerations for your photo:

Device selection
Hazard application
Device installation and orientation
Device height and access for testing
Device drain or lack of drain
Tag or no tag, test cock plugs or no plugs,
Using test cocks for other purposes
Device or assembly broken up
Poor plumbing practices, supports and connections and others.

click here for more information and to submit your pictures

Previous Year's Submissions

2020 Tester Winner

Reduced principle backflow on chemical fill line. Backflow preventer was installed upside down. Had relief port facing up instead of down.
2020 Submission

A water softener drain piped directly into a 3" waste stack, advised
an alternate stand pipe with an air gap.
2021 Inspector Winner

So the property management told the business owner a company was going to install a backflow in his unit over the weekend.
When he came in Monday morning he was shocked with the new wall art in his washroom.
2021 Tester Winner

Watts 4000ss 2.5™ backflow installed upside down with the relief valve replaced by an atmospheric vacuum breaker with the outlet plugged !!
2021 Submission

Found these water heaters had their relief valve discharge drains hard piped directly into the sewer main. Replaced water heaters and piped everything in properly.
2021 Submission

There was an obvious bypass around an irrigation DCVA. The owners were asked to have the bypass removed and a conversation was had with the previous years tester. The bypass was then cut and capped.
2021 Submission

A private water company installed a filtration system on the test cock of the premises BFP. It has been suggested to the building owner to immediately remove the connection from the test cock and connect downstream of the BFP.
2021 Submission

While testing the backflows at a new 3 building site I found that the Electrician had installed the ground cable onto all the fire backflow devices. Instead of running it down to the stand pipe for proper grounding. If there was ground short in the buildings the backflow tester could be electrocuted if he removed the cable to repair backflow. I reported issue to the electrical inspection department.
2021 Submission

Found an electronic trap priming assembly which was installed incorrectly. This assembly has a manifold feeding multiple trap and an integrated atmospheric vacuum breaker. However unit was installed below all the traps and caused the anti siphon vacuum breaker to remain open indefinitely.
Since the traps are connected to sanitary piping this represents severe hazard and I recommended client to relocate unit above traps or install RP backflow.
2023 Tester Winner

Interesting choice for a boiler fill Station.
2023 Submission

Here we a have CCCD just flying mid air as a temporary feed to a heating system. We were in the boiler room to replace a 3 way mixing valve and while shutting down to drain, I found this guy !
2023 Submission

We were called in to test a backflow on irrigation for a customer , it was my first time at their site. When I asked them to point me in the general direction - they said " above the urinals , above the ceiling in the men's washroom". It made me laugh when i saw it !
2023 Submission

The main has a T before the meter that feeds the hwt and boiler feed then runs into the building. There is an rp on the main after the meter and on the boiler feed but nothing on the T before the meter
2023 Submission

Cross connection device part used as a shutoff and possible drain
2023 Submission

Corks connection device on top on 70 gal atmospheric tank right next to venting and at least 8 feet in air
2023 Submission

Temp water fountains with no RP
2023 Submission

So I was trying to test this device and had no flow when I got to test cock #3. Low and behold someone had installed a field made gasket which covered up the port to the test cock!
Full repair kit with new gaskets have since put this troublemaker back in action.
2023 Submission

Backflow prevention is by passed and currently in service on the bypass side with no backflow protection on bypass
2023 Inspector Winner

DCVA installed inside the engineered meter space and bypass loop.
2023 Submission

The water meter with an 1.5" internal water distribution being feed from 3/4" Test Cock #1 of the buildings 4" fire DCVA.
2023 Submission

This RP is being used to protect the distribution system at a fire hydrant by a customer who "had" an active hydrant permit to fill up their trucks. The relief port is currently not submerged in muddy water but has been recently, as you can see some muck in the port. Required them to construct a stand to keep this off the ground with the relief port facing downward.
2023 Submission

"RP"eekaboo lol. RP found with no record of testing. NOT accessible for maintenance and repair. Worked with owner and plumber to relocate and retest RP in water meter room. Line serving this carwash is dedicated to this space.
2023 Submission

While attending a site to search for a Premise Isolation device this RP serving a boiler feed was discovered "added" between two hose connections (domestic and boiler fill). What orientation would you say this is in? LOL!
Our program required this device to be properly supported as per CSA B64, installed in the orientation as per the manufacturer and retested once relocated.
2022 Tester Winner

Boiler feed. Installed new RP
2022 Submission

Relief valve on RPBA was held from leaking with locking pliers and tied with wire to hold tension.
2022 Submission

This is an 1/2 WATTS 009 QT RP device. It is installed sitting directly on top of a control heat exchanger panel serving the residents infloor heating. The relief port on the RP is sitting directly on to of the electrical connections on this control panel
2022 Submission

Apartment boiler with black iron piping protected with only a dual check.
Boiler feed removed and an axiom fill tank was installed as glycol is now added to boiler system.
2022 Submission

Cross connection device on a suction line in CDI college. This unit was tested less than a month ago and reported it was perfectly fine. Clearly has been running for longer than that
2022 Submission

Installed on this residential boiler is a dual check atmospheric port the boiler piping is copper however the heating emitters are cast iron also the boiler has black iron fittings on it and has a cast iron pump.
2022 Submission

Zero Backflow prevention is installed on this boiler system. Found first day on job after Cross connection corse completes.
2022 Submission

Double check valve assembly is in decent condition, need to replace the test cocks for leaks. However, found a shut off valve tied in upstream of the DCVA with shark bite fittings leading to a hose bib outside. The complex manager had it added in with some random guy.
2022 Submission

on a boiler feed without any cross connection protection
2022 Submission

Backflow device that is 15ft up in the air, with no easy access to the unit. Test cock #1 has a Tee connection attached to it, and runs to a line that feeds an emergency eyewash station.