Clarkston's water and sewer are managed by DeKalb County, whose Backflow Prevention Section requires commercial and multi-family customers to install assemblies and test them every year with a certified tester. DeKalb also requires assemblies on irrigation systems. Call the number on this page to be connected with a local plumber in Clarkston.
Clarkston and DeKalb's backflow rules
Clarkston is a small inner-ring DeKalb city just outside I-285, long known as a refugee-resettlement hub, and much of its housing is 1970s and 1980s apartments and homes. The city says its water and sewer are managed by DeKalb County. That makes DeKalb Watershed Management's Backflow Prevention Section the authority here. Its brochure requires commercial and multi-family customers to install backflow assemblies on the customer side of the meter, using a reduced pressure (RPP) assembly for high hazards and a double check for low hazards, and to test them every year. DeKalb's program also covers irrigation systems.
That multi-family rule matters in Clarkston, where apartment communities along Park North Boulevard and near the Perimeter College campus make up a large share of the housing.
What to do now
- Identify the property type. Multi-family, commercial and irrigated single-family properties are the ones DeKalb's program targets.
- Find every assembly. Larger sites may have one per service connection. Note the make, size and serial number of each.
- Pick a certified tester. DeKalb accepts testers certified by GAWP/GBPAT, ASSE, ABPA or UF TREEO.
- Test annually. Every assembly needs a passing test each year.
- Repair failures. Rebuild worn checks or replace a damaged unit, then retest.
- Permit changes. Clarkston requires permits for new plumbing and fixture work that alters piping, applied for through the city's online portal.
Questions about a specific account go to DeKalb's Backflow Prevention Section at (404) 687-4075.
Symptoms and likely causes
| Symptom | Likely cause |
|---|---|
| RPP relief valve discharging | First check fouled or a pressure fluctuation |
| Water around the meter pit | Leak at a union or the assembly body |
| Low pressure in upper-floor units | A partly closed shutoff or a clogged strainer at the assembly |
| Cracked casting | Freeze damage on an exposed unit |
| Test cock dripping | Worn ball valve |
Cost factors
- Number of assemblies and connections on the property
- Assembly size, which runs larger on multi-family services
- Test only versus rebuild and retest
- Replacement after freeze damage
- Permit and inspection steps for new work
DeKalb owns the line from the main to the meter. From the meter on, including the assembly, the property owner is responsible.
Backflow Testing questions in Clarkston
What's the difference between a double check valve and a reduced pressure assembly?
Who is allowed to test my backflow assembly?
Why is my backflow device leaking or dumping water?
Is the backflow assembly mine or the utility's?
More plumbing services in Clarkston
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