What is backflow? Why is backflow protection necessary?
April 3, 2025Drinking water normally flows in one direction (from the meter to the house), although under certain circumstances it can flow in the opposite direction, or “backflow.” A backflow incident can happen at any time. All that is needed is a water pressure drop in the public water system main line, most commonly caused by fire fighting, hydrant flushing, flow testing, a water main break, or extreme high usage on the water system. Any connection to a non-potable source not protected could be siphoned back into the public water system, which can pollute or contaminate the water system.
Backflow protection is important because we assume that when we turn on the water tap, we have safe drinking water. This is a luxury we enjoy, but not without very strong regulations and considerable expense. Our drinking water is among the safest in the world. Water protection and conservation requires the effort and cooperation of everyone.
Welcome to the City of Sherwood’s Notification System, the city’s latest tool for providing residents with immediate information and warnings on water contamination, extreme weather warnings, unexpected road closures, etc. This is a free service provided by the City of Sherwood.