Sonoma Water, the county agency that provides drinking water to 600,000 residents in the North Bay, cautions all water uses about how to avoid contaminating our water supply.
Ensuring the safety of our community’s drinking water starts with preventing contamination at the source. One important way we do this is through cross-connection control and backflow prevention. A cross-connection is any actual or potential link between a safe drinking water supply and a source of contamination—like a garden hose submerged in a swimming pool or connected to a pesticide sprayer. If water pressure drops (from a main break or heavy usage), this can cause backflow, allowing non-potable water to flow back into the clean water system. To prevent this, backflow prevention devices are installed at key points in the water system. These devices protect our health by ensuring water only flows in one direction—toward your tap.
How Contamination Can Occur…