| Quick facts | Answer |
|---|---|
| Cost range | Varies by home - confirm in your quote |
| Time | SC certification course is four days; testing itself varies |
| Who's qualified | Must hold an up-to-date SC backflow prevention assembly tester certification card |
Mount Pleasant, SC: what's different here
Mount Pleasant is a large suburban town in Charleston County with a population of about 90,801. Suburban homes there often use irrigation and domestic water service that may require backflow prevention assemblies. The humid subtropical climate brings hot summers that increase outdoor irrigation use. Mount Pleasant sits about 9 miles from Charleston, roughly a 15-minute drive via the main highway.
Who can perform pressure vacuum breaker testing in Mount Pleasant?
South Carolina DES says all backflow testing must be done by a state certified backflow prevention tester. A certified tester holds an up-to-date backflow prevention assembly tester certification card issued by the department. General Testers must also own a backflow prevention assembly test kit.
How does someone get certified to test a pressure vacuum breaker?
South Carolina's tester certification course is a four-day course. Candidates must pass both a proctored written exam and a practical exam. The application lists a certification processing fee of $150.00.
How often must a Mount Pleasant tester renew certification?
South Carolina backflow tester certification is valid for three years from initial certification or recertification. Renewal requires a written exam with a passing score of 70% and a prescribed test on a pressure vacuum breaker using the tester's own differential pressure gauge.
How accurate must the test gauge be?
State rules require the tester's gauge to be accurate within 2% of full scale or plus or minus 0.3 PSID. Some utilities, like one South Carolina city example, also require testers to hold a current city business license. Ask your referred tester about local requirements.
What to do next
- Ask the tester to show an up-to-date South Carolina backflow prevention assembly tester certification card before the visit.
- Confirm the tester's differential pressure gauge meets the state's accuracy rule of 2% of full scale or plus or minus 0.3 PSID.
- Request that your quote state the prescribed pressure vacuum breaker test procedure and any paperwork your water utility requires.
- Verify renewal status if the certification card was issued three or more years ago.
- Call (843) 286-4721 or email [email protected] for a free quote from a licensed, insured local backflow tester.
CHS Backflow is a free referral service: an independent contractor does the work and may pay us a referral fee. You never pay us anything.
