Backflow preventionRegion of Durham, By-law 24-2018
Backflow preventer testing and installation in Pickering
Spec-Mark Group surveys properties and tests, installs and repairs backflow preventers for industrial, commercial, institutional and multi-residential properties in Pickering. Durham's By-law 24-2018 sets the rules. The Region's administrator, Backflow Solutions Inc. (BSI), takes the reports. The City of Pickering issues the building permit through its online portal. Spec-Mark Group is on the Region's qualified contractor list, listed under its former name, Spec-Mark Mechanical.
The Durham program in brief
Durham's By-law 24-2018 requires a premise-isolation backflow preventer, tested every year, on any industrial, commercial, institutional or multi-residential water service with a severe or moderate hazard. The cross-connection survey identifies the hazards and is filed through Backflow Solutions Inc. (BSI) within 90 days of the Region's notification. The work the Region orders is completed within 180 days. Every test report is filed within 28 days and a failed device is reported within 24 hours; the Region's 2026 fee schedule sets the report fee at $26.00. The Region of Durham guide covers the steps, the 2026 amendment and the 5-year survey cycle.
The Ontario Building Code's plumbing part (Part 7) and the CSA B64 standards also apply. The municipal by-law adds the program around them: who is surveyed, how often each device is tested, where the report goes and by when.
A permit for a new device in Pickering
The City lists a backflow prevention device among the projects that may need a building permit. Applications go through the City's online permit portal, and a contractor can be authorized to apply on the owner's behalf. We found no backflow-specific checklist on the City's website. The application follows the City's general requirements, with a Commitment to General Review where the Building Code calls for professional design. The fee schedule of July 1, 2026 lists no fee for a backflow preventer. The minimum building permit fee is $180.00, billed at submission, and the City sets the exact fee when it reviews the application. We apply for it as part of an installation.
What we do in Pickering
- The cross-connection survey the Region's notification asks for.
- The local building permit and the installation where the Region requires a device.
- The annual test of every device, with the report submitted through BSI, a copy to the local municipality, and the report fee paid on your behalf.
- The next due date kept on file, with a courtesy reminder before it; the due date remains the owner's responsibility.
Our certificates are listed on the Qualifications page.
Questions about backflow in Pickering
Is a backflow preventer required for my property in Pickering?
Durham's by-law applies to industrial, commercial and institutional properties, and to multi-residential buildings with more than six units. Houses are normally outside the program, but the by-law also applies to any property where a condition may be hazardous to the drinking water system. A premise-isolation device is required where the survey classifies the water service as a severe or moderate hazard. A severe hazard takes a reduced-pressure assembly (RP, also called an RPZ), a moderate one a double check valve assembly (DCVA).
What does backflow compliance cost in Pickering?
The Region of Durham charges $26.00 for each test report under its 2026 fee schedule, paid online at submission. A survey report has no fee. The City of Pickering bills its $180.00 minimum building permit fee at submission and sets the balance when it reviews the application. We quote from the notice and the number, size and type of devices.
Is a backwater valve the same as a backflow preventer?
No. A backwater valve is a sewer device that helps protect a basement from sewage backup. A backflow preventer protects the drinking water supply, and it is what the Region of Durham's notice is about.
Who sends the notice in Pickering, and who issues the permit?
The Region of Durham sends the notification and, after the survey, the notice to install, repair or test. Reports go to the Region through BSI, and the by-law also requires a copy to the local municipality. In Pickering the building permit comes from the City's Building Services, through its online portal.
The full program is on the Region of Durham page. Also under this program: Oshawa, Whitby, Ajax, Clarington, Uxbridge, Scugog, Brock.
Sources
- Region of Durham, Backflow Prevention Program
- Region of Durham, 2026 Fees and Charges, Water and Sanitary Sewer User Rates (PDF)
- Region of Durham, Backflow Prevention By-law 24-2018, office consolidation June 2026 (PDF)
- Backflow Solutions Inc., Durham Region survey form and qualified contractor list
- City of Pickering, Building Permits
- City of Pickering, Schedule of Application Fees and Information Price List (July 1, 2026, PDF)