Backflow Testing in Hiram, GA

Signs it's time for a backflow visit

• A Paulding County request for a test form
• A device near the meter that drips or sprays
• Sprinklers added at a newer home with nothing on the line
• A business opening along US 278 or GA-92
• Freeze damage after a cold snap
• No test record from the builder or previous owner

Backflow on Hiram's two water systems

Hiram is a small, fast-growing city on the US 278 and GA-92 corridor in south Paulding County, and its population rose from 1,361 in 2000 to 4,929 in 2020. The City of Hiram provides water for customers in and around downtown. Everyone else is on Paulding County Water System, which lists Hiram among its service areas. Your bill tells you which one you have.

Paulding County customers. The county's backflow program requires testers to be on the GAWP certified tester list. They must email their current test-kit calibration certificates and completed backflow test forms to the county. The page we reviewed doesn't state how often the test is due, so check any county notice or ask the county directly at 770-222-6868.

City of Hiram customers. We didn't find the city's own backflow requirements for downtown water customers. Ask Hiram's utility billing office whether your connection needs a device and testing.

Hiram's median home was built in 2004, and many subdivisions near Bill Carruth Parkway and the Silver Comet trailhead came with irrigation, which is the usual reason a home has a testable device.

Building permits for Hiram go through Paulding County's Building & Permitting Division, which issues plumbing permits from its office in Dallas; inspections are scheduled at 770-505-1398.

What affects the cost

• Test only or test plus rebuild and retest
• Assembly type and size
• Replacement after freeze damage
• Access to a device in a box or behind landscaping
• County permit steps for new work

What happens when you call

You'll be connected with an independent plumber who serves Hiram. Say whether you're on city or county water, and if it's county water, ask whether the plumber is on the GAWP certified tester list. If the device is leaking, close the irrigation valve.