Most of us take clean water for granted, and in Canada, it's something we're lucky enough to have access to freely. However, if problems hit, it can be catastrophic for homes, businesses, and infrastructure.

Clean water doesn't automatically arrive at our taps cleaned and ready to drink. When water falls from the sky, it picks up materials and bacteria. So before we drink it, it needs to be cleaned - and this is where our water treatment systems come into play. All public water systems in Canada and the U.S. use some form of disinfection where-by the water is treated to rid it of pathogens and make it safe to use.

Experts in ensuring that Ontario's residents can access safe and clean water, Manax Plumbing, a multi-city company, is celebrating 50 years of legacy

Keeping Water Safe – and Problems of Backflow

Backflow is a term used in plumbing to describe an unwanted flow of water in the reverse direction. It can cause severe health and infrastructure risks and occurs when there is back pressure, back siphonage or sewer pipe damage.

The water distribution system needs to be pressurized to get the water to come through your pipes and ready to use. Water moves from an area of high pressure to a place of low pressure. If the pressure drops too far or becomes unequal, that's when accidents happen, as the water backflows.

Examples of Backflow Problems

On June 24, 1987, a construction crew inadvertently broke a water main while widening a New Jersey bridge. Several hours after the water main was repaired, a customer called the water department to complain that the water was milky and smelled terrible. Pesticides had back flowed into the public water system. Customers had drunk several gallons of infected water, and 63 homes and businesses were without water for days.

Another incident took place in 2005 where a car wash in Ontario spilled concentrated detergent into the city's water supply, putting citizens without water for days. The costs were catastrophic for many businesses.

Additionally, in the same year, Stratford released a drinking water advisory for their residents. The city's water had been contaminated with 5 gallons of 2-Butoxyethanol, a harmful and toxic foaming brush detergent that leads to a variety of health risks when ingested. Residents were heavily urged to refrain from drinking all water, as well as their pets. Resources were set up throughout the city to offer clean bottled drinking water until the situation was rectified by the city’s Health Inspectors. 

Preventing Backflow

So what actions need to be taken to prevent backflow from happening? It all begins with installing backflow prevention devices. These allow water to flow in one direction but never in the opposite direction, preventing contamination.