The Augusta County Service Authority has approximately 15,000 water service connections.  The connections range from residential to heavy commercial and industrial.  The Service Authority maintains an active Cross Connection Control and Backflow Prevention Policy and Program in an effort to provide the best protection for the public water system.  This program is built upon the Virginia Waterworks Regulations Sections 5-590-580 through 5-590-630, requiring each owner of a waterworks, “establish and enforce a program of cross connection control and backflow prevention for each waterworks.”  The requirement for licensing backflow prevention device workers helps to ensure that the individuals performing tests and maintenance possess an adequate level of knowledge to ensure the devices continue to operate properly.  In the opinion of the Service Authority, the requirement to be a certified backflow prevention device worker is neither unreasonable nor onerous.  However, eliminating the certification requirement would likely erode owner and consumer confidence in backflow prevention programs.  Ensuring that cross connection control devices are installed and working properly is a key protection for the Service Authority’s water systems.  Therefore, the Augusta County Service Authority urges the Board for Professional and Occupational Regulation (BPOR) to continue the regulation of Backflow Prevention Device Workers.