Annual RPZ testing is a small but essential part of maintaining a safe, compliant facility. With Horwitz, it doesn’t need to become another administrative task on your to-do list. Our team handles the testing, documentation and required city paperwork—helping you stay ahead of deadlines with less hassle.
What Is RPZ Testing?
A reduced pressure zone, or RPZ, device is a type of backflow preventer. It protects a facility’s potable water supply by preventing contaminated or nonpotable water from flowing backward into the system when water pressure changes.
RPZ devices can be found in facilities across every market sector, including connections serving boilers, irrigation systems, fire protection systems, laboratories and other areas where a cross-connection may occur.
Annual testing verifies that the device’s check valves, relief valve and other components are operating correctly. Because these internal parts can wear, corrode or collect debris over time, an RPZ device must be tested regularly—even when there are no visible signs of a problem.
Why Annual Testing Matters
Minnesota requires RPZ devices to be tested upon installation and at least annually thereafter by a certified tester. Staying current helps protect the public water supply while keeping your facility compliant with state and local requirements.
Missed tests or incomplete reporting may lead to notices, fines or additional follow-up from the local authority. A consistent annual testing program helps avoid these issues and provides clear documentation that each device has been inspected.
Horwitz Makes Compliance Simple
Horwitz performs annual RPZ testing for service customers and manages the process from start to finish. Our team submits the required paperwork to the appropriate city, maintains digital documentation and provides automatic annual scheduling. When your next test approaches, we send a reminder so the requirement doesn’t fall through the cracks.
RPZ testing can also be incorporated into a customized Horwitz preventive maintenance agreement, bringing another important facility requirement into one coordinated service program.
With 108 years in business, more than 50 service technicians and the support of 400+ skilled tradespeople, Horwitz has the experience and resources to serve facilities of any size—from individual buildings to complex, multi-facility campuses. Our certified professionals bring expertise across mechanical, plumbing, HVAC, electrical, building automation and controls, allowing us to understand how each system fits into the bigger picture of facility performance.
Not sure when your RPZ device was last tested? Contact Horwitz to schedule fast, reliable testing and make annual compliance one less thing to worry about.
