When is my backflow test due in Portland?

The rule is simple: once a year, every year, for each assembly. The exact deadline for your property is printed on the notice your water provider sends — that date controls, not anything on this page.

The typical residential cycle

The Portland Water Bureau generally sends residential irrigation notices in spring, timed ahead of watering season, with the test due by the deadline in the letter. That's deliberate: an irrigation assembly should prove it's working before the system starts running for the summer. If you missed the deadline, don't wait for the follow-up notice — just get it scheduled.

Commercial and fire-line schedules

Commercial properties, fire lines, and premises-isolation assemblies aren't necessarily on the spring cycle — their due dates are often tied to when the assembly was installed or last tested. If you manage a commercial property, work from the dates on your notices (or better, keep your own compliance calendar — see our property manager guide).

Also due after repairs or installation

Annual isn't the only trigger: an assembly must also be tested when it's first installed, and after any repair, replacement, or relocation (OAR 333-061). If a plumber just worked on yours, it needs a fresh test even if the annual one already happened.

Pro tip: beat the rush

Testers book up fast in the weeks after the spring notices land. Testing early — say, when you de-winterize the sprinklers — is perfectly valid and usually easier to schedule.