Commercial Plumbing in Peoria, AZ

Warning signs at a Peoria commercial site

• A backflow test notice from the city that has been sitting unopened
• Floor drains near a kitchen line or wash bay that hold water
• Restroom toilets that run on, double flush or clog every week
• Rust-colored or spitting water from a commercial water heater
• A wet strip of landscaping between the meter and the building
• Low pressure on upper floors or at the far end of a center

Peoria's water, sewer and backflow rules

The City of Peoria Water Services Department supplies water, and customer service and utility billing are at 623-773-7160. Peoria treats its own wastewater: the Beardsley reclamation facility serves the northwest part of the city, the Jomax facility serves Vistancia, and the Butler facility processes Beardsley's biosolids.

The backflow program is one of the more detailed in the Valley. Every required assembly must be tested at least once a year, more often if the manufacturer or the city's Environmental Division says so, and the owner pays. The city mails a notice 60 days before a test is due. Tests must be done by a City of Peoria Recognized Tester, results must reach the Environmental Division within 30 days, and skipping a test can lead to water service being shut off. New installations have to be inspected by the Environmental or Building Safety Division. The Cross Connection Specialist is at 623-773-8444.

Permits come from the Development and Engineering Department, which reviews gas line and minor plumbing permits over the counter; inspections are scheduled at 623-773-8445. The city's median year built is 1998, so many shopping centers and offices still have original water heaters, flush valves and backflow assemblies. For a gas smell, clear the building first, then call 911 and your gas utility from outside.

What affects the cost

• The size of the building and the number of tenants on the affected line
• Whether the problem needs a camera, pressure test or leak locator to find
• Night, early-morning or weekend work to avoid lost business
• Repair parts for backflow assemblies and the required retest
• Permit and inspection steps through the city
• Restoring finishes, landscaping or pavement after access work

When you call

Have the address, the property type and a short description of the problem ready, and mention if a backflow deadline is coming up. You'll be connected with an independent local plumber who serves Peoria businesses. Ask how they schedule commercial work, what the first visit includes and how they price before anything is opened up.