Backflow Testing in Grand Prairie, TX

Property owners must register backflow assemblies with the city and pay an annual device fee of $35 per assembly. Certified testers must register with the city annually and submit all test results through the Tokay Web Entry portal at grandprairie.tokaytest.com, which differs from the Envirotrax system used by neighboring cities like Fort Worth and Arlington. Failed tests result in a $50 re-inspection fee, and the city requires retesting until the device passes. Test results must be filed using TCEQ Form 20700.

Grand Prairie has authority under 30 TAC 290.46(j)(2) to terminate water service for unprotected cross-connections that create health hazards. This enforcement authority became highly visible in September 2024 when a failed check valve allowed firefighting foam containing PFAS to backflow into the municipal water supply. The contamination event triggered a two-day "do not use water" advisory affecting approximately 60,000 residents north of Interstate 20, forced closures of Grand Prairie ISD schools, and required extensive flushing of the distribution system.

The city's backflow prevention requirements reflect both the complexity of its water infrastructure and the high-hazard industrial uses within its boundaries. The Great Southwest Industrial District spans more than 7,000 acres and houses numerous facilities with chemical processes, cooling systems, and industrial water uses that pose significant cross-connection risks. The combination of multiple water sources, large industrial operations, and recent contamination events has made Grand Prairie's cross-connection control program one of the more stringently enforced in the Dallas-Fort Worth region.