From UPHCA’s Pipeline Podcast: https://uphca.net/2026/06/24/uphca-pipeline-podcast-features-greg-hand-on-backflow-training-certification-and-water-safety/

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UPHCA Pipeline Podcast Features Greg Hand on Backflow Training, Certification, and Water Safety

Backflow training is not just another class in the plumbing industry.

It protects drinking water. It helps contractors understand cross-connection risks. It gives plumbers, landscapers, irrigators, municipal workers, and water professionals the knowledge they need to test and understand backflow prevention assemblies correctly.

In this episode of the UPHCA Pipeline Podcast, the Utah Plumbing Heating Contractors Association sat down with Greg Hand, founder of Backflow Training Services and longtime backflow instructor now connected with the UPHCA Academy.

Greg has been called the “grandfather of backflow” in Utah, and after hearing his history, it is easy to understand why.

The conversation covered how Backflow Training Services began, what students experience during certification week, why hands-on training matters, how enforcement has changed in Utah, and why backflow certification continues to grow in importance across the state.

How Greg Hand Got Started in Backflow

Greg’s backflow story started where many strong trade stories begin: in the plumbing field.

As a plumber and instructor, he saw backflow as part of the trade. While teaching plumbing apprenticeship at Salt Lake Community College, Greg was introduced to the seriousness of backflow prevention and the role it plays in protecting public drinking water.

From there, the work grew.

He began teaching backflow concepts through Utah Valley Community College and Rural Water of Utah. Eventually, a need became clear: most backflow testers were concentrated in the Salt Lake Valley, and more training access was needed elsewhere.

That need helped launch what became Backflow Training Services.

Greg’s first class was held at the Quail Creek Water Treatment Plant near the Hurricane and St. George area in 1998. He started with one training stand and four assemblies. Over time, he collected used backflow preventers, repaired them, rebuilt them, and turned them into practical training equipment.

What started small became a major part of backflow certification training in Utah and beyond.

Backflow Training Services and the UPHCA Academy

Backflow Training Services is now part of the UPHCA Academy, creating a stronger home for backflow education and hands-on training.

That matters because backflow training is not something students can fully understand from a textbook alone.

Students need to see assemblies. They need to test them. They need to work through faults. They need to understand what can go wrong and how to identify it.

The Academy’s backflow lab gives students access to training stands, test equipment, classroom instruction, practical lab time, and experienced instructors who understand both the theory and the field reality.

Greg explained that the Academy acquired Backflow Training Services and that additional stands have been built to support growing training needs, including the St. George lab.

That expansion matters for Southern Utah.

Backflow training access in St. George helps support workers not only in Washington County, but also nearby areas of Nevada and Arizona where ABPA certification may be useful.

For contractors, water professionals, landscapers, irrigation workers, and municipal employees, having regional access to backflow training can reduce travel time and make certification more practical.

What Students Learn During Backflow Certification Week

One of the strongest parts of the podcast was Greg’s breakdown of what a backflow certification class actually looks like.

The class begins on Monday with classroom instruction. Students go through the manual and learn core backflow concepts, including:

What backflow is
Back siphonage
Back pressure
Thermal expansion
Direct and indirect connections
High hazard and low hazard conditions
Backflow prevention assemblies and devices

This foundation matters because students must understand the concepts before they can test assemblies correctly.

On Tuesday, students move into the lab. They begin learning how to test all four assemblies step by step, without faults added.

On Wednesday, the lab work gets more challenging. Faults are added to the assemblies so students can learn to identify problems like leaky shutoff valves and leaky check valves.

On Thursday, students spend time practicing and preparing for the exam. Greg also discusses test anxiety, which he treats as a real part of the certification process. That is a practical detail many training programs overlook.

On Friday, students take the ABPA exam. The written exam includes 100 questions, and students need a 70% score to pass that portion. The practical exam requires students to test all four assemblies without instruction, while trained ABPA proctors observe. The practical portion must be performed correctly.

This structure gives students both classroom knowledge and hands-on testing experience.

That combination is the point.

Backflow work requires understanding, accuracy, and confidence.

ABPA Certification and Utah Certification

Greg also explained the difference between ABPA certification and Utah certification.

Students who pass the class and exam receive ABPA certification, which is recognized nationally. For those testing in Utah, there is also a Utah certification process and certification number used on backflow test reports.

This distinction matters for people who work across state lines.

A tester working in Utah needs to follow Utah’s certification requirements. A tester working in another state may rely on ABPA certification depending on that state’s requirements.

For anyone planning to test, inspect, or work with backflow prevention assemblies, it is important to understand both the national certification and state-specific requirements.

That is one reason formal training matters.

Recertification Every Three Years

Backflow certification is not a one-time event.

Greg explained that certification is valid for three years. After that, testers need to recertify.

Backflow Training Services offers recertification classes that begin later in the week and help returning testers get back up to speed before taking the same written and practical exams on Friday.

This is important because testers may go years between exams, and even experienced professionals can benefit from review, practice, and time in the lab.

The practical test requires precision. The written test requires a solid understanding of backflow concepts. Recertification helps keep testers sharp and current.

Why Hazard Level Matters

The podcast also covered an important concept for landscapers, excavators, irrigators, and contractors who work around backflow prevention: hazard level.

Greg explained that one of the first questions anyone should ask before selecting or installing an assembly is:

What is the hazard?

A high hazard condition can create serious health risk. A low hazard condition may still matter, but the risk is different.

From there, contractors and water professionals need to consider whether back pressure can occur. The type of hazard and the possibility of back pressure help determine which backflow prevention assembly or device may be appropriate.

That is not something to guess at.

The water purveyor often plays a key role in determining requirements and sending annual testing notices. The certified tester performs the test and submits the report so the water purveyor can verify that the water system is being protected.

This is exactly why backflow education is important.

The work is technical. The stakes are high. The details matter.

Backflow Enforcement Is Increasing in Utah

Greg also noted that backflow enforcement has increased significantly in recent years.

He attributed much of that change to greater emphasis on backflow administration among water purveyors. As more water purveyors comply with backflow program requirements, more assemblies are being identified, tested, and brought into regular reporting processes.

That means more demand for trained and certified backflow testers.

Greg mentioned that he used to teach only a few classes each year. Now, classes are held monthly, and sometimes more than once per month.

That growth reflects a real shift in the industry.

Backflow prevention is not a side issue. It is becoming a more visible and enforced part of protecting drinking water systems.

For plumbers, irrigation professionals, landscapers, municipal workers, and maintenance professionals, backflow certification can be a valuable skill and service area.

Training Built From Decades of Experience

When asked what sets this training apart, Greg pointed to experience.

He has spent nearly 40 years teaching, observing, correcting mistakes, improving instruction, and refining the way students learn backflow testing.

That experience shows up in the way the class is structured.

Students are not just rushed through information. They are taught the concepts, taken into the lab, shown the assemblies, given practice time, exposed to faults, and prepared for the pressure of testing.

Greg also talked about relating to students in a way they can understand.

Good instruction is not just about knowing the material. It is about teaching it in a way students can absorb, practice, and apply.

That is especially important in the trades, where classroom learning has to connect directly to what happens in the field.

A Permanent Home for Backflow Training

Before Backflow Training Services became part of the Academy, Greg moved equipment from location to location.

Training stands, hoses, equipment, and materials had to be loaded, transported, set up, tested, torn down, drained, and stored again.

That created a significant amount of time, labor, and logistics around every class.

Having a more permanent home through the UPHCA Academy changes that.

Students can come to a dedicated training environment. Instructors can work from an established lab. Equipment can stay set up and ready. The program can operate with more consistency.

That is good for students, instructors, and the industry.

It also helps UPHCA strengthen its role in workforce development and technical training.

Why This Matters for Utah’s Plumbing and Water Industries

Backflow prevention protects public drinking water.

That alone makes the work important.

But this episode also shows something bigger: the trades depend on people who are willing to teach, train, build equipment, answer questions, and pass knowledge forward.

Greg Hand’s work through Backflow Training Services has helped train backflow testers across Utah and beyond. The UPHCA Academy now helps carry that work forward with a dedicated training space and growing access in both Northern and Southern Utah.

For contractors and workers, backflow certification can create new opportunities.

For water purveyors, it helps support compliance and public safety.

For homeowners and businesses, it helps protect drinking water systems.

For the trade, it helps raise the standard of knowledge and professionalism.

That is exactly the kind of work UPHCA exists to support.

Learn More About Backflow Training

Anyone interested in certification or recertification can learn more through Backflow Training Services.

Those interested in broader trade education can visit the UPHCA Academy.

Contractors who want to stay connected to Utah’s plumbing, heating, HVAC, and mechanical trade community can learn more about UPHCA membership.

Backflow training is technical, practical, and important.

And thanks to instructors like Greg Hand, students have a clearer path to learning the work, passing the exam, and helping protect water systems across Utah.

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Backflow Recertification in Utah: Renew Before Your Certification Expires

Backflow recertification is easy to put off because nothing feels wrong while your certification is still active.

You are still working. Your employer still counts on you. Testing and compliance jobs still move forward. The expiration date sits quietly in the background.

Then the deadline gets close.

Now you are trying to find a class, fit it around field work, keep your supervisor updated, and avoid a gap that could affect testing, inspections, scheduling, or compliance responsibilities.

That is why backflow recertification Utah testers should not treat renewal like a last-minute task.

If your certification is coming up for renewal, get it handled before it turns into a work problem.

Backflow Training Services offers backflow certification and recertification classes in Salt Lake City and St. George, giving Utah testers, employers, and compliance managers a practical way to stay current without unnecessary travel or deadline pressure.

Need to renew? Register for a backflow recertification class before your certification expires.

Why Backflow Recertification Matters in Utah

Backflow prevention is not just paperwork.

It protects water systems.

Backflow assemblies help prevent contaminated or non-potable water from flowing backward into a clean water supply. That matters for irrigation systems, commercial properties, schools, municipal systems, healthcare facilities, industrial sites, public buildings, and fire protection systems.

If you work around those systems, you already know the risk is real.

A missed test, failed assembly, expired certification, or bad cross connection can create problems for more than one person. It can affect a contractor, a property owner, a facilities team, a public works department, a school district, or a business trying to stay compliant.

Recertification helps keep trained testers current and ready to do the work properly.

It also helps employers avoid preventable scheduling problems.

Backflow Recertification Utah Testers Should Not Put Off

The biggest mistake certified testers make is waiting too long.

That is when a simple renewal turns into a scramble.

Class dates may not line up with your schedule. Work may get busy. A facility inspection may be coming up. Your employer may need you in the field. Registration may fill faster than expected. Travel may become a problem if the closest class is not available when you need it.

That is not where you want to be.

If you are already certified, you do not need a long explanation about why backflow matters. You need a clear, practical path to stay current.

That is where a local backflow class Utah testers can schedule ahead of time makes a real difference.

Backflow Training Services provides recertification options for Utah professionals who need to keep their certification active without turning renewal into a last-minute headache.

Who Needs Backflow Tester Recertification?

Backflow recertification is for existing certified testers who need to renew before their certification expires.

That may include:

Plumbers
Backflow testers
Irrigation professionals
Landscape contractors
Facility maintenance teams
Public works employees
Municipal water workers
School district maintenance staff
Commercial property maintenance teams
Fire protection professionals
Mechanical contractors
Employers responsible for trained personnel

If your work involves backflow prevention assemblies, irrigation systems, commercial water systems, testing, compliance, or inspection readiness, recertification needs to stay on your radar.

For employers, this is not just an individual employee issue.

If your company depends on one or two certified testers, an expired certification can create a coverage problem. One missed renewal can affect testing availability, customer service, inspection timelines, and job scheduling.

Backflow Renewal Utah Employers Should Track Before It Becomes Urgent

Employers should not rely on every employee to remember their own expiration date.

That is how things get missed.

If your business, city department, school district, facility team, or maintenance crew depends on certified backflow testers, you should have a simple tracking process.

Know Who Is Currently Certified

Keep a current list of employees who hold backflow certification.

Do not wait until a job comes up to figure out who is qualified and current.

Track Each Expiration Date

Expiration dates should be easy to find.

They should not live in one person’s inbox, a paper folder, or an old spreadsheet nobody checks.

Schedule Recertification Before the Final Weeks

Waiting until the end creates pressure.

Give your employees enough time to register, attend class, and stay current without disrupting field work.

Choose the Right Class Location

Backflow Training Services offers classes in Salt Lake City and St. George.

That matters for Utah teams because travel time affects scheduling. A Southern Utah contractor or municipal worker should not always have to lose extra time traveling north if a closer St. George option is available.

Check Team Coverage

Ask the practical question:

If this tester expires, can someone else cover the work?

If the answer is no, recertification is not just a training issue. It is a workforce planning issue.

This is especially important for public works teams, facilities departments, fire protection companies, plumbing companies, irrigation contractors, and commercial maintenance teams.

Salt Lake City and St. George Backflow Classes

Utah is not one market.

A tester in Salt Lake City has different scheduling and travel concerns than a tester in St. George, Cedar City, Washington County, or another Southern Utah community.

That is why class location matters.

Backflow Training Services offers backflow certification and recertification options in:

Salt Lake City
St. George

For testers and employers, that makes scheduling easier. It also helps teams stay current without turning recertification into a bigger disruption than it needs to be.

The St. George option is especially useful for Southern Utah contractors, irrigation professionals, municipal workers, and facility teams who need access to backflow training closer to home.

If you are due for renewal, check current class availability and register before the date becomes a problem.

What Can Happen If Your Certification Expires?

An expired certification can create unnecessary friction.

Depending on your role and job requirements, it may affect your ability to perform testing, support inspections, handle compliance tasks, or stay useful on specific types of work.

For employers, the issue can become operational.

If a certified employee lapses, the company may need to shift work to someone else, delay testing, reschedule jobs, or scramble to find another person who is current.

For a facility team, that can mean delays.

For a contractor, that can mean lost flexibility.

For a public works department, that can mean unnecessary pressure on already-busy staff.

The better move is simple:

Do the renewal before it becomes urgent.

Why Recertification Is More Than Paperwork

It is easy to think of recertification as an administrative task.

But backflow work requires attention.

Testers need to understand assemblies, gauges, procedures, pressure, cross connection risks, and why the work matters. Systems can look simple until they are not. A small issue can become a bigger concern if nobody catches it early.

Recertification reinforces that this work is tied to real water protection, real systems, and real compliance concerns.

That is why it should be treated seriously.

Backflow Recertification for Compliance Managers

Compliance managers and supervisors should treat recertification as part of risk management.

If your organization has water systems, irrigation, commercial facilities, public buildings, school campuses, healthcare buildings, or municipal infrastructure, certification status matters.

A good process helps avoid:

Expired certifications
Inspection delays
Missed testing responsibilities
Confusion over who can perform work
Last-minute registration issues
Travel problems
Coverage gaps
Preventable compliance headaches

For larger organizations, the smartest move is to review the whole team at once.

Do not just ask, “Who needs recertification today?”

Ask, “Who will need it this quarter?”

That gives you time to schedule classes before it becomes urgent.

How Early Should You Register for Backflow Renewal?

If your expiration date is close enough that you are thinking about it, it is close enough to take action.

Waiting does not make recertification easier. It usually creates more pressure.

For employers, the better practice is to schedule employees early and stagger renewals if needed. That way you are not pulling too many people out of the field at once.

For individual testers, registering early helps protect your ability to keep working without interruption.

Choosing the Right Backflow Class in Utah

Before you register, make sure you are choosing the right class.

If you are already certified and need to renew, look for backflow tester recertification.

If you are new to the field and need to become certified for the first time, look for initial certification.

That distinction matters because the class type, expectations, and student needs are different.

Backflow Training Services offers both certification and recertification options, so testers and employers can choose the right path.

Register for Backflow Recertification Before It Becomes a Problem

Backflow renewal should not be something you chase at the last minute.

If you are an existing tester, stay current.

If you are an employer, protect your team’s ability to keep working.

If you manage compliance, make sure certification dates are not creating avoidable risk.

Backflow Training Services offers backflow certification and recertification classes in Salt Lake City and St. George, helping Utah professionals stay current, trained, and ready.

Do not let an expired certification create a work problem.

If you need backflow recertification Utah testers can schedule in Salt Lake City or St. George, register now and get it handled before the deadline gets too close.

Need to renew your certification? Register for backflow recertification in Salt Lake City or St. George before your certification expires.

A boil water order is one of those situations nobody wants to see in their city.

Residents get disrupted. Public works crews move fast. Questions start flying. Contractors, plumbers, landscapers, facility managers, and property owners all get a reminder that water systems do not leave much room for shortcuts.

That is why the recent Riverton, Utah boil water order matters beyond the news cycle.

According to Riverton City, staff discovered an illegal cross connection between a property owner’s culinary water system and secondary irrigation water. The city said this led to reverse flow from the secondary irrigation system into the public drinking water system, and the boil order applied from 3200 West to Riverton’s east border. Riverton also stated it had not received confirmation that the water was contaminated with E. coli at the time of the notice and that the cross connection had been found and disconnected.

That is the right way to talk about this: calmly, accurately, and without turning it into a blame game.

This situation is also a strong teaching moment. For anyone working around irrigation systems, plumbing systems, mechanical rooms, commercial properties, municipal water, or development projects, it shows exactly why backflow prevention training Utah contractors can rely on is not just another certification. It is part of protecting drinking water, passing inspections, and keeping projects from turning into public problems.

What Happened in Riverton, in Plain English

The basic issue was a cross connection.

Riverton City reported that secondary irrigation water mixed with the culinary water system after an illegal cross connection was discovered. Local reporting also noted that the city tested the drinking water and increased bacterial sampling while the affected area remained under a boil order.

For the general public, that can sound technical. For the trades, the lesson is simple:

A non-potable water source and a potable water source must not be connected in a way that allows water to move the wrong direction.

That is exactly the kind of problem cross connection control and backflow prevention are meant to prevent.

What Is a Cross Connection?

A cross connection is an actual or potential link between a drinking water system and a non-potable source.

That non-potable source could be irrigation water, a chemical tank, a boiler, a hose submerged in a bucket, a fire sprinkler system, process equipment, or another system that should never be allowed to feed back into drinking water piping.

The Utah Division of Drinking Water explains that cross connection control and backflow prevention exist to help prevent drinking water system contamination through unprotected cross connections. Utah also certifies Backflow Testers and Program Administrators as part of that prevention system.

A cross connection does not always look dramatic.
It may look like a pipe tied into the wrong place.
It may look like a temporary hose connection.
It may look like a valve someone assumed would be enough.
It may look like an irrigation system that was not properly isolated. That is why trained eyes matter.

Why Secondary Irrigation Water Cannot Mix With a Culinary Water System

In Utah, many properties use secondary irrigation water for landscapes, fields, yards, parks, and outdoor watering. That water is not treated or managed the same way as culinary drinking water.

Culinary water is the water people drink, cook with, brush their teeth with, wash dishes with, and use inside homes and businesses.

Secondary irrigation water is intended for irrigation. Those systems must stay separated.

If secondary irrigation water has a pathway into a culinary water system, it creates a potential public health concern. That does not mean confirmed contamination happened in every case. It means the water system has to be treated seriously until testing and corrective actions show the risk has been addressed.

That is why boil orders exist. They are a precautionary public health tool when officials need residents to treat water before use while the system is evaluated.

The Bigger Lesson for Utah

Utah is growing fast.

More homes. More commercial sites. More irrigation systems. More redevelopment. More mechanical complexity. More pressure on water infrastructure.

That growth makes cross connection control more important, not less.

The Riverton boil water order should not be treated as a one-day news item and forgotten. It should be used as a practical reminder for the trades: drinking water protection depends on correct installation, testing, maintenance, training, and judgment.

Backflow prevention is not just paperwork. It is part of doing the work right.

Strong CTA: Get Trained Before the Next Inspection Finds the Problem

If you are a plumber, landscaper, irrigation technician, facility manager, municipal worker, or contractor working around water systems, this is the time to sharpen your backflow knowledge.

Backflow Training Services offers Utah backflow training, certification, and recertification designed to help professionals identify cross connections, understand proper assemblies, and protect drinking water systems.

Do not wait until inspection day to find out what you missed.

Visit Backflow Training Services to enroll in upcoming backflow training or recertification classes.