Brickbat: Failing the Test

Officials in Sarasota County, Florida, have agreed to refund $557,000 to water customers for testing they were charged for that was never performed. Jay Bowman was looking for the tag that showed his backflow valve, which prevents water from flowing back into the main, had been tested. He couldn't find it. Then he started looking at other homes in the neighborhood and found that many others didn't have a tag and called the utility. Officials blame a computer glitch for the lack of testing.

Comments

[Snark Plissken]

Officials blame a computer glitch for the lack of testing.

And the computer has been put on paid administrative leave pending further investigation.

[Live Free or Diet]

I've miles
And miles
Of files
Pretty files of your forefather's fruit
And now to suit our
Great computer,
You're magnetic ink.

[Generic Stranger]

You could say the computer was all washed up.

[Fist of Etiquette]

Jay Bowman is not of the body.

[Live Free or Diet]

He will be absorbed.

[Rich]

his backflow valve, which prevents water from flowing back into the main, had [not] been tested.

Emphasis added.

*** meekly raises hand ***

Instead of refunding the money, why doesn't the county PERFORM THE TESTS?

[Live Free or Diet]

Damn fine point!

[DJF]

It might be because a backflow value is very simple and if used in a fresh water system is not going to clog up or corrode so the chances of failing is very small. And the chances of actually having backflow causing problems is even smaller since it would mean that the supply pressure is lower then pressure in the house and that the house water is contaminated.

Having such tests of commercial buildings might make sense because they might have their own pumps and might be dealing with toxic or contaminated materials but probably not for each house

[Rich]

*** meekly raises hand ***

Then why did the county proposr to PERFORM THE TESTS?

[BakedPenguin]

So they could lie to people to collect half a million? Just spitballing here.

[DJF]

I am just guessing but it probably the usual bureaucratic mess, you make a standard which makes sense in one situation and then it gets expanded out to a requirement that covers more then is cost effective. Plus it made them money without them having to do any work, that is until they got caught

It a good idea to have such a valve and maybe even test it once its installed but sending people out to test the valve on a regular basis on regular houses probably is not worth the cost.

[BlueBook]

I'm trying to think of a puerile innuendo for "backflow valve", but I got nothing.

[Live Free or Diet]

Only because you aren't kinky enough.

[Rich]

Fackblow valve. Ha ha!

[Snark Plissken]

Santorum stopper.

[Ted S.]

Technically, that's not penile.

[Snark Plissken]

Throbbing Santorum stoppper?