What Does Backwater Mean?
Backwater, or backflow, is the unintended inflow of water and sewage into sewer mains and laterals which serve homes, businesses and stormwater drainage systems. The system overload usually results from excessive precipitation. Prevention involves a backwater valve, which is similar to a check valve since it only allows water to flow in one direction. The difference between backwater preventer and the check valve is that the backwater preventer uses a rubber flap to prevent the undesirable inflow, whereas a check valve uses a spring-loaded mechanism to ensure water can only pass through it in one direction.
