WATER: Test wrongly blocked

This is in response to Fire Inspector Tyler Dreschel with Northern Lakes Fire Department overstepping his bounds regarding the safety of one of the public drinking water systems in the city of Hayden that I will not name at this time.

I am a licensed backflow tester in the state of Idaho. Licensed by the State of Idaho Bureau of Occupational Licenses, and have been for almost 10 years. Recently I was called by a business within the local Irrigation District by a business owner in which I have a business relationship, to test and certify a backflow device that is attached to prevent backflow into the potable water system from a fire sprinkler system. It is solely used to prevent contamination of the public water supply that serves thousands of people.

I consider this device to not be a part of the actual fire system because an Idaho State Fire Inspector is unable to perform the task of testing and certifying this type of device. However, when I notified the Northern Lakes Fire District that the alarm would likely go off during testing, I was rudely informed in front of the business by Northern Lakes Fire Inspector Dreschel that I could not perform the task that I am currently licensed to do by The Idaho State Bureau of Occupational Licenses. After notifying the authority having jurisdiction which regulates the mandatory testing of this device, I found that the Fire Inspector was wrong.

DARIN McNEIL

Hayden