Backflow Assembly Tester
Certification Program
About the BAT Certification Examination
The Washington State Backflow Assembly Tester (BAT) Certification
Examination consists of two types of examinations. You must
pass both parts of the examination to become a certified BAT
in Washington State. If you fail either part of the examination
you will be required to reapply, pay all applicable fees, and
take both parts of the examination again.
All exam applicants are required to provide picture identification
(driver license, military identification card, or other government
issued identification) prior to taking the examination.
Written Examination
The written examination consists of 100 multiple-choice
questions developed by the Association of Boards of Certification
(ABC). Three hours are allowed to complete the closed-book examination.
Notes, books, or other reference materials are not permitted
during the examination. The passing score for the written examination
is 70%.
Practical (Hands-On) Examination
One hour is allowed to demonstrate competency in testing the
following four backflow prevention assemblies to standard performance
criteria:
- Pressure Vacuum Breaker Assembly (PVBA)
- Spill-Resistant Pressure Vacuum Breaker Assembly (SVBA)
- Double Check Valve Assembly (DCVA)
- Reduced Pressure Backflow Assembly (RPBA)
During the one-hour examination you will be required to identify
and diagnose one simulated failure condition for the RPBA, DCVA,
and PVBA. There will not be a simulated failure condition for
the SVBA.
You will be required to fill out a test report of all four
backflow prevention assemblies. The test report forms must be
complete, accurate, and legible. The forms may be completed
after the one-hour time limit for the practical examination.
During the Practical Examination, applicants
will be examined using only the test procedures
approved for use in Washington State as published
in the July 1998 edition of Backflow Prevention
Assemblies Field Test Procedures for Use in Washington
State. Currently these test procedures
are based on the 9th Edition of the Manual of
Cross Connection Control published by the University
of Southern California Foundation for Cross Connection
Control and Hydraulic Research.
The Backflow Prevention Assemblies Field Test
Procedures for Use in Washington State and an
abbreviated version of the test procedures for each
of the four backflow prevention assemblies will
be available at the examination site.
A five valve differential pressure test kit will
be available for applicant use at the examination
site. Applicants may use their own differential
pressure test kit if they provide the examination
proctor with a current certificate of accuracy or
calibration.
Department of Health does not require any education,
training, or experience to apply for a BAT Certification
Examination. Applying for and paying for a BAT examination
does not enroll anyone in a BAT training course,
nor are BAT examinations in Washington administered
as a part of any training course. It is highly recommended
that any person interested in becoming a BAT plan
to attend an appropriate training course. However,
attending a training course is not a guarantee that
an applicant will be able to pass the examination.
Applicants may also use the
BAT Exam References as self-study material.
Since training is separate from the examination,
cancellation of a scheduled training activity does
not mean that an examination will also be cancelled.
BAT examinations are normally cancelled only due
to low enrollment. See
Apply for a BAT Certification Examination for
transfer and cancellation policies.
Examination results are not considered official
until the examination has been graded and the applicant
has received written notification of the results.
It may take up to six (6) weeks for the applicant
to receive the official results of a BAT certification
examination because the written portion of the examination
is graded by the Association of Boards of Certification.
Certification Services cannot respond to questions
about examination results until the examination
is graded and the applicant has received the results.
Applicants are NOT eligible to apply for another
BAT Certification Examination until they have
received the official notification that they did
not pass their previous examination.