About the BAT Professional Growth Examination
BAT Professional Growth Examination Schedule
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Backflow Assembly Tester

Professional Growth Requirement

About the BAT Professional Growth Examination

The Washington State Backflow Assembly Tester (BAT) Professional Growth Examination is a practical (hands-on) examination. All exam applicants are required to provide picture identification (driver license, military identification card, or other government issued identification) prior to taking the 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.

Test Procedures

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.

Test Kits

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 report.

Preparing for a BAT Professional Growth Examination

Department of Health does not require any education, training, or experience to apply for a BAT professional growth 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. 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 Professional Growth Examination for transfer and cancellation policies.

Official Examination Results

The state examination proctor will provide the applicant with preliminary results at the end of the examination. The results are not considered official until they are evaluated and confirmed by Washington Certification Services, usually within three weeks. You will be notified of the official results in writing. Certification Services cannot respond to questions about examination results until the official results have been sent to the applicant.

Applicants are NOT eligible to apply for another BAT professional growth examination until they have received the official notification that they did not pass their previous examination.