Stop Backflow Preventer Theft With Above-Ground Enclosures

Last year in Santa Maria, Calif., roughly a dozen backflow valves were stolen from a plumbing company, costing them over $10,000 to replace. In Denver, Colo., a property manager reported the theft of 25 valves which led to thousands of dollars in losses for parts and labor. And recently, the city of Longmont, Colo., reported that over two dozen backflow valves had been stolen from city parks.

Ultimately, a stolen valve can cost much more than the parts and labor to replace it. Thefts present a serious public health risk of water contamination and disruption in water service. Moving a valve indoors and out of sight isn't necessarily the best solution because an operational valve, if not addressed quickly, could end up costing even more in commercial building clean-up and repairs.

As backflow valve and backflow prevention device thefts continue to rise, business and property owners need to find new ways to protect them. 

Why Do People Steal Backflow Preventers?

Thieves target backflow preventer valves because of the materials they're made from. Copper and brass are high-demand scrap materials and criminals can make a few dollars for each pound they sell. Backflow prevention devices also make convenient targets because they're often easy to spot and remove.

Backflow preventer theft became a widespread issue as far back as 2008, during the global economic crisis. Criminals soon realized, as they had with air conditioning units and wire and pipes in abandoned buildings, the high resale value of backflow preventer valve materials at recycling centers and began targeting larger ones, such as ones found at commercial properties.

Are Cages Effective Against Backflow Theft?

As backflow preventer thefts rose almost 20 years ago, protective backflow cages became a standard deterrent strategy for safeguarding backflow valves. In many places, city administrators still recommend cages to deter would-be criminals. 

While cages do offer some protection, they're sadly no longer as effective at keeping criminals out. By their nature, they allow full visibility of the valve, so thieves can quickly see what’s inside and if it’s worth trying to steal.

Thieves can use the same tools, like a bolt cutter, to cut through the lock guard or protective cage legs, rendering them useless even when secured properly to the concrete slab. To add insult to injury, thieves may pull their crime off during the day by impersonating city employees.

In more extreme cases, criminals will even tie a chain to the cages, attach them to a vehicle, and simply pull them off. Unfortunately, thieves have become quite efficient at devising ways to get what they’re after.

How To Protect Against Theft

Thankfully, there's a much more effective way to protect your backflow valves. Above-ground enclosures are designed to fully cover the backflow system, which can deter criminals in a number of ways.

First, it simply prevents them from being able to see inside. Common criminals are concerned with convenience. They won’t risk getting caught trying to break open every enclosure hoping to find a valve. If they can’t see the opportunity, they won’t bother.

Beyond visible coverage, Safe-T-Cover enclosures offer much greater physical protection as well, especially from heat waves and deep freezes. They're made from marine-grade aluminum and come in a variety of sizes to accommodate a wide range of flow systems. They can even be customized for more complex environments and applications. 

As an additional theft prevention measure, Safe-T-Cover now features our exclusive LOK-360 security system for all enclosures sized for 3/4" – 2” backflow assemblies. With brackets on the inside of the enclosure, LOK-360 features a locking rod with a puck-shaped lock. The system is flush to the sides of the enclosure preventing thieves or vandals from being able to cut or break it with bolt cutters. 

For municipal customers, our patented MUNI-LOK uses the conventional locking mechanism for underground vaults to secure backflow enclosures. This means an enclosure is locked from the moment it’s installed, and all municipal employees and contractors already have the key — no more calling around to find out who has the key and waiting for them to show up. 

Stop Potential Thieves

A broken backflow valve is not only expensive to replace, but can cause untold damage to property. If water flow isn't detected and shut off early, it can lead to additional flooding and erosion damage. Unfortunately, as criminals have become more efficient, a backflow cage is no longer enough to deter them; in fact, cages often now are a target.

Safe-T-Cover has been protecting waterworks equipment for nearly 40 years. We feature standard size enclosures designed with major backflow makers and standard sizes in mind, and can design and have a custom enclosure for your property shipped often in about three weeks.

Contact us today to get started.