A backflow testing company can remind 500 businesses about the annual test by storing each business's due date in GoHighLevel and firing reminders 60, 30, and 14 days before it. The bottom line: the test schedule comes from the water utility and the state drinking water program, the customer often finds out late, and the company that reminds first is usually the company that books the test.
What the regulators say about the schedule
State programs describe the same rhythm. The Arizona Department of Environmental Quality says required backflow prevention assembly tests are performed annually and after an assembly is installed, relocated, or repaired. The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality says certain businesses must install high grade assemblies and have a certified tester test them annually. South Carolina's environmental agency says every public water system must keep records of assemblies and annual testing results, and that testing must be done by a state certified tester.
Details vary by utility and by hazard level. One backflow reference notes that high risk facilities may face semiannual or quarterly requirements from the local authority. A compliance guide for property owners says most municipalities want test records sent to the utility within 30 days of the test. Store the utility's own due date on each record instead of calculating one, because the utility is the authority that sends the violation.
The reminder schedule
| Days before the utility deadline | Action | Channel |
|---|---|---|
| 60 | Send the due date and a booking link. | Email and text |
| 30 | Second reminder to anyone who has not booked. Skip customers who booked. | Text |
| 14 | Create a call task for the office. Send a plain notice that the deadline is close. | Task and email |
| After the test | Update the due date to next year and send the test report request to the utility if that is part of your service. | Automation |
Build it in GoHighLevel
- Create a date field called Backflow test due date. Fill it from the utility's notice, not from the last test date.
- Add a tag for the water utility so messages can name it.
- In Automation, build a new workflow and add the Custom Date Reminder trigger.
- Choose the due date field and add Before Number of Days set to 60.
- Add Send Email and Send SMS actions that include your calendar booking link.
- Add a Goal Event for a booked appointment, so booked customers skip the later reminders.
- Publish, then build the 30 and 14 day workflows. Use Add Task in the 14 day workflow.
- After each test, use Update Contact Field to move the due date forward a year.
If one customer has many assemblies with different test dates, a single contact date field is not enough. GoHighLevel supports custom objects with their own date fields, and its documentation shows workflows that respond to changes in custom object records. Model each assembly as a record and link it to the customer.
Text to send at 60 days
Your annual backflow test for [service address] is due by [due date]. Choose a time here: [booking link]. Reply STOP to opt out.
What the workload looks like
A company with 500 business customers on annual tests has about 10 tests due every week (500 divided by 52 is 9.6) and about 42 due dates every month (500 divided by 12). A 60 day booking window means roughly 84 customers are inside the window at any time. Doing that by phone means an office employee calling the same list over and over. Automating the first two touches leaves the phone for the customers who did not respond.
Mistakes to avoid
- Calculating the date from your last visit. The utility's notice sets the deadline, and some utilities differ. Copy the date from the notice.
- One field for many assemblies. A customer with three assemblies needs three dates. Use custom objects if you track them separately.
- No test report step. Some guides say utilities want reports within about 30 days. Add a task after each test so the report is not forgotten.
- Texting the wrong contact. The person who books the test is often a facility manager, not the owner. Store the right contact on the record.
Check before you switch it on
US text messages sent from a standard 10 digit number need A2P 10DLC registration. The HighLevel support portal says registration is required for texts to US recipients from 10 digit long code numbers and that toll free numbers do not require it. HighLevel's opt in guidelines also say a person cannot be forced to agree to text messages in order to submit a form, so keep the consent box optional. One compliance guide separates informational texts, which need documented consent, from marketing texts, which need prior express written consent. Ask your attorney which category your reminders fall into. Backflow reminders are informational, but many customers list a shared office number, so confirm whose number it is before you text. This is general information, not legal advice.
Questions people ask
Are all assemblies tested annually?
State pages from Arizona and Texas describe annual testing, but local authorities can require more frequent testing for high risk facilities, so use the utility's notice.
What if the assembly fails the test?
Tag the contact with a failed test tag and start a repair workflow, then set the due date after the retest.
Can I track several assemblies per customer?
Yes, with custom objects, according to GoHighLevel's documentation of custom object workflows.
Ready to try it yourself? Start a GoHighLevel account here.
You can also see this in action in our GoHighLevel capabilities demo.