The Search for the hidden backflow assembly…

Lost since 2005, Found in 2011, 1 of 6

These pics are of a test I did today at the Northwest Automotive Service Center on the corner of 85th and Aurora. Testers have not been able to find this one since 2005. The city was going to shut the water off. It took me a half an hour to find it, a half an hour to clear out the shrubs and dig it out, plus two trips and the test for this one took me 2.5 hours to complete.

Lost since 2005, Found in 2011, 2 of 6

They say people sometimes can’t see the forest for the trees. In the case of this assembly, it was more a matter of not seeing it for the vines. Here at Pop’s Backflow Testing, we pride ourselves on keen eyesight and thoughtful judgment. Or maybe we just like to solve “Find-the-Hidden-Object” puzzles. In any case go ahead, click on each picture to enlarge…

Lost since 2005, Found in 2011 (3 of 6)

We went at it with some garden clippers, saws, utility knives, and our bare hands until we had the vines cleared away. That wasn’t landscaping—that was Nature, overgrowing an important device for human sanitation!

Lost since 2005, Found in 2011, 4 of 6

Sure enough, we found it. And for the first time in six years, tested it.

Lost since 2005, Found in 2011, 5 of 6

And we didn’t leave until that thing passed inspection with flying colors. (You can see the famous blue truck of Pop’s Testing in the background).

Lost since 2005, Found in 2011, 6 of 6

All in all, a job well done. And we cleared away the yard waste and left the area clear for the next guy to come along to test it. Hopefully we’ll get that call next year!