About the USC Foundation

For over one hundred years, incidents where contaminants and pollutants have flowed backwards into potable drinking water supplies have been documented. The University of Southern California became involved in cross-connection control efforts before most had ever heard of backflow.

In 1943, during World War II, a supply ship was discovered to have harbor water in its potable water tanks. An investigation revealed that this was caused by a cross-connection between the city water supply and the harbor water.

A group of concerned individuals, believing that the unbiased efforts of an educational institution would better serve the ultimate aim of protecting potable water supplies, approached the University of Southern California asking that research be done in this area.

After several conferences, this group worked out an agreement with the University; and one of their members, who wished to remain anonymous, gave the University some funds with which to establish a laboratory and employ a team of researchers. Thus, in 1944, the Trustees of the University of Southern California established the Foundation for Cross-Connection Control Research. The name has since been changed to the Foundation for Cross-Connection Control and Hydraulic Research.

The Foundation thus began drafting definitions and specifications covering cross-connection control and the assemblies required for the prevention of backflow.

The USC Foundation for Cross-Connection Control and Hydraulic Research is a division of the University of Southern California, which is consistently one of the top research universities in the nation.

Over the years, the Foundation has developed a set of standards for backflow prevention assemblies and a number of products and services designed to help water utilities, health agencies, plumbing inspectors, private contractors, engineers and the general public in their cross-connection control efforts. In the following pages you will find information on the various products, services and training courses offered by the Foundation.