Oatey 4 in. PVC Backwater Valve

Still working 5 years later

I am a licensed plumber in two different states. I have worked with Oatey products for many decades. I recently purchased a home that is lower than some of the newer-built homes. There's a pump station a block or so away from my home. In the event of an extended power outage, the sewer could possibly back up to my home since it's one of the lower ones. I bought this Oatey Backwater Valve. It has a big screw top that you can open, and you can see the gate or check valve itself and pull it out to service it and clean it if needed. It would also work as a clean-out.The sewer was not deep at my home; it was only about 18 inches below grade I installed this backwater valve, and I put an irrigation box over the top of it. It's been installed for about 3 weeks with no issues whatsoever.

I did a self install on the sewer, very easy to install. Has work perfectly I haven't got any more sewer backing up in my basement

This valve worked fantastic! Saved me from a flooded basement and terrace. We have had storm after storm this spring, and we have a large ravine in our front yard for storm water drainage. During long heavy rains, it does not drain fast enough and water sometimes gets up to 6 feet deep. Well our sunken terrace drains into the ravine in the front yard, so when that backs up, it actually pushes water back up the drain and starts filling the sunken terrace! This happened a month or so ago, and we had a huge mess to clean up so I ordered this backflow valve and installed it. Not a moment too soon either! A few days after it was installed on the end of the terrace drain pipe, we got another huge storm and the ravine filled up higher than I have ever seen it. The terrace continued to drain as normal and no water came back up the pipe. The ravine stayed at 6-8 feet high full of muddy storm water for quite a while before going back down. The terrace drained as normal and the basement is bone dry. Worked perfectly.

ok

Seems to be made of sturdy pvc, like schedule 40. I had several fittings on hand and was able to transition from cheap sewer pipe to this quite easily. Don't ask me how as I do not remember. I then attached a short piece of baling twine to the top and buried it to shield the fitting from UV rays. If there is ever a problem it should be easy to un-earth and clean it or whatever. It is very simple and completely take-apartable and fixable.

I could not find this 4" item anywhere in any material other than PVC where the rest of the sewer system is ABS but No Problem:Use universal cement. To shim it into an existing linear pipe required the use of about a foot long stub of ABS pipe so a 4" rubber sleeve could splice the line upstream. Not much pressure is involved (We Hope) so this should not be an issue.Unit doubles as a clean-out. Topmost inspection screw cover is within a 5" (or is it 6"?) OD flange so if buried, you can extend an "inspection tube" back up to the surface. In our area I think pipes are supposed to be at least 18" below the surface to the top of the pipe? so 18" of the right diameter pipe is needed, and a protective cover. Flap valve is easily removable below, being kept in place by the screw in inspection cover, with no danger of it flouting away anywhere. There is a rubber gasket that I hope is synthetic..

Fits great easy installation great value and performance