[Communications] {AUA} Backflow Recertification Day 2025

[Tucker Kelly]

Hello farmers and gardeners who use hydrants to water their gardens, 


The *Hydrant Use Permit (HUP)*  
<https://hup.betterstrongersaferchicago.org/#/home>for community gardens 
and farms is open, and as in years past, NeighborSpace and Advocates for 
Urban Agriculture are partnering up to support the steps (there are many!) 
in getting access to hydrant water. 

There are some new procedures that we feel will help grease the wheels, 
please read below.  

   1. 
   
   From now until March 24, 2025: Drop off your RPZ at the Center for Green 
   Technology (445 N Sacramento Blvd) between 8 am and 8 pm, in the metal 
   cart or red wagon in the lobby. There should be someone at the front desk 
   between those hours to open the doors. Sometimes, the guard has stepped 
   away and has locked the doors but should be back soon. It’s recommended to 
   call the front desk to let them know you are on your way. 1-312-743-7230. 
   After you drop your RPZ off,  please take a picture of your unit in the 
   cart, note date and time, and email your garden information and photo of 
   your unit with serial number to *water at auachicago.org* 
   <water at auachicago.org> and *rcline at neighbor-space.org* 
   <rcline at neighbor-space.org>. If you do not have an RPZ and you need one, 
   email water at auachicago.org. We may have an extra or two for farms and 
   gardens that are establishing first time water access, but will need to get 
   some information from you beforehand. Email *water at auachicago.org* 
   <water at auachicago.org> if you need a new RPZ.
   2. 
   
   Starting now: Get your application started here: 
   *http://hup.betterstrongersaferchicago.org/#/home* 
   <http://hup.betterstrongersaferchicago.org/#/home>.You can start the 
   city application process now. You will need a simple letter from your 
   garden  
   <https://docs.google.com/document/u/1/d/1ptlwbV0iOqbSCVglcN8PIn91UAnZ6kxlMEhprMH6WGU/edit>to 
   upload into the application, you can make a copy of this letter, and fill 
   in the blanks.  If you don’t have your RPZ test certification yet, mention 
   that in your letter. Also, upload a pdf that says “RPZ testing in 
   process”-  you can add the RPZ test certificate later, just make sure to 
   keep track of your reference # that you will get via email. Your 
   confirmation number and reference number are not the same thing, so just 
   make sure you check AutoResponse-DoNotReply at CityOfChicago.org in your 
   junk mail if you are looking for your reference number. Please see the 
   following image:
   
   
   3. 
   
   4. 
   
   Plumber will test RPZ’s for gardeners/ farmers the last 2 weeks of March and 
   do the paperwork that is required after the testing. Unlike in years past, 
   this testing is not happening on one day and you do not need to be in 
   person during this testing.
   5. 
   
   Pick up your RPZ after April 6 @  445 N Sacramento Blvd.. You will have 
   a report attached to the RPZ that you can now upload to the application. 
   Simply take a photo/ scan with your note app on your phone, make sure 
   everything is eligible, upload to application, and this will move you to 
   the next step of the hydrant use permit application process. 
   6. 
   
   *As in years past, you will need to make sure you have insurance naming 
   the water department and a legal agreement.* If you are a NeighborSpace 
   garden, let NeighborSpace know that you need a certificate of insurance for 
   the water department by emailing admin at neighbor-space.org. If you are 
   not a Neighborspace garden, direct your questions to water at auachicago.org
   7. 
   
   Once the agreement is in place, and the tested RPZ document is in the 
   system, the water department will confirm that the application is approved 
   and ready for invoicing and BPermits at cityofchicago.org  will follow up 
   with an invoice to the garden contact.
   8. 
   
   To pay online, go to this website. https://wps.chicagoworks.org This is 
   the easiest way to do it, otherwise you have to come downtown with two 
   paper copies of the invoice and pay at one of the four city of Chicago 
   payment stations (not the ez pay stations.) When it asks for your payment 
   id, please use your permit number.   
   9. 
   
   Once the invoice is paid, the garden contact will send the receipt to 
   Bpermits at cityofchicago.org, who will then follow up with the actual HUP 
   permit in an email. 
   10. 
   
   If you need a refresher on all the steps,  you can make an appointment 
   by emailing  water at auachicago.org to schedule a walkthrough.
   11. 
   
   We will follow up with emails to this group to help you jump through the 
   hoops, thanks!
   12. 
   
   For those who are having trouble because custodian caps have not been 
   removed, please let us know. We try to steward these removals through, but 
   it often takes a LONG TIME.
   
-Warm regards- Robin (NeighborSpace) and Tucker (Advocates for Urban Ag)

-- 
For more urban agriculture news, information and opportunities, visit AUA at http://auachicago.org/
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