Austin Water's New Backflow Portal (Klir): What Changes in November 2026

Austin Water is retiring WEIRS, the online system testers use to file backflow Test and Maintenance Reports (TMRs), on Monday, November 16, 2026. All Water Protection test submissions move to a new application called Klir, which goes live on Tuesday, November 17. Testers have until 5 p.m. on Friday, November 13 to finish anything pending in WEIRS. Austin Water's announcement is aimed at testers. It doesn't create a filing step for property owners or mention a fee: the registered tester still files the TMR within five calendar days of the test.

Key takeaways

• Friday, Nov. 13, before 5 p.m.: testers should complete pending or incomplete WEIRS submissions so the data carries over.
• Monday, Nov. 16: WEIRS is retired and the legacy system is no longer available.
• Tuesday, Nov. 17: Klir goes live for Water Protection test submissions.
• Owners: nothing new to file, according to the tester page. You still hire a state-licensed tester who is registered with Austin Water, and that tester submits the report.
• Not covered by the source: filing fees, any extension for reports that come due during the cutover, and whether owners will be able to log in to Klir.

What is changing, and when?

Austin Water's Backflow Prevention Assembly Tester Information page announces that WEIRS is being retired and that every Water Protection test submission will move to Klir. Klir is a software company that sells water-utility tools, including a backflow and cross-connection module. The announcement lists weekdays and dates but no year. Friday, November 13, Monday, November 16 and Tuesday, November 17 all fall on those weekdays in 2026, and the page carries a 2026 copyright line, so we read the dates as November 2026.

Elsewhere, the same page still says TMRs must be filed online through WEIRS, with paper copies refused since July 25, 2022. Austin Water's Cross Connection Control program page says the same. That text predates the switch to Klir. Expect it to be updated, and follow the transition notice in the meantime.

What changes for property owners?

Very little, based on what Austin Water has published. Here is what the official pages say and what they leave out.

Who files the report

The tester does. Austin Water requires each Backflow Prevention Assembly Tester (BPAT) to submit a complete TMR for every assembly tested, within five calendar days of the test. The switch to Klir changes the tool, not who is responsible for filing. Your job as the owner is to have the assembly tested. Austin Water's Water Protection FAQ says mechanical assemblies protecting against a health hazard must be tested at installation and then at least once a year.

Fees

The tester page lists no Austin Water fee for filing a TMR, and the announcement doesn't mention a Klir fee. We found no published amount. That's different from Dallas, which charges $10 for each passed test filed through its portal. See our comparison of filing fees by city. If a tester's quote includes a "filing" or "portal" charge in Austin, ask what it pays for.

Is there a blackout period?

The page doesn't use that word or announce a blackout. Still, there's a gap: WEIRS closes to new work at 5 p.m. on Friday, November 13, it's retired on Monday the 16th, and Klir goes live on Tuesday the 17th. Because of the five-day rule, a test done on or after November 8 is due on or after that Friday. Austin Water hasn't said whether those deadlines will be extended. If your test falls in that week, ask your tester when the report was actually accepted, and keep that date.

Notices, owner logins and lists

Austin Water hasn't said whether its annual reminder notices will change, or whether owners or property managers will get Klir logins. Klir's help center mentions portal invitations and a section for testers, but that is general product documentation, not an Austin decision. The public list of registered testers, the approved-assembly list and the site-notice list are currently WEIRS pages. The announcement doesn't say where they will be published after November 16.

Steps for property owners

1. Check your due date. If your annual test is due in mid-November, book early enough for the tester to file in WEIRS before the Friday, November 13 cutoff. Otherwise, ask how they'll handle a report that comes due between November 13 and Klir's first days.
2. Use a registered tester. Testing has to be done by a state-licensed BPAT who is registered with the City of Austin (Austin Water). Check the current tester list before you book. See also Who can test a backflow preventer?
3. Give the tester accurate details. The TMR includes the owner or occupant's name, the owner's representative and the owner's mailing address, plus the assembly's location, manufacturer, model and serial number. Errors here can leave a report filed against the wrong record.
4. Ask for proof. Get a copy of the completed TMR and the date it was submitted, whether in WEIRS or Klir.
5. If the assembly fails, the repair and retest results go on the report. The tester page doesn't give a repair deadline, so follow your notice or ask Austin Water. Our guide My backflow failed the test: repair or replace? explains how to compare quotes.
6. Keep your records with the property file: the notice, the report, any repair invoice and the submission date.

Steps for backflow testers

1. Clear your WEIRS queue before 5 p.m. on Friday, November 13. Austin Water says to finish pending or incomplete submissions so the data can transfer.
2. Check your email on file. Klir registration and training instructions go to the address Austin Water has for you. If your details have changed, Austin Water asks for a new registration form by mail or email. It no longer accepts in-person registration.
3. Plan for tests near the cutover. The five-calendar-day rule still applies. For any report you can't file before WEIRS closes, ask Austin Water in writing how to handle it, and keep the reply.
4. Keep your credentials current. You need a TCEQ BPAT license (a 40-hour accredited course plus the state exam) and an Austin Water technician registration. To renew, you need 24 hours of TCEQ-accredited continuing education, including eight hours of practical skills, and proof goes to Austin Water by email. See how to become a certified tester.
5. Register your gauge. A separate gauge registration form is required unless you use your employer's registered gauges. Calibration must be done by a gauge-testing company Austin Water approves, within USC tolerances.
6. Keep reporting what you find. Testers must still document illegal or unapproved installations and file a TMR when an assembly is removed. Austin Water suspends a registration for one year after three notices of violation within two years.

What stays the same

• Testers need a TCEQ license and an Austin Water registration.
• Each TMR is due within five calendar days of the test.
• The report contents stay the same: assembly details, test and repair results, owner information, tester signature and license number, gauge serial number and test date.
• Assemblies must be on the USC Foundation for Cross-Connection Control and Hydraulic Research approved list (Austin Water). For device choice, see RPZ vs double check vs PVB.

How Austin compares with other Texas cities

All three Texas cities we cover rely on the state TCEQ tester license, and each runs its own portal. Dallas uses SwiftComply and charges $10 per passed test. Fort Worth uses Vepo's Envirotrax system, and testers enter results directly. Austin is moving from WEIRS to Klir. Our city-by-city table compares portals, fees, deadlines and who files, and our Austin page covers local planning.

FAQ

When does Austin Water switch from WEIRS to Klir? WEIRS is retired on Monday, November 16, 2026, and Klir is scheduled to go live on Tuesday, November 17. Testers should complete pending WEIRS submissions before 5 p.m. on Friday, November 13.

Do property owners have to file their backflow test report in Klir? No. Austin Water requires the tester to submit the Test and Maintenance Report. The owner's job is to have the assembly tested by a licensed tester who is registered with Austin Water.

Is there a fee to file a backflow test report in Austin? Austin Water's tester page doesn't list one, and the Klir announcement doesn't mention a fee. If that changes, it should appear on the official page. Confirm with Austin Water before paying any "portal" charge.

How long does a tester have to file in Austin? Five calendar days from the test. Austin Water hasn't said whether reports that come due during the November 13 to 17 cutover get extra time, so ask Austin Water if that applies to you.

Who do I contact with questions? Austin Water's Utility Compliance Services Division: 512-972-1060, option 5, or [email protected]. In-person visits are not accepted.

Compare registered testers

If your test is due soon, prepare a quote request on Backflow Compass. Include your assembly details and due date, and ask each tester to confirm they are registered with Austin Water and set up in Klir. Backflow Compass is an independent directory, not a testing company.

Disclaimer: This article is general information, not legal advice or a compliance determination. Dates and procedures come from Austin Water's pages as checked on November 4, 2026, and may change. Confirm with Austin Water or a licensed tester.

Sources

1. Austin Water: Backflow Prevention Assembly Tester Information (WEIRS-to-Klir notice, TMR rules, registration)
2. Austin Water: Cross Connection Control / Water Protection Program
3. Austin Water: Backflow Prevention Overview
4. Austin Water: Water Protection Frequently Asked Questions
5. TCEQ: Backflow Prevention Assembly Tester license
6. Klir Knowledge Hub: Klir for Water Protection
7. City of Dallas: Backflow Test Reports

Independent general information. Requirements and prices depend on scope, locality, technical standards and current regulations. Verify critical details with qualified professionals and relevant authorities.