[HISTORY: Adopted by the Board of Supervisors of the Township of Warwick 10-29-1987 by Ord. No. 87-6 (Part 5:500 of the 1984 Warwick Township Code); amended in its entirety 4-13-1992 by Ord. No. 92-6. Subsequent amendments noted where applicable.]
GENERAL REFERENCES
Water and Sewer Resource Panel — See Ch. 29.
Building construction — See Ch. 53.
Plumbing — See Ch. 141.
Swimming pools — See Ch. 167.
Water and sewers — See Ch. 183.
A. 
This chapter shall be known as the "Warwick Township Water Conservation Ordinance."
B. 
This chapter of the Code of the Township of Warwick applies to all water facilities under the jurisdiction of the Board of Supervisors, as defined in Chapter 183, Water and Sewers, and private water companies permitted by the Board or any other governmental agency to provide services within Warwick Township. The Authority, as the Board's designee for constructing and or otherwise devising and/or sanctioning all such systems within the Township, shall be responsible for its implementation.
No water shall be provided for internal or external use to any residential, commercial, industrial, agricultural, recreational, governmental or public building or structure of any kind which is constructed or remodeled and in which plumbing, water piping or water fixtures are to be installed, extended or altered in any way, and for which a construction permit is required to be obtained from Warwick Township (or would be required but for an exemption from a permit requirement for public or governmental agencies) unless the new, extended or altered plumbing, water piping and other water using fixtures therein conform to the requirements and standards of § 187-5 of this chapter. The provisions of this chapter shall apply to any such building or structure for which such a building permit is issued, or would otherwise be required to be issued but for exemption, on or after the date adopted.
Customers shall be encouraged not to permit any water furnished by the Warwick Township Water and Sewer Authority to run to waste in any gutter or other impervious surface.
Each resident or property owner of Warwick Township is urged to install fixtures which will reduce the quantity of water required to flush toilets and which will reduce the flow rates of showers and faucets.
A. 
Water meters.
(1) 
Water and/or sewer customers of the Warwick Township Water and Sewer Authority shall have their water supply metered at the source before any connection for internal or external use.
(2) 
Meters shall be of a type and manufacture approved by the Warwick Township Water and Sewer Authority and shall include a remote digital read out.
(3) 
The initial installation and cost of the meter shall be at the customer's expense. The meter shall become the property of the Warwick Township Water and Sewer Authority who will be responsible for any testing and maintenance.
B. 
Water closets operated by flush tanks. The water consumption of water closets operated by flush tanks shall not exceed an average of 1.6 gallons per flush cycle over a range of test pressures from 20 to 80 pounds per square inch gauge.[1] The fixture shall perform in accordance with the flushing test requirements cited in ANSI/ASME A122.19.2 Vitreous China Plumbing Fixture Standard.
[1]
Editor's Note: Current maximum water consumption figures are on file and available for inspection in the Township Office.
C. 
Water closets and urinals operated by flush valves.
(1) 
Water closet water consumption shall not exceed an average of 1.6 gallons per flush cycle over a range of test pressures from 20 to 80 psig.[2] The flush valve shall be adjusted according to the manufacturer's specifications. The fixtures shall perform in accordance with the flushing test requirements cited in the ANSI/ASME A122.19.2 Vitreous China Plumbing Fixture Standard. This restriction shall not apply to blowout type water closets.
[2]
Editor's Note: Current maximum water consumption figures are on file and available for inspection in the Township Office.
(2) 
Urinal water consumption shall not exceed an average of 1.5 gallons per flush cycle over a range of test pressures from 20 to 80 psig.[3] The flush valve shall be adjusted according to the manufacturer's specifications. The fixtures shall perform in accordance with the flushing test requirements cited in the ANSI/ASME A122.19.2 Vitreous China Plumbing Fixtures Standard. This restriction shall not apply to blowout type urinals.
[3]
Editor's Note: Current maximum water consumption figures are on file and available for inspection in the Township Office.
D. 
Showerheads. Showerhead discharge rates shall not exceed 2.75 gallons of water per minute over a range of test pressures from 20 to 80 psig.[4] The fixture shall perform in accordance with the test requirements cited in the ANSI/ASME A112.18.1 Finished and Rough Brass Plumbing Fixtures Standard. This restriction shall not apply to safety or deluge showers.
[4]
Editor's Note: Current maximum water consumption figures are on file and available for inspection in the Township Office.
E. 
Sink faucets.
(1) 
Kitchen sink faucet discharge rates shall not exceed 2.75 gallons of water per minute over a range of test pressures from 20 to 80 psig.[5] The fixture shall perform in accordance with the test requirements cited in the ANSI/ASME A112.18.1 Finished and Rough Brass Plumbing Fixture Fittings Standard.
[5]
Editor's Note: Current maximum water consumption figures are on file and available for inspection in the Township Office.
(2) 
Residential lavatory sink faucet discharge rates shall not exceed 2.75 gallons of water per minute over a range of test pressures from 20 to 80 psig.[6] The fixture shall perform in accordance with the test requirements cited in the ANSI/ASME A112.18.1 Finished and Rough Brass Plumbing Fixture Fittings Standard.
[6]
Editor's Note: Current maximum water consumption figures are on file and available for inspection in the Township Office.
(3) 
Nonresidential lavatory faucets shall be either self-closing or metering faucets as described below:
(a) 
Self-closing faucets shall not exceed an average discharge rate of 0.5 gallons of water per minute between the pressure of 20 to 30 psig[7] when tested in accordance with the discharge test procedure cited in ANSI/ASME A112.18.1 Finished and Rough Brass Plumbing Fixture Fittings Standard.
[7]
Editor's Note: Current maximum water consumption figures are on file and available for inspection in the Township Office.
(b) 
Metering faucets shall be field adjustable and set so that the discharge quantity shall not exceed 0.5 gallons of water per cycle.[8]
[8]
Editor's Note: Current maximum water consumption figures are on file and available for inspection in the Township Office.
F. 
Pressure-reducing valves. Where the service water pressure to a building is expected to exceed 60 psig, a water pressure reducing valve with strainer shall be installed just downstream of the building's main valve, so as to be accessible. The valve shall provide for pressure adjustment with the range of 50 to 60 psig. The valve shall conform to the requirements of product standard ASSE 1003 Performance Requirements for Water Pressure Reducing Valves. Exemptions to this subsection are service lines to sill cocks, outside hydrants, and main supply risers to buildings where pressure from mains does not exceed 60 psig at the fixture branches or at individual fixtures.
Any person(s) may apply to Warwick Township for an exception to the terms of this chapter, which may be granted by the Board of Supervisors upon proof that some other device, system or procedure will save as much or more water as those set forth herein or that those set forth herein cannot be complied with without undue hardship.
A. 
All water facilities under the jurisdiction of the Warwick Township Board of Supervisors shall have a Water Resources Management Plan. Such plans shall be submitted to and approved by the Warwick Township Water and Sewer Authority as the Board's designee. The same plan as may be required by the Bureau of Water Resources Management, PADEP, shall be used to satisfy the requirements of this chapter.
B. 
The Water Resources Management Plan shall include, but is not limited to, the following:
(1) 
Leakage monitoring program. A program to monitor all water supply facilities, including storage and distribution systems in each service area, shall be developed and implemented.
(2) 
Water conservation program. A continuous program to encourage water conservation in all types of use within the area served by the water facility shall be developed and implemented. Such conservation programs shall be based on the appropriate sections of this chapter.
(3) 
Drought and other water supply emergency plan. In order to conserve the supply of water in times of dry periods or other interruptions of the water supply, a plan shall be developed for each water facility for implementation by the Authority as the Board's designee. Such emergency plans shall be based on this chapter and shall identify the appropriate "Trigger Points" for each of three stages of emergency as follows:
(a) 
Stage I: watch.
[1] 
This stage shall call for the voluntary restriction on nonessential use of water such as odd/even lawn watering schedules based on street address and limiting the watering of gardens, trees and shrubs to after 8:00 p.m. and before 7:00 a.m. The Authority shall make available water saving kits and appropriate literature, including lists identifying plumbing fixtures that have been designed for water conservation.
[2] 
Fire hydrant testing and waterline flushing will be deferred except as necessary for public health and safety.
(b) 
Stage II: warning. This stage shall implement mandatory restrictions on the nonessential use of water so that it will be prohibited to water lawns, wash cars (except for commercial establishments that recycle water), streets, driveways, walkways or other outside usages, except that watering gardens, trees and shrubs after 8:00 p.m. and before 7:00 a.m. will be permitted.
(c) 
Stage III: emergency. This stage shall implement water rationing so that the use of water shall be restricted solely to domestic consumption for residential and commercial users. No outside use of water shall be permitted.
(4) 
Implementation of the water supply emergency plan. To implement any stage of a water supply emergency plan, the Authority as the Board's designee shall cause notice of the fact to be published in a newspaper of general circulation in the Township. Such notice shall identify the stage of emergency and the applicable water demand reduction measures. Water use restriction may be applied to all or part of a service area as may be necessary.
A. 
The Board of Supervisors may, from time to time, modify, add to remove or otherwise amend the standards and restrictions herein.
B. 
As actual operating experience with each water facility increases, it may be necessary for the Authority to adjust the water emergency stage trigger points required per § 187-7. Such adjustments shall be made by revision to the applicable Water Resources Management Plan and are not considered as an amendment to this chapter.
A. 
Any person, partnership, association, firm or corporation violating any of the provisions of this chapter shall, upon summary conviction before a District Justice, be sentenced to pay a fine of not less than $100 nor more than $300, plus the cost of prosecution. In default of payment of said fine, said person or principals of said partnership, association, firm or corporation shall be sentenced to undergo imprisonment in the Bucks County Prison for a period not exceeding 30 days. Each day that a violation continues after written notification shall constitute a separate violation of this chapter.
B. 
In addition, the Authority, upon 10 days' written notice, may discontinue service to the customer in violation.