As part of the construction of development improvement, all
water mains shall be tested as described in this article. The Director
of Public Services and City Engineer shall be notified of the time
of the test a minimum of 24 hours prior to the test. All tests shall
be performed in the presence of the Director of Public Services and/or
City Engineer.
All new water mains and service lines shall be subjected to
a hydrostatic pressure of not less than 150 pounds per square inch.
Hold the test pressure for a duration of one hour without pressure
loss or further pressure application. Before applying the specified
test pressure, all air shall be expelled from the pipe. All visible
leaks shall be repaired until tight. The leakage in any section of
pipe shall not exceed 11.65 gallons per twenty-four-hour day per inch
diameter per mile of pipe. Any cracked or defective pipes, fittings,
valves, or hydrants discovered in consequence of this pressure test
shall be removed and replaced and the test repeated until satisfactory
results are obtained.
Prior to chlorination, the main shall be flushed as thoroughly
as possible with the water pressure and outlets available. Flushing
shall be done after the pressure test is made. It shall be understood
that such flushing removes only the lighter solids and cannot be relied
upon to remove heavy material allowed to get into the main during
laying. Hydrants shall be installed at the end of the main and shall
be flowed until the water runs clear.