The International Plumbing Code, being particularly the 2018
International Plumbing Code (IPC), and all revisions thereto, save
and except such portions as may hereinafter be amended, of which not
less than two (2) copies have been and are now filed in the offices
of the city, are hereby adopted and incorporated as fully as if set
forth at length herein, and from the date on which this section shall
take effect, the provisions therein shall be controlling in the construction,
installation, extension, or repair of all plumbing, plumbing fixtures
and plumbing systems within the area of jurisdiction of the city.
(Ordinance O-19-036 adopted 9/19/19; Ordinance O-21-029 adopted 10/21/21)
The following local amendments are made to the International
Plumbing Code, 2018 edition, as adopted by the city.[1]
[1]
Editor’s note–The 2018 IPC amendments are included as an attachment to this chapter.
(a)
General.
No water service connection shall be made to any establishment
where a potential or actual contamination hazard exists unless the
water supply is protected in accordance with the Texas Commission
on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) Rules and Regulations for Public Water
Systems (290 Rules) and this section. The water purveyor shall discontinue
water service if a required backflow prevention assembly is not installed,
maintained and tested in accordance with the 290 Rules and this section.
(b)
Backflow
prevention assembly installation, testing and maintenance.
(1)
All
backflow prevention assemblies shall be tested upon installation by
a licensed backflow prevention assembly tester and certified to be
operating within specifications. Backflow prevention assemblies which
are installed to provide protection against health hazards must also
be tested and certified to be operating within specifications at least
annually by a recognized backflow prevention assembly tester.
(2)
All
backflow prevention assemblies shall be installed and tested in accordance
with the manufacturer’s instructions, the American Water Works
Association’s Recommended Practice for Backflow Prevention and
Cross-Connection Control (Manual M14) or the University of Southern
California Manual of Cross-Connection Control.
(3)
Assemblies
shall be repaired, overhauled, or replaced at the expense of the customer
whenever said assemblies are found to be defective. Original forms
of such test, repairs, and overhaul shall be kept and submitted to
the city within five (5) working days of the test, repair or overhaul
of each backflow prevention assembly.
(4)
No
backflow prevention assembly or device shall be removed from use,
relocated, or other assembly or device substituted without the approval
of the city. Whenever the existing assembly or device is moved from
the present location or cannot be repaired, the backflow assembly
or device shall be replaced with a backflow prevention assembly or
device that complies with this section, the American Water Works Association’s
Recommended Practice for Backflow Prevention and Cross-Connection
Control (Manual M14), current addition, University of Southern California
Manual of Cross-Connection Control, current addition, or the current
plumbing code of the city, whichever is more stringent.
(5)
Test
gauges used for backflow prevention assembly testing shall be tested
for accuracy at least annually in accordance with the American Water
Works Association’s Recommended Practice for Backflow Prevention
and Cross-Connection Control (Manual M14), current addition, or the
University of Southern California’s Manual of Cross-Connection
Control, current addition. The original calibration form must be submitted
to the city within five (5) working days after calibration.
(6)
A
recognized backflow prevention assembly tester must hold a current
endorsement from the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ).
(c)
Customer
service inspections.
(1)
A
customer service inspection shall be completed prior to providing
continuous water service to all new construction, on any existing
service when the water purveyor has reason to believe that cross-connections
or other contaminant hazards exist, or after any material improvement,
correction, or addition to the private water distribution facilities.
(2)
Only
individuals with the following credentials shall be recognized as
capable of conducting a customer service inspection:
(3)
The
customer service inspection must certify that:
(A)
No direct connection between the public drinking water supply and
a potential source of contamination is permitted. Potential sources
of contamination shall be isolated from the public water system by
a properly installed air gap or an appropriate backflow prevention
assembly.
(B)
No cross-connection between the public water supply and a private
water source exists. Where an actual properly installed air gap is
not maintained between the public water supply and a private water
supply, an approved reduced pressure-zone backflow prevention assembly
is properly installed and a service agreement exists for annual inspection
and testing by a recognized backflow prevention assembly tester.
(C)
No connection exists which allows water to be returned to the public
drinking water supply is permitted.
(D)
No pipe or pipe fitting which contains more than 0.25% lead may be
used for the installation or repair of plumbing at any connection
that provides water for human use.
(E)
No solder or flux which contains more than 0.2% lead can be used
for the installation or repair of plumbing at any connection that
provides water for human use. A minimum of one (1) lead test shall
be performed for each inspection.
(Ordinance O-19-036 adopted 9/19/19; Ordinance O-21-029 adopted 10/21/21)
