Any person who violates any provision of this article to which no other specific penalty applies shall be subject the provisions of section 1.01.009.
(2002 Code, sec. 52.999(A))
There is hereby adopted, for the purpose of prescribing regulations governing installation, alteration, repair, and replacement of plumbing, piping, fittings, fixtures, and equipment which may be connected to the water and sewer system in the city, that certain code known as the International Plumbing Code, 2015 edition.
(Ordinance 690 adopted 2/8/22)
For the purpose of this division, the following definitions shall apply unless the context clearly indicates or requires a different meaning:
Any water supply on or available to the premises other than the city’s approved public water supply. These auxiliary waters may include water from another purveyor’s public potable water supply or any natural source(s) such as a well, spring, river, stream, harbor, and the like, or used waters or industrial fluids. These waters may be contaminated or polluted or they may be objectionable and constitute an unacceptable water source over which the water purveyor does not have sanitary control.
The reversal of the normal flow of water caused by either backpressure or backsiphonage.
A device or means designed to prevent backflow.
Air gap.
The unobstructed vertical distance through the free atmosphere between the lowest opening from any pipe or faucet supplying water to a tank, plumbing fixture, or other device and the flood level rim of said vessel. An approved air gap shall be at least double the diameter of the supply pipe, measured vertically, above the top of the overflow rim of the vessel, and in no case less than one inch.
Reduced pressure principle device.
An assembly of two independently acting approved checkvalves together with a hydraulically operating, mechanically independent pressure relief valve located between the checkvalves and at a point below the first checkvalve. The unit shall include properly located test cocks and tightly closing shutoff valves at each end of the assembly. The entire assembly shall meet the design and performance specifications as determined by a laboratory and a field evaluation program resulting in an approval by a recognized and approved testing agency for backflow prevention assemblies. The assembly shall operate to maintain the pressure in the zone between the two checkvalves at an acceptable level less than the pressure on the public water supply side of the device. At cessation of normal flow, the pressure between the two checkvalves shall be less than the pressure on the public water supply side of the device. In case of leakage of either of the checkvalves, the differential relief valve shall operate to maintain the reduced pressure in the zone between the checkvalves by discharging to the atmosphere. When the inlet pressure is two pounds per square inch or less, the relief valve shall open to the atmosphere. To be approved, these devices must be readily accessible for in-line testing and maintenance and be installed in a location where no part of the device will be submerged.
The flow of water or other liquids, mixtures, or substances under pressure into the distribution pipes of a potable water supply system from any source other than the intended source.
The flow of water or other liquids, mixtures, or substances into the distribution pipes of a potable water supply system from any source other than its intended source caused by the sudden reduction of pressure in the potable water supply system.
An assembly of two independently operating approved checkvalves with tightly closing shutoff valves on each end of the checkvalves, plus properly located test cocks for the testing of each checkvalve. The entire assembly shall meet the design and performance specifications as determined by a laboratory and field evaluation program resulting in an approval by a recognized and approved testing agency for backflow prevention assemblies. To be approved, these devices must be readily accessible for in-line testing and maintenance.
An impairment of the quality of the potable water by sewage, industrial fluids or waste liquids, compounds, or other materials to a degree which creates an actual potential hazard to the public health through poisoning or through the spread of disease.
Any physical connection or arrangement of piping or fixtures between two otherwise separate piping systems, one of which contains potable water and the other nonpotable water or industrial fluids of questionable safety, through which or because of which backflow may occur into the potable water system. This would include any temporary connections, such as swing connections, removable sections, four-way plug valves, spools, dummy sections of pipe, or swivel or changeover devices or sliding multi-port tubes.
The installation of an approved backflow prevention device at the water service connection to any customer’s premises where it is physically and economically not feasible to find and permanently eliminate or control all actual or potential cross-connections within the customer’s water system, or the installation of an approved backflow prevention device on the service line leading to and supplying a portion of a customer’s water system where there are actual or potential cross-connections which cannot be effectively eliminated or controlled at the point of the cross-connection.
A connection between a potable water system and nonpotable water system with an approved backflow prevention device properly installed and maintained so that it will continuously afford the protection commensurate with the degree of hazard.
The term is derived from an evaluation of the potential risk to public health and the adverse effect of the hazard upon the potable water system.
Health hazard.
Any condition, device, or practice in the water supply system and its operation which could create or, in the judgment of the building official or plumbing inspector, may create a danger to the health and well-being of the water consumer.
Plumbing hazard.
A plumbing type cross-connection in a consumer’s potable water system that has not been properly protected by an approved air gap or approved backflow prevention device.
Pollution hazard.
An actual or potential threat to the physical properties of the water system or to the potability of the public or consumer’s potable water system, which would constitute a nuisance, be aesthetically objectionable, or could cause damage to the system or its appurtenances, but would not necessarily be dangerous to health.
System hazard.
An actual or potential threat of severe damage to the physical properties of the public potable water system or the consumer’s potable water system or of a pollution or contamination which would have a protracted effect on the quality of the potable water in the system.
Any system containing a fluid or solution which may be chemically, biologically, or otherwise contaminated or polluted in a form or concentration such as would constitute a health, system, pollution, or plumbing hazard if introduced into an approved water supply. This may include but not be limited to: polluted or contaminated water; all types of process waters and used waters originating from the public potable water system which may have deteriorated in sanitary quality; chemicals in fluid form; plating acids and alkalies; circulating cooling waters connected to an open cooling tower and/or cooling towers that are chemically or biologically treated or stabilized with toxic substances; contaminated natural waters such as from wells, springs, streams, rivers, irrigation canals, or systems and the like; and oils, gases, glycerin, paraffins, caustic and acid solutions and other liquid and gaseous fluids used in industrial or other purposes or for firefighting purposes.
The presence of any foreign substance (organic, inorganic, or biological) in water which tends to degrade its quality so as to constitute a hazard or impair the usefulness or quality of the water to a degree which does not create an actual hazard to the public health but which does adversely and unreasonably affect such waters of domestic use.
The state commission on environmental quality.
Water which is not safe for human consumption or which is of questionable potability.
Any water which, according to recognized standards, is safe for human consumption.
The terminal end of the service connection from the public potable water system, that is, where the city loses jurisdiction and sanitary control over the water at its point of delivery to the customer’s water system. If a meter is installed at the end of the service connection, then the service connection shall mean the downstream end of the meter. There should be no unprotected takeoffs from the service line ahead of any meter or backflow prevention device located at the point of delivery to the customer’s water system. “Service connection” shall also include water service connection from a fire hydrant and all other temporary or emergency water service connections from the public potable water system.
Any water supplied by a water purveyor from a public potable water system to a consumer’s water system after it has passed through the point of delivery and is no longer under sanitary control of the water purveyor.
(2002 Code, sec. 52.101)
Any person who violates the provisions of this division is guilty of a misdemeanor and, upon conviction, shall be punished by a fine of not less than $400 and not more than $500. Each day that one or more of the provisions of this division is violated shall constitute a separate offense. If a person is convicted of two or more distinct violations of this division, the city plumbing code enforcement officer shall, upon due notice to the customer, be authorized to discontinue water service to the premises where such violations occur. Services discontinued under such circumstances shall be restored only upon payment of a reconnection charge, established from time to time by the city council, and any other costs incurred by the city in discontinuing service. In addition, suitable assurance must be given to the city that the same action shall not be repeated while this division is in effect. Compliance with this division may also be sought through injunctive relief in the district court.
(2002 Code, sec. 52.999(B))
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 state commission on environmental quality rules and regulations for public water systems (TCEQ rules) and this division. The city shall discontinue water service if a required backflow prevention assembly is not installed, maintained, and tested in accordance with the TCEQ rules and this division.
(2002 Code, sec. 52.100)
(a)
All backflow prevention assemblies shall be tested upon installation by a recognized 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.
(b)
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.
(c)
Assemblies shall be repaired, overhauled, or replaced at the expense of the customer whenever the assemblies are found to be defective. Original forms of such test, repairs, and overhaul shall be kept and submitted to the city within five working days of the test, repair, or overhaul of each backflow prevention assembly.
(d)
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 edition, The University of Southern California Manual of Cross-Connection Control, current edition, or the current plumbing code of the city, whichever is more stringent.
(e)
Test gauges used for backflow prevention assembly testing shall be calibrated at least annually in accordance with The American Water Works Association’s Recommended Practice for Backflow Prevention and Cross-Connection Control (Manual M14), current edition, or The University of Southern California’s Manual of Cross-Connection Control, current edition. The original calibration form must be submitted to the city within five working days after calibration.
(f)
A recognized backflow prevention assembly tester must hold a current endorsement from the state commission on environmental quality.
(2002 Code, sec. 52.102)
(a)
A customer service inspection shall be completed prior to providing continuous water service to all new construction, on any existing service when the city 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.
(b)
Only individuals with the following credentials shall be recognized as capable of conducting a customer service inspection:
(1)
Plumbing inspectors and water supply protection specialists that have been licensed by the state board of plumbing examiners.
(2)
Certified waterworks operators and members of other water-related professional groups who have completed a training course, passed an examination administered by the commission or its designated agent, and hold a current endorsement issued by the commission.
(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 must be properly installed and a service agreement exist 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.
(D)
No pipe or pipe fitting which contains more than 8% lead is 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 is used for the installation or repair of plumbing at any connection that provides water for human use. A minimum of one lead test shall be performed for each inspection.
(2002 Code, sec. 52.103; Ordinance 692 adopted 5/2022)