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 Standard Plumbing Code, recommended by the Southern Building Code Congress International, Inc., except appendix A and appendix H, being particularly the 1985 edition thereof, and the whole thereof, save and except such portions as are hereinafter deleted, modified or amended. A copy of the code has been and is now filed in the office of the city secretary, and the same is hereby adopted and incorporated as fully as if set out at length herein.
(1987 Code, ch. 3, sec. 2(A))
All provisions of the Standard Plumbing Code adopted herein shall be applicable with the exception of the following amendments thereto:
(1) 
Plumbing department.
The provisions of the Standard Plumbing Code shall be enforced by a plumbing official who shall be appointed by the city council.
(2) 
Requirements not covered by code.
Any requirement necessary for the strength or stability of an existing or proposed plumbing installation, or for the public safety or health, not specifically covered by the plumbing code, shall be determined by the plumbing official subject to appeal to the city council.
(3) 
Alternate materials and alternate methods of construction.
The provisions of the plumbing code are not intended to prevent the use of any material or method of construction not specifically prescribed by this code, provided any such alternate has been approved and its use authorized by the building official. The building official shall approve any such alternate, provided he finds that the proposed design is satisfactory and complies with the provisions of chapter 17 [of the Standard Plumbing Code], and that the material, method, or work offered is, for the purpose intended, at least the equivalent of that prescribed in the code in quality, strength, effectiveness, fire-resistance, durability and safety. The building official shall require that sufficient evidence or proof be submitted to substantiate any claim that may be made regarding its use. If, in the opinion of the building official, the evidence and proof are not sufficient to justify approval, the applicant may appeal the decision to the city council.
(4) 
Liability.
Any officer or employee or member of the city council charged with the enforcement of the plumbing code, acting for the city council, in the discharge of his duties, shall not thereby render himself liable personally, and he is hereby relieved from all personal liability for any damage that may accrue to persons or property as a result of any act required or permitted in the discharge of his duties. Any suit brought against any officer or employee because of such act performed by him in the enforcement of any provision of the plumbing code shall be defended by the city attorney until the final termination of the proceedings. Neither the city nor any authorized agent acting under the terms of this section shall be liable or have any liability by reason of orders issued or work done or failure to perform work in compliance with the terms of this division or any of the standards adopted herein.
(5) 
Permit fee.
On all plumbing work requiring a plumbing permit, as set forth in section 103 of the Standard Plumbing Code, a fee for each plumbing permit shall be paid as required at the time of filing application, in the amount adopted by the city council.
(6) 
Appeals and variances.
Whenever the plumbing official shall reject or refuse to approve the mode or manner of construction proposed to be followed, or materials to be used, in the erection or alteration of a building or structure, or when it is claimed that the provisions of the building [plumbing] code do not apply, or that an equally good or more desirable form of construction can be employed in any specific case, or when it is claimed that true intent and meaning of this code or any of the regulations thereunder have been misconstrued or wrongly interpreted, the owner of such building or structure, or his duly authorized agent, may, after ten (10) days’ notice and a hearing before the city administrator, appeal from the decision of the plumbing official to the city council.
(1987 Code, ch. 3, sec. 2(B); Ordinance adopting 2018 Code)