(a) Office established.
The office of plumbing inspector
is hereby established under the supervision of the building official/inspector.
(b) Appointment.
The building official/inspector may appoint
plumbing inspectors and may designate a chief plumbing inspector as
he or she may prescribe. Such appointments shall be subject to confirmation
by the city council. The building official retains the power to act
in place of the plumbing inspector in his or her absence.
(c) Duties.
It shall be the duty of the plumbing inspector
to enforce the provisions of this code. He or she shall be responsible
for making inspections, issuing permits and performing all other functions
of the office of plumbing inspector as prescribed in the code or by
administrative order. He or she shall keep complete records of all
permits issued, inspections made and other official work performed
in accordance with the provisions of this code. He or she shall also
keep on file in the office of plumbing inspection a list of plumbing
equipment inspected, which shall be accessible for public reference.
(d) Disconnection of water or gas supply.
After giving notice
to the affected consumer(s), the plumbing inspector shall have the
power and it shall be his or her duty, where any building, premises
or construction contains improper or defective plumbing or where same
has been constructed, erected, altered or repaired without a permit
as provided by this code, to give prompt written notification to the
utility involved to cut off the water or gas supply thereto until
such improper or defective plumbing shall be made to comply fully
with the provisions of this code, and a certificate of the plumbing
inspector shall have been issued.
(e) Liability.
Where action is taken by the plumbing inspector
to enforce the provisions of this code, such action shall be in the
name and on behalf of the city, and the inspector in so acting shall
not render himself or herself personally liable for any damage which
may occur to persons or property as a result of an action committed
in good faith in the discharge of his or her duties, and any suit
brought against any inspector by reason thereof shall be defended
by the city attorney until final determination of the proceedings
contained therein.
(f) Right of entry.
The plumbing inspector shall have the
right to enter any building or premises at any reasonable time in
the discharge of his or her official duties, or for the purpose of
making any inspection, reinspection or test required by this code.
(1986 Code, ch. 3, sec. 2(D); 1993
Code, sec. 3.302)
No person, firm or corporation or other entity shall install
or perform any plumbing work as defined in this code without first
having secured a permit in accordance with the provisions of this
code.
(1986 Code, ch. 3, sec. 2(II); 1993
Code, sec. 3.332)
No person, firm, corporation or other entity shall cause or
permit any plumbing installation to be connected with the city water
or sewer system or to any gas distributing system, nor shall such
person, firm, corporation or other entity use or permit the use of
any such plumbing installation, or cause or permit any water, sewage
or gas to flow through the same, before it has been inspected and
approved as herein provided.
(1986 Code, ch. 3, sec. 2(JJ); 1993
Code, sec. 3.333)
Any person, either by himself or agent, and any firm, corporation
or other entity, who violates any of the provisions of this code shall
be deemed guilty of a misdemeanor and, upon conviction of any such
violation, shall be fined, and each day during which such violation
continues shall constitute a separate and distinct offense. In any
case of a violation of any of the terms or provisions of this code
by any corporation, the officers and agents actively in charge of
the business of such corporation shall be subject to the penalty herein
provided. Any offense defined herein which has been defined by laws
of the state as an offense, and for which a penalty has been prescribed,
shall be punished as provided in said state law, and nothing herein
shall be held as fixing any penalty contrary to a penalty provided
by the laws of the state.
(1986 Code, ch. 3, sec. 2(KK); 1993
Code, sec. 3.334)
This code does not relieve from or lessen the responsibility
or liability of any person owning, operating, controlling or installing
any plumbing, gas piping or gas-fired appliances for damages to person
or property caused by any defect therein, nor shall the city be regarded
as assuming any such liability by reason of the inspection authorized
herein or certificate of approval issued as herein provided.
(1986 Code, ch. 3, sec. 2(LL); 1993
Code, sec. 3.335)