[HISTORY: Adopted by the Municipal Council of the City of Clifton 12-20-1960 by Ord. No. 3319 as Chapter 3 of the Revised Ordinances of the City of Clifton, New Jersey, 1960. Amendments noted where applicable.]
GENERAL REFERENCES
Uniform construction codes — See Ch. 197.
[Amended 11-14-1966 by Ord. No. 3723]
As used in this chapter, the following terms shall have the meanings indicated:
EQUIPMENT
Includes individual or collective systems of refrigeration and/or air-conditioning equipment requiring the use of water supplied by a public water company or derived from any well.
As used in this chapter and in any specification herein, the following terms shall have the meanings indicated:
AIR-CONDITIONING
That equipment used primarily for human comfort cooling, and shall be considered on the basis that one compressor motor horsepower is equal to one ton of refrigeration.
EQUIPMENT USED FOR A PURPOSE OTHER THAN AIR-CONDITIONING
Shall be considered on the basis that one compressor motor horsepower is equal to 0.6 ton of refrigeration.
REFRIGERATION OR AIR-CONDITIONING EQUIPMENT USING GAS FOR ENERGY
Shall be rated on the basis that one ton is equal to the removal of 12,000 British thermal units per hour with an evaporating temperature of 5º F. and a condensing temperature of 86º F.
No new equipment shall be installed on any premises until a permit authorizing such installation has been issued by the City Engineer.
The fee for the installation permit required by § 125-3 shall be $3. The permit fee shall accompany the application therefor.
The City Engineer's office shall furnish the application forms for the installation permits referred to in § 125-3. The application shall be made in duplicate and shall fully set forth the information requested on the application form. One copy of the application, when approved, shall be returned to the applicant to serve as the permit.
New installations of any individual or collective system of equipment in any premises for a single consumer shall be installed under the following specifications:
A. 
All new installations of equipment of three tons and over shall be equipped with a water-conserving device, such as an economizer, evaporative condenser, water-cooling tower or similar apparatus. Such device shall not consume, for makeup purposes, in excess of 5% of the consumption of water that would normally be used without such device, except as provided in § 125-9.
B. 
All new installations of equipment under three tons, not using recirculated water, shall be provided with an automatic water-supply regulating device so as to limit the flow of water in relation to the condenser temperature reduction requirements of the apparatus. In no case shall the equipment use in excess of 1 1/2 gallons per minute per ton capacity.
C. 
If two or more units, which in the aggregate total three or more tons, are installed to serve the same building or premises, such units shall be subject to the same requirements made applicable by this chapter to a unit or equipment of three tons or more.
Each direct water connection to a refrigeration unit, air-conditioning unit, or refrigeration and air-conditioning unit, that uses water for cooling purposes and is connected with the potable public water system shall be equipped with a vacuum breaker. In installations where the water supply piping has no contact with the refrigerant, as in the case where two substantial and independent wall thicknesses of metal separate the refrigerant from the public water system, a vacuum breaker will not be necessary.
Refrigerating units, air-conditioning units or refrigerating and air-conditioning units of equipment with a capacity of more than 20 pounds of refrigerant shall be provided with a relief valve installed on the outlet side of the vacuum breaker of the water supply connection. Such relief valve shall be set at five pounds above the maximum water pressure at the point of installation.
An installation of any individual or collective system of equipment of three tons and over shall be equipped with a water-conserving device as provided in § 125-6A. The Mayor and Council, with the advice of the City Engineer, may, however, grant permission, by resolution, for a diffusion device which will return the water in a pure and uncontaminated condition, without loss or waste, back into the ground instead of the device required under said § 125-6A. If permission is granted for such a diffusion device, it will be the responsibility of the property owner, tenant or other legal occupant of the premises serviced by such refrigeration or air-conditioning system to ensure that no water is wasted or contaminated thereby. It is the declared intent of the Mayor and Council that no diffusion well or recharge basin shall be permitted under this section, unless it is assured that all water used in such refrigeration or air-conditioning system will be effectively returned in a pure and uncontaminated condition after use to the subterranean sources from which said water is obtained. No connection to a storm or sanitary sewer shall be permitted under this section.
No air-conditioning or refrigerating unit employing water in its use shall discharge such water into the sanitary sewerage system.
The owner or person in possession of any premises upon which equipment was installed prior to October 1, 1957, shall make application and obtain a permit for the existing installation not later than July 15, 1958. The application shall contain the same information as is required in the case of a new installation under § 125-5.
All equipment installed prior to October 1, 1957, shall be changed, rebuilt or remodeled to comply with the provisions and requirements of §§ 125-3 through 125-10 of this chapter prescribed for new installations. All the work and devices required to effectuate such compliance shall be installed and completed on or before April 1, 1959, and shall be made pursuant to the inspection and supervision of the City Engineer. The Mayor and Council may, however, for good cause shown, extend, by resolution, the time for compliance for a further period, but not beyond April 1, 1960.
[Amended 5-9-1969 by Ord. No. 3912; 3-17-1970 by Ord. No. 3969]
Any person who installs any equipment, and any owner, agent, lessee or occupant who causes or permits the installation or operation of any equipment, in violation of any provision of this chapter shall, upon conviction thereof, be punished by a fine not exceeding $500 or by imprisonment for a term not exceeding 90 days. A separate offense shall be deemed committed upon each day during which or on which a violation occurs or continues.