[HISTORY: Adopted by the Board of Supervisors of the Township of
Franconia 9-14-1987 by Ord. No. 138. Amendments noted where applicable.]
The Board of Supervisors of Franconia Township hereby finds and determines
that it is necessary to conserve and protect the existing water supply for
the greatest public benefit by ensuring its continued availability by instituting
general water conservation measures and by requiring the installation of demand
reduction fixtures and equipment on all new and remodeled plumbing systems.
Customers shall be encouraged not to permit any water furnished by any
private well or by any authorized water purveyor to run to waste in any gutter
or other impervious surface.
A.
No occupancy permit shall be issued for any residential,
commercial, industrial, agricultural, recreational, governmental or public
building or structure of any kind which is constructed or remodeled, and in
which plumbing, water piping or water fixtures are to be installed, extended
or altered in any way, and for which construction a permit is required to
be obtained from Franconia Township, unless the new, extended or altered plumbing,
water piping and other water-using fixtures therein conform to the requirements
and standards of this chapter.
B.
The provisions of this chapter shall apply to any such
building or structure for which such a building/plumbing permit is issued
on or after September 14, 1987.
Each resident or property owner in Franconia Township is urged to install
fixtures which will reduce the quantity of water required to flush toilets
and to reduce the flow rates of showers and faucets.
A.
Toilets operated by flush tanks. The water consumption
of water closets operated by flush tanks shall not exceed an average of 1.6
gallons per flush cycle over a range of test pressures from 50 to 60 pounds
per square inch. The fixture shall perform in accordance with the flushing
test requirements cited in the American National Standards Institute A112.19.2M
and A112.19.6M Vitreous China Plumbing Fixtures standard.
[Amended 12-9-1991 by Ord.
No. 186]
B.
Toilets and urinals operated by pressure flush valves.
(1)
Water closet water consumption shall not exceed an average
of 1.6 gallons per flush cycle over a range of test pressures from 50 to 60
pounds per square inch. The pressure flush valve shall be adjusted according
to manufacturer's specifications. The fixture shall perform in accordance
with the flushing test requirements cited in the ANSI A112.19.2M and A112.19.6M
Vitreous China Plumbing Fixtures standard.
[Amended 12-9-1991 by Ord.
No. 186]
(2)
Urinal water consumption shall not exceed an average
of 1.0 gallon per flush cycle over a range of test pressures from 50 to 60
pounds per square inch. The pressure flush valve shall be adjusted according
to manufacturer's specifications. The fixture shall perform in accordance
with the flushing test requirements cited in the ANSI A112.9.2 Vitreous China
Plumbing Fixtures standard.
C.
Showerheads. Showerhead discharge rates shall not exceed
2.5 gallons of water per minute over a range of test pressures from 50 to
60 pounds per square inch. The fixture shall perform in accordance with the
test requirements cited in the ANSI A112.18.1 Finished and Rough Brass Plumbing
Fixture Fittings standard.
D.
Sink faucets. All supply lines to faucets shall be fitted
with restrictors which reduce flows to 2.5 gallons or less of water per minute.
If individual spouts [example: one hot, one cold] are operated by individual
controls, the flow rate from each spout shall not exceed 1.25 gallons of water
per minute when tested.
(1)
Kitchen sink faucets. Kitchen sink faucet discharge rates
shall not exceed 2.50 gallons of water per minute over a range of test pressure
from 50 to 60 pounds per square inch. The fixture shall perform in accordance
with the test requirements cited in the ANSI A112.18.1 Finished and Rough
Brass Plumbing Fixture Fittings standard.
(2)
Residential lavatory sink faucets. Residential lavatory
sink faucet discharge rates shall not exceed 2.50 gallons of water per minute
over a range of test pressures from 50 to 60 pounds per square inch. The fixture
shall perform in accordance with the test requirements cited in the ANSI A112.18.1
Finished and Rough Brass Plumbing Fixture Fittings standard.
(3)
Nonresidential lavatory faucets shall be either self-closing
or metering faucets as described below:
(a)
Self-closing faucets shall not exceed an average discharge
rate of 0.5 gallon of water per minute between the pressures of 50 and 60
pounds per square inch when tested in accordance with the discharge test procedure
cited in ANSI A112.18.1, Finished and Rough Brass Plumbing Fixture Fittings.
(b)
Metering faucets shall be field adjustable and set so
that the discharge quantity shall not exceed 0.5 gallon of water per cycle.
Where the surface water pressure to a building is expected to exceed
60 pounds per square inch, a water pressure reducing valve with strainer shall
be installed just downstream of the building's main valve, so as to be accessible.
The valve shall provide for pressure adjustment within the range of 50 to
60 pounds per square inch. The valve shall conform to the requirements of
product standard ASSE 1003. Exemptions to this section are sewer lines to
sill cocks, outside hydrants and main supply risers to buildings where pressure
from the mains does not exceed 60 pounds per square inch at the fixture branches
or at individual fixtures.
Replacement of blowout toilet and urinal fixtures with like type fixtures
may be granted by local officials upon request where adequate justification
of special need is provided.
Any person(s) may apply to Franconia Township for an exception to the
terms of this chapter, which exception may be granted, in the discretion of
the Board of Supervisors, upon proof that some other device, system or procedure
will save as much or more water as those set forth herein or that those set
forth herein cannot be complied with without undue hardship.
[Amended 9-12-1988 by Ord.
No. 147; 6-10-1996 by Ord.
No. 237]
Any person who violates or permits a violation of this chapter shall,
upon being liable therefor in a civil enforcement proceeding commenced by
the township, pay a fine not exceeding $600, plus all court costs, including
reasonable attorney's fees incurred by the township. No judgment shall be
imposed until the date of the determination of violation by the District Justice.
If the defendant neither pays nor timely appeals the judgment, the township
may enforce the judgment pursuant to the applicable Pennsylvania Rules of
Civil Procedure.
