CHAPTER 14

PLUMBING CODE

14.01 STATE PLUMBING CODE ADOPTED. The provisions and regulations contained in the Wisconsin State Plumbing Code adopted by the State Board of Health and such additional rules and regulations as may be adopted by said Board or may be adopted by the City shall extend over and govern all drainage and drain laying and plumbing in the City.

14.02 DEFINITIONS. When used in this chapter, the following terms shall have the following meanings:

    (1) "Plumbing" includes the placing of all materials within any building and from three (3) to five (5) feet outside of such building, and the construction and alteration of all pipes, faucets, tanks, valves and other fixtures by and through which water, sewage or waste is used or carried in any manner whatsoever.

    (2) "Drain Laying" includes the connection to main sewers in streets or alleys, placing of materials, construction and alteration of drains, beginning three (3) to five (5) feet from the foundation or area wall of the building, to its connection with the main sewer in the street, alley or other disposal terminal.

14.03 PLUMBING INSPECTOR. (1) Appointment and Term. The Plumbing Inspector shall be appointed by the Common Council for an indefinite term at a salary fixed by the Common Council, and shall hold office, unless sooner removed by the Common Council, until her or his successor shall have been duly appointed and qualified.

    (2) Qualifications and Removal. The Plumbing Inspector shall be a Certified Plumbing I Inspector with at least two (2) years practical experience in the trade and a satisfactory knowledge of plumbing codes and all laws and regulations pertaining thereto in the state. He or she shall not be interested, either directly or indirectly, in any plumbing installation which he or she inspects except as may be authorized by the Common Council.

    (3) Duties. The Plumbing Inspector shall insure that all construction, reconstruction, and alteration of all plumbing and drain laying in the City conforms with the laws of Wisconsin and with this Code. He or she shall make such inspections as are necessary to insure compliance with the provisions of state law and with this Code. The Inspector shall keep a record of all permits issued, inspections made and such other information the Common Council shall deem necessary. The Inspector shall make a semi-annual report and an annual report to the Common Council on the above matters.

    (4) Powers. The Plumbing Inspector shall have the authority to enforce all of the provisions of this Code. He or she shall have the authority to enter any public or private building in the discharge of official duties.

14.04 PERMITS. (1) Permit Required. No plumbing or drain laying shall be done in the City except in the case of repairing leaks or stoppages, without a permit being first issued therefor by the Plumbing Inspector and payment of the proper fee as hereinafter required.

    (2) Application. The applicant for a plumbing or drain laying permit shall file with the Plumbing Inspector a plan and application showing in detail the work to be done. Before the Plumbing Inspector issues a permit he or she shall approve the plan and application filed with him or her.

    (3) Fees. Required fees are as set forth in the Permit Fee Schedule adopted under section 11.05(14) of this Code. The fees shall be paid to the City of Middleton when the application for a plumbing permit is submitted.

    (4) Inspections (a) Each permit shall entitle the holder to as many inspections as are necessary to ensure all work is done according to applicable codes and ordinances.

    (b) Any developer/contractor who call for an inspection and the work is not ready for inspection may be assessed forty dollars ($40.00) per inspection.

14.05 LICENSE FOR PLUMBING AND DRAIN LAYING. (1) State License Required. No person, firm or corporation shall carry on the business of plumbing or drain laying or perform any such work who has not been licensed by the State of Wisconsin under Wis. Stat. Chapter 145, as from time to time amended.

14.06 RECORD OF DRAIN JUNCTIONS. The Plumbing Inspector shall keep a record of all sewer connections and make maps showing the location of the same and position of all house drains, connections, junctions and other data necessary for the efficient service of this department.

14.07 DRAIN CONNECTIONS. (1) Rain Water Leaders Not to Connect to Sanitary Sewers. Roof leaders or down spout wastes and surface and groundwater drains shall be connected whenever possible with a storm sewer, but they shall not be connected to house sewers which discharge into sanitary sewers.

    (2) Rain Water Drains to Curb. Where no storm sewer is accessible, surface inlets and rain water conductors should be drained separately to curb line where practical by drain pipes of adequate size not less than four (4) inches in diameter, and discharge into the public gutter, unless permitted to drain elsewhere.

14.08 DEFECTIVE OR INFERIOR PIPE. No drain layer shall lay and connect with any public sewer a pipe that is cracked, damaged or of inferior make or quality, under penalty as herein provided. Should any property owner or agent thereof furnish pipe of an inferior make or quality for laying the same to connect with a public sewer, the drain layer shall refuse to lay and connect the same and immediately shall notify the Plumbing Inspector of all the circumstances connected therewith in writing.

14.09 SIZES AND GRADE OF DRAINS. All drains outside of buildings from sewer to lot line and designed to receive solid substances, must be at least six (6) inches in diameter and must have a grade of one-fourth (1/4) inch or more per foot, if possible, and in no case shall the grade be less than one-eighth (1/8) inch per foot; provided that underground house drains for residences or other small buildings, if not more than two (2) stories, may from the lot line be made of four (4) inch cast iron pipe or other approved material.

14.10 DRAIN ENDS AND CONNECTIONS GUARDED. The ends of all sewer and drain pipes not immediately connected shall be securely closed so as to prevent the introduction of sand or earth; and where the end of the sewer or drain pipe is connected with a temporary catch basin for draining foundation during the erection of any buildings or for other purposes, the drain layer shall guard the same against the introduction of sand or earth.

14.11 DISCONNECTION AND CONNECTION OF DRAINS AND SEWERS. Whenever necessary to disturb a drain or sewer in actual use, the same shall not be obstructed or disconnected without special permission of the Plumbing Inspector, and it shall be unlawful to make any new connections with or extension to any old drain without permission of the Plumbing Inspector.

14.12 DRAINS CONVEYING INDUSTRIAL WASTE. No person shall connect any factory, brewery, distillery, stockyard, slaughterhouse, tannery or other building or establishment of any kind whatsoever by any drain or sewer with the main sewer, through which it is intended or designed to discharge any offal, garbage, filth or other solid refuse or through which substances may be discharged into the main sewer, unless such installations are provided with an adequate intercepting appliance.

14.13 DRAINS DISCHARGING OBNOXIOUS LIQUIDS. No person shall connect any premises with any drain or sewer entering into any main sewer through which any obnoxious, explosive, odorous or unhealthful liquids or substances may be discharged into the main public sewers. It is further provided that rain and surface water must be excluded from the sanitary sewers of the City.

14.14 STEAM OR HOT WATER "BLOW OFFS". No exhaust or "blow offs" from steam boilers or engines shall be connected with any drain or sewer, but must be discharged only into catch basins in the manner provided in the Wisconsin State Plumbing Code.

15.15 GREASE INTERCEPTORS. Grease interceptors shall be required for all nonresidential developments involved in the preparation, processing or serving of food or food products. Multi-family residential developments may also require a grease interceptor if, in the opinion of the Plumbing Inspector, discharges to the sanitary sewer will cause an obstruction or nuisance. This requirement shall apply to new construction and existing structures that add kitchen facilities.

15.16 BACKWATER VALVES. Backwater valves shall be required in the building drain for all new construction where plumbing fixtures are installed below the street elevation. Valves shall be sufficient to prevent backflow from any sanitary or storm sewer. The owner(s) of the property shall maintain these valves in good working order and assume any and all liability for failure to do so.