PDFWAC 51-56-0600
Chapter 6—Water supply and distribution.
601.1 Applicability. This chapter shall govern the materials, design and installation of water supply systems, including backflow prevention devices, assemblies and methods used for backflow prevention.
603.1 General. Cross-connection control shall be provided in accordance with the provisions of this chapter. Devices or assemblies for protection of the public water system must be models approved by the department of health under WAC 246-290-490. The authority having jurisdiction shall coordinate with the local water purveyor where applicable in all matters concerning cross-connection control within the property lines of the premises.
No person shall install any water operated equipment or mechanism, or use any water treating chemical or substance, if it is found that such equipment, mechanism, chemical or substance may cause pollution or contamination of the domestic water supply. Such equipment or mechanism may be permitted only when equipped with an approved backflow prevention device or assembly.
603.2 Approval of Devices or Assemblies. Before any device or assembly is installed for the prevention of backflow, it shall have first been approved by the authority having jurisdiction. Devices or assemblies shall be tested for conformity with recognized standards or other standards acceptable to the authority having jurisdiction. Backflow prevention devices and assemblies shall comply with Table 603.2, except for specific applications and provisions as stated in Section 603.5.1 through 603.5.21.
All devices or assemblies installed in a potable water supply system for protection against backflow shall be maintained in good working condition by the person or persons having control of such devices or assemblies. Such devices or assemblies shall be tested in accordance with Section 603.4.2 and WAC 246-290-490. If found to be defective or inoperative, the device or assembly shall be replaced or repaired. No device or assembly shall be removed from use or relocated or other device or assembly substituted, without the approval of the authority having jurisdiction.
Testing shall be performed by a Washington state department of health certified backflow assembly tester.
TABLE 603.2
Backflow Prevention Devices, Assemblies and Methods
The following line is deleted from the table:
Device, Assembly or Method | Applicable Standards | Pollution (Low Hazard) | Contamination (High Hazard) | Installation | ||
Back Siphonage | Back Pressure | Back Siphonage | Back Pressure | |||
Backflow preventer for carbonated beverage dispensers (two independent check valves with a vent to the atmosphere.) | ASSE 1022 | X | Installation includes carbonated beverage machines or dispensers. These devices operate under intermittent or continuous pressure conditions. | |||
603.4.2 Testing. For devices and assemblies other than those regulated by the Washington department of health in conjunction with the local water purveyor for the protection of public water systems, the authority having jurisdiction shall ensure that the premise owner or responsible person shall have the backflow prevention assembly tested by a Washington state department of health certified backflow assembly tester:
(1) At the time of installation, repair or relocation; and
(2) At least on an annual schedule thereafter, unless more frequent testing is required by the authority having jurisdiction.
603.5.6 Protection from Lawn Sprinklers and Irrigation Systems. Potable water supplies to systems having no pumps or connections for pumping equipment, and no chemical injection or provisions for chemical injection, shall be protected from backflow by one of the following:
(1) Atmospheric vacuum breaker (AVB).
(2) Pressure vacuum breaker backflow prevention assembly (PVB).
(3) Spill-resistant pressure vacuum breaker (SVB).
(4) Reduced pressure principle backflow prevention assembly (RP).
(5) A double check valve backflow prevention assembly (DC) may be allowed when approved by the water purveyor and the authority having jurisdiction.
603.5.10 Steam or Hot Water Boilers. Potable water connections to steam or hot water boilers shall be protected by an air gap or a reduced pressure principle backflow preventer.
603.5.12 Beverage Dispensers. Potable water supply to carbonators shall be protected by a listed reduced pressure principle backflow preventer as approved by the authority having jurisdiction for the specific use. The backflow preventer shall comply with Section 603.4.3. The piping downstream of the backflow preventer shall not be of copper, copper alloy, or other material that is affected by carbon dioxide.
604.14Plastic Pipe Termination. Plastic water service piping may terminate within a building, provided the connection to the potable water distribution system shall be made as near as is practical to the point of entry and shall be accessible. Barbed insert fittings with hose clamps are prohibited as a transition fitting within the building.
608.5Discharge Piping. The discharge piping serving a temperature relief valve, pressure relief valve or combination of both shall have no valves, obstructions or means of isolation and be provided with the following:
(1) Not less than the size of the valve outlet and shall discharge full size to the flood level of the area receiving the discharge and pointing down.
(2) Materials shall be rated at not less than the operating temperature of the system and approved for such use or shall comply with ASME A112.4.1. Materials shall be straight, rigid lengths only, without coils or flexes.
(3) Discharge pipe shall discharge independently by gravity through an air gap into the drainage system or outside of the building with the end of the pipe not exceeding 2 feet (610 mm) and not less than 6 inches (152 mm) above the ground pointing downwards.
(4) Discharge in such a manner that does not cause personal injury or structural damage.
(5) No part of such discharge pipe shall be trapped or subject to freezing.
(6) The terminal end of the pipe shall not be threaded.
(7) Discharge from a relief valve into a water heater pan shall be prohibited.
(8) The discharge termination point shall be readily observable.
EXCEPTION: | Where no drainage was provided, replacement water heating equipment shall only be required to provide a drain pointing downward from the relief valve to extend between two (2) feet (610 mm) and six (6) inches (152 mm) from the floor. No additional floor drain need be provided. |
609.12 Insulation of Potable Water Piping. Domestic water piping within commercial buildings shall be insulated in accordance with Section C404.6 of the Washington State Energy Code, as applicable.
610.4Sizing Water Supply and Distribution Systems. Systems within the range of Table 610.4 may be sized from that table or by the method set forth in Section 610.5.
Listed parallel water distribution systems shall be installed in accordance with their listing.
611.1 Application. Drinking water treatment units shall comply with NSF 42 or NSF 53. Water softeners shall comply with NSF 44. Ultraviolet water treatment systems shall comply with NSF 55. Reverse osmosis drinking water treatment systems shall comply with NSF 58. Drinking water distillation systems shall comply with NSF 62.
The owner of a building that serves potable water to twenty-five or more people at least sixty or more days per year and that installs drinking water treatment units including, but not limited to, the treatment units in Section 611.1, may be regulated (as a Group A public water system) by the Washington state department of health under chapter 246-290 WAC. See Washington state department of health publication 331-488 for guidance.
612.1 General. Where residential fire sprinkler systems are installed, they shall be installed in accordance with the International Building Code or International Residential Code.
Sections 612.2 through 612.7.2 are not adopted.
[Statutory Authority: RCW 19.27.031 and 19.27.074. WSR 23-23-108, § 51-56-0600, filed 11/15/23, effective 3/15/24; WSR 23-02-057, 23-12-110, and 23-20-029, § 51-56-0600, filed 1/3/23, 6/7/23, and 9/25/23, effective 3/15/24; WSR 20-02-072, § 51-56-0600, filed 12/26/19, effective 7/1/20; WSR 17-10-074, § 51-56-0600, filed 5/3/17, effective 6/3/17; WSR 16-02-044, § 51-56-0600, filed 12/30/15, effective 7/1/16. Statutory Authority: RCW 19.27A.025, 19.27A.045, and 19.27.074. WSR 13-23-094, § 51-56-0600, filed 11/20/13, effective 4/1/14. Statutory Authority: RCW 19.27.074, 19.27.031 and chapters 19.27 and 34.05 RCW. WSR 13-04-054, § 51-56-0600, filed 2/1/13, effective 7/1/13. Statutory Authority: RCW 19.27.031, 19.27.035, 19.27.074, and chapters 19.27 and 34.05 RCW. WSR 12-07-018, § 51-56-0600, filed 3/12/12, effective 4/12/12. Statutory Authority: RCW 19.27.074, 19.27.031 and chapters 19.27 and 34.05 RCW. WSR 10-03-101, § 51-56-0600, filed 1/20/10, effective 7/1/10. Statutory Authority: RCW 19.27.190, 19.27.020 and chapters 19.27 and 34.05 RCW. WSR 07-01-094, § 51-56-0600, filed 12/19/06, effective 7/1/07. Statutory Authority: RCW 19.27.031 and 19.27.074. WSR 04-01-110, § 51-56-0600, filed 12/17/03, effective 7/1/04; WSR 02-01-114, § 51-56-0600, filed 12/18/01, effective 7/1/02.]