WAC 51-56-0600   Chapter 6 -- Water supply and distribution.  601.1 Except where not deemed necessary for safety or sanitation by the AHJ, each plumbing fixture shall be provided with an adequate supply of potable running water piped thereto in an approved manner, so arranged as to flush and keep it in a clean and sanitary condition without danger of backflow or cross-connection. Water closets and urinals shall be flushed by means of an approved flush tank or flushometer valve.


EXCEPTION: Listed fixtures that do not require water for their operation and are not connected to the water supply.

     Kitchen sinks, lavatories, bathtubs, showers, bidets, laundry tubs and washing machine outlets shall be provided with hot and cold water. This requirement shall not supersede the requirements for individual temperature control limitations for public lavatories, bidets, bathtubs, whirlpool bathtubs and shower control valves.


603.0 Cross-Connection Control. 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.


603.1 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 6-2, except for specific applications and provisions as stated in Section 603.4 through 603.4.22.

     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 603.3.3 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 6-2

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.

603.3.3 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.


603.4.6.1 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 devices:

     (1) Atmospheric vacuum breaker.

     (2) Pressure vacuum breaker.

     (3) Spill-resistant pressure vacuum breaker.

     (4) Reduced pressure backflow preventer.

     (5) A double check valve may be allowed when approved by the water purveyor and the authority having jurisdiction.


603.4.10 Potable Water Make Up Connections to Steam or Hot Water Boilers shall be protected by an air gap or a reduced pressure principle backflow preventer.


603.4.12 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 be located in accordance with Section 603.3.4. The piping downstream of the backflow preventer shall not be of copper, copper alloy, or other material that is affected by carbon dioxide.


603.4.14 Backflow preventers shall not be located in any area containing fumes or aerosols that are toxic, poisonous, infectious, or corrosive.


603.4.16.1 Except as provided under Sections 603.4.16.2 and 603.4.16.3, potable water supplies to fire protection systems that are normally under pressure, including but not limited to standpipes and automatic sprinkler systems, except in one or two family residential flow-through or combination sprinkler systems piped in materials approved for potable water distribution systems, shall be protected from back-pressure and back-siphonage by one of the following testable devices:

     1. Double check valve assembly.

     2. Double check detector assembly.

     3. Reduced pressure backflow preventer.

     4. Reduced pressure detector assembly.


Potable water supplies to fire protection systems that are not normally under pressure shall be protected from backflow and shall meet the requirements of the appropriate standard(s) referenced in Table 14-1.


604.15 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.


608.5 Relief valves located inside a building shall be provided with a drain, not smaller than the relief valve outlet, of galvanized steel, hard drawn copper piping and fittings, CPVC, or listed relief valve drain tube with fittings which will not reduce the internal bore of the pipe or tubing (straight lengths as opposed to coils) and shall extend from the valve to the outside of the building, with the end of the pipe not more than two (2) feet (610 mm) nor less than six (6) inches (152 mm) above the ground or the flood level of the area receiving the discharge and pointing downward. Such drains may terminate at other approved locations. No part of such drain pipe shall be trapped or subject to freezing. The terminal end of the drain pipe shall not be threaded.


EXCEPTION: Replacement water heating equipment shall only be required to provide a drain pointing downward from the relief valve to extend between two feet (610 mm) and six inches (152 mm) from the floor. No additional floor drain need be provided.

610.4 Systems within the range of Table 6-6 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.



[Statutory Authority: RCW 19.27.074, 19.27.031 and chapters 19.27 and 34.05 RCW. 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. 07-01-094, § 51-56-0600, filed 12/19/06, effective 7/1/07. Statutory Authority: RCW 19.27.031 and 19.27.074. 04-01-110, § 51-56-0600, filed 12/17/03, effective 7/1/04; 02-01-114, § 51-56-0600, filed 12/18/01, effective 7/1/02.]