The Plumbing Pipeline

Transcription

1 The Plumbing Pipeline Please copy this bulletin and distribute to your A Newsletter for licensed Plumbers and Drainlayers December 2017, Issue 31 The Plumbing Pipeline is a semi-annual information newsletter published by the City of London, Development & Compliance Services, for the plumbing and drainlaying industry. City of London Development & Compliance Services This is the 31 st bulletin provided by the City of London Building Division for the licensed plumbers and drainlayers of London. The intent of this bulletin is to keep the industry abreast of the changes in the Ontario Building Code as well as the City of London s policies, and to receive feedback from you regarding questions or concerns about your trade. We want to encourage a better line of communication between our Building Division staff and the plumbing industry. To do this, we will keep you informed of changes in the Building Code, City by-laws, common inspection problems, acceptance of new materials and Building Division changes. We request that you also keep us informed of your concerns regarding code changes or interpretations. E-SERVICES The ability to apply for building permits online! Have you registered to use E-permitting? We continue to see an uptake in the number of users using E- permitting to apply for their plumbing and drainage permits. Using e-permits can help you run your business more efficiently and save you valuable work hours. If you have not registered to use this great system, please visit our web site at click ONLINE SERVICES and register today. Please copy this bulletin and distribute to your staff.

2 Plumbing Required for Occupancy Permits in Dwelling Units The OBC requires a minimum number of fixtures for residential occupancy. Article requires a kitchen sink, one complete bathroom, and laundry facilities be completed in order to issue an occupancy permit. In cases where occupancy is required before countertops are installed, temporary sinks may be installed in order to meet the minimum requirements of the Code. If the residence is served by septic system, the system must be 100% complete, with finished grade over the weeping bed ready for sod or seed. If the system has a pump with high limit alarms, the alarms must be functioning. If the sewage system requires a maintenance agreement, the agreement must be signed by both the home owner and service provider. If the weeping bed makes use of imported filter media, a sample of the sand must be taken from the site of the system and a grain size analysis must be performed and submitted. As per Article OBC, a dwelling unit with a water distribution system, the following are required fixtures to be installed: a) Kitchen sink b) a lavatory c) a bath tub or shower stall d) water closet or a drainless composting toilet. Are you interested in becoming a Plumbing Inspector? The current City of London qualifications are as follows: Secondary School Diploma/Certificate plus Interprovincial or Ontario Plumber Certificate of Qualification or Engineering Technologist (Mechanical) with appropriate training in plumbing and drainage design theory and practice with a minimum of three years function related experience. Provincial Qualifications: Must be qualified in the category of Plumbing - All Buildings as defined under Division C Section 3.1 of the Ontario Building Code. Must have successfully passed the Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing examination on General Legal/process. Must have successfully passed the Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing examination in the category of On-site Sewage Systems. Maintain qualifications as determined by the Ministry of Municipal Affairs & Housing EXPERIENCE: Up to five years of related experience. Skills and abilities in the following areas are necessary: 2

3 Valid Driver's Licence - Class G. Booking Inspections It is the permit holder s responsibility to book inspections. Each address or unit and each process (storm/sanitary sewer, water service, base-work, rough-in, plumbing final) must be booked. This will ensure that all the work you have ready gets inspected without delay. The Building Code Act allows 48 hours for inspections starting on the day after the inspection is booked. This timeframe should be considered when scheduling other trades. The expectation that inspectors will arrive just-in-time for inspections creates unnecessary stress and complicates the planning that each inspector spends organizing daily inspections across the sprawling City. Finished Basements Inspections In the past there have been a few basements being finished in existing residences. Finishing or renovating basements in existing residences where base-works and/or rough-ins are not altered should still be called in to verify that there has been no change. If the inspection is not done, we could have you open up walls and/or camera sewers to verify the fact that there were no changes. This would cause extra cost and time to a project in the final days. Water Meters Starting on January 2, 2018 the installation of water meters will be required on final inspections. In the past there have been houses occupied without the meter installed. With the meter requirement in the OBC, this is the reason for the change in our procedure (5) Where the water supply is to be metered, the installation of the meter, including the piping that is part of the meter installation and the valving arrangement for the meter installation, shall be according to the water purveyor s requirements. (See section of City of London 2017 Design Specifications and Requirements; /Resources/Consultant- Resources/Documents/2017- Specs-and-Reqs/07-DSRM WaterDesign.pdf). Sewer and Base-work Cards Please ensure sewer and basework cards are given to the inspector at the time of inspection. Faxing cards at a later time is not a good option as we often don t receive those cards. Please be advised that we cannot issue the occupancy permit until these cards are submitted. 3

4 The Sewer and Base-work cards are to be completed using a pen and a straight edge. The information placed on these cards is to be as accurate and legible as possible so that contractors and homeowners can easily locate the underground sewers, waterlines and plumbing. Water Powered Liberty Sump Pumps Due to new documentation received from Liberty pumps, our plumbing inspectors will be accepting Double Check Valve Assemblies installed for the Liberty SumpJet water-powered back up sump pump system. Sewer Lining We are now requesting that videos of sewer linings be provided along with the field report submitted once the liner is complete. Wastewater department has come across situations where the liner has been installed beyond the lateral into the main causing sewer backups. Also, it was brought to our attention that more sewer lining projects on private properties have been completed without building permits. Please note that sewer lining is a material alteration of the existing sewer. Lining sewers without building permits constitutes a violation of the Building Code Act and is subject to an order under the Act. Based on the facts that sewer lining is being done without building permits, we have decided to reduce our original permit fee for sewer lining from $220 down to a minimum permit fee of $110 with the objective to encourage contractors and home owners to apply for permits. Working Together Towards Improved Processes In an effort to improve our service delivery in a costeffective manner, we have compiled a list of issues that appear to be repetitive and result in unnecessary delays with building permit issuance and/or building and plumbing inspections. We issued a document on June 1, 2017 in order to promote productive discussion between the Building Division and our stakeholders. When plumbing drawings are required, as of June 1, 2017 reviewed, by Building Division staff, drawings need to be available on the site or in the building whereupon the inspection is to be conducted. Please ensure there is an identification sign or other type of identification on-site noting the Lot Number, and Door Point Number (if applicable). 4

5 Please avoid requesting inspections that are not ready when the inspector arrives. Avoid requesting time-specific inspections. Photographs in lieu of inspections conducted by the plumbing inspector will not be accepted. Avoid requesting inspections at different times of the day when the sites are on the same street. Lack of safe access to work to be inspected has been experienced (eg. basement access to inspect plumbing basework). Access in accordance with OHSA should be provided. Backflow Prevention Program Staffing Updates As you may be aware, Stacy Badeen has moved on to another position with the City. Ashley Gleba replaced her back in July and has been assisting Karen Kosir with the administrative portion of the program. Just so you don t have to keep up with staffing changes, please ensure that you are submitting your Testing & Inspection Reports and program queries to backflow@london.ca. This will ensure that they get to the right people and that you receive a prompt response. Tester Recertification If you are one of the backflow device testers in the London area requiring recertification in 2018, Fanshawe College has courses listed on their website for January. If you require further information regarding any of the Fanshawe College Backflow Device Tester courses, please contact Greg Van Bakel at the following: Greg Van Bakel Professor- Coordinator Plumbing Apprenticeship, School of Building Technology 1001 Fanshawe College Blvd. London, ON N5Y 5R6 Tel: Ext gvanbakel@fanshawec.ca You can also check for classes offered at other training facilities listed on the OWWA website by clicking on the links provided. City of London Basement Flooding Grant Program A number of changes were made to the City s Basement Flooding Grant Program in Here are some of the highlights: This grant program is governed through the Basement Flooding Grant Program By-law A (October 30, 2017). Note that 5

6 the application process is unchanged. The grant coverage was increased from 75% to 90% of the total cost for eligible costs up to various revised maximum upset limits. For eligible grant recipients, a loan is also now available for eligible costs not covered by the grant program. All property taxes must be paid in full at the time of application and throughout the loan process to be considered eligible for the loan. The loan amount is applied to the homeowner s property taxes based on an annual ten year repayment amount with interest. For homeowners who are disconnecting their weeping tiles from the sanitary system, and installing a sump pit and sump pump, the grant program now includes coverage of a battery back-up system for the new sump pump. The By-law was updated/amended as follows: 1. To describe backwater valves as approved, meaning valves that meet Ontario Building Code and Canadian Standards Association product and installation requirements, as well as manufacturer installation requirements. 2. Eligible costs can now include building/plumbing permit for eligible works, including efforts to coordinate inspection(s) identified in the permit. City staff have adopted an emergency procedure, to prioritize applications for eligible work that has been identified to address immediate flooding needs. More information regarding the program is available online: For questions regarding the program please contact the Wastewater and Drainage Engineering Division at CITY (2489) ext. 5489, to understand whether you may be eligible for the program. City of London Contacts Mark Wilson Plumbing Inspector mwilson@london.ca Will Rounds Plumbing Inspector wrounds@london.ca Drago Macar P.Eng. Manager, Plumbing Inspection ext dmacar@london.ca Questions and Comments for Building Division Staff Please feel free to forward any questions or comments you may have and include the building code section number, if applicable. Please include your contact information, so that we can respond to you with our comments. 6