2014-007 Adopting a revised consolidated water conservation/drought contingency plan

Home Browse Search

Sec. 34 -170 Cross Connection Control The City of Paris maintains a cross connection control program, as required by the State of Texas. Risk of backflow is reduced when steps are taken to ensure that system pressures are maintained during periods of emergency repairs and also through periodic Customer Service Inspections for cross connections. Facilities and structures identified as high hazards to public health are required to install backflow prevention devices to prevent back siphonage of non- potable water caused by loss of pressure in water lines. Examples of potential cross connections include hose bibs, toilet float valves, swimming pools, water features, and irrigation sprinkler systems. Sec. 34 -171 Plumbing Fixtures In accordance with the plumbing codes approved for Texas the City of Paris has adopted the international plumbing code, all new construction must comply with the code by using water saving plumbing fixtures. In addition, the State of Texas has recently adopted more stringent water saving performance measures for plumbing fixtures, which may be reviewed in the Texas Health and Safety Code Chapter 372. The following maximum flow standards are listed in the Texas Administrative Code, Title 30, Chapter 290, Sub - chapter G: faucets — 2.2 gallons per minute (gpm); shower heads — 2.5 gpm; pre -rinse spray valves — 1.6 gpm; toilets — 1.28 gallons per flush (gpf); urinals — 0.5 gpf. Service taps will not be given to customers that do not meet the City's requirements for service, including compliance with the adopted plumbing code requirement of installing water conserving plumbing fixtures. The City of Paris, Building Code Inspection division inspects all new and repaired plumbing within the city limits. Certificates of Occupancy and permanent water service are not granted to facilities that fail to meet all requirements. Customers in existing buildings that do not have water saving plumbing fixtures are provided educational materials and encouraged to retrofit their old plumbing fixtures with lower gpm and gpf standards. Increasing numbers of water efficient clothes and dish washing machines are available, providing the same performance while using less water. A water efficient home can save as much as twenty percent (20 %) or more of water through the use of water saving plumbing fixtures. Sec. 34 -172 Water Waste The wasting of water is discouraged at all times, and prohibited during activation of the City's drought contingency plan. Water waste is defined as failure to repair controllable leaks to irrigation systems, plumbing fixtures, and pipes; operating an irrigation system with a broken or missing head, or a head that is out of adjustment; and during landscape irrigation allowing water to pond or run off of the property due to over watering, and watering between the hours of 10:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m. Page 18 of 20