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Health department says water is not safe to drink,

Mr. Inspector

Mr. Inspector

SAWHORSE
Joined
Nov 28, 2009
Messages
4,750
Location
Poconos/eastern PA
Doing a plan review. I have a gas station that wants to add an addition. Because the increase of occupants drinking fountains are now required and the water is not safe to drink. I don't know what to do now. Should I make them go to the appeal board?
 
Is the water officially not safe to drink, or does everybody in town just say it tastes funny? Can they install bottled water stations?
 
Mr. Inspector said:
Doing a plan review. I have a gas station that wants to add an addition. Because the increase of occupants drinking fountains are now required and the water is not safe to drink. I don't know what to do now. Should I make them go to the appeal board?
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Can't they substitute a bottled water dispenser in place of the drinking fountain?

Of course, then there's the problem of who gets to ensure that they keep buying bottled water -- or that they don't refill the bottle with the unsafe water ...
 
If the water isn’t safe enough to drink, it’s probably not safe to use in a bathroom either. What is the problem with the water?
 
No city water, only well water. All I know is the owner said the state health department said it is not safe to only drink and the code require drinking fountains. Building never had a C. O. so it will be a change of occupancy, an addition and alterations. The addition will be a large walking frig with doors on the inside for soda and beer like you see at most mini markets.
 
A word search on the term "composting" (as in composting toilets) will bring up a number of discussions regarding alternative compliance methods in lieu of the adopted plumbing code requirements for minimum plumbing facilities, particularly for rural areas, camps, etc.
 
Is it considered unsafe to drink only because the local health department doesn't check it for bacteria? In Virginia the Health Department used to check well water, but a couple decades ago they stopped doing it and you have to get a private testing lab to test it.
 
Yikes said:
A word search on the term "composting" (as in composting toilets) will bring up a number of discussions regarding alternative compliance methods in lieu of the adopted plumbing code requirements for minimum plumbing facilities, particularly for rural areas, camps, etc.
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Plan does not have this, they have a septic system.

Paul Sweet said:
Is it considered unsafe to drink only because the local health department doesn't check it for bacteria? In Virginia the Health Department used to check well water, but a couple decades ago they stopped doing it and you have to get a private testing lab to test it.
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I don't know. Why should I care?
 
Mr. Inspector said:
Plan does not have this, they have a septic system.
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My post #12 was not specifically about composting toilets. When you search on that term "compost" you'll find a lot of discussions not just about composting toilets, but addressing the larger issue of how to apply a plumbing code to a rural situation where there is no domestic potable water and/or no sewer. That has applicability to your original post.
 
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Bobbi_O said:
Why is the shower shown only the figure on the right? It is shorter?
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I have no idea. I just pulled some random photos off the internet. It was intended to be sardonic humor. Make them put in a water fountain because "code says so" but then require them to put a sign up that says, "don't drink".

Then to emphasize the stupidity of that, I thought why not put a sign up that says "it's not a water fountain, it's a shower."
1761592464665.png
 
There are several examples where an AHJ may require partial installation for a system.
  • Here in the LA area, many jurisdictions require that irrigation system be designed to accept municipal recycled water, even though there is no such system in place nor planned for the near future. (Typically it is purple colored PVC pipe to indicate it may be non-potable.)
  • California may require a building to install conduits and breaker space for future EV chargers, even if there is no plan to install a charger in the present.
I could see a scenario where the AHJ requires the plans to identify the future drinking fountain installation and require that area to be rough-plumbed and capped.
 
If the business lacks potable water, it cannot lawfully remain open. It must either connect to a public supply, install an approved treatment system certified by the health department, or remain closed until the water is proven safe for human use. Some of you are missing the bigger picture.
 
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