Utility regulations or building code department?

[MikeC]

I have had an ongoing issue that began years before I was involved.

The local sanitary authority constantly sends people to me for permits whenever a sewer lateral needs to be repaired or replaced. I believe that my jurisdiction ends when the sewer line exits the house. The sewer lateral is then regulated by the utility. This is in Pennsylvania if that matters. Can anyone point me to a code section (PA UCC, IRC, or IPC) that will show me who regulates these sewer laterals?

 

[Francis Vineyard]

These sections may be applicable to your jurisdiction

PUBLIC SEWER.

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A common sewer directly controlled by public authority.



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P2503.4 Building sewer testing.

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The building sewer shall be tested by insertion of a test plug at the point of connection with the public sewer and filling the building sewer with water, testing with not less than a 10-foot (3048 mm) head of water and be able to maintain such pressure for 15 minutes.



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312.6 Gravity sewer test.

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Gravity sewer tests shall consist of plugging the end of the building sewer at the point of connection with the public sewer, filling the building sewer with water,testing with not less than a 10-foot (3048 mm) head of water and maintaining such pressure for 15 minutes.



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312.7 Forced sewer test.

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Forced sewer tests shall consist of plugging the end of the building sewer at the point of connection with the public sewer and applying a pressure of 5 psi (34.5kPa) greater than the pump rating, and maintaining such pressure for 15 minutes.



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[mark handler]

In most places it is the property owner's responsibility to maintain and repair their own sewer lateral from the house up to the point of connection with the public sanitary sewer.

Check you municipal code

 

[Chad Pasquini]

What Mark said

 

[MikeC]

Yes, but do I, as the municipal inspector, regulate the work done to the lateral? -or- is the utility the responsible party for regulating this work?

For example, I usually don't see the fuel gas line prior to the meter. I inspect house side of the lines after the meter. The homeowner is responsible for the line on their side of the curb box, which could easily be 100 feet prior to the meter. The utility even specifies who can work on the line between the curb box and the meter. In this case, the utility (gas company) regulates the line up on their side of the meter. I regulate the house side of the meter.

 

[fatboy]

We inspect sewer lines that are inside the the utility easement, that might be as little as 20', but to however far, once out of the easment, it's our inspection.

 

[Mr. Inspector]

I inspected sewer lines in PA from the curb into the house. It's not a law but it was required by the utilty company. The owner was reposable to have the line installed and inspected by a certified plumbing inspector per the utilty company rules.

Not much different than a permit is not required for a residental electrical service but the electric company requires that it is the owners reposabilty to install and get it inspected by a certified electrical inspector.

 

[Frank]

Here building inspections is from the house to the easement for sewer, from the meter to the house for water electric and gas. In the easement is Public Utilities jurisdiction.

 

[Keystone]

PA UCC

§ 7210.305. Existing municipality or municipal authority standards for lateral connections.

(a) GENERAL RULE - Municipality or municipal authority standards for lateral connections located on private property and connecting to public infrastructure owned by a municipality or municipal authority that were in effect on January 1, 2005, and contain provisions that equal or exceed the requirements of the regulations promulgated under this act, the Internal Residential Code or under the International Plumbing Code shall remain in effect until such time as any such provisions fail to equal or exceed the minimum requirements of the regulations promulgated under this act, at which time the standards shall be amended to equal or exceed the minimum requirements of the regulations promulgated under this act.

PA UCC

§ 401.7. Certification category specifications.

(4) Residential plumbing inspector.

(i) Inspects one-family and two-family dwellings and jurisdictional accessory structures to ensure that these structures are free from hazardous plumbing installations and comply with the Uniform Construction Code.

(ii) Duties include determining compliance of water service, building sewer, water distribution, drainage, waste and vents and fixtures.

§ 403.62. Permit requirements and exemptions.

d) An ordinary repair does not require a permit. The following are not ordinary repairs:

(4) The addition to, or relocation of any standpipe, water supply, sewer, drainage, drain leader, gas, soil, waste, vent or similar piping, electric wiring or mechanical.

2009 IRC

BUILDING SEWER. That part of the drainage system that extends from the end of the building drain and conveys its discharge to a public sewer, private sewer, individual sewage-disposal system or other point of disposal.