§ 35-5-211. PLUMBING FACILITY AND FIXTURE REQUIREMENTS.

(a)

Scope. This section establishes the minimum standards for plumbing facilities and fixtures.

(b)

Required.

(1)

Each housing unit shall include its own plumbing facilities that:

(i)

Are maintained in proper operating condition;

(ii)

Can be used in privacy; and

(iii)

Are adequate for personal cleanliness and the disposal of human waste.

(2)

Except as provided in paragraph (3) of this subsection, the property owner shall supply and maintain within each housing unit the following minimum plumbing facilities in a sanitary and safe working condition:

(i)

A room separate from other habitable areas, that provides a toilet supplied with cold running water and that affords privacy;

(ii)

A sink placed in close proximity to the toilet that is supplied with hot and cold running water;

(iii)

A room that is equipped with a bathtub or shower supplied with hot and cold running water and that affords privacy; and

(iv)

A kitchen sink, apart from the sink required under subparagraph (ii) of this paragraph, that is supplied with hot and cold running water.

(3)

The Code Official may approve, on a case by case basis, the use of alternative plumbing facilities and fixtures in housing units.

(c)

Condition of plumbing fixtures.

(1)

The property owner shall:

(i)

Maintain all plumbing fixtures in a safe and usable condition; and

(ii)

Use plumbing fixtures that:

1.

Are made of nonabsorbent material; and

2.

Have received all required approvals;

(iii)

Properly install and connect water supply lines, plumbing fixtures, vents, and drains and maintain them in working order and free from obstructions, leaks, and defects so that they are capable of performing the function for which they are designed;

(iv)

Make repairs and installations to water supply lines, plumbing lines, plumbing fixtures, vents, and drains in accordance with the provisions of the building and plumbing codes; and

(v)

Install plumbing fixtures to allow easy access for cleaning both the fixture and the area around it.

(2)

All plumbing fixtures shall be maintained in a clean and sanitary condition so as not to breed insects and rodents or produce dangerous or offensive gases or odors.

(d)

Water system.

(1)

The property owner shall:

(i)

Properly connect each sink, bathtub or shower, drinking fountain, toilet, or other plumbing facility to either a public water system or to a private water system that has received all required approvals;

(ii)

Maintain the water supply free from contamination;

(iii)

Locate all water inlets for plumbing fixtures above the overflow rim of the fixture; and

(iv)

Install and maintain the water supply system to provide a supply of water at all times to plumbing facilities, fixtures, devices, and appurtenances in sufficient volume and at pressures adequate to enable them to function satisfactorily.

(2)

The Code Official may approve, on a case by case basis, alternative water systems.

(e)

Water heating facilities. The property owner shall:

(1)

Install water heating facilities in a manner that has received all required approvals;

(2)

Properly maintain water heating facilities;

(3)

Properly connect with hot water lines to the fixtures required to be supplied with hot water; and

(4)

Provide water heating facilities that are capable of heating an adequate amount of water to be drawn at every sink, bathtub, shower, and laundry facility or other similar facilities, at a temperature of not less than 110 degrees Fahrenheit.

(f)

Sewage system; maintenance. The property owner shall:

(1)

Properly connect each sink, bathtub or shower, drinking fountain, toilet, or other plumbing facility to:

(i)

A public sewer system; or

(ii)

A private sewage disposal system that has received all required approvals;

(2)

Install and maintain each plumbing stack and waste and sewer line so that it functions properly and is kept free from obstructions, leaks, and defects in order to prevent structural deterioration or health hazards; and

(3)

Make all repairs and installations in accordance with the provisions of the building and plumbing codes.

(1988 Code, § 18-80) (Bill No. 25-01, § 2, 7-1-2004)