609.0 Installation, Testing, Unions, and Location

Water piping shall be adequately supported in accordance with Table 313.3. Burred ends shall be reamed to the full bore of the pipe or tube. Changes in direction shall be made by the appropriate use of fittings, except that changes in direction in copper or copper alloy tubing shall be permitted to be made with bends, provided that such bends are made with bending equipment that does not deform or create a loss in the cross-sectional area of the tubing. Changes in direction are allowed with flexible pipe and tubing without fittings in accordance with the manufacturer's instructions. Provisions shall be made for expansion in hot-water piping. Piping, equipment, appurtenances, and devices shall be installed in a workmanlike manner in accordance with the provisions and intent of the code. Building supply yard piping shall be not less than 12 inches (305 mm) below the average local frost depth. The cover shall be not less than 12 inches (305 mm) below finish grade.

Water pipes shall not be run or laid in the same trench as building sewer or drainage piping constructed of clay or materials that are not approved for use within a building unless both of the following conditions are met:

1. The bottom of the water pipe shall be not less than 12 inches (305 mm) above the top of the sewer or drain line.
2. The water pipe shall be placed on a solid shelf excavated at one side of the common trench with a clear horizontal distance of not less than 12 inches (305 mm) from the sewer or drain line.

     Water pipes crossing sewer or drainage piping constructed of clay or materials that are not approved for use within a building shall be laid not less than 12 inches (305 mm) above the sewer or drain pipe.

Water piping installed within a building and in or under a concrete floor slab resting on the ground shall be installed in accordance with the following requirements:

1. Ferrous piping shall have a protective coating of an approved type; machine applied and in accordance with recognized standards. Field wrapping shall provide equivalent protection and shall be restricted to those short sections and fittings necessarily stripped for threading. Zinc coating (galvanizing) shall not be deemed adequate protection for piping or fittings. Approved nonferrous piping shall not be required to be wrapped.
2. Copper or copper alloy tubing shall be installed without joints where possible. Where joints are permitted, they shall be brazed, and fittings shall be wrought copper.

     For the purpose of this section, "within a building" shall mean within the fixed limits of the building foundation.

Upon completion of a section or of the entire hot and cold water supply system, the system shall be tested with water or air. The potable water test pressure shall be greater than or equal to the working pressure under which the system is to be used. The air pressure shall be a minimum of 50 psi (345 kPa). Plastic pipe shall not be tested with air. The piping system shall withstand the test pressure without showing evidence of leakage for a period of not less than 15 minutes.

Unions shall be installed in the water supply piping not more than 12 inches (305 mm) of regulating equipment, water heating, conditioning tanks, and similar equipment that requires service by removal or replacement in a manner that will facilitate its ready removal.

Except as provided in Section 609.7, no building supply shall be located in a lot other than the lot that is the site of the building or structure served by such building supply.

Nothing contained in this code shall be construed to prohibit the use of an abutting lot to:

1. Provide access to connect a building supply to an available public water service where proper cause and legal easement not in violation of other requirements have been first established to the satisfaction of the Authority Having Jurisdiction.
2. Provide additional space for a building supply where the proper cause, transfer of ownership, or change of boundary not in violation of other requirements have been first established to the satisfaction of the Authority Having Jurisdiction. The instrument recording such action shall constitute an agreement with the Authority Having Jurisdiction, which shall clearly state and show that the areas so joined or used shall be maintained as a unit during the time they are so used. Such an agreement shall be recorded in the office of the County Recorder as a part of the conditions of ownership of said properties, and shall be binding on heirs, successors, and assigns to such properties. A copy of the instrument recording such proceedings shall be filed with the Authority Having Jurisdiction.

Where a booster pump (excluding a fire pump) is connected to a building supply or underground water pipe, a low-pressure cutoff switch on the inlet side of the pump shall be installed not more than 5 feet (1524 mm) of the inlet. The cutoff switch shall be set for not less than 10 psi (69 kPa). A pressure gauge shall be installed between the shutoff valve and the pump.

New or repaired potable water systems shall be disinfected prior to use where required by the Authority Having Jurisdiction. [OSHPD 1, 1R, 2, 3, 4 & 5] Prior to utilization of newly constructed or altered potable water piping systems, all affected potable water piping shall be disinfected using procedures prescribed in California Plumbing Code Sections 609.9(1) through 609.9(4). The method to be followed shall be that prescribed by the Health Authority or, in case no method is prescribed by it, the following:

1. The pipe system shall be flushed with clean, potable water until potable water appears at the points of the outlet.
2. The system or parts thereof shall be filled with a water-chlorine solution containing not less than 50 parts per million of chlorine, and the system or part thereof shall be valved-off and allowed to stand for 24 hours; or, the system or part thereof shall be filled with a water-chlorine solution containing not less than 200 parts per million of chlorine and allowed to stand for 3 hours.
3. Following the allowed standing time, the system shall be flushed with clean, potable water until the chlorine residual in the water coming from the system does not exceed the chlorine residual in the flushing water.
4. The procedure shall be repeated where it is shown by a bacteriological examination made by an approved agency that contamination persists in the system.

[Not adopted by HCD] Building water supply systems where quick-acting valves are installed shall be provided with water hammer arrester(s) to absorb high pressures resulting from the quick closing of these valves. Water hammer arresters shall be approved mechanical devices that comply with ASSE 1010 or PDI-WH 201 and shall be installed as close as possible to quick-acting valves.

Where listed mechanical devices are used, the manufacturer's specifications as to location and method of installation shall be followed.

Insulation of domestic hot water piping shall be in accordance with Section 609.11.1 and Section 609.11.2.

Domestic hot water piping shall be insulated.

Hot water pipe insulation shall have a minimum wall thickness of not less than the diameter of the pipe for a pipe up to 2 inches (50 mm) in diameter. Insulation wall thickness shall be not less than 2 inches (51 mm) for a pipe of 2 inches (50 mm) or more in diameter.