HomeMy WebLinkAboutA001 - Council Action Form dated January 9, 1996 ITEM #
DATE: January 9, 1996
SUBJECT: Request Approval for Change in Chapter 21, Ames Municipal Plumbing
Code, Regarding Backwater Valves in Sanitary Sewer Services.
BACKGROUND:
Decades ago the city staff and local plumbers agreed that backwater valves shall be
installed in sanitary sewer service lines for every new or substantially remodeled structure.
The idea was to prevent backup of sanitary sewers into basements causing property
damage. Over time the requirements for storm water management have become stricter
and enforcement has improved. Also, the footing drain program and improved storm and
sanitary sewer mains relieved some of the problems associated with overburdened sewer
systems during heavy rain storms.
The technology for lower volume flush toilets has tremendously improved over the last 20
years while the backwater valve technology has remained constant. The problem, now,
is that low volume water closets do not have enough force to push the paper and sewage
past the flapper valves causing the sanitary sewers to back up into basements. Local
plumbing contractors and drain cleaning businesses have informed the Plumbing Code
Board of Appeals about thousands of dollars of property damage caused from these back
ups. Many local plumbers have asked the Plumbing Code Board of Appeals to
recommend to the City Council the elimination of Section 21.501(20)(m) of our local
plumbing code which states:
"A backwater valve shall be installed in the building drain."
The Plumbing Code Board of Appeals and local contractors held a meeting with city staff
to work out a solution to the problem. Staff agreed that the loosening of this local
requirement would be in best interest to the citizens of the community. This change would
reduce the cost of new construction and remodel projects by a small amount, but will
significantly reduce the cost associated with cleanup of a system failure and will also
reduce the cost of routine maintenance for a structure. However, City staff would like the
authority to require backwater valves in those isolated locations where problems continue
to exist. To do this, some provisions of the Iowa Department of Health regulations should
be added to the City Code.
A public hearing was held in December 1995, and all who attended the public hearing was
in support of the proposed change.
ALTERNATIVES:
1. Approve the ordinance change and repeal Section 21.501(20)(m) of our local plumbing
code and amend the local code to adopt the State Health Code provision.
2. Deny the request.
MANAGER'S RECOMMENDED ACTION:
It is the recommendation of the City Manager that the City Council adopt Alternative #1.
It is also the recommendation of the City Manager to have City Council waive the time
between the readings and pass the ordinance in three readings to pass the savings onto
the citizens immediately.
COUNCIL ACTION: