Storm Drainage Questions
04_47 The storm building drain is 24" in diameter and serviced with 4" cleanouts. Can the fitting at the building drain that connects the cleanout to the drain be a tee or must it be a wye ? (fitting would be 24" X 24" X 4" )
Answer: (On. Reg. 403/97)
7.4.7.2.(4) states that cleanouts capable of rodding in one direction only shall be installed to rod in the direction of flow. 7.2.4.1.(1) states that a T fitting shall not be used in a drainage system except to connect a vent pipe. So the strict interpretation is the fitting must be a wye. Note: Although those words in the code are quite explicit and do not leave much room for interpretation we are probably all guilty of passing in line cleanouts on the horizontal (provided there is no extension added or that the extension does not exceed.... depends on what type of experience we all have). Some plumbers would love the opportunity to rod upstream as well as downstream, service plumbers are the best persons to advise on this issue. If inspectors are not enforcing the code as it is written it makes it very difficult to achieve uniformity throughout the province. It does not help or provide a service to anyone in the industry if everyone knows what the Code says but we each do our own thing. So if we are accepting other alternatives, lets try and put words to it and legalize current practice. " "We want to encourage our Associate members to voice their opinion on this matter by contacting anyone on the Code Technical Committee or of the Executive so that we may propose something to the Ministry. The Ministry has indicated that if anyone wishes to propose an amendment to the regulations pertaining to this issue that they would welcome it.
04_52 There are 2 storm sewer systems on this property, the first being on the property for site drainage (storm retention) and the second system is for the building. 1. is this plumbing? 2. definition of storm? 3. is a permit required? 4. who looks after this?
Answer: (O. Reg. 403/97)
We will attempt to answer these questions in a manner that encompasses all parts and not necessarily in order. The definition of storm drainage should be the key to answering all of the above questions. However, it is also the most misunderstood. Storm drainage piping as defined includes storm building drain, storm building sewer, rain water leader, catch basin and area drains installed to collect water from the property and the piping that drains water from a swimming pool or from water cooled air conditioning equipment (basically all piping that conveys storm sewage) but does not include a private sewage treatment and disposal facility designed for the treatment or retention of storm sewage prior to discharge to the natural environment." "On the surface, this definition seems clear enough but where the confusion arises is when the site plan comes in labelled as “storm management”. We must ensure at the plan review stage which of the piping in the storm system is designed as storm management. In other words, because a catch basin or a manhole has a flow restrictor in it or that an interceptor is installed at property line, it does not automatically deem the whole system as storm management. If the piping in the storm system is designed to convey storm sewage to a manhole that has a flow restrictor in it, the piping that conveys the storm is plumbing but the manhole is storm management. If the piping is designed to retain the water then the whole system upstream of the manhole is deemed storm management and therefore not plumbing. As for wondering if a permit is required you must verify in your building bylaw to see if these scenarios are covered, we think that most municipalities request that permits be applied for regardless if it is deemed plumbing or not since most of us inspect it anyway. The other problem lies in the enforcement because if it is NOT plumbing then the OBC does not apply and we must get our authority from other legislation and in this case it would be MoE. If you want to be certain if it is not plumbing, tell them that it is and let the applicant prove that it is not.
05_17 Housing project has no sanitary services. However, they do have storm sewers. According to Sentence 9.31.4.4.(1) a floor drain shall be installed in a basement forming part of a dwelling, Sentence (3) states that where gravity drainage to the sanitary is not possible the floor drain may connect to storm drainage as 1 option. The plumbers have started connecting the drain to the storm upstream of the BWV without a P-trap. They are claiming that a trap is necessary when sewer gases are present and since there are no gases present in the storm system that the trap is NOT required. Floor drain is not a defined term in the code but it is listed as a fixture with an assigned load, is this acceptable?
Answer: (On. Reg. 403/97)
Too bad we do not have a Sentence (2) in Article 7.4.5.2. Traps for Storm Drainage Systems like the Canadian Plumbing Code (A floor drain which drains to a storm drainage system shall be protected by a trap which a) is located between the floor drain and a leader, storm building drain or storm building sewer, b) may serve all floor drains located in the same room, and c) need not be protected by a vent pipe. ) because that would have solved your problem however we do not have that Sentence but from the answers I received we all agreed that the floor drain would require a trap regardless of where it discharged and this we based on 7.4.5.1.(1). Once the floor drain is attached to the piping, it becomes storm drainage piping and is subject to Part 7. Note: Maybe the Ministry could entertain this as a proposal to amend or add the missing Sentence in Article 7.4.5.2. Motion: To adopt the applicable NPC requirements.
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