ADMINISTRATIVE REPORT
Date: October 13, 1995
Dept. File No.:NEWPLUMB
TO: Vancouver City Council
FROM: City Building Inspector
SUBJECT: New Plumbing By-law
RECOMMENDATION
A. THAT Council accept in principle the adoption of the new
"International Plumbing Code" upon completion of a favourable
review by the local plumbing industry,
B. THAT Council instruct the City Building Inspector to solicit
comments from the local plumbing industry through meetings and
workshops, and
C. THAT Council instruct the Director of Legal Services to
investigate the possibility of entering into a legal agreement
to have a private organization publish the proposed by-law for
a nominal charge to the City.
GENERAL MANAGER'S COMMENTS
The General Manager of Community Services RECOMMENDS approval
of the foregoing.
PURPOSE
This report will look at a new source of regulations for the City's
Plumbing By-law. This source can provide better guidance for
tradespeople and inspection staff who deal with plumbing regulations.
The report will discuss possible international cooperation which could
result in the City having a fully-published Plumbing Code, training aids
and interpretation services for a nominal charge.
DISCUSSION
This is a further step in our recent efforts to modernize and simplify
the city's building regulations, this time for the plumbing trade.
Vancouver, like most municipalities, has had its own plumbing by-law for
many years. The first Plumbing Inspector was named by the Medical
Officer of Health in 1893, at the same time that the City adopted its
very first Plumbing regulations.
The present Plumbing By-law was last updated in 1986 to be compatible
with the adoption of the 1980 edition of the B.C. Plumbing Code.
The B.C. Plumbing Code actually adopted the Canadian Plumbing Code, with
several provincial amendments. However, the Canadian Plumbing Code was
based mostly upon the (U.S.) Basic Plumbing Code, much of which, in
turn, was derived from Chicago's determined effort to improve upon its
horrendous experience with plumbing and drainage problems earlier this
century, following some major floods. Apparently, most plumbing codes
on this continent have many similarities with these original Chicago
regulations.
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In 1993, two of the three U.S. model code authorities agreed to
cooperate in developing a joint model plumbing code by January, 1994.
Just recently, effective January, 1995, all three U.S. model code groups
developed and printed the "International Plumbing Code" which
references, among other standards, the Canadian CSA Standards.
This new venture was made mostly at the insistence of nation-wide
building design and construction materials associations, to provide more
uniformity across the country and to permit easier access into those
many third world countries that were looking for modern regulations.
The International Plumbing Code is now based upon modern versions of the
best plumbing regulations in the U.S. and Canada.
City staff have reviewed this new International Plumbing Code with great
interest. It excels in format and readability, according to the
inspection staff who continually look for solutions to plumbing
enforcement problems. Staff eventually asked whether our City could
adopt such a user-friendly and understandable code.
During the summer, staff have used this new code as a reference tool to
explain our current plumbing regulations to the plumbing contractors.
The province's Building Standards Branch is also interested in this
international code.
We are now at a point where Council needs to confirm if we should
continue to work toward the possible adoption of an amended
International Plumbing Code for our City. From our early contacts
with the building industry, we have heard mostly positive comments, and
will, if Council so directs, provide for a public forum for debate over
possible adoption.
On September 13, 1995, the International Code Council, the group
combining the three American Codes, appointed David Pope of our plumbing
inspection staff as one of the only three representatives (and the only
Canadian) to the International Plumbing Code Advisory Committee. This
is seen as a significant step in eventually making the U.S. building
codes truly international.
As a "Class A" corporate member of the International Conference of
Building Officials (ICBO), we are eligible for getting custom-printed
publications directly from this organization, including our own
amendments. It normally would charge only for the extra work in
preparing the amendments and then would provide all staff with free
copies of the finished copy. ICBO would then recoup its full costs from
the sales to the industry members and the public, with a nominal charge
on each book sold. Many major cities in the U.S., as well as several
states, have entered into these agreements for publishing their codes.
Another major benefit comes from the ICBO material evaluation and
interpretation service which is available to all members through an 800-
number phone line. Also available are many films, commentaries and
training aids for full understanding of the regulations.
CONCLUSION
The City has an opportunity to adopt the International Plumbing Code as
a basis for its next Plumbing Code. It is easy to read, comes with
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multiple tables and design details and is similar in requirements to our
current plumbing by-law. A consultative process with industry is
planned.
It would also provide an opportunity for publication at nominal cost to
the City, training and education for staff and the industry, and a code
interpretation hot-line for staff.
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