Chapter 6 — WATER SUPPLY AND DISTRIBUTION
603.4 General Requirements. Assemblies shall comply
California Plumbing Code (Title 24, Part 5) · 2025 edition · updated 2026-09-10 · California
Italicized text is a California amendment to the model code, as printed in the official publication.
with listed standards and be acceptable to the Authority Having Jurisdiction, with jurisdiction over the selection and installation of backflow prevention assemblies.
603.4.1 Backflow Prevention Valve. Where more than one backflow prevention valve is installed on a single premise, and the valves are installed in one location, each separate valve shall be permanently identified by the permittee in a manner satisfactory to the Authority Having Jurisdiction. 603.4.2 Testing. The premise owner or responsible person shall have the backflow prevention assembly tested by a certified backflow assembly tester at the time of installation, repair, or relocation and not less than on an annual schedule thereafter, or more often where required by the Authority Having Jurisdiction. The periodic testing shall be performed in accordance with the procedures referenced in ASSE/IAPMO/ANSI Series 5000 by a tester qualified in accordance with those standards. The field test kit used shall comply with ASSE 1064.
603.4.3 Access and Clearance. Access and clearance shall be provided for the required testing, maintenance, and repair. Access and clearance shall be in accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions, and not less than 12 inches (305 mm) between the lowest portion of the assembly and grade, floor, or platform. Installations elevated that exceed 5 feet (1524 mm) above the floor or grade shall be provided with a platform capable of supporting a tester or maintenance person.
603.4.4 Connections. Direct connections between potable water piping and sewer-connected wastes shall not be permitted to exist un der any condition with or without backflow protection. Where potable water is discharged to the drainage system, it shall be by means of an approved air gap of two pipe diameters of the supply
140 2025 CALIFORNIA PLUMBING CODE
WATER SUPPLY AND DISTRIBUTION
inlet, but in no case shall the gap be less than 1 inch (25.4 mm). Connection shall be permitted to be made to the inlet side of a trap provided that an approved vacuum breaker is installed not less than 6 inches (152 mm), or the distance according to the device’s listing, above the flood-level rim of such trapped fixture, so that at no time will such device be subjected to backpressure.
603.4.5 Hot Water Backflow Preventers. Backflow preventers for hot water exceeding 110°F (43°C) shall be a type designed to operate at temperatures exceeding 110°F (43°C) without rendering a portion of the assembly inoperative. 603.4.6 Integral Backflow Preventers. Fixtures, appliances, or appurtenances with integral backflow preventers or integral air gaps manufactured as a unit shall be installed in accordance with their listing requirements and the manufacturer’s installation instructions.
be a type designed to operate at temperatures exceeding 110°F (43°C) without rendering a portion of the assembly inoperative. 603.4.6 Integral Backflow Preventers. Fixtures, appliances, or appurtenances with integral backflow preventers or integral air gaps manufactured as a unit shall be installed in accordance with their listing requirements and the manufacturer’s installation instructions.
603.4.7 Freeze Protection. In cold climate areas, backflow assemblies and devices shall be protected from freezing with an outdoor enclosure that complies with ASSE 1060 or by a method acceptable to the Authority Having Jurisdiction. 603.4.8 Drain Lines. Drain lines serving backflow devices or assemblies shall be sized in accordance with the discharge rates of the manufacturer’s flow charts of such devices or assemblies.
603.4.9 Prohibited Locations. Backflow prevention devices with atmospheric vents or ports shall not be installed in pits, underground, or submerged locations. Backflow preventers shall not be located in an area containing fumes that are toxic, poisonous, or corrosive.
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Ask AI about this code▸Contents — California Plumbing Code (Title 24, Part 5)
- Chapter 1 — GENERAL CODE PROVISIONS
- Chapter 2 — DEFINITIONS
- Chapter 3 — GENERAL REGULATIONS
- Chapter 4 — PLUMBING FIXTURES AND FIXTURE FITTINGS
- Chapter 5 — WATER HEATERS
▸Chapter 6 — WATER SUPPLY AND DISTRIBUTION
Overview- 601.1 Applicability. This chapter shall govern the materials,
- 601.2 Water Supply and Flushing. Each plumbing fixture shall b…
- 601.3 Identification of a Potable and Nonpotable
- 601.4 Schools of Cosmetology and Cosmetological
- 601.5 Meat and Poultry Processing Plants. [AGR]
- 601.6 Collection Centers and Facilities. [AGR]
- 601.7 Renderers. [AGR] This area shall be provided with
- 601.8 Horse Meat and Pet Food Establishments. [AGR]
- 602.1 Prohibited Installation. No installation of potable
- 602.2 Cross-Contamination. No person shall make a connection o…
- 602.3 Backflow Prevention. No plumbing fixture, device,
- 602.4 Approval by Authority. No water piping supplied
- 603.1 General. Cross-connection control shall be provided
- 603.2 Approval of Devices or Assemblies. Before a
- 603.3 Backflow Prevention Devices, Assemblies, and
- 603.4 General Requirements. Assemblies shall comply
- 603.5 Specific Requirements. Specific requirements for
- 604.1 Pipe, Tube, and Fittings. Pipe, tube, fittings, solvent …
- 604.2 Lead Content. The maximum allowable lead content
- 604.3 Copper or Copper Alloy Tube. Copper or copper
- 604.4 Hard-Drawn Copper or Copper Alloy Tubing.
- 604.5 Flexible Connectors. Flexible water connectors
- 604.6 Cast-Iron Fittings. Cast-iron fittings up to and
- 604.7 Malleable Iron Fittings. Malleable iron water fittings s…
- 604.8 Previously Used Piping and Tubing. Piping and
- 604.9 Epoxy Coating. The epoxy coating used on existing, under…
- 604.10 Plastic Materials. Approved plastic materials shall
- 604.11 Solder. Solder shall comply with the requirements of
- 604.12 Flexible Corrugated Connectors. Flexible corrugated con…
- 604.13 Water Heater Connectors. Flexible metallic (copper and …
- 605.1 Copper or Copper Alloy Pipe, Tubing, and
- 605.2 CPVC Plastic Pipe and Joints. CPVC plastic pipe
- 605.3 CPVC/AL/CPVC Plastic Pipe and Joints. Chlorinated polyvi…
- 605.4 Ductile Iron Pipe and Joints. Ductile iron pipe
- 605.5 Galvanized Steel Pipe and Joints. Galvanized
- 605.6 PE Plastic Pipe/Tubing and Joints. PE plastic
- 605.7 PE-AL-PE Plastic Pipe/Tubing and Joints. PEAL-PE plastic…
- 605.8 PE-RT. Polyethylene of raised temperature (PE-RT)
- 605.9 PEX Plastic Tubing and Joints. PEX plastic tubing and fi…
- 605.10 PEX-AL-PEX Plastic Tubing and Joints. PEXAL-PEX plastic…
- 605.11 Polypropylene (PP) Piping and Joints. PP pipe
- 605.12 PVC Plastic Pipe and Joints. PVC plastic pipe
- 605.13 Stainless Steel Pipe and Joints. Joining methods for st…
- 605.14 Slip Joints. In water piping, slip joints shall be perm…
- 605.15 Dielectric Unions. Dielectric unions where installed
- 605.16 Joints Between Various Materials. Joints
- 606.1 General. Valves up to and including 2 inches (50
- 606.2 Fullway Valve. A fullway valve controlling outlets
- 606.3 Multidwelling Units. In multidwelling units, one or
- 606.4 Multiple Openings. Valves used to control two or
- 606.5 Control Valve. A control valve shall be installed
- 606.6 Accessible. Required shutoff or control valves shall
- 606.7 Multiple Fixtures. A single control valve shall be
- 606.8 [OSHPD 1, 1R, 2, 3, 4 & 5] Each riser or branch
- 606.9 Check Valve Required. All systems that circulate
- 606.10 Leak Detection Devices. Where leak detection
- 607.1 General. Potable water supply tanks shall be installed in
- 607.2 Private Well Water Tanks. Pressurized potable water
- 607.3 Potable Water Tanks. Potable water supply tanks,
- 607.4 Venting. Tanks used for potable water shall be tightly
- 607.5 Overflow. Tanks shall have not less than a 16 square
- 607.6 Valves. Pressurized tanks shall be provided with a listed
- 608.1 Inadequate Water Pressure. Where the water pressure in t…
- 608.2 Excessive Water Pressure. Where static water
- 608.3 Expansion Tanks, and Combination Tempera-
- 608.4 Pressure Relief Valves. Each pressure relief valve
- 608.5 Discharge Piping. The discharge piping serving a
- 608.6 Water-Heating Devices. A water-heating device
- 608.7 Vacuum Relief Valves. Where a hot-water storage
- 609.1 Installation. Water piping shall be adequately supported…
- 609.2 Trenches. Water pipes shall not be run or laid in the
- 609.3 Under Concrete Slab. Water piping installed within
- 609.4 Testing. Upon completion of a section or of the entire
- 609.5 Unions. Unions shall be installed in the water supply
- 609.6 Location. Except as provided in Section 609.7, no
- 609.7 Abutting Lot. Nothing contained in this code shall
- 609.8 Pumps. Pumps shall be installed in accordance with
- 609.9 Low-Pressure Cutoff Required on Booster
- 609.10 Disinfection of Potable Water System. New or
- 609.11 Water Hammer. [Not adopted by HCD] Building
- 609.12 Pipe Insulation. Insulation of domestic hot water
- 610.1 Size. The size of each water meter and each potable
- 610.2 Pressure Loss. Where a water filter, water softener,
- 610.3 Quantity of Water. The quantity of water required to be
- 610.4 Sizing Water Supply and Distribution Systems.
- 610.5 Sizing per Appendices A, C, and M . Except as
- 610.6 Friction and Pressure Loss. Except where the type
- 610.7 Conditions for Using Table 610.4. On a proposed
- 610.8 Size of Meter and Building Supply Pipe Using
- 610.9 Size of Branches. Where Table 610.4 is used, the minimum…
- 610.10 Sizing for Flushometer Valves. Where using
- 610.11 Sizing Systems for Flushometer Tanks. The size
- 610.12 Sizing for Velocity. Water piping systems shall not
- 610.13 Exceptions. The provisions of this section relative
- 611.1 Application. Drinking water treatment units shall
- 611.2 Air Gap Discharge. Discharge from drinking water
- 611.3 Connection Tubing. The tubing to and from drinking water…
- 611.4 Sizing of Residential Softeners. Residential-use
- 612.1 Installation. Residential Sprinkler Systems shall be
- 613.1 The domestic water-heating equipment and distribu-
- 613.2 At least two pieces of hot-water-heating equipment shall
- 613.3 Instantaneous heaters are permitted for supplying hot
- 613.4 Water storage tanks shall be fabricated of corrosion-
- 613.5 Temperature control valves shall be provided to auto-
- 613.6 Hot-water distribution system serving patient care areas
- 613.7 At fixtures where water exceeding 125°F (52°C) is acces-
- 613.8 Sectionalizing valves shall be provided as required by
- 613.9 Hot water distribution shall include test ports and valved
- 614.1 Dialysis water feedlines shall be CPVC (chlorinated
- 614.2 All piping for multistation or central dialysis units sh…
- 614.3 All valves shall be located in accessible locations.
- 614.4 Piping and valves shall be identified according to their
- 614.5 A means of preventing backwashing or flushing of the
- 614.6 A continuous audible alarm shall sound at the nurses’
- 614.7 Water treatment equipment and water used for dialysis
- 614.8 A diagram of all piping as installed shall be posted at …
- 615.1 Uses Not Permitted.
- 615.2 [OSHPD 1, 1R, 2, 3, 4 & 5] Non-potable water sys-
- 615.3 [OSHPD 1, 1R, 2, 3, 4 & 5] Outlets for non-potable
- 616.1 For new acute care hospital buildings submitted after
- 616.2 The emergency supply of water shall be provided at ade-
- 616.3 Storage tank connections and circulation shall be
- Chapter 7 — SANITARY DRAINAGE
- Chapter 8 — INDIRECT WASTES
- Chapter 9 — VENTS
- Chapter 10 — TRAPS AND INTERCEPTORS
- Chapter 11 — STORM DRAINAGE
- Chapter 12 — FUEL GAS PIPING
- Chapter 13 — HEALTH CARE FACILITIES AND MEDICAL GAS AND MEDICA…
- Chapter 14 — FIRESTOP PROTECTION
- Chapter 15 — ALTERNATE WATER SOURCES FOR NONPOTABLE APPLICATIONS
- Chapter 16 — NONPOTABLE RAINWATER CATCHMENT SYSTEMS
- Chapter 17 — REFERENCED STANDARDS
- Appendix A — RECOMMENDED RULES FOR SIZING THE WATER SUPPLY SYS…
- Appendix B — EXPLANATORY NOTES ON COMBINATION WASTE AND VENT S…
- Appendix C — ALTERNATE PLUMBING SYSTEMS
- Appendix D — SIZING STORM WATER DRAINAGE SYSTEMS
- Appendix E — MANUFACTURED/MOBILE HOME PARKS AND RECREATIONAL V…
- Appendix F — FIREFIGHTER BREATHING AIR REPLENISHMENT SYSTEMS
- Appendix G — SIZING OF VENTING SYSTEMS
- Appendix H — PRIVATE SEWAGE DISPOSAL SYSTEMS
- Appendix I — INSTALLATION STANDARDS
- Appendix J — COMBINATION OF INDOOR AND OUTDOOR COMBUSTION AND …
- Appendix K — POTABLE RAINWATER CATCHMENT SYSTEMS
- Appendix L — SUSTAINABLE PRACTICES
- Appendix M — PEAK WATER DEMAND CALCULATOR
- Appendix N — IMPACT OF WATER TEMPERATURE ON THE POTENTIAL FOR …
- Appendix O — NON-SEWERED SANITATION SYSTEMS
- Appendix P — PROFESSIONAL QUALIFICATIONS
- Appendix Q — INDOOR HORTICULTURAL FACILITIES
- Appendix R — TINY HOUSES
- Appendix S — ONSITE STORMWATER TREATMENT SYSTEMS