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Earlier editions: 20222019

Chapter 7 — SANITARY DRAINAGE

701.2 Drainage Piping. Materials for drainage piping shall

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.

be in accordance with one of the referenced standards in Table 701.2 except that:

(1) No galvanized wrought-iron or galvanized steel pipe shall be used underground and shall be kept not less than 6 inches (152 mm) aboveground.

(2) ABS and PVC DWV piping installations shall be installed in accordance with applicable standards referenced in Table 701.2 and the firestop protection require- ments in the California Building Code . Except for individual single-family dwelling units, materials exposed within ducts or plenums shall have a flamespread index of not more than 25 and a smoke-developed index of not more than 50, where tested in accordance with ASTM E84 or UL 723. Plastic piping installed in plenums shall be tested in accordance with all requirements of ASTM E84 or UL 723. Mounting methods, supports and sample sizes of materials for testing that are not specified in ASTM E84 or UL 723 shall be prohibited.

(a) [HCD 1 & HCD 2] ABS and PVC installations are limited to not more than two stories of areas of res- idential accommodation.

(b) [OSHPD 1, 2, 3, 4 & 5] ABS and PVC installations are not allowed.

(3) No vitrified clay pipe or fittings shall be used aboveground or where pressurized by a pump or ejector. They shall be kept not less than 12 inches (305 mm) belowground.

(4) Copper or copper alloy tube for drainage and vent piping shall have a weight of not less than that of copper or copper alloy drainage tube type DWV.

(5) Stainless steel 304 pipe and fittings shall not be installed underground and shall be kept not less than 6 inches (152 mm) aboveground.

(6) Cast-iron soil pipe and fittings and the stainless steel couplings used to join these products shall be listed and tested in accordance with standards referenced in Table 701.2. Such pipe and fittings shall be marked with the country of origin, manufacturer’s name or registered trademark as defined in the product standards, the third party certifier’s mark, and the class of the pipe or fitting.

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▸Contents — California Plumbing Code (Title 24, Part 5)
California Plumbing Code (Title 24, Part 5)
  1. Chapter 1 — GENERAL CODE PROVISIONS
  2. Chapter 2 — DEFINITIONS
  3. Chapter 3 — GENERAL REGULATIONS
  4. Chapter 4 — PLUMBING FIXTURES AND FIXTURE FITTINGS
  5. Chapter 5 — WATER HEATERS
  6. Chapter 6 — WATER SUPPLY AND DISTRIBUTION
  7. ▸Chapter 7 — SANITARY DRAINAGE
    Overview
    1. 701.1 Applicability. This chapter shall govern the materials,
    2. 701.2 Drainage Piping. Materials for drainage piping shall
    3. 701.3 Drainage Fittings. Materials for drainage fittings
    4. 701.4 Continuous Wastes. Continuous wastes and fixture
    5. 701.5 Lead. (See Chapter 17) Sheet lead shall comply with
    6. 701.6 Caulking Ferrules. Caulking ferrules shall be manufactur…
    7. 701.7 Soldering Bushings. Soldering bushings shall be
    8. 702.1 Trap Size. The unit equivalent of plumbing fixtures
    9. 702.2 Intermittent Flow. Drainage fixture units for intermitte…
    10. 702.3 Continuous Flow. For a continuous flow into a
    11. 703.1 Minimum Size. The minimum sizes of vertical, horizontal,…
    12. 703.2 Maximum Number of Fixture Units. Table 703.2
    13. 703.3 Sizing per Appendix C. For alternate method of
    14. 704.1 Inlet Fittings. Drainage piping shall be provided with
    15. 704.2 Single Vertical Drainage Pipe. Two fixtures set
    16. 704.3 Commercial Sinks. Pot sinks, scullery sinks, dishwashing…
    17. 705.1 ABS and ABS Co-Extruded Plastic Pipe and
    18. 705.2 Cast-Iron Pipe and Joints. Joining methods for
    19. 705.3 Copper or Copper Alloy Pipe (DWV) and
    20. 705.4 Galvanized Steel Pipe and Joints. Joining methods for ga…
    21. 705.5 Polyethylene (PE) Sewer Pipe. Polyethylene (PE)
    22. 705.6 PVC and PVC Co-Extruded Plastic Pipe and
    23. 705.7 Stainless Steel Pipe and Joints. Joining methods for sta…
    24. 705.8 Vitrified Clay Pipe and Joints. Joining methods
    25. 705.9 Special Joints. Special joints shall comply with Section…
    26. 705.10 Joints Between Various Materials. Joints
    27. 706.1 Approved Fittings. Changes in the direction of
    28. 706.2 Horizontal to Vertical. Horizontal drainage lines,
    29. 706.3 Horizontal to Horizontal. Horizontal drainage lines
    30. 706.4 Vertical to Horizontal. Vertical drainage lines connecti…
    31. 707.1 Plug. Each cleanout fitting for cast-iron pipe shall con…
    32. 707.2 Approved. Each cleanout fitting and each cleanout
    33. 707.3 Watertight and Gastight. Cleanouts shall be
    34. 707.4 Location. Each horizontal drainage pipe shall be provide…
    35. 707.5 Cleaning. Each cleanout shall be installed so that it
    36. 707.6 Extension. Each cleanout extension shall be considered a…
    37. 707.7 Interceptor. Each cleanout for an interceptor shall be
    38. 707.8 Access. Each cleanout, unless installed under an
    39. 707.9 Clearance. Each cleanout in piping 2 inches (50 mm)
    40. 707.10 Fittings. Cleanout fittings shall be not less in size
    41. 707.11 Pressure Drainage Systems. Cleanouts shall be
    42. 707.12 Countersunk Cleanout Plugs. Countersunk
    43. 707.13 Hubless Blind Plugs. Where a hubless blind plug
    44. 707.14 Trap Arms. Cleanouts for trap arms shall be installed
    45. 708.1 General. Building drain and other horizontal drainage
    46. 709.1 General. Where practicable, plumbing fixtures shall
    47. 710.1 Backflow Protection. Fixtures installed on a floor
    48. 710.2 Sewage Discharge. Drainage piping serving fixtures that …
    49. 710.3 Sewage Ejector and Pumps. A sewage ejector or
    50. 710.4 Discharge Line. The discharge line from such ejector, pu…
    51. 710.5 Size of Building Drains and Sewers. Building
    52. 710.6 Backwater Valves. Backwater valves, gate valves,
    53. 710.7 Drainage and Venting Systems. The drainage and
    54. 710.8 Sump and Receiving Tank Construction. Sumps
    55. 710.9 Alarm. Such sumps and receiving tanks shall be automatic…
    56. 710.10 Sump and Receiving Tank Covers and Vents.
    57. 710.11 Air Tanks. Air tanks shall be so proportioned as to be
    58. 710.12 Grinder Pump Ejector. Grinder pumps shall be
    59. 710.13 Macerating Toilet Systems and Pumped
    60. 711.1 General. Drainage connections shall not be made into
    61. 712.1 Media. The piping of the plumbing, drainage, and venting…
    62. 712.2 Water Test. The water test shall be applied to the
    63. 712.3 Air Test. The air test shall be made by attaching an
    64. 713.1 Where Required. A building in which plumbing fixtures ar…
    65. 713.2 Private Sewage Disposal System. Where no public sewer in…
    66. 713.3 Public Sewer. Within the limits prescribed by Section 71…
    67. 713.4 Public Sewer Availability. The public sewer shall
    68. 713.5 Permit. No permit shall be issued for the installation,
    69. 713.6 Lot. On every lot or premises hereafter connected to
    70. 713.7 Installation. In cities, counties, or both where the
    71. 714.1 Unlawful Practices. It shall be unlawful for a person to…
    72. 714.2 Prohibited Water Discharge. No rain, surface, or
    73. 714.3 Prohibited Sewer Connection. No cesspool, septic tank, s…
    74. 714.4 Commercial Food Waste Disposer. The Authority Having Jur…
    75. 714.5 Tanks. An approved type, watertight sewage or wastewater…
    76. 715.1 Materials. The building sewer, beginning 2 feet (610
    77. 715.2 Joining Methods and Materials. Joining methods
    78. 715.3 Existing Sewers. Where permitted by the Authority
    79. 716.1 General. Pipe, brick, block, prefabricated septic
    80. 717.1 General. The minimum size of a building sewer shall
    81. 717.2 Meat and Poultry Processing Plants. [AGR] The
    82. 718.1 Slope. Building sewers shall be run in practical alignme…
    83. 718.2 Support. Building sewer piping shall be laid on a firm
    84. 718.3 Protection from Damage. No building sewer or
    85. 719.1 Locations. Cleanouts shall be placed inside the building…
    86. 719.2 No Additional Cleanouts. Where a building sewer
    87. 719.3 Building Sewer Cleanouts. Required building
    88. 719.4 Cleaning. Each cleanout shall be installed so that it
    89. 719.5 Access. Cleanouts installed under concrete or asphalt
    90. 719.6 Manholes. Approved manholes shall be permitted to
    91. 720.1 General. Building sewers or drainage piping of clay
    92. 721.1 Building Sewer. Except as provided in Section 721.2,
    93. 721.2 Abutting Lot. Nothing contained in this code shall be
    94. 722.1 Building (House) Sewer. An abandoned building
    95. 722.2 Cesspools, Septic Tanks, and Seepage Pits. A
    96. 722.3 Filling. The top cover or arch over the cesspool, septic…
    97. 722.4 Ownership. No person owning or controlling a
    98. 722.5 Disposal Facilities. Where disposal facilities are
    99. 723.1 General. Building sewers shall be tested by plugging
    100. 724.1 The drainage and plumbing systems must permit the
    101. 724.2 Toilet soil lines shall be separated from house drainage
    102. 726.1 The outer premises of every official establishment,
    103. 726.2 Toilet soil lines shall be separated from house drainage
    104. 727.1 For new acute care hospital buildings submitted after the
  8. Chapter 8 — INDIRECT WASTES
  9. Chapter 9 — VENTS
  10. Chapter 10 — TRAPS AND INTERCEPTORS
  11. Chapter 11 — STORM DRAINAGE
  12. Chapter 12 — FUEL GAS PIPING
  13. Chapter 13 — HEALTH CARE FACILITIES AND MEDICAL GAS AND MEDICA…
  14. Chapter 14 — FIRESTOP PROTECTION
  15. Chapter 15 — ALTERNATE WATER SOURCES FOR NONPOTABLE APPLICATIONS
  16. Chapter 16 — NONPOTABLE RAINWATER CATCHMENT SYSTEMS
  17. Chapter 17 — REFERENCED STANDARDS
  18. Appendix A — RECOMMENDED RULES FOR SIZING THE WATER SUPPLY SYS…
  19. Appendix B — EXPLANATORY NOTES ON COMBINATION WASTE AND VENT S…
  20. Appendix C — ALTERNATE PLUMBING SYSTEMS
  21. Appendix D — SIZING STORM WATER DRAINAGE SYSTEMS
  22. Appendix E — MANUFACTURED/MOBILE HOME PARKS AND RECREATIONAL V…
  23. Appendix F — FIREFIGHTER BREATHING AIR REPLENISHMENT SYSTEMS
  24. Appendix G — SIZING OF VENTING SYSTEMS
  25. Appendix H — PRIVATE SEWAGE DISPOSAL SYSTEMS
  26. Appendix I — INSTALLATION STANDARDS
  27. Appendix J — COMBINATION OF INDOOR AND OUTDOOR COMBUSTION AND …
  28. Appendix K — POTABLE RAINWATER CATCHMENT SYSTEMS
  29. Appendix L — SUSTAINABLE PRACTICES
  30. Appendix M — PEAK WATER DEMAND CALCULATOR
  31. Appendix N — IMPACT OF WATER TEMPERATURE ON THE POTENTIAL FOR …
  32. Appendix O — NON-SEWERED SANITATION SYSTEMS
  33. Appendix P — PROFESSIONAL QUALIFICATIONS
  34. Appendix Q — INDOOR HORTICULTURAL FACILITIES
  35. Appendix R — TINY HOUSES
  36. Appendix S — ONSITE STORMWATER TREATMENT SYSTEMS

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