Kern County Municipal Code Ch. 17.20 Plumbing Code

Footnotes:

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Editor's note— Ord. No. G-9359, § 8, adopted Nov. 4, 2025, repealed the former Ch. 17.20, §§ 17.20.010—17.20.190, and enacted a new Ch. 17.20 as set out herein. The former Ch. 17.20 pertained to similar subject matter and derived from Ord. No. G-8866, § 8, adopted Nov. 5, 2019; and Ord. No. G-9179, § 8, adopted Nov. 8, 2022.

This chapter may be cited as the "Kern County Plumbing Code."

(Ord. No. G-9359, § 8, 11-4-25)

The Kern County Plumbing Code shall apply to new construction, relocated buildings, and to any alterations, repairs, or reconstruction of buildings in the unincorporated territory of the county of Kern.

(Ord. No. G-9359, § 8, 11-4-25)

California Code of Regulations, Title 24, Part 5 being that portion of the 2025 Edition of the California Plumbing Code, with appendices and standards as modified and amended by this chapter, is adopted by this reference into the Kern County Plumbing Code. To facilitate ease of use by industry and building officials, amendments, additions and modifications to the California Building Standards Code (made by this chapter) are made by reference to the appropriate section of the California Plumbing Code.

(Ord. No. G-9359, § 8, 11-4-25)

The following provisions of the California Plumbing Code are not adopted as part of the Kern County Plumbing Code and shall not apply thereto:

A. Section 104.3.3—Time Limitation of Application

B. Section 104.4.3—Expiration

C. Section 104.4.4—Extensions

D. Section 104.5—Fees

(Ord. No. G-9359, § 8, 11-4-25)

The following sections are modified to read as set out in this chapter.

(Ord. No. G-9359, § 8, 11-4-25)

Section 203.0 is amended to include the following definition:

Administrative Authority. The administrative authority is the director of the Public Works Department or his designee.

(Ord. No. G-9359, § 8, 11-4-25)

Section 422.2, Exception (3) is amended to read as follows:

(3) In business and mercantile occupancies with a total occupant load of 25 or less, including customers and employees, one toilet facility, designed for use by no more than one person at a time, shall be permitted for use by all genders.

(Ord. No. G-9359, § 8, 11-4-25)

Section 423.0 is added to read as follows:

Section 423.0 Recreational Vehicle Sanitation Stations.

1. Where required. Where a trailer sanitation station is installed to receive the discharge from sewage holding tanks of self-contained vehicles, it shall comply with the requirement of this section.

2. Use. Recreational sanitation stations shall be used only for receiving discharge from sewage holding tanks of self-contained vehicles.

3. Specifications. (a) Each recreational sanitation station shall be provided with a drain inlet not less than four (4) inches in diameter, discharging into a trap not more than twenty-four (24) inches below the drain inlet. The drain inlet shall be equipped with hinged cover which shall effectively close the drain inlet when not in use. (b) Each drain inlet shall discharge into a drainage lateral not less than four (4) inches in diameter connected to a public sewer or an approved private sewage disposal system. (c) The drain inlet of each station shall be set in a concrete drain receptor not less than three and one-half (3 ½) inches in thickness and not less than two (2) feet horizontally from the drain inlet to the inside of the surrounding curb. The surrounding curb shall be at least four (4) inches wide and two (2) inches above the floor of the receptor. The inside surface of the drain receptor shall be smooth finished concrete and shall slope a minimum of one-fourth (¼) inch per foot from the bottom of the curb to the lip of the drain inlet.

4. Flushing. Water under pressure shall be provided to each recreational sanitation station. A three-fourths (¾) inch water hose connection shall be installed at each recreational sanitation station to allow connection of a hose for wash-down operation. An approved backflow preventer shall be installed in the water service pipe. Provisions shall be made to store the wash-down hose off the ground.

5. Warning sign. (a) A warning sign shall be located immediately adjacent to the hose connection and shall read: "DANGER UNSAFE WATER. Use this hose to flush holding tank and drain receptor ONLY." (b) The warning sign shall be not less than eighteen (18) inches by twenty-four (24) inches and lettered in minimum size of not less than one (1) inch lettering in a color contrasting with the background.

6. Operating Instructions. A sign providing operating instructions shall be posted at each recreational sanitation station.

(Ord. No. G-9359, § 8, 11-4-25)

A. Section 609.3 is amended as follows:

609.3 No water piping shall be installed within a concrete floor slab on grade or in the ground under a concrete floor slab of a building.

Exception: In areas above one thousand (1,000) feet and/or areas subject to freezing for prolonged periods, or when necessary due to structural conditions, water piping may be installed in approved chases, sleeves, or ducts in accordance with the following requirements.

1. All water piping to be chased, sleeved or ducted the entire length and chases, sleeves or ducts shall extend a minimum of six (6) inches above grade.

2. Copper tubing shall be installed without joints where possible. Where joints and/or fittings are permitted, the joints shall be brazed and fittings shall be wrought copper.

Other alternate methods may be allowed but must be submitted and approved by the administrative authority prior to installation.

B. Section 609.11—Water Hammer. This section of the code is adopted for use in Kern County for use in all occupancies.

(Ord. No. G-9359, § 8, 11-4-25)

Section 1014.3.4 is amended to read as follows:

1014.3.4 Location. Each grease interceptor shall be so installed and connected that is shall be easily accessible for inspection, cleaning and removal of the intercepted grease. A gravity grease interceptor in accordance with IAPMO Z1001, shall not be installed inside a building. Location of the grease interceptor shall meet the approval of the Authority Having Jurisdiction.

(Ord. No. G-9359, § 8, 11-4-25)

Appendix O is added to read as follows:

O1. Swimming pool wastewater shall be disposed of as hereinafter set forth in this section and the type of disposal proposed shall be approved by the administrative authority prior to the commencement of any work. A means of disposal of the total contents of the pool (periodic emptying) without surface runoff shall be established to the satisfaction of the administrative authority.

O2. Except as provided in O3, when a public sewer or storm drain of adequate capacity is available for use, swimming pool wastewater shall be discharged there into only after permission is obtained in writing from the proper authority to do so. A copy of such permission stating the specific requirements, shall accompany any applications for a permit made to the Administrative Authority.

O3. Where space and conditions are such that no hazard, nuisance, or unsanitary condition is evidenced, swimming pool wastewater may be used for irrigation by surface or subsurface spreading.

O4. When no other means of wastewater disposal is available, a drywell may be installed. Each such drywell shall be constructed in the manner described for cesspools in Appendix H of this Code, and drywells receiving only filter backwash shall have a capacity of at least twice the amount of effluent discharged during one normal backwash operation, but shall in no case have less than a five (5) foot (1.5 m) vertical sidewall. When pool emptying or other drains are proposed the size and leaching capacity of such drywell shall be proportionately increased to the satisfaction of the Administrative Authority. No wastewater other than that from swimming pool shall discharge into any such drywell, and no wastewater from any swimming pool shall discharge into a private sewage disposal system.

O5. No direct connection shall be made between any storm drain, sewer, drainage system, drywell, or subsoil irrigation line and any line connected to a swimming pool.

O6. Wastewater from any filter, scum gutter overflow, pool emptying line, or similar apparatus or appurtenance shall discharge into an approved type receptor. The flood level rim of each such receptor shall be at least six (6) inches (152.4 mm) above the flood level of the adjacent ground. Each such receptor, when permitted to be connected to any part of a drainage system, shall be provided with a three (3) inch (76.2 mm) trap.

O7. Except as provided in M8, the discharge outlet terminal from any pool or filter shall be protected from backflow by an air gap at least six (6) inches (152.4 mm) above the flood rim of the receptor.

O8. No scum gutter drain, overflow drain, backwash discharge drain, or pool emptying line shall enter any receptor below the rim unless the pool piping at its deepest point, the bottom of the filters, and the bottom of the scum gutter drain trough or overflow inlets are at least six (6) inches (152.4 mm) above the overflow rim of the receptor.

O9. A positive point of potable water supply to each swimming pool shall be established and shall be installed as required by Chapter 6 of this Code.

O10. Plans for other than private swimming pools shall be approved by the health officer before any water supply or waste discharge permit is issued.

O11. All swimming pools shall be equipped with a filtration system which shall be installed in conformance with standards established by the administrative authority, which filtration system will permit the reuse of the water in swimming pools for a period of not less than one (1) year.

For purposes of this section, a swimming pool is defined as a portable or permanent artificial basin, chamber, or tank which when filled with water to overflow contains more than one thousand (1,000) gallons or is over two (2) feet in depth at any point.

O12. A private wading pool is exempt from the forgoing requirements, but must be maintained in a sanitary condition. For purposes of this section, a private wading pool is defined as a portable or permanent artificial basin, chamber, or tank maintained by an individual for wading by small children which when filled with water to overflow contains less than one thousand (1,000) gallons and does not exceed two (2) feet at any point.

O13. Recirculating water for swimming pools shall be constructed and installed under the same standards and requirements as potable water piping.

(Ord. No. G-9359, § 8, 11-4-25)