Morro Bay Municipal Code Ch. 14.07 Plumbing Code

Footnotes:

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Editor's note— Ord. No. 673, § 2, adopted Nov. 12, 2025, repealed the former Ch. 14.07, §§ 14.07.010—14.07.030, and enacted a new Ch. 14.07 as set out herein. The former Ch. 14.07 pertained to similar subject matter and derived from Ord. No. 625, adopted November 12, 2019; and Ord. No. 655, § 2, adopted November 22, 2022.

The California Plumbing Code, adopted in Section 14.01.020, is hereby modified, amended, and supplemented as follows:

A. Delete Division II of Chapter 1. Administration and Enforcement of the Plumbing Code shall be as set forth in the California Building Code as modified, amended and supplemented by Chapter 14.02 of this code. Fees shall be as prescribed in the City's Master Fee Schedule.

B. Adopt Appendix K. Delete Appendices A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H, I, J, and L.

C. Amend Section 710.1 to read as follows:

710.1 A Backwater Valve, extended to and accessible from grade for maintenance, shall be installed on every Building Sewer.

Exception: In new construction, plumbing fixtures installed on a floor level that is above the next upstream manhole cover elevation shall not discharge through the required backwater valve.

D. Amend Section 713.0 to read as follows:

713.0 Sewer Required.

713.1 Every building in which plumbing fixtures are installed and every premises having drainage piping thereon shall have a connection directly to a public or private sewer.

713.2 Private Sewage Disposal Systems shall not be permitted.

(Ord. No. 673, § 2, 11-12-25)

A. Every property owner, prior to the sale or transfer of any real property upon which is located any structure connected to the city's water supply shall retrofit the structure with the water-saving devices required for new construction as set forth in this title. In cases where the Building Official determines the use of such fixtures in existing structures would fail to meet the requirements of the plumbing code, fixtures using the least amount of water which do meet the requirements of the plumbing code shall be utilized.

B. In cases where a buyer intends to demolish all structures on such property within ninety days from the date of transfer, the structure need not be retrofitted prior to transfer; provided a covenant and a bond are filed with the city as follows:

1. The property owner shall file with the city clerk a notarized covenant agreeing to either demolish all structures located on the property connected to the city water system, within ninety days from the date of transfer or to perform the retrofit required in subsection A of this section, together with a faithful performance bond, in a form satisfactory to the city in an amount equal to one hundred and fifty percent of the full cost of retrofitting all such structures securing faithful performance of the agreement.

2. The agreement shall also authorize and grant the city permission to enter onto the property and to perform such retrofits in the event that property owner fails to do so. Further, the property owner shall agree to reimburse the city for all cost incurred by the city in the event the bond is insufficient.

C. Determination of compliance with the requirements of subsection A shall be made by the building official after an inspection performed by the building official or a qualified plumbing contractor under the supervision of the Building Official, who shall issue a certificate indicating same to the seller or title company involved. Seller shall pay the fee set forth in the Master Fee Schedule for such retrofit inspection at the time seller submits the request for the retrofit inspection. No property transfer shall be recorded until such certificate has been received by the seller and transferred with the title to the buyer. If noncompliance is found, the property owner (both seller and buyer) and any title company involved in the transfer shall be in violation of this code and subject to those penalties as prescribed in Title 1 of this code.

(Ord. No. 673, § 2, 11-12-25)

A. Any existing lateral sewer piping upon any premises which services fixtures whose elevation is lower than the elevation of the first upstream sewer manhole rim, lamp hole, or pump station receiving manhole, and for which the city has record of a previous sewage backflow incident involving a clogged sewer main shall be protected from backflow of sewage by installing backwater valves of a type approved by the building official. The property owner shall be required to provide and install such device.

B. If the property owner fails to install and maintain a backwater valve in good working condition when required under this section, then the Building Official may declare said sewer connection to be a nuisance and abate such nuisance pursuant to Section 8.12.010 et seq. of this code by installing an approved-type backwater valve at the owner's expense. Said property owner may, in addition, be subject to fines as outlined in subsection E of this section.

C. All house connection sewers, industrial sewers, private sewage disposal systems and appurtenances thereto, now existing, or hereafter constructed, shall be maintained by the owner of the property in a safe and sanitary condition and all devices or safeguards which are required by this section for the operation thereof shall also be maintained in a good working order by the owner. It shall be the property owner's responsibility to maintain that portion of the sewer to the public main, including the connection to the public main.

D. The public works director, the health officer, and other duly authorized employees of the city and the health department bearing proper credentials and identification shall be permitted to enter all properties for the purposes of inspection, observation, measurement, sampling, and testing in accordance with the provisions of this section. The public works director, the health officer, or their representatives shall have no authority to inquire into any processes including metallurgical, chemical, oil, refining, ceramic, paper, or other industries beyond that point having a direct bearing on the kind and source of discharge to the sewers or waterways of facilities for waste treatment.

E. Violations and Penalties. Any person who is convicted of violation of any provisions of this section is guilty of an infraction punishable as provided in Chapter 1.16 of this code.

(Ord. No. 673, § 2, 11-12-25)