§ 101.0. General Provisions
101.1 Title
Title 28 of the Los Angeles County Code shall be known as the Los Angeles County Plumbing Code, may be cited as such, and will be referred to in this ordinance as "this Code."
(Ord. 95-0068 § 3 (part), 1995.)
101.2 Purpose and Intent
The purpose of this Code is to provide minimum standards to preserve the public health, safety and welfare by regulating the design, construction, quality of material, and installation of plumbing. Consistent with this purpose, the provisions of this Code are intended and always have been intended to confer a benefit on the community as a whole and are not intended to establish a duty of care toward any particular person.
This Code shall not be construed to hold the County or any officer, employee, or agent thereof responsible for any damage to persons or property by reason of any inspection authorized herein or by reason of the issuance or non-issuance of any permit authorized herein, and/or for any action or omission in connection with the application and/or enforcement of this Code. By adopting the provisions of this Code the County does not intend to impose on itself, its employees, or agents any mandatory duties of care towards persons and property within its jurisdiction so as to provide a basis of civil liability for damages.
This section is declaratory of existing law and is not to be construed as suggesting that such was not the purpose and intent of previous Code adoptions.
(Ord. 95-0068 § 3 (part), 1995.)
101.3 Scope
The provisions of this Code shall apply to the construction, alteration, moving, removal, repair and use of any plumbing or drainage work, and the qualification and registration of certain persons performing such work on any premises within the unincorporated territory of the County of Los Angeles, and to such work or use by the County of Los Angeles in any incorporated city not exercising jurisdiction over such work or use.
Where the requirements of this Code conflict with the requirements of Title 29 - Mechanical Code of the Los Angeles County Code, this Code shall prevail.
The provisions of this Code shall not apply to work located primarily in a public way; to work consisting of public utility service piping; certain governmental agencies, special districts and public utilities as determined by the Chief Plumbing Inspector; or to work otherwise specifically exempted elsewhere in this Code or by the Chief Plumbing Inspector.
Except as hereinafter changed or modified, the building standards contained in the Uniform Plumbing Code of the International Association of Plumbing and Mechanical Officials, which are published in the California Building Standards Code, are applicable to all occupancies and uses throughout the County of Los Angeles. Amendments to the building standards contained in the Uniform Plumbing Code, by state agencies, are applicable only to those occupancies or uses which the state agency making the amendment is authorized to regulate.
(Ord. 2013-0050 § 2, 2013; Ord. 2002-0078 § 3, 2002: Ord. 95-0068 § 3 (part), 1995.)
101.3.1 Repairs and Alterations
101.3.1.1
In existing buildings or premises in which plumbing installations are to be altered, repaired or renovated, deviations from the provisions of this Code are permitted, provided such deviations are found to be necessary and are first approved by the Authority Having Jurisdiction.
Any plumbing system may have its existing use, maintenance or repair continued when the Authority Having Jurisdiction determines that its use, maintenance or repair is in accordance with the original design and no hazard to the public health, safety or welfare has been created by such system.
(Ord. 2007-0110 § 2 (part), 2007: Ord. 95-0068 § 3 (part), 1995.)
101.3.1.2
Existing building sewers and building drains may be used in connection with new buildings or new plumbing and drainage work only when they are found on examination and test to conform in all respects to the requirements governing new work, and the proper Authority Having Jurisdiction shall notify the owner to make any changes necessary to conform to this Code. No building or part thereof, shall be erected or placed over any part of a drainage system which is constructed of materials other than those approved elsewhere in this Code for use under or within a building.
Existing building sewers and building drains may be used in connection with plumbing alterations or repairs if such sewers or drains have been properly maintained and were installed in accordance with the applicable laws in effect at the time of installation. Any plumbing system existing on January 1, 1975, shall be deemed to have conformed to applicable law in effect at the time of installation and to have been maintained in good condition if currently in good and safe condition and working properly.
(Ord. 2007-0110 § 2 (part), 2007; Ord. 95-0068 § 3 (part), 1995.)
101.3.1.3
All openings into a drainage or vent system, excepting those openings to which plumbing fixtures are properly connected or which constitute vent terminals, shall be permanently plugged or capped in an approved manner, using the appropriate materials required by this Code.
(Ord. 95-0068 § 3 (part), 1995.)
101.3.2 Maintenance.
The plumbing and drainage system of any premises under the jurisdiction of the Authority Having Jurisdiction shall be maintained in a sanitary and safe operating condition by the owner or the owner's agent.
(Ord. 2007-0110 § 2 (part), 2007: Ord. 95-0068 § 3 (part), 1995.)
101.3.3 Existing Construction.
No provision of this Code shall be deemed to require a change in any portion of a plumbing or drainage system or any other work regulated by this Code in or on an existing building or lot when such work was installed and is maintained in accordance with law in effect prior to the effective date of this Code, except when any such plumbing or drainage system or other work regulated by this Code is determined by the Authority Having Jurisdiction to be in fact dangerous, unsafe, insanitary, or a nuisance and a menace to life, health, or property.
(Ord. 2007-0110 § 2 (part), 2007: Ord. 95-0068 § 3 (part), 1995.)
101.4 Chief Plumbing Inspector
The office of Chief Plumbing Inspector exists in the Building and Safety Division of the Department of Public Works. The Chief Plumbing Inspector shall administer the provisions of this ordinance under the supervision of and control of the Director of the Department of Public Works, and shall be a competent mechanical engineer, well versed in accepted sanitary engineering practices and techniques, plumbing construction and installation methods, and the statues of the State of California and the ordinances of the County of Los Angeles relating to such matters.
(Ord. 95-0068 § 3 (part), 1995.)
101.5 Use of Terms
Whenever the term "Chief Plumbing Inspector" or "Plumbing Inspector" is used in this Code, other than in Section 101.4, such term shall be construed to mean the "Director of the Department of Public Works" of the County of Los Angeles or his or her authorized representative.
Whenever the term "Authority Having Jurisdiction" is used in this Code, such term shall be construed to mean the following:
1.
For purposes of administering the requirements of Title 28, Appendix H relating to the plan approval of private sewage disposal systems or plan approval of any construction activity impacting a private sewage disposal system, the Authority Having Jurisdiction shall be the Health Officer;
2.
For purposes of administering the provisions of Chapter 1, Section 101.3.1 of this Code solely to the extent that the Authority Having Jurisdiction has discretion to approve deviations from the provisions of this Code for alterations, repairs, or renovations of existing private sewage disposal systems, the Authority Having Jurisdiction shall be the Health Officer;
3.
For purpose of administering the provisions of Chapter 1, Section 101.3.3 of this Code solely to the extent that the Authority Having Jurisdiction has authority to determine that a private sewage disposal system is dangerous, unsafe, insanitary, or a nuisance and a menace to life, health, or property, the Authority Having Jurisdiction shall be the Health Officer;
4.
For all other purposes, the term "Authority Having Jurisdiction," when it is used in this Code, shall be construed to mean the Chief Plumbing Inspector.
(Ord. 2013-0050 § 2, 2013; Ord. 2010-0055 § 2, 2010; Ord. 2007-0110 § 2 (part), 2007: Ord. 95-0068 § 3 (part), 1995.)
101.6 Jurisdiction Over Public Sewers and Their Maintenance
This Code shall not modify any other Los Angeles County regulations governing the installation and maintenance of public sewers or the character or pretreatment of industrial wastes discharged into public sewers or elsewhere.
(Ord. 95-0068 § 3 (part), 1995.)
101.7 Validity
101.7.1
If any section, sentence, clause or phrase of this ordinance is, for any reason, held to be invalid, such decision shall not affect the validity of the remaining portions of this ordinance. The board of supervisors hereby declares that it would have passed this ordinance, and each section, clause or phrase thereof, irrespective of the fact that any one or more sections, sentences, clauses and phrases are declared invalid.
(Ord. 2002-0078 § 5, 2002: Ord. 95-0068 § 3 (part), 1995.)
101.7.2
Wherever in this Code reference is made to an appendix, the provisions in the appendix shall not apply unless specifically adopted.
(Ord. 95-0068 § 3 (part), 1995.)
101.8 Health and Safety
Whenever compliance with all the provisions of this Code fails to eliminate or alleviate a nuisance, or any other dangerous or insanitary condition which may involve health or safety hazards, the owner or the owner's agent shall install such additional plumbing and drainage facilities or shall make such repairs or alterations as may be ordered by the Authority Having Jurisdiction.
(Ord. 2007-0110 § 2 (part), 2007: Ord. 95-0068 § 3 (part), 1995.)
101.9 Board of Appeals*
The Board of Examiners of Plumbers or other authorized board shall act as a Board of Appeals for appeals arising from actions of the Authority Having Jurisdiction.
The Board of Appeals shall have no authority to interpret the administrative portions of this Code, nor shall the Board be empowered to waive requirements of this Code.
Appeals shall be made in writing to the Chief Plumbing Inspector, no later than 60 days from the date of the action being appealed from. The appellant may appear in person before the Board or be represented by an attorney and may introduce evidence to support his claims. Appeals shall be heard at reasonable times at the convenience of the Board.
The appellant shall cause to be made at his own expense any tests or research required by the Board to substantiate his claims.
A fee of $483.30 shall be paid to the Department of Public Works whenever a person requests a hearing before the Board of Appeals.
(Ord. 2010-0055 § 2, 2010; Ord. 2007-0110 § 2 (part), 2007; Ord. 2002-0078 § 6, 2002: Ord. 95-0068 § 3 (part), 1995.)
* Editor's note: Fee changes in this section were made by the director of public works due to increases in the Consumer Price Index and are effective July 1, 2018.
101.10 Violations and Penalty
Every person, firm or corporation violating any of the provisions of this Code shall be guilty of a misdemeanor and each such person shall be guilty of a separate offense for each and every day or portion thereof during which any violation of any of the provisions of this Code is committed, continued, or permitted. Upon conviction of any such violation, such person shall be punishable by a fine not exceeding $1,000 or by imprisonment for a period not exceeding six months or by both such fine and imprisonment.
The provisions of this section are in addition to and independent of any sanctions, penalties or costs which are or may otherwise be imposed for a violation of any of the provisions of this code.
(Ord. 2007-0110 § 2 (part), 2007; Ord. 2002-0078 § 7, 2002: Ord. Ord. 95-0068 § 3 (part), 1995.)