ARTICLE 915

Air Conditioning and Refrigeration

915.01 Definitions
915.02 Permits
915.03 Direct Water Cooling
915.04 Water Use And Conservation
915.05 Sanitary Sewer Connection Forbidden
915.06 Protection Against Contamination
915.07 High Temperature Protection
915.08 Existing Installation To Be Reported
915.09 Electric Wiring And Equipment
915.10 Provisions For Prior Installations
915.11 Exception For Manufactured Products Containing Water
915.12 Purpose
915.13 Violation By Plumbers
915.99 Penalty

CROSS REFERENCE
Department of Public Works - See ADM. Art. 107

915.01 DEFINITIONS.

The following words and phrases, as used in this article, shall have the following meanings:

(a) "Air conditioning system" and "refrigeration system" shall include any combination of air-cooling equipment, whether of compressor or of other type, by which the accumulated or effluent heat is wholly or partially removed by the use of water.

(b) "Air conditioning system" shall mean an installation for maintaining temperature, by heat removal, at not less than sixty degrees Fahrenheit.

(c) "Refrigeration system" shall mean an installation for maintaining temperature, by heat removal, at less than sixty degrees Fahrenheit.

(d) "Water-cooled system," as used in reference to subsections (b) and (c) hereof, shall mean any individual unit, group or combination or collection of units of apparatus supplied with City water and/or discharging into the sewerage system of the City.

(e) "Direct water cooling" shall mean the use of water as a refrigerant.

(f) "Indirect water cooling" shall mean the use of water to extract heat from a refrigerant in a water-cooled condensing unit.

(g) "Air-cooled system" shall mean any unit or apparatus in which air is used as a refrigerant or as an indirect coolant.

(h) "Installation" shall mean an installation of new equipment or the modification, alteration or change of existing equipment involving the use of water or the discharge thereof into the City sewer system.

(i) "Person" shall mean and include an individual, partnership, corporation or association. (Ord. 1416 §1. Passed 6/26/56.)

915.02 PERMITS.

No person in the City shall hereafter, in any structure or building, install, operate, use or maintain any air conditioning equipment or refrigeration system or equipment, or modify, change, operate, use and maintain any air conditioning equipment or refrigeration system or equipment heretofore installed in any building or structure from which any waste water results, without having first filed a written application for a permit therefor and obtaining approval to install, operate, use and maintain, or modify or change, any air conditioning equipment or refrigeration system or equipment from the Department of Public Works.

The written application shall set forth correctly the following information:

(a) Name and address of applicant.

(b) Location of proposed installation.

(c) Name and address of owner of premises.

(d) Manufacturer's name and other relative information pertaining to system to be installed.

(e) Quantity of water required under maximum operating conditions.

(f) Proposed source of water and disposal of waste water.

(g) A drawing showing general arrangement of apparatus and showing in detail all points of connection to water supply system and drain
piping.

(h) The name of any legally qualified person, firm or corporation
employed by the applicant to perform installation.

(i) Any additional information required.

Approval to install, operate, use or maintain any air conditioning equipment or refrigeration system or equipment, or modify or change any such air conditioning equipment or refrigeration system or equipment shall be granted in the form of a permit. No installation of such air conditioning equipment or refrigeration system or equipment or operation, use, maintenance, modification or change of either of such air conditioning equipment or refrigeration system shall be commenced until the proper permit has been obtained from the Department of Public Works. (Ord. 1416 §2. Passed 6/26/56.)

915.03 DIRECT WATER COOLING.

No direct water-cooled system shall discharge any water used as a cooling medium into the City's sanitary or storm sewer system without the approval of the Director of Public Works, or his designee. (Ord. 3024 §5. Passed 10/15/85.)

915.04 WATER USE AND CONSERVATION.

(a) A water-cooled system of total capacity of one and one-half tons or less shall not use City water directly (or indirectly, except when used with approved conservation equipment and provided with approved water meter).

(b) A water-cooled system with a total capacity of more than one and one-half tons but not exceeding three tons may use water directly from the City water supply at a rate not exceeding two gallons per minute per ton, provided it is equipped with a water meter installed by the Department of Public Works, and an automatic regulating valve which will stop the flow of water when the refrigerating machine is shut down, and will throttle the flow of water down to the momentary requirements of the system.

(c) A water-cooled system having a total capacity exceeding three tons per twenty-four hours shall be equipped with evaporative condenser, cooling tower, spray pond or other water-cooling equipment satisfactory to the City Engineer. Such equipment shall be of sufficient capacity to ensure that the use of water for make-up purposes shall not exceed one-tenth gallon per minute per ton when operating under full loading at maximum summer temperature. (Ord 1416 §6. Passed 6/26/56.)

915.05 SANITARY SEWER CONNECTION FORBIDDEN.

Except for seasonal flushing and draining of the system, no water-cooled air conditioning, refrigeration or other water-cooled system shall be connected to the City's sanitary sewer system. Such a connection must be approved by the Director of Public Works, or his designee. (Ord. 3024 §5. Passed 10/15/85.)

915.06 PROTECTION AGAINST CONTAMINATION.

(a) On installations which operate with use of water directly from the City water supply, every direct connection shall be equipped with an approved brass body, spring loaded brass-fitted check valve, placed in a position satisfactory to the City Engineer, in the branch supply line to each unit.

(b) Discharge connections for disposal of waste waters shall be in strict accordance with applicable statutes, ordinances, rules and regulations of State and local health and regulatory bodies.

(c) Cooling water which is to be re-used for other purposes shall be provided with free, above-the-rim discharge before entering other equipment, unless otherwise permitted in writing by the City Engineer.

(d) On installations other than those described above, there shall be a physical break between the City water piping and the piping of the installation, so arranged as to make back-siphonage to the City water supply impossible. (Ord. 1416 §8. Passed 6/26/56.)

915.07 HIGH TEMPERATURE PROTECTION.

All systems shall be provided with devices which shall afford positive protection against development of excessive pressures and/or temperatures in either the refrigerant system or the water system. Such devices shall meet the general standards of the refrigeration industry. (Ord. 1416 §9. Passed 6/26/56.)

915.08 EXISTING INSTALLATION TO BE REPORTED.

The owner of premises in which an individual or collective air conditioning or refrigeration system has been installed prior to the passage of this article is required to inform the Department of Public Works within one month after the effective date of this article of the existence of every such system. He shall furnish all such information, in writing, as is required from an applicant for a permit to install a new air conditioning or refrigeration system, on forms furnished by the City. (Ord. 1416 §10.
Passed 6/26/56.)

915.09 ELECTRIC WIRING AND EQUIPMENT.

All electrical equipment and service installation necessary to properly and adequately install any air conditioning or refrigeration system must be made in compliance with the National Electrical Code. All work shall be subject to inspection and approval by City officials or their duly authorized employees. So far as may be necessary, the City officials or their duly authorized employees shall have the right, upon exhibiting their credentials, to enter any structure or premises in the City to inspect any air conditioning, refrigeration or other water-cooled equipment. (Ord. 1416 §11. Passed 6/26/56.)

915.10 PROVISIONS FOR PRIOR INSTALLATIONS.

The provisions of this article are deemed to be urgent for the preservation of the public peace, health and comfort of the citizens, and shall become effective immediately after their enactment by Council. However, all persons who have heretofore installed, used, maintained and operated air conditioning equipment and refrigeration systems and have not complied with the provisions of this article, shall have sixty days from the date of the enactment in which to comply with the provisions hereof. (Ord. 1416 §13. Passed 6/26/56.)

915.11 EXCEPTION FOR MANUFACTURED PRODUCTS
CONTAINING WATER.

Nothing herein contained shall prohibit or be deemed to prohibit any person from using water in any manufacturing process wherein water so used becomes a part of the manufactured product. (Ord. 1416 §14. Passed 6/26/56.)

915.12 PURPOSE.

This article is enacted for the sole purpose of preventing the needless wasting of the City water supply and to protect its sewage system under existing conditions. The City shall have the right to amend or supplement this article by additional ordinances or completely repeal the same whenever scientific improvements to air conditioning systems and refrigeration systems warrant the same. (Ord. 1416 §15. Passed 6/26/56.)

915.13 VIOLATION BY PLUMBERS.

Any master or journeyman plumber who violates any provision of this article shall, in addition to the penalty herein provided, lose his license for one year from the date of his conviction. (Ord. 1416 §12. Passed 6/26/56.)

915.99 PENALTY.

Any person who violates any provision of this Article shall be subject to the following penalties:

(a) First violation - A fine of $50.00, or thirty days imprisonment,
or both;

(b) Second violation - A fine of $150.00, or sixty days imprisonment, or both;

(c) Third and each subsequent violation - A fine of $300.00, or ninety days imprisonment, or both. (Ord. 3038. Passed 10/22/85.)