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(a) A person assessed an administrative fee who wishes to re-establish service to the irrigation system is required to make payment of the assessed fee.
(b) A person may request a hearing to protest the assessment of an administrative fee. To request a hearing, the water customer must make the request in person to the water department within 15 business days from the date on the written notice of violation. If a locking device was installed it shall remain in place until the conclusion of the hearing and payment of any required fee.
(c) The director or his or her designee shall act as the hearing officer. The director shall evaluate all information offered by the petitioner at the hearing. The petitioner making the request for a hearing shall bear the burden of proof to show by a preponderance of the evidence, why the administrative fee should not be assessed. The hearing officer will provide a decision at the time of the hearing or within three business days following the conclusion of the hearing.
(d) Payment of any fees assessed at the hearing must be made within seven business days of the decision from the hearing. Any fees not paid within this time limit shall be added to the customer’s next water bill.
(e) A person may elect to pay the administrative fee without requesting a hearing. Any fees not paid within 15 business days from the date of the written notice shall be added to the person’s next water bill.
(Ord. 17901, § 1, passed 12-4-2007)
In this article:
AIR GAP. A complete physical separation between the free flowing discharge end of a potable water supply pipeline and an open or non-pressure receiving vessel.
ALTER (ALTERATION). Any modification of an existing irrigation system where 20% or more of the original system is altered; and/or when additional zones are added to the existing system.
AUTOMATIC CONTROLLER. A solid state timer capable of operating valve stations to set the days, time of day and length of time water is applied.
BACKFLOW PREVENTION. The mechanical prevention of the flow in the direction opposite to the normal flow; or the introduction of any foreign liquids, gases or substances into the public water system.
BACKFLOW PREVENTION ASSEMBLY. An approved assembly to counteract backpressure or prevent backsiphonage. This assembly must appear on the list of approved assemblies issued by the City of Fort Worth water department.
COMPLETION OF IRRIGATION SYSTEM INSTALLATION. The time when the landscape irrigation system has been installed, all minimum standards met, all tests performed and the irrigator is satisfied that the system is operating correctly.
CROSS-CONNECTION. Any physical arrangement where a potable water supply is actually or potentially connected with any non-potable water system, used water system or auxiliary water supply, sewer, drain conduit, swimming pool, storage reservoir, plumbing fixture, swamp cooler, air conditioning unit, fire protection system or any other assembly which contains, or may contain, contaminated water, domestic sewage or other liquid of unknown or unsafe quality which may be capable of imparting contamination to the public water system as a result of backflow. Bypass arrangements, jumper connections, removable sections, swivel or change over assemblies, or other temporary or permanent assemblies through which, or because of which, backflow may occur are considered to be CROSS- CONNECTIONS.
DESIGN. The act of determining the various elements of a landscape irrigation system that will include, but not be limited to, elements such as collecting site specific information, defining the scope of the project, defining plant watering needs, selecting and laying out emission devices, locating system components, conducting hydraulics calculations, identifying any local regulatory requirements, or scheduling irrigation work at a site. Completion of the various components will result in an irrigation plan.
DESIGN PRESSURE. The pressure that is required for an emission device to operate properly. DESIGN PRESSURE is calculated by adding the operating pressure necessary at an emission device to the total of all pressure losses accumulated from an emission device to the water source.
DOUBLE CHECK VALVE. An assembly that is composed of two independently acting, approved check valves, including tightly closed resilient seated shutoff valves attached at each end of the assembly and fitted with properly located resilient seated test cocks. Also known as a DOUBLE CHECK VALVE BACKFLOW PREVENTION ASSEMBLY.
EMISSION DEVICE. Any device that is contained within an irrigation system and that is used to apply water including, but not limited to, spray and rotary sprinkler heads, and drip irrigation emitters.
EMPLOYED. Engaged or hired to provide consulting services or perform any activity relating to the sale, design, installation, maintenance, alteration, repair or service to irrigation systems.
IRRIGATION INSPECTOR. A person who inspects irrigation systems and performs other enforcement duties for a municipality or water district as an employee or as a contractor as required under Tex. Administrative Code Title 30, Chapter 30.
IRRIGATION PLAN. Scaled drawing of a landscape irrigation system which lists required information, the scope of the project, and represents the changes made in the installation of the irrigation system.
IRRIGATION SERVICES. Selling, designing, installing, maintaining, altering, repairing, servicing, permitting, providing consulting services regarding, or connecting an irrigation system to a water supply.
IRRIGATION SYSTEM. An assembly of component parts that is permanently installed for the controlled distribution and conservation of water to irrigate any type of landscape vegetation in any location, and/or to reduce dust or control erosion. This term does not include a system that is used on or by an agricultural operation as defined by Tex. Agricultural Code § 251.002.
IRRIGATION TECHNICIAN. A person who works under the supervision of a licensed irrigator to install, maintain, alter, repair, service or supervise installation of an irrigation system, including the connection of such system in or to a private or public, raw or potable water supply system or any water supply as required under Tex. Administrative Code Title 30, Chapter 30.
IRRIGATION ZONE. A subdivision of an irrigation system with a matched precipitation rate based on plant material type (such as turf, shrubs or trees), microclimate factors (such as sun/shade ratio), topographic features (such as slope) and soil conditions (such as sand, loam, clay or combination) or for hydrological control.
IRRIGATOR. A person who sells, designs, offers consultations regarding, installs, maintains, alters, repairs, services or supervises the installation of an irrigation system, including the connection of such system to a private or public, raw or potable water supply system or any water supply, required to be licensed under Tex. Administrative Code Title 30, Chapter 30.
LANDSCAPE IRRIGATION. The science of applying the necessary amount of water to promote or sustain healthy growth of plant material or turf.
LICENSE. An occupational license that is issued by the Texas commission on environmental quality under Tex. Administrative Code Title 30, Chapter 30.
MAINLINE. A pipe within an irrigation system that delivers water from the water source to the individual zone valves.
MASTER VALVE. A remote control valve located after the backflow prevention device that controls the flow of water to the irrigation system mainline.
MATCHED PRECIPITATION RATE. The condition in which all sprinkler heads within an irrigation zone apply water at the same rate.
NEW INSTALLATION. An irrigation system installed at a location where one did not previously exist.
POTABLE WATER. Water that is suitable for human consumption.
RECLAIMED WATER. Reclaimed water that is collected through a publicly owned treatment works and is under the direct control of the city wastewater treatment plants or a wastewater treatment plant with which the city contracts, and that has been treated to a quality that meets or exceeds Chapter 210 requirements of Tex. Administrative Code Title 30.
SUPERVISION. The on-the-job oversight and direction by a licensed irrigator who is fulfilling his or her professional responsibility to the client and/or employer in compliance with local or state requirements. Also a licensed installer working under the direction of a licensed irrigator or beginning January 1, 2009, an irrigation technician who is working under the direction of a licensed irrigator to install, maintain, alter, repair or service an irrigation system.
ZONE FLOW. A measurement, in gallons per minute or gallons per hour, of the actual flow of water through a zone valve, calculated by individually opening each zone valve and obtaining a valid reading after the pressure has stabilized. For design purposes, the ZONE FLOW is the total flow of all nozzles in the zone at a specific pressure.
ZONE VALVE. An automatic valve that controls a single zone of a landscape irrigation system.
(Ord. 18444-01-2009, § 1, passed 1-13-2009)
(a) Any person who connects an irrigation system to the water supply within the city or the city’s extraterritorial jurisdiction (ETJ) on or after January 1, 2009, except as specified below, or alters an irrigation system to the water supply as defined herein, must hold a valid license.
(b) A property owner is not required to possess a license if the property owner is performing irrigation work in a building or on a premises owned or occupied by that person as the person’s home. A property owner who installs an irrigation system must comply with the minimum design standards as described in Tex. Administrative Code, Title 30, Chapter 344 and § 12.5-878.
(c) A person commits an offense if a person connects an irrigation system to the water supply within the city or the ETJ on or after January 1, 2009 or alters an irrigation system to the water supply as defined herein without a valid license pursuant to this section.
(Ord. 18444-01-2009, § 1, passed 1-13-2009)
(a) Any person installing or altering an irrigation system within the city or its ETJ, unless otherwise exempted below, shall first obtain a permit from the city’s planning and development department.
(b) A person shall be exempt from obtaining a permit prior to installing or altering an irrigation system if such irrigation system is:
(1) An on-site sewage disposal system, as defined by Tex. Health and Safety Code § 366.002;
(2) Used on or by an agricultural operation as defined by Tex. Agriculture Code § 251.002, as it may be amended; or
(3) Connected to a groundwater well used by the property owner for domestic use.
(c) A person commits an offense if a person installs or alters an irrigation system within the city or its ETJ, unless otherwise exempted, without a permit from the city.
(Ord. 18444-01-2009, § 1, passed 1-13-2009)
All irrigation systems shall be designed, installed, maintained, altered, repaired, serviced and operated in a manner that shall prevent the waste of water, promotes the most efficient use of water, and applies the least amount of water that is required to maintain healthy individual plant material or turf, reduce dust and control erosion.
(Ord. 18444-01-2009, § 1, passed 1-13-2009)
(a) An irrigator shall prepare an irrigation plan as described in subsection (d) below, for each site prior to installation or alteration of an irrigation system. An easily available paper or electronic copy of the irrigation plan must be on site at all times during such installation of the irrigation system.
(b) During the installation or alteration of the irrigation system, variances from the original plan are allowable if noted in red on the irrigation plan, and provided that the change(s) does not:
(1) Diminish the operational integrity of the irrigation system; nor
(2) Violate any requirement of this Article VII.
(c) The irrigation plan must include complete coverage of the area to be irrigated. If a system does not provide complete coverage of the area to be irrigated, it must be noted on the irrigation plan.
(d) All irrigation plans must be drawn to scale. The plan shall include the following information:
(1) The irrigator’s seal, signature and date of signing;
(2) All major physical features and the boundaries of the areas to be watered;
(3) A north arrow;
(4) A legend;
(5) The zone flow measurement for each zone;
(6) Location and type each automatic controller and sensor (such as rain, moisture, wind, flow or freeze sensors);
(7) Location, type and size of each:
a. Water source, such as, but not limited to, a water meter and point(s) of connection;
b. Backflow prevention assembly;
c. Water emission device, including, but not limited to, spray heads, rotary sprinkler heads, quick-couplers, bubblers, drip or micro-sprays;
d. Valve, including but not limited to, zone valves, master valves and isolation valves;
e. Pressure regulation component; and
f. Main line and lateral piping.
(8) The scale used; and
(9) The design pressure.
(e) An irrigator commits an offense if the irrigator fails to provide an irrigation plan for the irrigation system that person installed or caused to be installed as required herein.
(Ord. 18444-01-2009, § 1, passed 1-13-2009)
Any person who installs or alters an irrigation system (or who causes such installation or alteration) shall comply with the following minimum requirements.
(a) Manufacturer’s specifications. A person shall not install nor cause to be installed, an irrigation system which requires the use of any component, including the water meter, in a way which exceeds the manufacturer’s published performance limitations for the component.
(b) Spacing.
(1) The maximum spacing between emission devices shall not exceed the manufacturer’s published radius or spacing of the device(s). The radius or spacing shall be determined by the manufacturer’s published specifications for a specific emission device at a specific operating pressure.
(2) a. New or altered irrigation systems shall not utilize above-ground spray emission devices in landscapes:
1. That are less than 60 inches (which shall not include the impervious surfaces in either length or width); and
2. Which contain impervious pedestrian or vehicular traffic surfaces along two or more perimeters.
b. Qualifying areas less than 60 inches may be irrigated utilizing subsurface or drip irrigation, pressure compensating tubing, or be designed without irrigation. If pop-up sprays or rotary sprinkler heads are used in a new irrigation system, the sprinkler heads must direct flow away from any adjacent surface and shall not be installed closer than four inches from a hardscape, such as, but not limited to, a building foundation, fence, concrete, asphalt, pavers or stones set with mortar.
(3) Narrow paved walkways, jogging paths, golf cart paths or other small areas located in cemeteries, parks, golf courses or other public areas may be exempted from this requirement if the runoff drains into a landscaped area.
(c) Water pressure. Emission devices must be installed to operate at the minimum and not above the maximum sprinkler head pressure as published by the manufacturer for the nozzle and head spacing that is used. Methods to achieve the water pressure requirements include, but are not limited to, flow control valves, a pressure regulator or pressure compensating spray heads.
(d) Piping. Piping in irrigation systems must be designed and installed so that the flow of water in the pipe will not exceed a velocity of five feet per second for polyvinyl chloride (PVC) pipe.
(e) Irrigation zones. Irrigation systems shall have separate zones based on plant material type, microclimate factors, topographic features, soil conditions and hydrological requirements.
(f) Matched precipitation rate. Zones must be designed and installed so that all of the emission devices in that zone irrigate at the same precipitation rate.
(g) Spray. Irrigation systems shall not spray water over surfaces made of concrete, asphalt, brick, wood, stones set with mortar, or any other impervious material, such as, but not limited to, walls, fences, sidewalks, streets, etc.
(h) Foundations. If the irrigation plan includes a foundation watering system, a separate station shall be dedicated for drip irrigation.
(i) Master valve. A flow control master valve shall be installed on the discharge side of the backflow prevention assembly on all new installations.
(j) Check valves. Check valves are required where elevation differences may result in low head drainage. Check valves may be located at the sprinkler head(s) or on the lateral line.
(k) Pop-up heads. Pop-up heads shall be installed at grade level and operated to extend above all landscape turfgrass.
(l) PVC pipe primer solvent. All new irrigation systems that are installed using PVC pipe and fittings shall be primed with a colored primer prior to applying the PVC cement in accordance with the city’s plumbing code, as it may be amended.
(m) Automatic controllers. All new irrigation systems must include an automatic controller capable of providing the following features:
(1) Multiple irrigation programs with at least three start times per program;
(2) Limiting the irrigation frequency to once every seven days and once every 14 days; and
(3) A water budgeting feature.
(n) Operational rain or moisture and freeze shut-off devices or other technology. All new automatically controlled irrigation systems must include operational sensors or other technology designed to inhibit or interrupt operation of the irrigation system during periods of freezing weather and moisture or rainfall in accordance with city code § 35-152. Freeze and rain or moisture shut-off technology must be installed according to the manufacturer’s published recommendations. Repairs or alterations to existing automatic irrigation systems that require replacement of an existing controller must include an operational sensor or other technology designed to inhibit or interrupt operation of the irrigation system during periods of freezing weather and moisture or rainfall.
(o) Isolation valve. All irrigation systems must include an isolation valve between the water meter and the backflow prevention assembly.
(p) Depth coverage of piping. Piping in all irrigation systems must be installed according to the manufacturer’s published specifications for depth coverage of piping.
(1) If the manufacturer has not published specifications for depth coverage of piping, the piping must be installed to provide minimum depth coverage of six inches of select backfill, between the top of the pipe and the natural grade of the topsoil. All portions of the irrigation system that fail to meet this standard must be noted on the irrigation plan. If the area being irrigated has rock at a depth of six inches or less, select backfill may be mounded over the pipe. Mounding must be noted on the irrigation plan and discussed with the irrigation system owner or owner’s representative to address any safety issues.
(2) If a utility, human-made structure or roots create an unavoidable obstacle, which makes the six-inch depth coverage requirement impractical, the piping shall be installed to provide a minimum of two inches of select backfill between the top of the pipe and the natural grade of the topsoil.
(3) All trenches and holes created during installation of an irrigation system must be backfilled and compacted to the original grade.
(q) Wiring irrigation systems.
(1) Underground electrical wiring used to connect an automatic controller to any electrical component of the irrigation system must be listed by Underwriters Laboratories as acceptable for burial underground.
(2) Electrical wiring that connects any electrical components of an irrigation system must be sized according to the manufacturer’s recommendation.
(3) Electrical wire splices which may be exposed to moisture must be waterproof as certified by the wire splice manufacturer.
(4) Underground electrical wiring that connects an automatic controller to any electrical component of the irrigation system must be buried with a minimum of six inches of select backfill.
(r) No potable use. Water contained within the piping of an irrigation system shall be deemed to be non-potable. No drinking or domestic water usage, such as, but not limited to, filling swimming pools or decorative fountains, shall be connected to an irrigation system. If a hose bib is connected to an irrigation system for the purpose of providing supplemental water to an area, the hose bib must be installed using a quick coupler key on a quick coupler installed in a covered purple valve box and the hose bib and any hoses connected to the bib must be labeled “nonpotable, not safe for drinking.” An isolation valve must be installed upstream of a quick coupler connecting a hose bib to an irrigation system.
(s) Y-strainer. A Y-type strainer must be installed on the inlet side of the double check valve.
(t) Backflow. A backflow prevention assembly shall be installed and used in compliance with Chapter 12.5, Article V, Division 3, Cross-Connection Control.
(u) Effective January 1, 2010, a licensed irrigator shall:
(1) Be on-site at all times while the landscape irrigation system is being installed; or
(2) Ensure that a licensed irrigation technician is on-site to supervise the installation of the irrigation system.
(v) Offense. A person commits an offense if a person who installs, allows or causes to be installed an irrigation system which does not meet the minimum design requirements described in this section.
(Ord. 18444-01-2009, § 1, passed 1-13-2009)
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