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HOUSE BILL NO. 962 R.A. 1378: a.k.a. Plumbing Law of the Philippines
F.E.A.T.I. UNIVERSITY: First Curriculum for Plumbing Engineering
FIRST AMENDMENT: Inclusion of “Asbestos-Cement Pipe” as an approved
Plumbing material
BOMP: Board of Master Plumbers
AIR, WATER & FOOD: basic necessities of life
BASIC PRINCIPLES
Plumbing fixtures, devices & appurtenances shall be supplied with water in sufficient volume and at
pressure adequate to enable them to function satisfactorily and without undue noise under all
normal conditions of use.
Plumbing shall be designed and adjusted to use the minimum quantity of water consistent with
proper performance and cleaning.
Each family dwelling unit on premises abutting on a sewer or with a private sewer-disposal system
shall have at least one water closet and one kitchen-type sink. Further, a lavatory and bathtub or
shower shall be installed to meet the basic requirements of sanitation and personal hygiene.
Plumbing fixtures shall be made of smooth non-absorbent material, free from concealed fouling
surfaces & shall be located in ventilated enclosures.
All piping of plumbing systems shall be of durable NAMPAP-APPROVED materials, free from
defective workmanship, designed and constructed by Registered Master Plumbersto ensure
satisfactory service.
Each fixture directly connected to the drainage system shall be equipped with a water-sealed trap.
The drainage piping system shall be designed to provide adequate circulation of air free from
siphonage, aspiration or forcing of trap seals under ordinary use.
Plumbing systems shall be subjected to such tests to effectively disclose all leaks and defects in the
workmanship.
Proper protection shall be provided to prevent contamination of food, water, sterile goods & similar
materials by backflow of sewage. When necessary, the fixture, device or appliance shall be
connected indirectly with the building drainage system.
No water closet shall be located in a room or compartment, which is not properly lighted &
ventilated.
If water closets or other plumbing fixtures are installed in the buildings where there is no sewer
within a reasonable distance, suitable provision shall be made for disposing of the building sewage
by some accepted method of sewage treatment and disposal, such as septic tank.
Sewage or other waste from a plumbing system which may be deleterious to surface or sub-surface
waters shall not be discharged into the ground or into any waterway, unless first rendered innocuous
through subjection to some acceptable form of treatment.
CHAPTER 1: ADMINISTRATION
Trenches shall be back-filled in thin layers of 0.3m above the top of the pipe with clean earth
which shall not contain stones, boulders, cinders or other materials which can damage or
break the pipes or cause corrosive action.
It is the duty of the Registered & Licensed Master Plumber to notify the Administrative
Authority not less than 3 days before the work is inspected.
In water testing, the water shall be kept in the pipe system or in the potion under test for at
least 15 minutes before the inspection starts.
In air testing, after closing all other inlets & outlets, air is forced in the pipe system (through
a connection with an air compressor), until there is a uniform gauge pressure of 34.5 Kpa
sufficient to balance a column of mercury 254mm in height for a period of at least 15
minutes.
In water piping, it shall be tested & proved tight under water pressure not less than the
working pressure which is to be used plus 50% for a period of at least 15 minutes. A 344.5
Kpa air pressure may be substituted for the water test.
EFFECTIVE OPENING - the minimum cross sectional area at the seat of the control valve or
the supply pipe or tubing which feeds the device outlet. If two or more lines supply one outlet, the
effective opening shall be the sum of the cross-sectional areas of the individual supply lines or the
area or the single outlet, whichever is smaller.
ATMOSPHERIC VACUUM BREAKER (AVB) - consist of a body, a checking member & an
atmospheric opening.
DOUBLE CHECK VALVE BACKFLOW PREVENTION ASSEMBLY (DC) - consists of two independently
acting internally or externally loaded check valves, four properly located test cocks with connectors
& two isolation gate valves.
PRESSURE VACUUM BREAKER BACFLOW PREVENTION ASSEMBLY (PVB)
- consists of a loaded air inlet valve, an internally loaded check valve, two properly located test cocks
& two isolation gate valves.
REDUCED PRESSURE PRINCIPLE BACKFLOW PREVENTION ASSEMBLY (RP)
- consists of two independently acting internally loaded check valves, a differential pressure relief
valve, four properly located test cocks & two isolation gate valves.
2. GENERAL REQUIREMENTS
Access & clearance for testing, maintenance & repair shall require 305mm min. space
between the lowest portion of the assembly & the grade, floor or platform. Elevated
installations more than 1.52m above the floor or grade shall be provided with platform
sufficient to support maintenance person.
Where potable water is discharge to the drainage system, it shall be by means of an
approved air gap of two (2) pipe dia. min. to 25mm max. from the supply outlet & the top
surface of the drainage inlet.
3. SPECIFIC REQUIREMENTS
Water Closet & Urinal Flushometer Valves shall be equipped with a listed atmospheric
vacuum breaker & shall be installed at the discharge level of the flushometer valve with a
critical level at least 152mm distance according to its listing above the overflow rim of a
water closet bowl or highest part of a urinal.
Water Closet & Urinal Tanks shall be equipped with a listed ballcock & shall be installed with
the critical level at least 25mm above the full opening of the overflow pipe.
152mm minimum installation of a listed atmospheric vacuum breaker:
in the discharge side of the last valve for inlets to Tanks, Vats, Swimming Pools & other
receptors.
above the highest point of usage & located on the discharge side of the last valve for
Potable Water Outlets with Hose Attachments. &
above the aspirator unit for Water Inlets to Water Supplied Aspirators.
4. MATERIALS
Water pressure pipes shall be of:
For cold-water distribution systems - Brass, Copper, Centrifugal Cast Iron Pipe (CCI), B&S
& F&F ends, Ductile Cast Iron Pipe (DCI), Galvanized Wrought Iron, Galvanized Steel, or
other approved PE & PVC water pressure pipe.
For hot & cold-water distribution systems- CPVC water pipe & tubing
Cast iron fittings up to & including 51mm in size, when used in connection with potable
water piping shall be galvanized.
All small-sized malleable iron water fittings shall be galvanized.
Water pipes & fittings with a lead content that exceed 8% shall be prohibited & shall not be
used in potable piping systems.
1. MATERIALS
Excreta Drainage Pipings shall be of Cast Iron, Ductile Iron, Galvanized Steel, Galvanized
Wrought Iron, Lead, Copper, Brass, Series 1000 PVC DWV, Extra-strength Vitrified Clay Pipe
or other approved materials having smooth & uniform bore except that:
No Galvanized Wrought Iron or Galvanized Steel Pipe shall be used underground & shall be
kept at least 152mm above ground.
No Vitrified Clay Pipes or Fittings for building drain or sewer shall be used above ground or
whenever piping is pressurized by a pump or ejector. They shall be kept 0.3m below finish
ground level.
Drainage Fittings shall be Cast Iron, Malleable Iron, Lead, Copper, Brass, ABS, PVC, Vitrified
Clay Pipe or other approved materials having smooth interior waterway of the same
diameter as the piping served.
ABS & PVC DWV piping installations shall be used in high rise buildings
2. SIZE OF DRAINAGE PIPING
Minimum Trap Diameters & Drainage Fixture Unit Values (some)
CHAPTER 8: INDIRECT WASTE PIPING, WET VENTED SYSYTEMS & SPECIAL WASTES
1. MATERIALS
Vent Pipes shall be of Cast Iron, Ductile Iron, Galvanized Steel, Galvanized Wrought Iron,
Lead, Copper, Brass, Schedule 40, ABS, DWV, Series 1000 PVC or other approved materials
having smooth & uniform bore except that:
No Galvanized Wrought Iron or Galvanized Steel Pipe & Fittings shall be used underground &
shall be kept at least 152mm above ground.
Horizontal & vertical vent lines & vent stacks shall be Copper, Cast Iron, Galvanized Wrought
Iron or Polyvinyl Chloride Pipes.
Vent Fittings shall be Cast Iron, Galvanized Malleable Iron or Galvanized Steel, Lead, Copper,
Brass, ABS, PVC, Vitrified Clay Pipe or other approved materials having smooth interior
waterway of the same diameter as the piping served.
2. SIZE OF VENTS
Shall not be less than 1 1/4 (32mm) nor less than 1/2 the dia. of the drain to which it is
connected.
The aggregate cross-sectional area shall not be less than the largest required building sewer.
3. VENT TERMINATION
Each vent stack through roof (VSTR) shall:
extend its flashing all around the stack
terminate vertically not less than 15cm above the roof
have a clearance of 0.3m away from any vertical surface nearby
1. TRAPS REQUIRED
Not more than 1 traps shall be permitted on a trap arm.
1 trap may serve:
3 single compartment sink of the same depth
3 lavatories immediately adjacent to each other not more than 0.75m apart.
In no case any tailpiece or connections shall exceed 0.6m long.
2. TRAP SEALS
Each fixture trap shall have a water seal of not less than 51mm & not more than 102mm
deep.
3. INDUSTRIAL INTERCEPTORS (CLARIFIERS) & SEPARATORS
Shall be so designed & located as to be readily accessible for cleaning & shall have a water
seal of not less than 152mm deep.
4. GREASE TRAPS
Shall not be installed for a facility that has an approved rate of flow of greater than 3.4L/sec
& lower than 1.3L/s.
The total capacity of fixtures discharging to any grease trap shall not exceed 2 1/2 times the
certified liters per minute flowrate of grease traps.
Grease traps may be used as a fixture outlet provided:
Hor. distance between the fixture & the grease trap does not exceed 1.2m.
Vertical tailpipe or drain does not exceed 0.75m.
Grease traps shall have an approved water seal of 51mm min. in depth or the diameter of
its outlet.
5. SAND INTERCEPTORS
Shall be have a dimension of 0.2m2 min. for the net free opening of the inlet section & a
610mm min. depth under the invert of the outlet pipe.
1. RAINWATER SYSTEMS
Rainwater Downspout or Conductor Pipings placed within the interior side of the building
inside a vertical pipe chase or run within a vent shaft shall be of Cast Iron, Ductile Iron,
Galvanized Steel, Iron, Lead, Copper, Brass, Schedule 40, ABS, Series 1000 PVC DWV, or other
approved materials.
Rainwater Downspout or Conductor located on the exterior side of a low height building
shall be not less than Ga. 26 galvanized sheet metal.
2. ROOF DRAIN
Strainers
Should not exceed 102mm above the surface of the roof immediately adjacent to the
drain
Dome-type strainers shall have at least 1 1/2 times the area of the outlet pipe to which
it is connected.
Roof Deck strainers shall have at least 2 times the area of the outlet pipe to which it is
connected.
Vertical Wall Areas
For 1 wall – add 50% of area of the wall to the roof area
For 2 adjacent walls – add 35% of the total wall areas to the roof area
For 2 walls opposite each other & of the same heights – add NO additional area
1. SEWER REQUIRED
It is considered that public sewer is not available if it is located more than 61m from the
proposed building or exterior drainage facility or any lot or premises thereat.
Building sewer beginning 0.6m from outside face of the wall.
2. SIZE OF BUILDING SEWERS
Size of any building sewer shall be determined on the basis of the total number of fixture
units drained by such sewer, but in no case size of building sewer shall be less than 150mm.
3. GRADE, SUPPORT, & PROTECTION OF BUILDING SEWER
Grade of building sewers shall not be less than 2%. In special cases where 2% grade cannot
be achieved, it may be reduced but shall not be less than 1%.
Building sewer shall be installed not less than 0.6m from the outer face of the building,
foundation or wall nor less than 0.3m below the finish surface of the ground.
4. CLEANOUTS
Additional building sewer cleanouts shall be installed not to exceed 15m o.c. in straight runs
& each aggregate change in direction exceeding 135degrees.
No cleanouts will be required when a building sewer or a branch thereof does not exceed
3m in length.
Manholes can be installed in lieu of cleanouts & shall be located not exceeding 91m in
between & outlet pipe connections shall be made by the use of flexible compression joints
no closer than 0.3m from outside of the manhole.
5. SEWER & WATER PIPES
The bottom of the water pipe, at all points, shall be at least 0.3m above the top of the sewer
or drain line.
Water pipes constructed of clay or other materials not approved for the use within a building
shall be laid a 0.3m min. clear above the sewer or drain pipe.
Water pipe joints shall be installed not less than 3m away from sewer line in both directions.
6. ABANDONED SEWERS & SEWAGE DISPOSAL FACILITIES
Every abandoned building (house) sewer, or part thereof, shall be plugged or capped in an
approved manner within 1.5m of the property line.
All drainage piping shall clear domestic water supply wells by at least 15.2m. The distance
may be reduced to not less than 7.6m when the drainage piping is constructed of materials
approved for the use within a building.
1. TYPES OF JOINT
Caulked joints - for bell-&-spigot Cast Iron Soil (CISP) & other similar joints shall
be firmly packed with oakum or hemp & filled with pig lead to a depth of not less than
25.4mm.
Threaded joints - for Iron Pipe Size (IPS) pipe & fittings shall be standard taper
pipe threads. Threaded Plastic Pipe shall be Sch.80 min. wall thickness.
Wiped joints - joints in lead pipe fittings or between lead pipe or fittings &
brass or copper pipe, ferrules, solder nipples or traps shall be full-wiped lead joints. Wiped
lead joints shall have an exposed surface on each side of a joint not less than 19mm & at
least as thick as the material being joined.
Solder & Sweat joints - joints in copper tubing shall be made by the appropriate use of
approved brass or copper fittings. Solders & fluxes with a lead content which exceeds 0.002
are prohibited in piping systems used to convey potable water.
Flared joints - for soft copper water tubing
Cement Mortar joints - except for repairs & connections to existing lines constructed
with such joints such joints prohibited on new building sewers.
CHAPTER 14: QUALITY & WEIGHTS OF MATERIALS, PLUMBING MATERIALS & REFLECTED
STANDARDS
1. GENERAL
Velocities shall not exceed 3m/sec of the maximum values given in the appropriate
installation standard.
Allowances in Equivalent Length of Pipe shall be based on non-recessed threaded fittings.
For recessed threaded fittings or streamline solder fittings, use 1/2 the allowances.
2. DEMAND WEIGHT OF FIXTURES IN WATER SUPPLY FIXTURE UNITS
The weights for maximum separate demands may be taken as 75% of the demand for
supply.
1. GENERAL
Where permitted by the rules & regulations of the Department of Environment & Natural
Resources (DENR). The building sewer may be connected to a private sewage disposal
system & shall be determined:
Basis of location
Soil porosity
Ground water level
The system shall consist of a septic tank with effluent discharging into a subsurface disposal
field, into one (1) or more seepage pits or into a combination of subsurface disposal field &
seepage pits.
2. CAPACITY OF SEPTIC TANKS
The capacity of any one septic tank & its drainage system shall be limited by the soil
structure classification.
3. AREA OF DISPOSAL FIELDS & SEEPAGE PITS
When disposal fields are installed, it shall have:
Minimum of 14m2 of trench bottom shall be provided for each system
Side wall area of the required 304.8mm & not to be exceed 914.4mm below leach line
When leaching beds are permitted in lieu of trenches:
The area of each such bed shall be at least 50% greater than the tubular requirements
for trenches.
Side wall area of the required 304.8mm & not to be exceed 914.4mm below leach line
No excavation for a leach line or leach bed shall extend within 1.5m of the water table.
No excavation for a seepage pit shall extend within 3m of the water table.
4. SEPTIC TANK CONSTRUCTION
Septic tanks shall have a min. of 2 compartments
Inlet compartment of any septic tank shall not be less than 2/3 of the total capacity of the
tank.
Secondary compartment of any septic tank shall have a min. capacity of 1m3 & max.
capacity of 1/3 the total capacity of the tank.
0.9m x 1.5m Min. dimension
*Nothing Follows*