13.04 – Air Conditioners

For the purpose of these regulations, the following terms shall have, and shall be construed to have the following meanings, and the word shall, as used in this chapter, shall always be mandatory unless otherwise expressly stated, whenever used in this chapter, the following words shall have the meaning given to them by this section:

1. "Air-conditioning system" means any unit or combination of units used for the cooling of dehumidification of space for human occupancy, supplied with water through any single-customer water pipe connected to the public water system.  An air-conditioning system using water separately submetered to a tenant of a building shall be considered a separate system.
2. "Conserved water-cooled unit" is one which is equipped with a water conservation device, and which can use water from the building plumbing system only for makeup water to replace water lost by evaporation or by flushing of the equipment, and which uses an average of less than twelve gallons of water from the building plumbing system per hour per ton of cooling capacity, when the unit is operating.
3. "Nonconserved water-cooled unit" is one which uses water from building plumbing systems directly for a cooling refrigerant, with discharge to waste or any other place where the water is not cooled and reused for cooling the refrigerant, or which uses an average of more than twelve gallons of water from the building plumbing system per hour per ton of cooling capacity when the unit is operating.
4. "Season" means the period from May 1st to September 30th in the same calendar year.
5. "Tons of capacity" means the total number of tons of refrigeration installed on one air-conditioning system.  For the purposes of this chapter, one compressor horsepower shall be considered equivalent to one ton of refrigeration.
6. "Water conservation device" means a cooling tower, atmospheric condenser, spray pond, evaporation condenser, or other type of equipment by which water, either directly or indirectly, is cooled or recirculated, thereby limiting the use of water from the public water supply to that amount lost through evaporation.
7. "Water regulating device" means a regulating valve, or other device, the purposes of which is to limit the maximum use of water to a predetermined rate.

No person shall install, operate, use, or maintain in operation any equipment or system for air conditioning which requires a supply of water from the water main system of the city (referred to in this chapter as the public water supply system) without first having procured a written permit therefor.  The fee for such permit shall be in accordance with the provisions below.

1. A permit for the system installation will be issued at the city building to the owner or agent by the building official where application is in proper order.
2. Within forty-eight hours following completion of any work authorized by the permit, notice of completion shall be made to the building official.
3. After final inspection and approval of the installation, an authorization to operate or use the equipment will be issued at the city building by the building official in the name of the owner or tenant as stated on the application.
4. No system shall be operated or used unless such authorization has been issued and posted on or adjacent to such system's principal unit.

All persons, firms or corporations who desire to install or make additions to an air-conditioning system after the effective date of the article codified in this chapter shall obtain approval of their proposed equipment and a permit therefor, in advance, from the building official.  The permit charge shall be one dollar per ton of capacity of the system.  All persons, firms or corporations who have installed an air-conditioning system prior to the effective date of the article codified in this chapter shall notify the building official of such existing installation.  Failure to give such notice shall be considered a violation of this chapter.

Any air-conditioning system having five tons of capacity, or more, and installed before November 1, 1958, and any air-conditioning system having three tons of capacity or less, and installed on or after November 1, 1958, shall be equipped with a water regulating device and shall be limited to the use of water from the city mains at a rate not to exceed 0.2 gallons per minute per ton of capacity.

Any air-conditioning system of over five tons of capacity, installed prior to November 1, 1958, shall be equipped with a water regulating device and may use water from the city mains at a rate not to exceed 0.2 gallons per minute per ton of capacity.  The owner of such system shall pay an annual demand charge of twenty dollars per ton of capacity per season for the total tons of capacity over and above five tons, unless the use of water from the city mains for such system shall be limited to a maximum of 0.2 gallons per minute per ton of capacity.  This demand charge shall be in addition to the regular charges provided in Section 13.04.100.  Charges shall be made for each season for any air-conditioning system not equipped and operating to limit the use of water from the city mains of 0.2 gallons per minute per ton of capacity prior to the first day of May falling within such season.

Any air-conditioning system or additions thereto, resulting in a total capacity in excess of three tons installed on or after November 1, 1958, shall be equipped with a water regulating device and shall be limited to the use of water from the city mains and not to exceed 0.2 gallons per minute per ton of capacity, and on or after November 1, 1958, no permit shall be issued by the building official for any such above-described system, or addition thereto, unless said system is designed to limit the use of water from the city mains to 0.2 gallons per minute per ton of capacity.

The building official and his duty authorized agent shall at all reasonable hours have free access to premises supplied with water for air-conditioning purposes, to examine the equipment, and to ascertain if there is more water being used then allowed by this chapter.  He shall have the power and authority to require the installation of a meter furnished by the city to determine the amount of water used by any air-conditioning system.

1. On installations which operate with the use of water directly from the public supply system, every direct connection shall be equipped with a suitable brass-body, brass fitted check valve.
2. Discharge connections for the disposal of wastewaters shall be in strict accordance with regulations.
3. Cooling waters which are to be reused for other purposes shall be provided with free, above the rim discharge, before entering other equipment; otherwise, permission shall be obtained in writing from the building official the proposed connection and use.
4. On installations other than those described above, there shall be a physical break between the public water supply piping and the piping of the installation, so arranged as to make impossible back siphonage to the public water system.

Water used for air-conditioning systems purposes shall be charged for at the regular metered rates as provided in Section 13.04.060.     

Demand charges shall be payable to the city clerk, and bills shall be rendered on May 1st of each calendar year, covering the current season.  Demand charges shall bear the same penalties for delinquent payments as do the charges for water.

1. The building official shall administer and enforce this chapter and he is authorized to take such action as may be reasonably necessary to enforce the purposes and provisions of this chapter.
2. Any authorization which is issued under the regulations to operate or use equipment may be revoked by the city for any of the following reasons:
   1. Failure of the owner or tenant to discontinue using water for the purpose covered by the permit, immediately upon notice to do so by the city during an emergency or to forestall an impending emergency;
   2. Alterations, changes of equipment or piping, improper operation or lack of maintenance which results in conditions that:
      
      1. Are hazardous to the potable water supply either within the premises or in supply mains, or
      2. Cause unnecessary waste of water;
   3. The use of water is found to exceed the quantities permitted under this chapter.

The building official shall have the authority to discontinue the supply of water to anyone violating any of the provisions of this chapter.

Any person, firm or corporation violating any provision of this chapter shall be fined not less than five dollars nor more than five hundred dollars for each offense, and a separate offense shall be deemed committed on each day during or on which a violation occurs or continues.