§ 20-02 Taps to City Water Mains.
RCNY § 20-02
(a)Separate supply. A separate corporation stop (tap) and service connection shall be installed for each building supplied with City water, except for buildings that have service connections supplied by internal water mains as described in 15 RCNY § 20-03(b). One tax lot cannot be supplied with water from another tax lot. Y-type corporation stops (taps) or service connections on the inlet side of the main house control valve or upstream of the backflow prevention device are prohibited. A service connection connected to the City main by a T-connection, or by any means other than a corporation stop (tap) or a wet connection, shall be controlled by a gate valve placed in the service connection, and located within two (2) feet of the point of connection to the main. Any property that meets any of the following conditions must be in full compliance with this subdivision: (1) Any property constructed after January 1, 1992.
(2)A sale of property either supplying City water to another tax lot or being supplied with City water from another tax lot; (3) The installation of a new service connection and/or renovation of an existing service connection where such installation or renovation shall constitute a substantial improvement to or alteration of the property, as defined in § 24-334(2) of the Administrative Code of the City of New York; (4) The renovation of a property supplying City water to another tax lot or being supplied with City water from another tax lot where such renovation shall constitute a substantial improvement to or alteration of the property, as defined in § 24-334(2) of the Administrative Code of the City of New York; and (5) Conversion of a property's billing from metered to flat-rate or flat-rate to metered. Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions of this subdivision, any property that receives a written waiver from the Department dated after January 1, 2021 shall be considered in full compliance with this subdivision.
(b)Connections to city mains.
(1)Corporation stops (taps) and wet connections to a City Main shall be inserted or installed only by Department employees. Waivers may be granted for T-connections in extenuating circumstances (i.e. connections to two (2) inch mains and two (2) or three (3) inch connections to a four (4) inch main).
(3)Direct corporation stop connections (taps) shall not exceed one (1) inch in diameter for mains four (4) inches or less in diameter. Each one and one-half (1 1/2) inch corporation stop connection (tap) to such a main shall be made through a tapping saddle, as directed by the Department. The tapping saddle is to be provided and set by the Licensed Master Plumber.
(4)Direct corporation stop connections (taps) shall not exceed one and one-half (1 1/2) inches in diameter for six (6) inch mains. Larger connections to mains of this size shall be wet connections.
(5)Direct corporation stop connections (taps) shall not exceed two (2) inches in diameter for all mains larger than six (6) inches in diameter. All connections larger than two (2) inches shall be wet connections.
(6)Tapping saddles shall be provided by the Licensed Master Plumber whenever, in the opinion of the Department, a pipe to be tapped lacks sufficient wall thickness to securely hold the corporation stop (tap).
(c)Spacing of corporations stops (taps) and wet connections.
(d)Location of corporation stops (taps) and wet connections. Water main corporation stops (taps) or wet connections shall be installed in front of the property to be supplied with water. All old taps or wet connections shall be plugged or destroyed prior to the installation of the new tap or wet connection, unless interruption of service to building occupants dictates that installation of the new tap or wet connection be completed prior to plugging or destroying the old tap or wet connection.
(e)Charges for corporation stops (taps) and wet connections. The charges for the installation of a corporation stop (tap) or a wet connection shall be as fixed by the New York City Water Board Water and Wastewater Rate Schedule.
(f)Permits at work site. Permits for corporation stops (taps), wet connections and plugs shall be displayed at the work site.
(g)Plugs. If an approved excavation for the removal or destruction of a single corporation stop (tap) reveals that the service connection is supplied by two (2) or more corporation stops (taps), the Licensed Master Plumber making the excavation must plug or destroy the additional corporation stops (taps). The Department will make its records relative to the location of any corporation stop (tap) to be plugged or destroyed available to the licensed plumber. The Licensed Master Plumber shall be solely responsible for locating the corporation stop (tap). A separate permit will be required for each corporation stop (tap) destroyed.
(h)Destruction of wet connections, corporation stops (taps) and three-way connections.
(i)Use of tap location electrical indicator. When a building is to be demolished and the Tap Location Electrical Indicator Permit has been obtained, the Department will assist a Licensed Master Plumber in locating a tap through the use of an electrical indicator. If the indicator fails to locate the tap within five (5) feet of the expected location, the Licensed Master Plumber will be relieved of the obligation to plug and destroy the tap. No refund or credit of the permit fee will be granted if the indicator fails to locate the tap.
(j)Sizes of corporation stops (taps) and services pipes. The size of the corporation stop (tap) and service pipe to supply a premise shall be determined by the water demand load (gpm) of the premises, as determined by fixture units. In premises used for commercial and industrial purposes, where it is not feasible to determine the size of the tap and service pipe as indicated above, these sizes shall be determined solely by the water demand load (gpm) of the premises. (Tables for determining the appropriate sizes of taps and service pipes are found in Appendix Tables #1, #2 and #3.) The minimum tap shall be three quarter (3/4) inch, and the service pipe shall be at least one (1) inch in diameter. Unless otherwise approved by the Department, all taps shall be the same size as their corresponding service pipes and the goosenecks required by 15 RCNY § 20-03(n) shall be the same size as the service pipes.
(k)Fire connections and supply.
(l)Appointments for tapping, wet connections, and inspections.
(m)Rescheduling of corporation stop (tap), wet connection installation or service pipe inspection.
(n)Size of excavation. Sizes of excavations for wet connections and corporation stops (taps) shall be in accordance with the requirements of Appendix Table #4. If subsurface conditions prevent a plumber from making an excavation of the dimensions indicated therein, the plumber shall immediately notify the Department. The Department has the discretion to determine whether the dimensions should be changed, and what the new dimensions for the excavation shall be. All excavations shall be made safe by sheeting and bracing, where necessary, and shall conform with all applicable laws, rules and regulations.
(o)Driven corporation stops (taps). Where a drive corporation stop (tap) is uncovered, it must be maintained and protected. If a driven corporation stop (tap) is disturbed, it must be replaced with a screw corporation stop.
(p)Service pipe leak.
(q)Shut-off of tap by licensed master plumber. A Licensed Master Plumber must secure a permit to open or shut a tap controlling a service connection to a City water main for any repair, replacement or installation. If it is necessary to shut off the water main while repairing, replacing or installing a service connection, the Licensed Master Plumber must immediately notify the Department. The shut off must be made only by the Department, and the permit holder must pay all costs associated with shutting off the main. If a property is vacant and sealed longer than one year, the property owner must have the tap destroyed or plugged and the service line plugged. If the property owner fails to take this action, the Department may perform the work upon written notice to the property owner at the mailing address on file with the Department and assess the cost to the property owner. (Amended City Record 7/26/2021, eff. 8/25/2021)
