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Programs

Plumbing Definitions

Alternate Vacuum Waste System

Method of secondary disinfection of a water supply system utilizing an ultraviolet (UV) light source.

Building Drain & Vent, Sanitary

Interior sanitary drain, waste, & vent piping systems.

Building Drain & Vent, Storm

Interior storm drain, waste, & vent piping systems.

Building Sewer, Sanitary

Exterior sanitary drain piping.

Building Sewer, Storm

Exterior storm drain piping.

Campground/Recreational Vehicle Park Drainage System, Storm

All piping or any portion of the piping, within public or private premises, that conveys any of the following:

  1. Storm water from a campground or recreational vehicle park.

  2. Groundwater from a campground or recreational vehicle park.

  3. Clear water from a campground or recreational vehicle park.

Campground/Recreational Vehicle Park Drainage System, Sanitary

All piping or any portion of the piping, within public or private premises, that conveys domestic wastewater from a campground or recreational vehicle park.

Campground/Recreational Vehicle Park Water Supply System

Piping through which potable water is conveyed to points of usages intended to serve sites in a campground or recreational vehicle park.

Car Wash Interceptor

Wastes of floor drains and drain inlets of automatic car washes shall discharge through an approved car wash interceptor.

Chemical Waste System

Drainage waste system requiring special treatment through either a neutralization or dilution basin, typically found in laboratories, high schools, or universities.

Controlled Roof Drain Engineered System

A specific, unconventional roof drainage system typically having special roof drains and allowing smaller pipe diameters to be used.

Drainage System, Storm

The entire storm drainage system that encompasses all the storm piping and detention within a site. This includes building sewer, storm, private interceptor main sewer, storm, and storm detention systems located within or on the premises of the project area.

Exterior Containment Tank

A device not located within or under a building with a valved outlet designed to temporarily hold potentially hazardous wastewater for evaluation before discharging to a POWTS or municipal sewer. Typically found in health care or first responder facilities.

Exterior Cross Connection Control Assembly, Health Care

Reduced pressure principal backflow preventer (RP), pressure vacuum breaker (PVB), spill-resistant pressure vacuum breaker (SVB), or double check backflow preventer (DC) installed to serve a health care facility not located within a building.

Exterior Grease Interceptor

Grease interceptor not installed within or under a building. Also referred to as “exterior grease separator.”

Exterior Mixed Wastewater Treatment Device

A device receiving a combination of domestic and non−domestic wastewater not installed within or under a building. “Domestic wastewater” means the type of wastewater, not including storm water, normally discharged from or similar to that discharged from plumbing fixtures, appliances and devices including, but not limited to sanitary, bath, laundry, dishwashing, garbage disposal and cleaning wastewaters.

Exterior Non-Potable Water System

Water supply system conveying water not safe for drinking, personal or culinary use located outside of a building.

Exterior Oil Interceptor

Oil interceptor not installed within or under a building. Also referred to as “exterior oil separator.”

Exterior Potable Water Tank

A tank installed for the purpose of potable water storage not within or under a building.

Exterior Wastewater Treatment Device, Storm

A device or method that is intended to beneficially alter the characteristics of stormwater not installed within or under a building.

Garage Catch Basin

A device or method that is intended to beneficially alter the characteristics of stormwater not installed within or under a building.

IAPMO Water Demand Calculator

A method for sizing the water supply system using the Water Demand Calculator from the International Association of Plumbing and Mechanical Officials (IAPMO).

See Wisconsin Plumbing Code Alternate Approval for more information.

Interior Containment Tank

A device located within or under a building with a valved outlet designed to temporarily hold potentially hazardous wastewater for evaluation before discharging to a POWTS or municipal sewer. Typically found in health care or first responder facilities.

Interior Cross Connection Control Assembly, Health Care

Reduced pressure principal backflow preventer (RP), pressure vacuum breaker (PVB), spill-resistant pressure vacuum breaker (SVB), or double check backflow preventer (DC) installed to serve a health care facility located within a building.

Interior Grease Interceptor

Grease interceptor installed within or under a building. Also referred to as “interior grease separator”

Interior Mixed Wastewater Treatment Device

A receiving a combination of domestic and non−domestic wastewater installed within or under a building.
“Domestic wastewater” means the type of wastewater, not including storm water, normally discharged from or similar to that discharged from plumbing fixtures, appliances and devices including, but not limited to sanitary, bath, laundry, dishwashing, garbage disposal and cleaning wastewaters.

Interior Non-Potable Water System

Water supply system conveying water not safe for drinking, personal or culinary use located inside a building.

Interior Oil Interceptor

Oil interceptor installed within or under a building. Also referred to as “interior oil separator.”

Interior Potable Water Tank

Tank installed for the purpose of potable water storage installed within or under a building.

Interior Wastewater Treatment Device

A device or method that is intended to beneficially alter the characteristics of stormwater installed within or under a building.

Manufactured Home Community Water Supply System

Piping through which potable water is conveyed to points of connection to a manufactured home or homes in a manufactured home community.

Multipurpose Piping System

Water distribution system conveying water to plumbing fixtures and appliances and automatic fire sprinklers with the intention of serving both domestic and fire protection needs.

Private Interceptor Main Sewer, Sanitary

A building sewer, sanitary serving two or more buildings and not part of the municipal sewer system.

Private Interceptor Main Sewer, Storm

A building sewer, storm serving two or more buildings and not part of the municipal sewer system.

Private Water Main

A water main serving two or more buildings and not part of the municipal water system.

Provent Engineered System

A specific, unconventional building drain and vent, sanitary system that has received Product Approval from the Department.

Pure Water System

Potable water system that has been treated to achieve availability for a specific need or use, typically found in health care or manufacturing facilities.

Regulated Contaminant Water Treatment – Arsenic

System or method installed for the purpose of removing arsenic from the water supply system.
Also requires approval from DSPS Plumbing Product reviewer.

Regulated Contaminant Water Treatment – Bacteria

System or method installed for the purpose of removing bacteria from the water supply system.
Also requires approval from DSPS Plumbing Product reviewer.

Regulated Contaminant Water Treatment – Nitrate

System or method installed for the purpose of removing nitrate from the water supply system.
Also requires approval from DSPS Plumbing Product reviewer.

Regulated Contaminant Water Treatment – Other

System or method installed for the purpose of removing a contaminant other than arsenic, bacteria, nitrate, or radium from the water supply system.
Also requires approval from DSPS Plumbing Product reviewer.

Regulated Contaminant Water Treatment – Radium

System or method installed for the purpose of removing radium from the water supply system.
Also requires approval from DSPS Plumbing Product reviewer.

Sanitary Dump Station

System or method installed for the purpose of removing radium from the water supply system.
Also requires approval from DSPS Plumbing Product reviewer.

Siphonic Roof Drain Engineered System

A specific, unconventional roof drainage system typically having special roof drains and allowing smaller pipe diameters to be used.

Sovent Engineered System

A specific, unconventional building drain and vent, sanitary system that has received Product Approval from the Department.

Storm Detention System

A device or method within a stormwater drainage system for the collection and temporary storage of stormwater for subsequent gradual discharge.
This does not include detention or retention ponds under the guidance of WDNR.

Storm Subsurface Infiltration Plumbing System

Device or method intended to promote the assimilation of stormwater into in situ soil through a drainage system.

Water Distribution System

The portion of a water supply system from the outlet of the building control valve to the connection of a fixture supply connector, plumbing fixture, plumbing appliance, water-using equipment, or other piping systems to be served.

Water Reuse – Blackwater

System designed to use treated blackwater in a water supply system to serve fixtures, equipment or appliances not requiring potable water.

Water Reuse – Clearwater

System designed to use treated clearwater in a water supply system to serve fixtures, equipment, or appliances.

Water Reuse – Graywater

System designed to use treated graywater in a water supply system to serve fixtures, equipment, or appliances.

Water Reuse – Stormwater

System designed to use treated stormwater in a water supply system to serve fixtures, equipment, or appliances.

Water Service

The portion of a water supply system from the water main or private water supply up to and including the building control valve.

Water Treatment – .5 Chlorine System

Method of secondary disinfection of a water supply system with the introduction of a chlorine solution.

Water Treatment – Chloramine

System Method of secondary disinfection of a water supply system with the introduction of a chloramine solution.

Water Treatment – Chlorine Dioxide System

Method of secondary disinfection of a water supply system with the introduction of a chlorine dioxide solution.

Water Treatment – Silver/Copper System

Method of secondary disinfection of a water supply system with the introduction of electrical charges from silver and copper ions.

Water Treatment – Thermal System

Method of secondary disinfection of a water supply system with the introduction and circulation of hot water.

Water Treatment – Ultrafiltration System

Method of secondary disinfection of a water supply system utilizing a membrane process.

Water Treatment – Ultraviolet System

Method of secondary disinfection of a water supply system utilizing an ultraviolet (UV) light source. 

Interior Cross Connection Control Assembly, Non Health Care*

Interior Cross Connection Control Assembly, Non Health Care Reduced pressure principal backflow preventer (RP), pressure vacuum breaker (PVB), spill-resistant pressure vacuum breaker (SVB), or double check backflow preventer (DC) installed to serve a facility other than health care located within a building.

Exterior Cross Connection Control Assembly, NonHealth Care*

Reduced pressure principal backflow preventer (RP), pressure vacuum breaker (PVB), spill-resistant pressure vacuum breaker (SVB), or double check backflow preventer (DC) installed to serve a facility other than health care not located within a building.

* No longer included in plumbing plan review submittals. These devices and assemblies are required to be registered, tested, and submitted to the Department per SPS 382.22(8).

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