1.1                          A bill for an act
  1.2             relating to health; establishing plumbing and sewage 
  1.3             requirements; proposing coding for new law in 
  1.4             Minnesota Statutes, chapter 144. 
  1.5   BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA: 
  1.6      Section 1.  [144.3701] [DEFINITIONS.] 
  1.7      Subdivision 1.  [APPLICATION.] For the purposes of sections 
  1.8   144.3701 to 144.3707, the following terms have the meanings 
  1.9   given them. 
  1.10     Subd. 2.  [BLACKWATER.] "Blackwater" means wastewater from 
  1.11  toilets, urinals, and any drains equipped with garbage grinders. 
  1.12     Subd. 3.  [GREYWATER.] "Greywater" means any putrescible 
  1.13  wastewater including, but not limited to, wastewater from 
  1.14  washing machines, sinks, showers, bath tubs, dishwashers, or 
  1.15  other sources except toilets, urinals, and any drains equipped 
  1.16  with garbage grinders. 
  1.17     Subd. 4.  [INDIVIDUAL SEWAGE DISPOSAL SYSTEM.] "Individual 
  1.18  sewage disposal system" means a sewage treatment, blackwater 
  1.19  treatment, greywater treatment, or part thereof, serving a 
  1.20  dwelling or other establishment, or group thereof, and using: 
  1.21     (1) septic tanks, sewage treatment devices, aerobic 
  1.22  treatment devices, blackwater treatment devices, or greywater 
  1.23  treatment devices followed by soil, sand, peat, or other 
  1.24  treatment media and disposal; or 
  1.25     (2) approved advanced treatment devices for disposal or 
  2.1   reuse of potable water. 
  2.2      Subd. 5.  [SEPARATION SYSTEM.] "Separation system" means 
  2.3   any type of plumbing system that separates the blackwater and 
  2.4   greywater piping and disposes or treats wastes and wastewater 
  2.5   individually, utilizing at least two separate devices or systems.
  2.6      Subd. 6.  [WATER CLOSET.] "Water closet" means a 
  2.7   toilet-type of device that utilizes water and contains a water 
  2.8   or mechanical type of trap. 
  2.9      Sec. 2.  [144.3702] [DWELLING REQUIREMENTS.] 
  2.10     Subdivision 1.  [WATER CLOSET.] Each family dwelling unit 
  2.11  must have at least one water closet, one lavatory, one 
  2.12  kitchen-type sink, and one bathtub or shower to meet the basic 
  2.13  requirements of sanitation and personal hygiene.  All other 
  2.14  structures for habitation shall be equipped with sufficient 
  2.15  sanitary facilities. 
  2.16     Subd. 2.  [SEWER CONNECTION.] A building with installed 
  2.17  plumbing fixtures and intended for human habitation, occupancy, 
  2.18  or use, when located on premises where a public sewer is 
  2.19  available or planned to be available within a reasonable 
  2.20  distance, must be connected to the public sewer unless the 
  2.21  building utilizes plumbing fixtures and wastewater treatment 
  2.22  devices capable of (i) treating wastes and wastewater in a 
  2.23  sanitary manner and (ii) producing and maintaining nonpathogenic 
  2.24  residual from the wastes and potable quality water from the 
  2.25  wastewater for safe discharge to the environment or reuse within 
  2.26  the building. 
  2.27     Sec. 3.  [144.3703] [PUBLIC SEWER AND WATER SUPPLY 
  2.28  REQUIREMENT.] 
  2.29     Subdivision 1.  [DISCHARGE TO PUBLIC SEWER.] If a public 
  2.30  sewer is accessible in a street or alley to a building or 
  2.31  premises and a connection is feasible, liquid wastes from any 
  2.32  plumbing system in that building must be discharged into the 
  2.33  public sewer unless otherwise prohibited by sections 144.3701 to 
  2.34  144.3707 or a local ordinance or unless the building utilizes 
  2.35  plumbing fixtures and wastewater treatment devices capable of 
  2.36  (i) treating the wastes and wastewater in a sanitary manner and 
  3.1   (ii) producing nonpathogenic residual from the wastes and 
  3.2   potable quality water from the wastewater for safe discharge to 
  3.3   the environment or reuse within the building. 
  3.4      Subd. 2.  [WATER CONNECTION.] If a public water supply 
  3.5   system is accessible, the water distribution system of a 
  3.6   building or premises must be connected to it unless otherwise 
  3.7   permitted by the commissioner of health or unless the building 
  3.8   utilizes plumbing fixtures and wastewater treatment devices 
  3.9   capable of (i) treating the wastes and wastewater in a sanitary 
  3.10  manner and (ii) producing nonpathogenic residual from the wastes 
  3.11  and potable quality water from the wastewater for safe discharge 
  3.12  to the environment or reuse within the building. 
  3.13     Subd. 3.  [INDIVIDUAL SYSTEM.] If either a public sewer or 
  3.14  public water supply system, or both, are not available, an 
  3.15  individual water supply and individual sewage disposal system, 
  3.16  or both, conforming to the published standards of the 
  3.17  commissioner of health must be provided. 
  3.18     Subd. 4.  [GROUP OF BUILDINGS.] Every building must have 
  3.19  its own independent connection with a public or private sewage 
  3.20  treatment system, except that a group of buildings may be 
  3.21  connected to one or more manholes that are constructed on the 
  3.22  premises and connected to a public or private sewage treatment 
  3.23  system.  The manholes must conform to the standards set by the 
  3.24  local sewage treatment authority. 
  3.25     Sec. 4.  [144.3704] [TRAPS FOR PLUMBING FIXTURES.] 
  3.26     A plumbing fixture, except a water closet and a plumbing 
  3.27  fixture having an integral trap, must be separately trapped by a 
  3.28  water seal trap, installed as close to the fixture as possible 
  3.29  and in such a manner as to be readily accessible for cleaning 
  3.30  and repairing. 
  3.31     Sec. 5.  [144.3705] [VENT PIPES.] 
  3.32     Except as otherwise provided in sections 144.3701 to 
  3.33  144.3707, all water closets on separation-type blackwater and 
  3.34  greywater plumbing systems and all fixture traps must be 
  3.35  protected against siphonage and back pressure by means of a 
  3.36  properly installed vent pipe.  The vent shall be so located that 
  4.1   the developed length from the fixture trap to the vent does not 
  4.2   exceed the distance specified in Minnesota Rules, part 
  4.3   4715.2620, subpart 4. 
  4.4      Sec. 6.  [144.3706] [DRAINAGE SYSTEM.] 
  4.5      All plumbing fixtures and drains used to receive or 
  4.6   discharge liquid wastes or sewage must be connected to the 
  4.7   drainage system of a public sewer or individual sewage disposal 
  4.8   system of the building according to sections 144.3701 to 
  4.9   144.3707. 
  4.10     Sec. 7.  [144.3707] [UNTREATED WATER.] 
  4.11     Water used for cooling equipment or other processes must 
  4.12  not be returned to the potable water system unless treated by an 
  4.13  approved advanced treatment device for disposal of potable water 
  4.14  or reuse.  Untreated water must be discharged into the drainage 
  4.15  system through an air-gapped indirect waste or other approved 
  4.16  method of disposal. 
  4.17     Sec. 8.  [EFFECT ON RULES.] 
  4.18     Sections 1 to 7 supersede any rule to the contrary under 
  4.19  Minnesota Rules, chapter 4715.  The commissioner of health shall 
  4.20  amend Minnesota Rules, chapter 4715 to conform to sections 1 to 
  4.21  7.