Texas Administrative Code › Title 30 - ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY › Part 1 - TEXAS COMMISSION ON ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY › Chapter 290 - PUBLIC DRINKING WATER › Subchapter G - WATER SAVING PERFORMANCE STANDARDS › Section 290.251 - Purpose, Authority, and Definitions

Current through Reg. 49, No. 28; July 12, 2024
(a) Purpose. The purpose of this subchapter
				  is to establish water saving performance standards and labeling requirements
				  for plumbing fixtures; establish labeling requirements for dishwashing
				  machines, lawn sprinklers, and clothes washing machines; and establish
				  reporting requirements for clothes washing machines. This subchapter applies to
				  plumbing fixtures, dishwashing machines, lawn sprinklers, and clothes washing
				  machines that are manufactured, imported, or otherwise supplied for sale in
				  Texas unless the item is manufactured exclusively for sale outside of the
				  state.
(b) Authority. The authority
				  for these sections is Texas Health and Safety Code, Chapter 372, titled
Environmental Performance Standards for Plumbing
				  Fixtures.
(c) Definitions.
				  The following words and terms, when used in this subchapter, have the following
				  meanings, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise.
(1) ANSI--The American National Standards
				  Institute.
(2) Commercial pre-rinse
				  spray valve--A handheld device that is designed and marketed for use with
				  commercial dishwashing and ware washing equipment and that is used to spray
				  water on dishes, flatware, and other food service items to remove food residue
				  before the items are cleaned in a dishwasher or ware washer or by
				  hand.
(3) Import--The physical
				  movement of merchandise into the State of Texas, including shipments to
				  distributors, shipments to factory distributing branches, direct factory sales,
				  shipments to retailers, shipments to factory distributing branches, shipments
				  to sales districts, and shipments to factory-owned distributing
				  outlets.
(4) Importer--A business
				  or individual that brings into the state plumbing fixtures from other countries
				  or states for resale or installation (other than for their own domicile) within
				  the state.
(5) Major supplier--A
				  business or individual that provides plumbing fixtures to others for resale or
				  installation (other than for their own domicile) within the state.
(6) Manufacturer--Someone who manufactures
				  plumbing fixtures or clothes washing machines.
(7) Model--A type or design of a plumbing
				  fixture.
(8) Order--A request to
				  purchase plumbing fixtures from a manufacturer, major supplier, or
				  importer.
(9) Plumbing fixture--A
				  device that receives water, waste, or both and discharges the water, waste, or
				  both into a drainage system. The term includes a kitchen sink, utility sink,
				  lavatory, bidet, bathtub, shower, urinal, toilet, flush valve toilet, or
				  drinking water fountain.
(10)
				  Plumbing fixture fitting--A device that controls and directs the flow of water.
				  The term includes a sink faucet, lavatory faucet, shower head, bath filler, or
				  commercial pre-rinse spray valve.
(11) Pressurized flushing device--A device
				  that contains a valve that:
(A) is attached
				  to a pressurized water supply pipe that is of sufficient size to deliver water
				  at the necessary rate of flow to ensure flushing when a valve is open;
				  and
(B) opens on actuation to allow
				  water to flow into the fixture at a rate and in a quantity necessary for the
				  proper operation of the fixture and gradually closes to avoid water
				  hammer.
(12) Toilet--A
				  water closet.
(13) Water closet--A
				  plumbing fixture that has a water containing receptor that receives liquid and
				  solid body waste and, on actuation, conveys the waste through an exposed
				  integral trap seal into a drainage system.
(14) Water consumption factor--The quotient
				  of the total weighted per cycle consumption divided by the capacity of the
				  clothes washer, as stated in 10 Code of Federal Regulations Part 430, Subpart
				  B, Appendix J, September 1, 2001.