Holy water

[exploreparadise2]

The baptismal tub in this 4-year old church is located on the second floor. The water is fed through jets in the sidewalls of the fiberglas tub. There are no control valves in the room. The water is turned on with a lever type valve in the supply line one floor below. Water runs through an electric in-line heater on its way to the tub. Is there a regulation that requires control valves to be in the same room as the fixture?

There is an opening in the wall behind the blind on the left so the congregation can watch from their stadium style seating.

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[Marc]

I don't see how it can be described as anything other than a plumbing fixture. As such, it's subjected to the same rules as other fixtures.

Marc

[Bill Kibbel]

Baptisteries are not regular plumbing fixtures. They're in the same category as ornamental fountains. If they're connected to a potable water supply, they need to be protected from back siphonage.

There also may be other exemptions, like Sacrariums don't have to be trapped, vented or drain into the sanitary waste system.

[rkenney]

You definitely don't want Holy Water getting into the public water supply! It might cause an outbreak of Peace! [:-yuck]

[Scottpat]

Looks like a Baptist church!

[manhattan42]

Baptistries, by International Building Code definition, are Swimming Pools , not plumbing fixtures.

See section 3109 of the IBC:

3109.2 SWIMMING POOLS. Any structure intended for swimming, recreational bathing, or wading that contains water 24 inches deep. This includes in-ground, above-ground, and on-ground pools; hot tubs; spas and fixed-in-place wading pools."

Pool heaters are regulated by electrical/mechanical codes.

Drains and supplies are regulated by plumbing codes.

Pumps, timers, wiring, bonding, overcurrent protection devices, switches etc... are regulated by electrical codes.

At least under the International Plumbing Code, there is no requirement for the shut-off valve for water supplies to necessarily be located within the same room.

Check your local commercial code office for applicable codes.

What surprises me most about this 4 year old installation is that the baptistry is not handicap accessible [:-bigeyes