Wisconsin Legislature: SPS 381.01(265e)

Note: A pressure sterilizer is also referred to as an autoclave.

(241) “Sterilizer, pressure instrument washer” means a pressure vessel designed to both wash and sterilize instruments during the operating cycle of the device.

(242) “Sterilizer, utensil” means a device for the sterilization of utensils.

(243) “Sterilizer vent” means a separate pipe or stack, indirectly connected to the drain system at the lower terminal, which receives the vapors from nonpressure sterilizers, or the exhaust vapors from pressure sterilizers, and conducts the vapors directly to the outer air.

(244) “Sterilizer, water” means a device for sterilizing water and storing sterile water.

(245) “Storm sewer” means a pipe, other than a pipe located inside a building, that carries any of the following: storm water, groundwater or clear water.

(246) “Storm water” means wastewater from a precipitation event.

(247) “Subsoil drain” means that part of a drain system that conveys groundwater to a point of discharge or dispersal.

(248) “Sump” means a tank or pit that receives wastewater that must be emptied by mechanical means.

(249) “Sump pump” means an automatic device located in a sump, pit or low point that is designed to elevate storm water, groundwater or clear water.

(250) “Sump vent” means a vent pipe from a nonpressurized sump.

(251) “Supports” means hangers, anchors and other devices for supporting and securing pipes or fixtures to structural members of a building.

(252) “Surface water” means those portions of Lake Michigan and Lake Superior within the boundaries of Wisconsin, all lakes, bays, rivers, streams, springs, ponds, impounding reservoirs, marshes, water courses, drainage systems, and other surface water, natural or artificial, public or private within the state or under its jurisdiction, except those waters which are entirely confined and completely retained upon the property of a facility.

(253) “Swimming pool” means a structure, basin, chamber or tank containing an artificial body of water for swimming, diving or recreational bathing.

(254) “Temperature and pressure relief valve” means a combination relief valve designed to function as both a temperature relief and pressure relief valve.

(255) “Temperature relief valve” means a temperature actuated valve designed to automatically discharge at a designated temperature.

(256) “Tempered water” means water ranging in temperature from 85°F. to less than 110°F.

(256e) “Ten-year, 24-hour storm” or “10-year, 24-hour storm” means a discrete rain storm event characterized by a specific duration, temporal distribution, rainfall intensity, return frequency and total depth of rainfall.

Note: The frequency, intensity, and duration of rainfall varies considerably during a storm by geographic location. Precipitation frequency atlases, NOAA Atlas 2, have been prepared by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), National Weather Service. In chapter SPS 382, this value may be expressed as a specific “design storm”. The calculated volume of rainfall, or stormwater, may be determined from this value and used to calculate peak discharge.

(256m) “Thermal disinfection” means a method of providing bacterial control within a water distribution system using water that is heated and initially circulated to a minimum temperature of 140°F and with a minimum temperature of 124°F at the point of return to the heat source.

(257) “Total suspended solids” or “TSS” means solids in wastewater that can be removed readily by standard filtering procedures in a laboratory and reported as milligrams per liter (mg/L).

(259) “Trap” means a fitting, device or arrangement of piping so designed and constructed as to provide, when properly vented, a liquid seal which prevents emission of sewer gases without materially affecting the flow of wastewater through it.

(260) “Trap seal” means the vertical distance between the top of the trap weir and the top of the dip separating the inlet and outlet of the trap.

(260m) “Trap seal primer, drainage and electric types” means a device designed to supply water to a drain trap to provide and maintain its water seal by using a supply fixture drain line, an anti-siphon fill valve for water closet tanks, flushometer valve tailpiece, or an electric trap seal primer.

(261) “Trap seal primer, water supply fed” means a type of valve designed to supply water to the trap in order to provide and maintain the water seal of the trap.

(262) “Trap weir” means that part of a trap that forms a dam over which wastes must flow to enter the drain piping.

(263) “Turf sprinkler system” means a system of piping, appurtenances and devices installed underground to distribute water for lawn or other similar irrigation purposes.

(264) “Unsaturated soil” means soil in which the pore spaces contain water at less than atmospheric pressure, as well as air and other gases.

(265) “Vacuum” means any pressure less than that exerted by the atmosphere.

(265e) “Vacuum breaker tee” means an assembly of fittings designed to eliminate the possibility of back siphonage in a system by allowing air to enter through a tee fitting.

(266) “Vacuum relief valve” means a device that admits air into the water distribution system to prevent excessive vacuum in a water storage tank or heater.

(266m) “Vector control” means any method to limit or eradicate the mammals, birds, insects or other arthropods, collectively called ”vectors,” which transmit disease pathogens.

(267) “Vent” means a part of the plumbing system used to equalize pressures and ventilate the system.

(268) “Vent header” means a branch vent which connects 2 or more stack vents or vent stacks or both and extends to the outside air.

(269) “Vent stack” means a vertical vent pipe that provides air for a drain stack of 5 or more branch intervals.

(270) “Vent system” means a pipe or pipes installed to provide a flow of air to or from a drain system, or to provide a circulation of air within the system to protect trap seals from siphonage and back pressure.

(271) “Vertical pipe” means any pipe or fitting which makes an angle of 45° or less with the vertical.

(272) “Wall hydrant, freeze resistant automatic draining type vacuum breaker” means a type of device which is designed and constructed with anti-siphon and back pressure preventive capabilities and with means for automatic post shut-off draining to prevent freezing.

(273) “Wall mounted water closet” means a water closet attached to a wall in such a way that it does not touch the floor.

(273e) “Washer sanitizer” means a plumbing appliance used for washing and disinfecting equipment.

(274) “Waste” means the discharge from any fixture, appliance, area or appurtenance.

(275) “Waste sink” means a receptor for the discharge from indirect or local waste piping installed with its flood level rim above the surrounding floor.

(276) “Wastewater” means clear water, storm water, domestic wastewater, industrial wastewater, sewage or any combination of these.

(277) “Wastewater, treated” means the effluent conveyed through one or more POWTS treatment components to a POWTS dispersal component.

(277e) “Wastewater treatment device” means a device or method that is intended to beneficially alter the characteristics of wastewater.

(278) “Water closet” means a water-flushed plumbing fixture designed to receive human excrement directly from the user of the fixture.

(279) “Water conditioner” means an appliance, appurtenance or device used for the purpose of ion exchange, demineralizing water or other methods of water treatment.

(280) “Water distribution system” means that 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.

(281) “Water heater” means any heating device with piping connections to the water supply system that is intended to supply hot water for domestic or commercial purposes other than space heating.

(281m) “Water operator-in-charge” means the person designated by the owner of the building waterworks to be directly responsible for the day-to-day operations of the waterworks.

Note: Per s. NR 114.03(15), “waterworks” means a community water system owned by, or a private utility serving, a county, city, village, town, town sanitary district, utility district or a county-owned or state-owned public institution for congregate care or correction, which includes but is not limited to correctional institutions, correctional camp systems, county jails or houses of correction, mental health institutes, schools for the handicapped, hospitals, infirmaries and asylums.

(282) “Water service” means that portion of a water supply system from the water main or private water supply up to and including the building control valve.

(283) “Waters of the state” has the meaning specified under s. 281.01 (18), Stats.

Note: Section 281.01 (18), Stats., reads:

“Waters of the state” means those portions of Lake Michigan and Lake Superior within the boundaries of Wisconsin, all lakes, bays, rivers, streams, springs, ponds, wells, impounding reservoirs, marshes, watercourses, drainage systems and other surface water or groundwater, natural or artificial, public or private within the state or under its jurisdiction.

(284) “Water supply system” means the piping of a private water main, water service and water distribution system, fixture supply connectors, fittings, valves, and appurtenances through which water is conveyed to points of usage such as plumbing fixtures, plumbing appliances, water using equipment or other piping systems to be served.

(285) “Water treatment device” means a device which:

(a) Renders inactive or removes microbiological, particulate, inorganic, organic or radioactive contaminants from water which passes through the device or the water supply system downstream of the device; or

(b) Injects into the water supply system gaseous, liquid or solid additives other than water, to render inactive microbiological, particulate, inorganic, organic or radioactive contaminants.

(286) “Wetland” has the meaning given in s. 23.32 (1), Stats.

(287) “Wetland, constructed” means a man-made design complex of saturated substrates, emergent and submergent vegetation, and water that simulate natural wetlands for human use and benefits.

(288) “Wet vent” means that portion of a vent pipe that receives the discharge from other fixtures.

(288e) “Whirlpool” has the meaning as specified under s. SPS 390.03 (23) (j).

Note: Section SPS 390.03 (23) (j) reads:

“Whirlpool” means a relatively small public swimming pool that uses high temperature water (greater than 93°F) and that may include a water agitation system. A whirlpool may also be referred to as a spa.

Note: A fill and dump bathtub is not a whirlpool.

(288m) “Whirlpool bath tub” means a plumbing appliance consisting of a bathtub fixture that is equipped and fitted with a circulation piping system designed to accept, circulate and discharge bathtub water upon each use.

(288s) “Yard hydrant” means a device with a water supply outlet, or faucet, that has a valve control and outlet above ground and a connection to the water supply system below ground.

(289) “Yoke vent” means a vent connected to a drain stack for the purpose of preventing pressure changes in the drain stack.

History: Cr. Register, April, 2000, No. 532, eff. 7-1-00; cr. (7e), (17e), (60e), (67e), (67m), (82m), (90e), (163e), (170e), (199e), (209e), (209m), (252e), (288e) and (288m), am. (18), (20), (79), (80), (189), (203) and (204), r. and recr. (116), Register, December, 2000, No. 540, eff. 1-1-01; CR 01-139: am. (209) Register June 2002 No. 558, eff. 7-1-02; corrections in (152) and (154) made under s. 13.93 (2m) (b) 7., Stats., Register June 2002 No. 558; CR 02-002: am. (7e), (42), (44), (46), (56), (80), (84), (90e), (120), (134), (147), (178), (181), (193), (195), (210), (245), (246), (247), and (276), cr. (7m), (35m), (51m), (56e), (61m), (62m), (65m), (72e), (90m), (108m), (160m), (187e), (212e), (214m), (265e), (273e), and (277e), r. and recr. (249) Register April 2003 No. 568, eff. 5-1-03; CR 02-129: cr. (2m) and (168m) Register January 2004 No. 577, eff. 2-1-04; CR 04-035: cr. (59m), (59s), (62s), (70m), (129s), (133s), (136s), (171e), (186s) and (256e), am. (234) and (269) Register November 2004 No. 587, eff. 12-1-04; CR 07-100: cr. (163s) Register September 2008 No. 633, eff. 10-1-08; correction in (288e) made under s. 13.92 (4) (b) 7., Stats., Register September 2008 No. 633; CR 08-055: am. (5), (79), (115), (120), (147), (156), (189), (204), (234), (269) and (288), r. (20), (67e), (67m), (199e), (209e), (209m), (252e) and (258), cr. (80m), (82e), (108s), (203m) and (231m), r. and recr. (80), (151) to (154), (163) and (203) Register February 2009 No. 638, eff. 3-1-09; corrections in (286) and (288e) made under s. 13.92 (4) (b) 7., Stats., and corrections to numbering of (80m), (108s) and (203m) made under s. 13.92 (4) (b) 1., Stats., Register February 2009 No. 638; CR 10-064: r. and recr. (35), am. (116), (166), renum. (160m) to be (160e), cr. (62e), (154m), (160m) Register December 2010 No. 660, eff. 1-1-11; correction in (intro.), (7e), (69), (88), (91), (170), (214), (237), (288e) made under s. 13.92 (4) (b) 6., 7., Stats., Register December 2011 No. 672; CR 11-031: r. (51), renum. (51m) to (51), cr. (209m) Register June 2013 No. 690, eff. 7-1-13; CR 13-062: renum. (141) to (141) (intro.) and am., cr. (141) (a) to (c) Register February 2014 No. 698, eff. 3-1-14; EmR1703: emerg. cr. (50g), (50r), eff. 2-6-17; CR 17-017: cr. (50g), (50r) Register March 2018 No. 747, eff. 4-1-18; CR 17-065: cr. (13m), am. (92), cr. (93m), (183m), am. (194) Register June 2018 No. 750, eff. 7-1-18; correction in numbering (183m) under s. 13.92 (4) (b) 1., Stats., Register June 2018 No. 750; CR 23-006: cr. (2r), (4m), am. (17e), (18), cr. (22m), (30m), am. (35m), (39), (44), cr. (50c), (50e), renum. (50g) to (50t), cr. (50h), (50L), am. (65m), (66), cr. (66m), (73e), (73m), (73s), am. (79), (108s), (116), (117), cr. (117m), (129m), (138m), r. (150), cr. (153e), (153m), (153s), (154g), renum. (172) to (13e) and am., am. (189), cr. (195m), (197m), (199m), am. (204), cr. (218m), (229m), am. (231m), cr. (256m), (260m), (266m), am. (280), cr. (281m), am. (282), cr. (288s) Register September 2023 No. 813, eff. 10-1-23; renum. (50t) to (50m) under s. 13.92 (4) (b) 1., Stats., and correction in (18), (50m), (108s), (116), (117), (189), (204), (231m) made under 35.17, Stats., Register September 2023 No. 813.

SPS 381.20 Incorporation of standards by reference.

(1) Consent.

(a) Pursuant to s. 227.21 (2), Stats., the attorney general has consented to the incorporation by reference of the standards listed in sub. (3).

(b) The codes and standards that are referenced in this chapter, and any additional codes and standards that are subsequently referenced in those codes and standards, shall apply to the prescribed extent of each such reference, except as modified by this chapter.

Note: Copies of the adopted standards are on file in the offices of the department and the legislative reference bureau. Copies of the standards may be purchased through the respective organizations listed in Tables 381.20-1 to 381.20-13.

(2) Alternate standards.

(a) Alternate standards that are equivalent to or more stringent than the standards referenced in chs. SPS 381 to 387 may be used in lieu of the referenced standards when approved by the department or if written approval is issued by the department in accordance with par. (b).

1. Upon receipt of a fee and a written request, the department may issue an approval for the use of the alternate standard.

2. The department shall review and make a determination on an application for approval within 40 business days of receipt of all forms, fees and documents required to complete the review.

Note: Review fees for standards under this paragraph are listed in ch. SPS 302.

(b) Determination of approval shall be based on an analysis of the alternate standard and the standard referenced in chs. SPS 381 to 387, prepared by a qualified independent third party or the organization that published the standard contained in chs. SPS 381 to 387.

(c) The department may include specific conditions in issuing an approval, including an expiration date for the approval. Violations of the conditions under which an approval is issued shall constitute a violation of chs. SPS 381 to 387.

(d) If the department determines that the alternate standard is not equivalent to or more stringent than the referenced standard, the request for approval shall be denied in writing.

(e) The department may revoke an approval for any false statements or misrepresentations of facts on which the approval was based.

(f) The department may reexamine an approved alternate standard and issue a revised approval at any time.

(3) Adoption of standards. The standards referenced in Tables 381.20-1 to 381.20-13 are incorporated by reference into chs. SPS 381 to 387.

Note: The tables in this section provide a comprehensive listing of all of the standards adopted by reference in chs. SPS 381 to 387. For requirements or limitations in how these standards are to be applied, refer to the code section that requires compliance with the standard.

(4) Department authority. A department interpretation of an adopted standard under this chapter shall supersede any differing interpretation by either a lower level jurisdiction or an issuer of the adopted standard.

- See PDF for table