H. B. 2098
(By Delegates Leach, Caputo and Ashley)
[Introduced January 13, 1999; referred to the
Committee on the Judiciary then Finance.]
A BILL to amend and reenact section twenty-one, article nineteen,
chapter eight of the code of West Virginia, one thousand
nine hundred thirty-one, as amended, relating to municipal
and county waterworks systems; specifications for water
mains; and requiring the installation of fire hydrants at
intervals of not more than every one thousand feet in all
upgrades of water mains and all new installation of water
mains.
Be it enacted by the Legislature of West Virginia:
That section twenty-one, article nineteen, chapter eight of
the code of West Virginia, one thousand nine hundred thirty-one,
as amended, be amended and reenacted to read as follows:
ARTICLE 19. MUNICIPAL AND COUNTY WATERWORKS AND ELECTRIC POWER
SYSTEMS.
§8-19-21. Specifications for water mains and water service pipes.
Considering the importance of public fire protection, any
state or local government, public service district, public or
private utility which installs, constructs, maintains, or
upgrades water mains, shall ensure that all new mains
specifically intended to provide fire protection are supplied by
mains which are not less than six inches in diameter and shall
ensure that all new mains are not less than six inches in
diameter. There shall be a fire hydrant installed at intervals
of not more than every one thousand feet. The minimum flow on a
fire hydrant shall be five hundred gallons per minute. A permit
or other written approval shall be obtained from the department
of health and human resources for each hydrant or group of
hydrants installed in compliance with section nine, article one,
chapter sixteen of the West Virginia code as amended: Provided,
That all newly constructed water distribution systems transferred
to a public or private utility shall have mains at least six
inches in diameter where fire flows are desired or required by
the public or private utility with a minimum flow from the fire
hydrants of five-hundred gallons per minute: Provided, however,
That the utility providing service has sufficient hydraulic
capacity as determined by the department of health and human
resources to provide for the transfer of service.
NOTE: The purpose of this bill is to require the
installation of fire hydrants at intervals of not less than one
thousand feet in all upgrades of water mains and construction and
installation of new mains.
Strike-throughs indicate language that would be stricken
from the present law, and underscoring indicates new language
that would be added.