Legislation
NC Irrigation Contractors License
The North Carolina Board of Irrigation Contractors' was established by legislation which became effective January 1, 2009. The board oversees the licensing of Irrigation Contractors in North Carolina. The purpose of licensure is to protect the public health, safety and welfare and to promote the efficient use of water. The new licensure law comes into full effect on June 30 2009.
According to the recently enacted licensure law, no person shall engage in the practice of irrigation construction or contracting, use the designation 'irrigation contractor,' or advertise using any title or description that implies licensure as an irrigation contractor unless the person is licensed as an irrigation contractor. All irrigation construction or contracting performed by an individual, partnership, association, corporation, firm, or other group shall be under the direct supervision of an individual licensed by the Board.
Grandfather provisions apply until June 29, 2009.
South Carolina Irrigation contractors doing work in North Carolina must be licensed in North Carolina.
Local Irrigation Regulations
ORANGE WATER AND SEWER AUTHORITY
A public, non-profit agency providing water, sewer and reclaimed water services
to the Carrboro-Chapel Hill community.
NEWS RELEASE May 18, 2009
State law requires separate meters for new irrigation systems as of July 1st
Under State legislation in 2008, all new in-ground irrigation systems connected to the OWASA system or other public utilities on or after July 1, 2009 must have a separate water meter.
Separate meters are not required for existing irrigation systems.
OWASA’s fees for irrigation-only meter service include a one-time system capacity or “service availability” fee (sometimes called a tap fee), a charge for installing an OWASA meter and related piping, and monthly bills including a volume charge and fixed monthly service fee for meter reading, billing, etc..
For more information, customers are invited contact OWASA’s Engineering and Planning Department at (919) 537-4214 or to send an e-mail to webmaster@owasa.org.
Media contact for more information:
Greg Feller, Public Affairs, 537-4267 or gfeller@owasa.org
Additional background information:
Local plumbing permit requirements
The N.C. Plumbing Code requires a permit from the local inspections department for installation of an irrigation system.
The Town of Chapel Hill Inspections staff can be reached at (919) 968-2718 or inspections@townofchapelhill.org. Carrboro Inspections/Zoning can be reached at 918-7336 and Orange County Building Inspections at 967-9251, ext. 2600.
Backflow prevention requirements for irrigation systems
For various facilities and water uses including irrigation systems, OWASA requires customers to install “backflow prevention” devices. Backflow prevention devices are required at a residence if there is an irrigation system or swimming pool, and at various kinds of businesses and other non-residential locations.
Backflow prevention devices are designed to protect the public water system from potential contamination by water that has passed from the public water system into or through a private plumbing system or private equipment.
The flow of water from a private system back into the OWASA water system could occur under special conditions such as a major water main break or firefighting.
For more detailed information about our backflow prevention program, please contact OWASA at (919) 968-4421 or webmaster@owasa.org, and/or visit the “Construction” section of our website and see the Standards page at http://www.owasa.org/Construction/Standards.aspx for information including:
- Ø the type of backflow prevention device that is needed,
- Ø required initial testing of a new irrigation system and annual testing by a certified person,
- Ø OWASA’s list of certified testers, and
- Ø required filing of the annual test report by a certified person.
At our Construction webpage, please see “Standards and Policies for Construction” for links to the Cross-Connection Control (backflow prevention) Ordinance and Manual.
