What is NOT available during the temporary permitting system closure?  

During the temporary permitting system closure, customers will NOT be able to:  

• Submit applications for new permits or plan reviews 
• View and change account details in the Environmental Health Portal  
• Make payments or request refunds 

Although required by the Plumbing Code, our jurisdiction has historically not required permits for ‘like-for-like' water heater replacements. To comply with existing code requirements and help to prevent the improper installation of water heaters having ever evolving technology, Public Health is set to begin requiring permits for any type of water heater installation, including replacements. A water heater (or domestic boiler) replacement by itself does not trigger plan review. The vast majority of water heater installations will only require an over-the-counter permit. 

If you or your firm are involved in the installation/replacement of water heaters or domestic water boilers, we would love to hear your thoughts on the appropriate timing of this shift in policy.  

Please consider participating in this short survey to provide feedback. 

Fixtures   

As described in our August newsletter, the types of fixtures that are expected to be listed on a plumbing permit will be expanding slightly. Fixture options will be sorted into four basic categories (listed in the order shown in the online permit application):  

• Fixtures  

• Equipment  

• Accessory  

• Miscellaneous  

Fixtures within each of the four categories are listed alphabetically in the new system. If you are looking for a particular item and don’t see it in the ‘Fixtures’ category, it may be listed in one of the other categories (Equipment, Accessory, or Miscellaneous).  

We will post an expanded fixture list in PDF and excel form on our website and in our December 10 newsletter. 

Permits   

How to know which permit type is right   

As seen in the above image, each permit application includes a description of the type of project to which it applies. This could be based on information such as occupancy type, project size (based on fixture count), or the entity responsible for installing the work. These separate permit types were created to better tailor the specific application to the type of work being done.   

‘Decision Trees’ for each general permit category are listed below and are also linked on our website to help advise permit applicants which type of permit they need to apply for. If the wrong type of permit is applied for, or the scope of work changes such that the work falls into a different category, the applicant will be asked to cancel the incorrect permit and reapply using the correct application. If there is an instance where an over-the-counter permit is obtained and the project is later determined to require plan review, the plan review sequence can be added to the permit without a new permit application being submitted.  

We will post the decision trees on our website and in our December 10 newsletter. 

Improving our work with insights from data   

Along with the different permit types, Public Health will be leveraging the software capabilities of the new system to further our ability to collect project data. This collected data will allow us to more easily generate reports in the future to help guide future work and staffing priorities. Some examples may include “How many residential projects were permitted last year?” or “How many projects included a parking garage?” or “What percentage of projects were installed by the homeowner?”, etc. To aid in this effort, there are a number of project and system descriptions listed on the application that will need to be filled in as part of the application process. In the example below, the project includes a sanitary lift station for both garage drainage and an elevator hoistway, so the associated boxes are checked:  

There are several similar sections on the applications pertaining to material uses, system configurations, etc. that might seem daunting at first glance. We will be collecting feedback on the new application process after an initial adjustment period. Future revisions to permit applications and the application process should be relatively easy to implement based on customer feedback.  

Please be on the lookout for a special newsletter edition on December 10th that will include links to the updated resources and additional information about registration for the new system. Thank you for your patience as we work toward a successful transition!