Bloomington, Minn., Code of Ordinances § 15 § 15.139
AUTHORITY OF ISSUING AUTHORITY (Bloomington Buildings and Structures Code)
Operative Text
The issuing authority and his or her assistants are hereby authorized, empowered and directed to regulate and have general supervision over all plumbing equipment and installations including water supply, sewage and gas piping new or hereafter installed in the city and to inspect and reinspect all such installations and equipment and to order and compel the removal of any materials, construction or installation, or any part or parts thereof which would or do endanger life or property or create or give rise to unsanitary conditions in connection with such equipment or installations. The owner, agent, occupant or person in charge or control of such installation, or the contractor constructing, altering or repairing any such plumbing system, shall, when so ordered by the issuing authority, remove therefrom such illegal, unsanitary or unsafe equipment or installations forthwith. This section shall not be interpreted to exclude appropriate inspectors from other departments of the city from making inspections required by any other provision of this code or state statutes relating to water, sewage, gas, or any utility and does not include municipal water supply and sewage as regulated under Chapter 11 of this code. (1958 Code, § 55.12) (Ord. 196, passed 11-25-1952; Ord. 74, passed 11-21-1955; repealed and new Division added by Ord. 135, passed 4- -1958; Ord. 69-88, passed 11-3-1969; repealed and new Division added by Ord. 71-23, passed 4-12-1971; Ord. 72-60, passed 11-20-1972, renumbered to § 55.10; Ord. 79-2, passed 1-22-1979)
Bloomington, Minn., Code of Ordinances § 15.139 establishes that the city's designated issuing authority holds broad supervisory power over plumbing equipment and installations—including water supply, sewage, and gas piping—within city limits. The authority may inspect these systems at any time and can order the immediate removal of any materials or installations that endanger life, property, or sanitary conditions. Owners, occupants, agents, and contractors are required to comply with such removal orders without delay, and other city departments retain their own separate inspection rights under applicable codes and state statutes.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Under § 15.139, property owners and their agents are subject to ongoing inspection and reinspection of all plumbing, water supply, sewage, and gas piping systems by the issuing authority. A compliant operator generally ensures that all such installations meet applicable standards so that no materials or conditions exist that could be deemed illegal, unsanitary, or unsafe. When the issuing authority issues a removal or correction order under this section, operators are expected to act promptly and without delay to bring the property into compliance.
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
Section § 15.139 gives the city's issuing authority the power to inspect plumbing, sewage, and gas systems in residential properties and to order the removal of unsafe or unsanitary conditions. Tenants who observe plumbing-related hazards—such as sewage leaks, unsafe gas piping, or contaminated water supply—may have grounds to report those conditions to the city for inspection under this provision. Tenant-rights organizations in Bloomington can help residents understand how this oversight authority intersects with habitability rights and what complaint or reporting options may be available.
General guidance for tenants — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult a tenant-rights organization or attorney for advice on your case.
Generated September 15, 2026 — auto-generated, not yet human-reviewed. See /transparency for methodology.
Effective Timeline
References Out
No outbound references recorded yet for this provision.
References In
No inbound references recorded yet for this provision.