Ithaca, N.Y., Code of Ordinances ch. 210 § 210-23

Plumbing

In Force
Verified 11/7/2026 · Next check 2/5/2027
IthacaHabitability & Repair

Operative Text

Ithaca, N.Y., Code of Ordinances ch. 210 § 210-23
A. General requirements. (1) Plumbing systems shall be maintained in sanitary and serviceable condition. (2) Plumbing systems shall be maintained so as not to weaken structural members nor cause damage or deterioration to any part of the building through fixture usage. B. Water supply. (1) Potable water from an approved source shall be available at all times in residential buildings. The domestic water supply system of the building shall be connected to such approved source and shall not be subject to contamination. When supplied from a public source, the potable water supply system shall not be connected to private or unsafe water supplies. (2) Water supply systems shall be installed and maintained so as to provide at all times a supply of water to plumbing fixtures, devices and appurtenances in sufficient volume and at pressures adequate to enable them to function satisfactorily and without undue noise under all normal conditions of use. (3) Water supply systems shall be installed and maintained so that water used for purposes of cooling or heating shall not be reintroduced into the domestic water supply system nor be distributed through such equipment to plumbing fixtures. (4) Hot-water supply systems shall be provided with safety devices arranged to relieve hazardous pressures and excessive temperatures. C. Sewage drainage system. (1) Plumbing fixtures shall be drained to a sewage drainage system, and such system shall be connected to a public sewer or to an adequate and approved system of sewage disposal. (2) Where a public sewer is not available, a system shall be provided to receive and dispose of sewage without health hazard or nuisance. (3) Sewage or other waste which may be deleterious to surface or subsurface waters shall not be discharged into the ground or into a waterway unless it has first been rendered harmless through subjection to treatment in conformity with generally accepted standards. (4) Substances which will clog the pipes, produce explosive mixtures, destroy the pipes or their joints or interfere unduly with the sewage disposal process shall not be discharged into the building drainage system unless it is provided with approved devices suitable for intercepting such substances. (5) Each fixture directly connected to the sewage drainage system shall be equipped with a water seal trap. (6) Adequate cleanouts shall be provided and maintained so that the pipes may be readily cleaned. (7) The drainage system and its attendant vent piping shall be maintained so as to provide adequate circulation of air in all pipes in order that siphonage, aspiration or pressure will not cause a loss of trap seal under ordinary conditions of use. (8) Each vent terminal to the outer air shall be installed and maintained so as to minimize the possibilities of clogging, frost closure, the return of foul air to the building or the creation of a nuisance to adjacent premises. (9) Drains provided for fixtures, devices, appliances or apparatus containing food, water, sterile goods or similar materials shall be equipped with air breaks adequate to prevent contamination of such contents from any possible backup of sewage through direct or indirect drainage piping. D. Storm drainage. (1) Roofs and paved areas, including yards and courts, shall be drained. Storm drainage shall be conveyed to any adequate and approved system of stormwater disposal, where available. Storm drains shall be discharged in such manner that water will not flow onto sidewalks. (2) Where a drainage system may be subject to backwater, suitable provision shall be made to prevent its overflow into the building. (3) Leaders and gutters, if used, shall be constructed of noncombustible material, except that wood leaders and gutters may be used for buildings not more than three stories high. E. Plumbing facilities. (1) Buildings and portions thereof shall be provided with plumbing systems designed to dispose of the sewage from all fixtures and to furnish cold water to every water closet and urinal and hot and cold water to every sink, lavatory, bathtub and shower required therein. In multiple dwellings, hot water shall be furnished at a temperature range of 130° F. to 140° F. (2) There shall be provided within each dwelling unit plumbing fixtures consisting of at least: (a) One kitchen sink. (b) One water closet. (c) One bathtub or shower. (d) One lavatory. (3) Where multiple dwellings contain sleeping accommodations arranged as individual rooms or suites, for each multiple of six sleeping rooms or fraction thereof, there shall be provided plumbing fixtures consisting of at least: (a) One water closet. (b) One bathtub or shower. (c) One lavatory. (4) Where multiple dwellings contain sleeping accommodations arranged as a dormitory, for each multiple of 15 persons or fraction thereof so accommodated, there shall be provided and located adjacent plumbing fixtures consisting of at least: (a) One water closet. (b) One bathtub or shower. (c) One lavatory. (5) Urinals may be substituted in men's toilet rooms for not more than 1/3 of the required number of water closets. (6) Privies, privy vaults and outhouses shall be prohibited on residential premises. F. Plumbing fixtures. (1) Plumbing fixtures shall be made of smooth, nonabsorbent material. (2) Plumbing fixtures shall be so spaced as to be reasonably accessible for their intended use. (3) Plumbing fixtures shall be located in spaces that are accessible, lighted and ventilated. G. Water supply tanks. (1) Water supply tanks shall be installed and maintained so as to be watertight, verminproof, rodentproof, resistant to corrosion and capable of withstanding the working pressures under normal operation. (2) Supports for tanks shall be of noncombustible construction. (3) Tanks and their supports shall not be used to support equipment or structures other than for tank use, except where specially designed for such other use. (4) Means for emptying water supply tanks shall be provided and maintained in proper working condition. (5) Potable water supply tanks for domestic supply and standpipe or automatic sprinkler systems shall be installed and maintained to furnish water in sufficient quantity and pressure for such systems.
Source: Legislative text reproduced verbatim
Plain English

Ithaca, N.Y., Code of Ordinances ch. 210 § 210-23 establishes comprehensive standards for plumbing systems in residential buildings, covering everything from water supply safety and sewage drainage to storm drainage and fixture requirements. The rule requires that potable water be continuously available from an approved, uncontaminated source, that sewage be properly routed to an approved disposal system, and that each dwelling unit contain at minimum a kitchen sink, water closet, bathtub or shower, and lavatory. It also sets specific fixture ratios for rooming houses and dormitories, prohibits outhouses on residential premises, and mandates that all plumbing components be kept in sanitary, structurally sound, and serviceable condition.

Written by anthropic/claude-sonnet-4.6 · Reviewed on November 7, 2026

Plain English — not legal advice.

For Property Managers

Operators of residential properties in Ithaca are generally expected to maintain all plumbing systems in compliance with ch. 210 § 210-23 on an ongoing basis, not merely at the time of initial installation. Compliant operators routinely verify that hot water is delivered within the 130°F–140°F range required for multiple dwellings, that each dwelling unit contains the four minimum required fixtures, and that sewage and storm drainage systems are properly connected to approved disposal systems. Landlords managing rooming houses or dormitories also track the fixture-to-occupant ratios specified in § 210-23(E)(3) and (4) to ensure adequate facilities are available as occupancy changes.

General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.

For Tenants

Under Ithaca, N.Y., Code of Ordinances ch. 210 § 210-23, tenants in residential buildings have a right to continuously available potable water, functioning sewage drainage, and at minimum four plumbing fixtures within their dwelling unit. If plumbing systems are not maintained in sanitary and serviceable condition—for example, if hot water is absent, water pressure is inadequate, or required fixtures are missing—this provision may be relevant to a housing complaint or code enforcement action. Tenants who believe their building falls short of these standards can consider contacting Ithaca's local code enforcement office, reaching out to a tenant-rights organization, or raising the violation as a defense in relevant legal proceedings.

General guidance for tenants — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult a tenant-rights organization or attorney for advice on your case.

Generated November 7, 2026 — auto-generated, not yet human-reviewed. See /transparency for methodology.

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Related Rules

§ 244.260
Compliance required
§ 14.567
ADOPTED BY REFERENCE
§ 244.340
Sewer and water connections

Source Information

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Fetched:Nov 7, 2026, 07:07 AM UTC