PLUMBING CODE

PLUMBING CODE. At the end of WORLD WAR II, Dubuque experienced a housing boom and a resulting increase in the demand for plumbing installations. At the time, the demand was far in excess of the number of plumbers available. As a matter of practice, the existing plumbing code was not enforced; homeowners were able to do their own.

As the number of plumbers increased and the demand began to slacken, interest in enforcing the code increased. On April 4, 1955 a new code took effect following a two-year study by a group of plumbers.

The local code covered the licensing of plumbers and the issuance of permits. A board of examiners including a master plumber, a journeyman plumber, and a member of the board of health conducted examinations for those wanting a license. The local code also gave power to a plumbing inspector to see that the codes, state and local, were followed. The local code also required permits for the installation of pipes, fixtures, and other apparatus for bringing water into the water supply or removing liquid and water carrying waste from any building in the city of Dubuque. According to the 1955 code only a licensed plumber could apply for a plumbing permit. This was a major change from the old system where anyone could get a permit as long as they were "supervised." This was often not practiced.

In response of criticism, city officials were quick to point out that state law required the city to have ordinances regulating plumbing. Minor plumbing around the home could still be done by purchasing the necessary supplies at a hardware store and following the directions.

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Source:

Winning, Jack. "How New Code Restricts Amateur Plumber," Telegraph Herald, July 31, 1955, p. 40