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Committee weighs requiring pressure‑reducing valves after regulator failure raised by council member
Summary
Following a water‑pressure regulator failure that left some homes with 140–150 psi and damaged water heaters, council members asked whether new construction should be required to install pressure‑reducing valves; staff said the state building code requires valves for supply pressures over 80 psi and will investigate local code options.
Committee member Michael Wos told the Building & Building Codes Committee on Jan. 20 that a regulator failure in Ward 6—followed by a pressure boost from Cleveland Water—briefly subjected some homes to service pressures of about 140–150 psi, damaging hot water tanks and expansion tanks.
Wos said older houses often lack pressure‑reducing valves (PRVs) and suggested the city consider requiring PRVs for new construction to avoid catastrophic household damage. ‘‘The device is relatively inexpensive and it could save residents thousands of dollars in repair work,’’ he told colleagues.
Mr. Jordan, who said he would check building records and with building department staff, noted that ‘‘the state building code requires anything over 80psi to have a pressure reducing valve.’’ He also said parts of the city with lower supplied pressure may not be subject to that requirement and agreed to discuss the issue with the Building Commissioner and report back to the committee.
Why it matters: a regulator failure that causes excessively high service pressure can damage household plumbing and appliances; the committee’s inquiry could lead to a local code clarification or an ordinance amendment directing builders or homeowners to install PRVs in areas at risk.
The committee did not adopt a new requirement at the meeting; staff were asked to investigate code requirements and possible policy options and return with recommendations.
