Section 344.1 - DefinitionsThe following words and terms, when used in this chapter, have the following meanings, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise.
(1) Air gap--The unobstructed vertical distance through the free atmosphere between the lowest opening from any pipe or faucet conveying water to a tank, fixture, receptor, sink, or other assembly and the flood level rim of the receptacle. The vertical, physical separation must be at least twice the diameter of the water supply outlet, but never less than 1.0 inch.(2) As-built drawing--The final irrigation plan produced at the completion of an irrigation system installation and provided to the irrigation system's owner or the owner's representative. The as-built drawing(s) will reflect all changes made to the original irrigation plan and/or specifications during the construction process and show all aspects of the irrigation system including the dimensions, geometry, and location of all elements of the irrigation system. May be referred to as "record drawings" or "as-builts."(3) Backflow prevention--The prevention of the reversal of flow, due to back siphonage or backpressure, of nonpotable water from an irrigation system into the potable water supply.(4) Backflow prevention assembly--A mechanical assembly used to prevent backflow into a potable water system. The type of assembly used is based on the degree of hazard (health hazard or non-health hazard) and hydraulic conditions.(5) Completion of irrigation system installation--When the landscape irrigation system has been installed, all minimum standards met, all tests performed, and the irrigator is satisfied that the system is operating correctly.(6) Consulting--The act of providing advice, guidance, review or recommendations related to landscape irrigation systems.(7) Cross-connection--A physical connection between a public water system and either another supply of unknown or questionable quality, any source which may contain contaminating or polluting substances, or any source of water treated to a lesser degree in the treatment process.(8) Design--The act of determining the various elements of a landscape irrigation system that will include, but not limited to, elements such as collecting site specific information, defining the scope of the project, defining plant watering needs, selecting and laying out emission devices, locating system components, conducting hydraulic calculations, identifying any local regulatory requirements, or scheduling irrigation work at a site. Completion of the various components will result in an irrigation plan.(9) Design pressure--The pressure that is required for an emission device to operate properly and in conjunction with the head-to-head spacing requirement. Design pressure is the sum of the minimum operating pressure of an emission device to the total of all pressure losses accumulated from the emission device to the water source.(10) Double Check Valve Assembly--An assembly that is composed of two independently acting, check valves, including tightly closing resilient seated shutoff valves attached at each end of the assembly and fitted with properly located resilient seated test cocks. Also known as a Double Check Valve Backflow Prevention Assembly.(11) Emission device--Any device that is contained within an irrigation system and that is used to apply water. Common emission devices in an irrigation system include, but are not limited to, spray and rotary sprinkler heads, and drip irrigation emitters.(12) Employed--The state of being engaged or hired to provide irrigation services and of being in an employer-employee relationship as defined by Internal Revenue Code, 26 United States Code Service, §3212(d) based on the behavioral control, financial control, and the type of relationship involved in performing employment related tasks.(13) Exempt business owner--an owner of a business who employs a licensed irrigator to supervise the irrigation services performed by the business as referenced in Texas Occupations Code, Chapter 1903.(14) Graywater--wastewater from showers, bathtubs, handwashing lavatories, sinks that are used for disposal of household or domestic products, sinks that are not used for food preparation or disposal, and clothes-washing machines. Graywater does not include wastewater from the washing of material, including diapers, soiled with human excreta or wastewater that has come into contact with toilet waste.(15) Head-to-head spacing--The spacing of emission devices such that the distance between them is within the manufacturer's published radius range and the water spray reaches from device to device. A deviation of 10% or less is acceptable.(16) Health hazard--A cross-connection, potential contamination hazard, or other situation involving any substance that can cause death, illness, spread of disease, or has a high probability of causing such effects if introduced into the potable drinking water supply.(17) Hydraulics--The science of dynamic and static water; the mathematical computation of pressure losses and/or pressure requirements of an irrigation system.(18) Irrigation inspector--A water district operator, governmental entity, or licensed irrigation inspector who inspects irrigation systems and performs other enforcement duties for a municipality or water district and is required to be licensed under Chapter 30 of this title (relating to Occupational Licenses and Registrations) or a licensed plumbing inspector.(19) Irrigation plan--A scaled drawing of a new landscape irrigation system to be installed. The irrigation plan shall meet all the requirements in §§ 344.60- 344.65 of this title (relating to Water Conservation; Minimum Standards for the Design of the Irrigation Plan; Minimum Design and Installation Requirements; Completion of Irrigation System Installation; Maintenance, Alteration, Repair, or Service of Irrigation Systems; and Reclaimed Water) and is provided as an as-built drawing to the owner or owner's representative upon completion of the irrigation system installation.(20) Irrigation services--All activities involving an irrigation system including, selling, designing, installing, maintaining, altering, repairing, servicing, permitting, consulting services, or connecting an irrigation system to a water supply.(21) Irrigation system--A system permanently installed on a site and that is composed of an assembly of component parts for the controlled distribution and conservation of water to irrigate, reduce dust, and control erosion in any type of landscape vegetation in any location. This term includes sprinklers and sprinkler systems used for irrigation. This term does not include a system that is used on or by an agricultural operation as defined by Texas Agricultural Code, §251.002.(22) Irrigation technician--A person who works under the supervision of a licensed irrigator to perform irrigation services including the connection of an irrigation system to a private or public, raw or potable water supply system or any other water supply, and who is required to be licensed under Chapter 30 of this title (relating to Occupational Licenses and Registrations).(23) Irrigation zone--A subdivision of an irrigation system with a matched precipitation rate based on plant type (turf, shrubs, or trees), microclimate (sun/shade ratio), topographic features, soil type (sand, loam, clay, or combination), and hydrological control.(24) Irrigator--A person who performs irrigation services and/or supervises the installation of an irrigation system, including the connection of such system to a private or public, raw or potable water supply system or any water supply, and who is required to be licensed under Chapter 30 of this title (relating to Occupational Licenses and Registrations).(25) Irrigator-in-Charge--The irrigator responsible for all irrigation work performed by an exempt business owner, including, but not limited to obtaining permits, developing design plans, supervising the work of other irrigators or irrigation technicians, and installing, selling, maintaining, altering, repairing, or servicing a landscape irrigation system.(26) Landscape irrigation--The science of applying the necessary amount of water to promote or sustain healthy growth of plant material or turf.(27) License--An occupational license that is issued by the commission under Chapter 30 of this title (relating to Occupational Licenses and Registrations) to an individual that authorizes the individual to engage in an activity that is covered by this chapter.(28) Mainline--A pipe within an irrigation system that delivers water from the water source to the individual zone valves.(29) Maintenance checklist--A document made available to the irrigation system's owner or owner's representative that contains information regarding the operation and maintenance of the irrigation system, including, but not limited to: checking and repairing the irrigation system, setting the automatic controller, checking the rain or moisture sensor, cleaning filters, pruning grass and plants away from irrigation emitters, using and operating the irrigation system, the precipitation rates of each irrigation zone within the system, any water conservation measures currently in effect from the water purveyor, the name of the water purveyor, a suggested seasonal or monthly watering schedule based on current evapotranspiration data for the geographic region, and the minimum water requirements for the plant material in each zone based on the soil type and plant material where the system is installed.(30) Major maintenance, alteration, repair, or service--Any activity that involves opening to the atmosphere the irrigation main line at any point prior to the discharge side of any irrigation zone control valve. This includes, but is not limited to, repairing or connecting into a main supply pipe, replacing a zone control valve, or repairing a zone control valve in a manner that opens the system to the atmosphere.(31) Master valve--A control valve located after the backflow prevention assembly that controls the flow of water to the irrigation system mainline.(32) Matched precipitation rate--The condition in which all sprinkler heads within an irrigation zone apply water at the same rate(33) New installation--An irrigation system installed at a location where one did not previously exist or is a complete replacement of an existing irrigation system.(34) Non-health hazard--A cross-connection, potential contamination hazard, or other situation involving any substance that generally will not be a health hazard but will constitute a nuisance or be aesthetically objectionable if introduced into the public water supply.(35) Non-potable water--Water that is not suitable for human consumption. Non-potable water sources include, but are not limited to, irrigation systems, lakes, ponds, streams, gray water, water condensate from cooling towers, reclaimed water, and harvested rainwater.(36) Pass-through contract--A written contract between a contractor or builder and a licensed irrigator or exempt business owner to perform part or all of the irrigation services. A pass-through contract is also referred to as a sub-contract.(37) Potable water--Water that is suitable for human consumption and meets the definition of drinking water in § 290.38(23) of this title (relating to Definitions)).(38) Pressure Vacuum Breaker--An assembly that contains an independently operating internally loaded check valve and an independently operating loaded air inlet valve located on the discharge side of the check valve. Also known as a Pressure Vacuum Breaker Back-siphonage Prevention Assembly.(39) Reclaimed water--Domestic or municipal wastewater which has been treated to a quality suitable for beneficial use, such as landscape irrigation.(40) Records of landscape irrigation activities--The irrigation plans, contracts, warranty information, invoices, copies of permits, and all other documents that relate to irrigation services.(41) Reduced Pressure Principle Backflow Prevention Assembly--An assembly containing two independently acting approved check valves together with a hydraulically operating mechanically independent pressure differential relief valve located between the two check valves and below the first check valve.(42) Static water pressure--The pressure of water when it is not moving. Generally, this is the pressure available to the irrigation system.(43) Supervision--The on-the-job oversight and direction by a licensed irrigator who is fulfilling his or her professional responsibility to the client and/or employer in compliance with local and state requirements. Also performed by a licensed irrigation technician who is working under the direction of a licensed irrigator to perform irrigation services.(44) Temporary Irrigation System - A temporarily installed, above ground system of pipes and component parts used to distribute water to the landscaping of a site for the establishment of plant growth, reduction of dust, and erosion control. Temporary irrigation systems must meet the requirements in § 344.66 of this title (relating to Temporary Irrigation Systems).(45) Water conservation--The design, installation, service, and operation of an irrigation system in a manner that prevents the waste of water, promotes the most efficient use of water, and applies the least amount of water that is required to maintain healthy individual plant material or turf, reduce dust, and control erosion.(46) Zone flow--A measurement, in gallons per minute or gallons per hour, of the actual flow of water through a zone valve, calculated by individually opening each zone valve and obtaining a valid reading after the pressure has stabilized. For design purposes, the zone flow is the total flow of all nozzles in the zone at a specific pressure.(47) Zone valve--An automatic valve that controls a single zone of a landscape irrigation system.30 Tex. Admin. Code § 344.1
The provisions of this §344.1 adopted to be effective January 1, 2009, 33 TexReg 5713; Amended by Texas Register, Volume 45, Number 29, July 17, 2020, TexReg 4998, eff. 7/26/2020