Copper pipe and fitting installation.
Omaha Municipal Code § 49-811
in effectSec. 49-811. - Copper pipe and fitting installation.
Copper tube and fittings shall be seamless, cold drawn hard copper tubing, ASTM B88, Type K, L, or M. DWV may be used in soil, waste and vent lines only. Pre-formed piping shall be Type K or L. Additionally, the following provisions shall apply:
(a) Copper fittings.
(1) Copper solder fittings.
(i) Shall be cast brass with 85 percent copper contents or wrought copper of the same material as copper tubing and shall conform to ASTM B88.
(ii) Soil and waste fittings shall be cast brass or wrought and shall be drainage pattern only. Fittings shall be machined to have a pitch.
(2) Copper press fit fittings.
(i) Shall meet ASTM B-88 and B75.
(ii) O-rings shall be manufactured of EPDM and meet ASTM D-2000.
(iii) Shall be used for water supply only.
(iv) Shall only be installed when the surrounding air temperature meets or exceeds 20 degrees Fahrenheit.
(v) Shall not be installed below ground.
(vi) Shall only be installed on the downstream side of the first valve or bypass tee after the meter.
(vii) When used with Type M copper, the distance between fittings shall equal three times the pipe diameter
(viii) A solder joint shall not be made within 12 inches of a press fit fitting.
(ix) Pipe shall be reamed and chamfered prior to assembly.
(3) Copper tube rolled grooved joining fittings.
(i) Shall be full flow wrought copper conforming to ASTM B88 and B75.
(ii) Couplings shall be rigid ("zero-flex") style consisting of a ductile cast iron housing conforming to ASTM A-536 and a synthetic rubber gasket.
(iii) Gaskets shall be designed for domestic water service from 30 degrees Fahrenheit to 230 degrees Fahrenheit and shall be molded of an EPDM compound conforming to ASTM D-2000.
(iv) Shall be used for water supply only.
(v) Couplings shall be installed according to manufacturer's instructions to produce a system capable of withstanding a 300 psig static test.
(vi) Shall only be installed on the down-stream side of the first valve or bypass tee after the meter.
(4) Push to connect fittings.
(i) Shall conform to ASSE 1061.
(ii) O-rings shall be molded of an EPDM compound conforming to ASTM D-2000.
(iii) Shall be installed in accordance with manufacturer's installation instructions.
(iv) Copper tubing shall be reamed and deburred prior to installation.
(v) Shall only be used for copper water supply and distribution.
(vi) Shall only be used in situations where other means of managing to shut the service off to a building cannot be done and only up to two fittings maximum can be used.
(b) Installation.
(1) General:
(i) Copper tubing for inside, above grade water supply distribution systems shall be seamless, cold drawn, commercially pure, hard copper tubing, ASTM B88, Type K, L, or M. Joints shall be solder type, grooved joining system, copper press fit fittings, push to connect fittings or mechanically formed extruded outlets conforming to ASTM F2014.
(ii) Below grade water supplies one inch and smaller shall be continuous, soft type K copper with no joints. Sizes larger than one inch shall be soft or hard drawn Type K copper with brazed joints (hard soldered).
(iii) All copper installations for drain, soil, waste and vent lines shall begin at least one inch above the floor. No copper waste or vent piping shall be permitted underground.
(iv) For remodeling or alteration work only, Type K or L soft copper may be installed vertically in partitions.
(2) Support/hangers:
(i) Horizontal tubing: All copper tubing shall be supported at approximately six-foot intervals for piping one and one-half inches and smaller in diameter and ten-foot intervals for piping two inches and larger in diameter.
(ii) Vertical tubing: All copper tubing three-quarters inch and smaller in diameter shall be supported at each story or at maximum intervals of four feet. Piping one inch and larger in diameter shall be supported at maximum intervals of ten feet or at each story.
(iii) All water lines shall have a minimum clear spacing of three inches between parallel lines.
(3) The following provisions shall apply to soldered joints:
(i) All solder joints for copper tubing shall be made with the proper fittings accordance with the methods of ASTM B 828, Flux shall conform to ASTM B813 and solder shall conform to ASTM B32.
(ii) Surfaces to be soldered shall be cleaned bright.
(iii) Joints shall be properly reamed, fluxed and made with solder that complies with State of Nebraska law.
(4) Brazed joints shall be made with approved flux conforming to AWS Standard A5.31, Type FB3-A or FB3-C and brazed with a filler metal conforming to AWS A5.8.
(5) Flared joints shall be made by a tool designed for the operation.
(Ord. No. 40524, § 1, 10-20-15; Ord. No. 42654, § 28, 8-13-21)
Source: City of Omaha, Municipal Code and City Charter (Municode Library, library.municode.com)URL: https://library.municode.com/ne/omaha/codes/code_of_ordinances?nodeId=OMMUCOCHGEORVOII_CH49PL_ARTVIIIQUWEINMA_S49-811COPIFIINFetched: 10/28/2026