01/28/2025 Ordinances 10,009 ORDINANCE NO.10,009
An ordinance to amend Chapter 26 Plumbing of Grand Island City Code; to
amend Article 26-II Sections 26-28, 26-34, 26-41, 26-44.1, 26-44.2, 26-44.3, 26-45.1, 26-45.5,
26-46.1, 26-46.3, 26-53, 26-55, 26-56, 26-59, 26-60, 26-65, 26-66, 26-67, 26-68, 26-69, 26-70,
and 26-71, and Article 26-III Sections 26-72, and 26-73; to clarify and/or make general
corrections to various code sections, to repeal any ordinance or parts of ordinances in conflict
herewith; and to provide for publication and the effective date of this ordinance.
BE IT ORDAINED BY THE MAYOR AND COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF
GRAND ISLAND,NEBRASKA:
SECTION 1. Article 26-II Sections 26-28, 26-34, 26-41, 26-44.1, 26-44.2, 26-
44.3, 26-45.1, 26-45.5, 26-46.1, 26-46.3, 26-53, 26-55, 26-56, 26-59, 26-60, 26-65, 26-66, 26-67,
26-68, 26-69, 26-70, and 26-71, and Article 26-III Sections 26-72, and 26-73 of the Grand Island
City Code Chapter 26 is amended to read as follows:
Article 26-II
Plumbers, Contractors, Installers and Plumbing Inspector
Division 26-II-1 Plumbers Examining Board
Division 26-II-2 Plumbing Contractors
Division 26-II-3 Master And Journeymen Plumbers
Division 26-II-4 Water Conditioning Appliance Installers
Division 26-1I-5 Plumbing Inspector
26-28 Duties; Examinations; Licenses
The Board shall establish standards and procedures for the qualification, examination and
licensing of master plumbers and journeyman plumbers, and shall issue an appropriate license to
ORDINANCE NO. 10,009 (Cont.)
each person who meets the qualifications therefore and successfully passes the standardized
exam administered by International Association of Plumbing and Mechanical Officials
(IAPMO).
26-34 General Rules
A. All plumbing apprentices actively engaged under the supervision of a contracting master
plumber will be required to register with the Office of the Chief Building Official. Experience
accrued towards taking the journeyman plumbers test will only be accepted as a registered
apprentice. Time accrued previous to registration will be approved and noted.
B. Time required for an apprentice to be actively engaged in the trade under the supervision
of a contracting master plumber will be a minimum of three years. Proof of qualifications will be
submitted to the chief building official in writing for consideration and approval for the
journeyman examination. Any academical time to be considered in place of actual apprenticeship
time in the trade must be from a State accredited college or Technical school and be submitted to
the Board for consideration.
C. Applicants must hold a journeyman license for a minimum of four years before taking the
Master exam, and be actively engaged in the trade under the supervision of a contracting master
plumber for the full four years. Proof of qualifications will be submitted to the chief building
official in writing for consideration and approval for the master examination.
D. The minimum age limit for a Journeyman examination will be Twenty (20) years of age
unless approved by the Board.
E. The allotted time for the Master and Journeyman examination will be as administered by
IAPMO.
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ORDINANCE NO. 10,009 (Cont.)
F. Request for Master and Journeyman examination will be filed in the City of Grand Island
Office of the Chief Building Official prior to taking the examination for the consideration of the
chief building official or the Board. Examination application fee will be paid with the
application. No exam fee will be refunded after taking the examination. Exam application
review fees shall be submitted directly to the Office of the Chief Building Official. Online exam
fees shall be submitted directly to IAPMO.
G. All applicants will submit, along with their request for examination, letters of proof of the
required apprenticeship time actively engaged in the trade.
H. In the event that an applicant fails to pass the examination given, he may make application
for a subsequent exam after thirty (30) days have passed.
I. At the discretion of the Board, experience gained at an industrial plant or outside the Grand
Island jurisdiction may be considered as apprenticeship time to qualify for a Journeyman
examination. Information considered by the Board shall include written proof of previous
experience record and oral examination.
J. All examination papers are the property of the examining Board. Applicants will not be
permitted to remain during grading or to review examination papers after they have been
submitted for grading. Test results will be sent by mail.
K. Applicant must obtain a passing score on the exam. A passing score for a Journeyman
Plumber is 70% and for a Master Plumber is 80%.
L. An applicant with a passing score will have a 30 day grace period to pick up a new license
dated from the test date.
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ORDINANCE NO. 10,009 (Cont.)
M. An applicant must supply his own copy of this Code; the Office of the Chief Building
Official will not supply copies to anyone during the test. Photocopies, reference books, or any
other reference materials will not be allowed in the testing area during the test.
N. For purposes of Chapter 26 an "employee" shall include employees, agents, contractors,
subcontractors, and independent contractors so long as the "employee" is under supervision of a
registered contracting plumber and is covered by the registered contracting plumber's insurance
obligations as set forth in 26-41.
26-41 Insurance
A. Every registrant shall maintain in full force and effect insurance policies written by a
company or companies authorized to do business in the State of Nebraska, with the following
coverages, amounts, and provisions:
A. Comprehensive General Liability Insurance covering the operations of the registrant
including coverage for completed operations, with limits of not less than $1,000,000 per
occurrence for bodily injury and property damage.
B. A provision making the City of Grand Island an additional insured for any third party
claims for bodily injury or property damage based upon occurrences in connection with the
registrant's operations, including completed operations, within the City's zoning jurisdiction.
C. The registrant shall furnish the Office of the Chief Building Official a certificate or
certificates of insurance for the above insurance coverage.
D. Any registration certificate issued under the provisions of this chapter shall be revoked
should the registrant permit the insurance policy herein required to expire or lapse.
Division 26-II-3
Master And Journeymen Plumbers
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ORDINANCE NO. 10,009 (Cont.)
26-43 (Reserved)
26-44 Master Plumber, Journeyman Plumber, Apprentice Plumber, Defined
26-45 Plumber Licenses
26-46 Examinations
26-47 Continuing Education
26-48 (Reserved)
26-49 Use Of Licensee's Name By Another
26-50 (Reserved)
26-43 (Reserved)
26-44 Master Plumber, Journeyman Plumber, Apprentice Plumber, Defined
26-44.1 Master Plumber
26-44.2 Journeyman Plumber
26-44.3 Apprentice Plumber
Any person desiring to be licensed as a master plumber or as a journeyman plumber pursuant to
this chapter shall make written application for an examination to the chief building official.
Examination application fees shall be in accordance with the City of Grand Island Fee Schedule.
Online examination fees shall be in accordance with the testing facilities fee schedule.
Examination application fees shall accompany such application. Examination fees are not
returned but shall be forfeited in the event the applicant fails the examination.
26-44.1 Master Plumber
A Master Plumber shall mean a person who is registered with the Office of the Chief Building
Official and has completed all experience requirements as a journeyman plumber and has passed
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ORDINANCE NO. 10,009 (Cont.)
a master level plumber's examination. A Master Plumber has the necessary qualifications,
training, experience, and technical knowledge to properly plan, layout, install, alter and repair
plumbing systems or parts thereof including, but not limited to, plumbing fixtures and fixture
fittings; water heaters; water supply and distribution; sanitary drainage, including onsite
wastewater systems; indirect wastes; vents, traps and interceptors; storm drainage; fuel gas
piping; health care facilities and medical gas and medical vacuum systems; firestop protection—
as defined in the UPC; alternate water sources for nonpotable applications; nonpotable rainwater
catchment systems; combination waste and vent systems; alternate plumbing systems; boilers
and pressure vessels; and hydronics; in accordance with the standards, rules, and regulations
established by the Grand Island Plumbing Board. A practicing Master Plumber must be an
employee of a registered Contracting Master Plumber and work under a Contracting Master
Plumber's supervision.
26-44.2 Journeyman Plumber
A Journeyman Plumber shall mean a person who is registered with the Grand Island Office of
the Chief Building Official and who has completed their apprenticeship under the supervision of
a Contracting Master Plumber. A Journeyman Plumber has passed a journeyman level plumbing
examination and has a working knowledge and application of the skills required to be employed
as a plumber in accordance with the standards, rules, and regulations established by the Grand
Island Plumbing Board. A practicing Journeyman Plumber must be an employee of a registered
Contracting Master Plumber and work under a Contracting master Plumber's supervision.
26-44.3 Apprentice Plumber
An Apprentice Plumber is an entry-level plumber who is registered with the Grand Island Office
of the Chief Building Official and is working under the direct supervision of a licensed
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ORDINANCE NO. 10,009 (Cont.)
Journeyman Plumber or Master Plumber and is an employee of a registered Contracting Master
Plumber.
26-45 Plumber Licenses
26-45.1 License; Term, Renewal; Fees
26-45.2 License; Revocation
26-45.3 Plumber License To Apprentice Ratios
26-45.4 Temporary Journeyman Plumber's License
26-45.5 Licenses; Reciprocity
26-45.1 License; Term, Renewal; Fees
A. All licenses issued by the Grand Island chief building official pursuant to this article shall
expire on December 31 of the year in which issued, but may be renewed within thirty days
thereafter upon application and payment of fees. Any license holder who does not renew his or
her license in this manner, the holder shall apply for and qualify to recover the lapsed license by
passing an examination as required under the provisions of§26-46.
B. All licensees shall be required to complete six contact hours of continuing education by
December 31 of each year as required under the provisions of §26-47, and may renew such
license upon presentation of documentary evidence of successful completion on a form furnished
by the Office of the Chief Building Official and payment of the fee for renewal. The licensee
shall have the responsibility for record keeping and providing proof of attendance at continuing
education courses.
Penalty for falsifying continuing education requirements will be immediate forfeiture of license.
First offense, offender will be eligible to make application for the next available exam. Second
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ORDINANCE NO. 10,009 (Cont.)
offence will be a one year suspension of license and then undergo a review by the plumbing
board for re-examination eligibility.
C. Fees for the renewal of a license shall be in accordance with the City of Grand Island Fee
Schedule.
26-45.5 Licenses; Reciprocity
A. Any person validly licensed as a master or journeyman plumber by a municipal jurisdiction,
provided the testing mechanism of that municipality has been verified by the chief building
official or the Board to meet or exceed the standards of an unamended standardized exam
provided by a nationally licensed testing agency, may apply for exemption from taking the
examination specified by Section 26-34 and, provided the applicant is otherwise qualified
pursuant to this Code, the chief building official may approve the applicant to receive a valid
license, and direct their designee to execute and deliver the license to the applicant.
B. The chief building official shall have the right to require any applicant to take an
examination. In the event that an applicant is denied a license,they may appeal to the
plumbing board.
C. Any person validly licensed as a master or journeyman plumber by a jurisdiction with a
current reciprocal licensing agreement approved by board shall be granted a licenses of the
same level for the Grand Island Jurisdiction.
26-46.1 Examinations; Fee
Any person desiring to be licensed as a master plumber or as a journeyman plumber pursuant to
this chapter shall make written application for an examination to the chief building official .
Examination application fees shall be in accordance with the City of Grand Island Fee Schedule.
Online examination fees shall be in accordance with the testing facilities fee schedule.
Examination application fees shall accompany such application and shall be accounted for and
turned over to the City Treasurer. Examination fees are not returned but shall be forfeited in the
event the applicant fails the examination.
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ORDINANCE NO. 10,009 (Cont.)
26-46.3 Re-Examination
Any person desiring to become a master plumber or a journeyman plumber who fails to pass an
examination pursuant to this chapter as prescribed by the Board may make written application
for a subsequent examination 30 days after taking the examination.
26-53 Water Conditioning Contractor
A. No person shall engage in the water conditioning appliance business in the city of Grand
Island without first obtaining a certificate of registration as a water conditioning contractor.
B. In case of any firm of more than one person or partnership engaged in the business of
installing water conditioning appliances, only one of such persons shall be required to qualify for
a contractor's license. In case of corporations, only one officer shall be required to qualify for
such license.
C. No license as a water conditioning contractor shall be issued by the City of Grand Island
unless the applicant therefore first shall have passed the examination for water conditioning
installer as prescribed by this article, and shall have a regularly established place of business
wherein he or she shall have posted in a conspicuous place the license issued pursuant to this
article.
D. Every registrant shall maintain in full force and effect insurance policies written by a
company or companies authorized to do business in the State of Nebraska with the following
coverages, amounts, and provisions:
1. Comprehensive General Liability Insurance covering the operations of the registrant,
including coverage for completed operations, with limits of not less than $1,000,000 per
occurrence for bodily injury and property damage.
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ORDINANCE NO. 10,009 (Cont.)
2. A provision making the City of Grand Island an additional insured for any third party
claims for bodily injury or property damage based upon occurrences in connection with the
registrant's operations, including completed operations, within the City's zoning jurisdiction.
3. The registrant shall furnish the City of Grand Idland Office of the Chief Building Official
a certificate or certificates of insurance for the above insurance coverage
4. Any registration certificate issued under the provisions of this chapter shall be revoked
should the registrant permit the insurance policy herein required to expire or lapse.
26-55 License Required; Exception
No person shall install, replace, or relocate a water conditioning appliance without first having
obtained the necessary license from the chief building official to do so; provided, that a master
plumber and a journeyman plumber licensed in accordance with the provisions of this chapter
may perform such work without securing an additional license.
26-56 Examinations
The chief building official shall, prior to issuing any license under this chapter, examine the
applicant as to his or her technical knowledge and ability to install water conditioning
appliances, and knowledge of water supply piping and fittings as related to the installation of
water conditioning appliances. The examination shall not include the applicant's knowledge of
plumbing, house drainage, ventilation or sanitation to the extent required to meet the standards
applied in licensing master plumbers or journeymen plumbers.
26-59 License; Application
All applications for water conditioning licenses shall be filed with the Office of the Chief
Building Official and shall contain the following information:
A. The name and residence and business address of the applicant.
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ORDINANCE NO. 10,009 (Cont.)
B. The trade name used by the applicant or applicants employer.
C. The name of persons acquainted with applicant's qualifications.
D. The qualifications possessed by the applicant.
E. Any additional relevant information requested by the Board.
26-60 License; Fees
The fee to be collected by the Office of the Chief Building Official for the registration of water
conditioning contractors shall be in accordance with the City of Grand Island Fee Schedule.
Division 26-II-5
Plumbing Inspector
26-65 Office Created; Authority; Assistants
26-66 Duties
26-67 Inspections
26-68 Inspection Prior To Covering Installation
26-69 Procedure For Re-Inspection
26-70 Inspector May Require Testing
26-71 Authority To Condemn; Penalty
26-65 Office Created; Authority; Assistants
There is hereby created and established the office of the plumbing inspector, who shall be the
chief building official, and who shall have supervision of all installation, alteration, repair,
replacement, or remodel of plumbing systems work in the city and the two mile area adjacent
thereto. The plumbing inspector shall have such assistance as may be necessary. Assistants shall
III be hired only after being examined and recommended by the chief building official. Any such
assistant shall have the same power as the plumbing inspector.
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ORDINANCE NO. 10,009 (Cont.)
26-66 Duties
It shall be the duty of the plumbing inspector to issue permits and inspect all plumbing work,
private water services and private sewer services within the City and the two mile area adjacent
thereto and to investigate all reported cases of the use of imperfect materials or workmanship on
any job of plumbing work or the violation of any of the provisions of this article by a plumber,
mechanical fitter or builder.
26-67 Inspections
It shall be the duty of the plumbing inspector to make inspections of installation, alteration,
repair, replacement, remodel of plumbing systems, or connection work at the request of the
installer, chief building official , owner, agent, tenant, or occupant of any building or the
premises where such plumbing work is located in order to ascertain whether or not the plumbing
work in such building or premises are in a safe condition. The inspector shall have the authority
to enter any building or upon any premises at all reasonable hours to ascertain if the provisions
of this article, or any ordinances relating to plumbing work, or appliance installations have been
or are being violated or being complied with, and should the inspector, upon making such an
inspection as requested by the installer, owner, agent, tenant, or chief building official , find an
unsafe or unsatisfactory installation, the inspector shall have the authority to request the Utilities
Department to shut off the service at the meter (depending upon the seriousness of the conditions
as determined by the inspector),tag same, and shall notify the installer immediately if the job is a
new installation, or the owner, agent,tenant, or one in charge of the property to cause the same to
be remedied within a specified time, not exceeding ten days if the same is not a new installation.
Should the installer, owner, agent, tenant, or one in charge of the premises fail to make such
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ORDINANCE NO. 10,009 (Cont.)
corrections, changes or repairs, or fail to notify the inspector to make a re-inspection within the
specified time after receiving such notification to comply therewith, said owner, agent, tenant,
installer or person in charge, shall be considered maintaining an unsafe plumbing installation and
violating the requirements hereof, and the inspector shall make a re-inspection of the premises
and report the findings to the chief building official, who shall in turn cause action to be taken in
the proper court to secure compliance, and the penalties as set forth in this chapter shall apply. It
shall be the duty and the responsibility of the installer or one making such correction, changes or
repairs to notify the inspector within forty-eight hours after completion of such correction,
changes or repairs, and request for re-inspection.
26-68 Inspection Prior To Covering Installation
Before any part of any installation is covered from sight, a notification shall be given the
plumbing inspector who shall, within forty-eight hours, inspect such part of the installation.
26-69 Procedure For Re-Inspection
If, by reason of noncompliance with the provisions of this article or through the use of defective
material or inferior workmanship, the approval of the plumbing inspector is not given and
subsequent inspections become necessary, the installer shall notify the plumbing inspector when
such work shall be ready for such subsequent inspection, which shall be made in the same
manner as is hereinbefore provided. The fees for re-inspection shall be provided in the fee
schedule.
26-70 Inspector May Require Testing
When permits have been issued for additional fixtures or piping or alterations to any existing
system, the plumbing inspector may, if in his or her discretion it is deemed necessary, require the
installer to make a complete test of the whole system as is required for new systems.
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ORDINANCE NO. 10,009 (Cont.)
26-71 Authority To Condemn; Penalty
Authority is hereby granted to the plumbing inspector to condemn any existing plumbing
installations which, in his discretion, is hazardous or dangerous to human life. It shall be the duty
of the property owner to immediately eliminate the hazardous conditions by removal or repair of
these conditions. Failure to do so will be a violation of the provisions of this article.
Article 26-III
Violations
26-72 Violations Of Chapter
26-73 Discretionary Action
26-72 Violations Of Chapter
Any person who shall violate or who shall refuse, neglect or fail to comply with any of the
provisions of this chapter shall be deemed guilty of an infraction.
Any person holding a license under the supervision and authority of the Board who is convicted
of having violated any of the provisions of this chapter shall have such license revoked by the
city council, and any person having their license revoked for such cause shall not be granted a
new license for a period of one year thereafter.
Any person who shall have been convicted for having done any work in a manner prohibited by
this Chapter, and who shall fail, neglect or refuse to correct the same within ten days after such
conviction shall be guilty of an independent and separate offense for each day thereafter during
which such work is permitted to remain in such improper condition.
26-73 Discretionary Action
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ORDINANCE NO. 10,009 (Cont.)
In the case of discretionary actions and determinations of the chief building official or of the
Board, relevant facts shall be considered and determinations made in the exercise of reasonable
discretion, and all such determinations shall be final in the absence of abuse of discretion.
SECTION 2. Any ordinance or parts of ordinances in conflict herewith be, and
hereby are, repealed.
SECTION 3. This ordinance shall be in force and take effect fifteen (15) days
from and after its passage and publication pursuant to law.
Enacted: January 28, 2025
e •)-)6 e
Roge . Steele, Mayor
Attest:
GRANO
iC-1CJ 60 6-KaA , �: \�GORPORgTFa •.tJianere, City Clerk * o►...m
I, 4 10,1? t.
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