Alberta’s Disaster Recovery Program calls for “protective plumbing”
September 23, 2013 | By HPAC Magazine
Municipal Affairs Alberta has issued a bulletin that affects plumbing and mechanical disciplines regulated under the Safety Codes Act. Disaster Recovery Program (DRP) Flood Mitigation Measures was published in August (STANDATA Information Bulletin 06-BCB- 009R1). It sets out the minimum “wet-flood mitigation” measures for owners of homes and small businesses in the Calgary area to be eligible for DRP funding. These measures involve minimizing moisture damage in the basement, having a safe means to cut and restore power, sealing penetrations, and including backflow prevention for plumbing. The measures are consistent with the recognized disaster recovery mitigation measures under the Government of Canada’s Disaster Financial Assistance Arrangements (DFFA) Guidelines and the U.S. Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).
Specific objectives for rebuilds that homeowners and small business owners must comply with include: furnaces and hot water heaters above flood level; installing sump pumps on either the interior or exterior of the structure; installing protective plumbing such as backflow prevention valves; and elevating ventilation systems.
