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Utah Administrative Code (Current through November 1, 2019) |
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R317. Environmental Quality, Water Quality |
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R317-560. Rules for the Design, Construction, and Maintenance of Vault Privies and Earthen Pit Privies |
R317-560. Rules for the Design, Construction, and Maintenance of Vault Privies and Earthen Pit Privies
| R317-560-1. Definitions |
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The following definitions shall apply in the interpretation and enforcement of these rules. The word "shall" as used herein means a mandatory requirement. The term "should" is intended to mean a recommended or desirable standard. 1.1 "Division" - means the Utah Division of Water Quality 1.2 "Earthen Pit Privy" - means a toilet facility consisting of a pit in the earth covered with a privy building affording privacy and shelter and containing 1 or more stools with an opening into the pit. 1.3 "Health Officer" - means the Director of a local health department or his authorized representative. 1.4 "Local Health Department" - means a city-county or multi-county local health department established under Title 26A. 1.5 "Vault Privy" - means a toilet facility wherein the waste is deposited without flushing into a permanently-installed, watertight vault or receptacle. Vault wastes must be periodically removed and disposed of in accordance with these rules. |
| R317-560-2. General Requirements |
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2.1 Vault privies and earthen pit privies are permitted as a substitute for water closets, for temporary or limited use in remote locations where provisions for water supply or wastewater disposal pose a significant problem. The intended primary use of vault and pit privies in this rule is for facilities such as labor camps, semi-developed and semi-primitive recreational camps, temporary mass gatherings, and other approved uses. Potable water under pressure may or may not be available. 2.2 Requests for the use of vault privies or earthen pit privies shall be evaluated on a case-by-case basis by the local health department having jurisdiction and must receive the written approval of the local health officer or his designated representative prior to the installation of such devices. 2.3 Vault privies and earthen pit privies shall be located and constructed in such a manner to prevent the entrance of precipitation or surface water into the vault or pit, either as runoff or as flood water. 2.4 All vault privies shall comply with the following: A. They shall be located a minimum of: (1) 10 feet from property lines and water distribution pipes. (2) 15 feet and not more than 500 feet from any living or camping spaces served. (3) 50 feet from any nonpublic culinary water source and from any lake, stream, river, or watercourse, measured from the high water line. B. They shall be located at least 100 feet from "deep" public water supply wells. It is recommended that vault privies be located at least 1500 feet from "shallow" wells and springs used as public water sources. Any proposal to locate closer than 1500 feet must be reviewed and approved on a case-by-case basis by the health authority, taking into account geology, hydrology, topography, existing land use agreements, and potential for pollution of water source. Any person proposing to locate a vault privy closer than 1500 feet to a public "shallow" well or spring must submit a report to the health authority which considers the above items. The minimum required isolation distance where optimum conditions exist and with the approval of the health authority may be 100 feet. R309-106 requires a protective zone, established by the public water supply owner, before a new source is approved. Public water sources which existed prior to the requirement for a protective zone requirement may not have acquired one. Such circumstances must be reviewed on a case-by-case basis by the health authority. "Deep" wells and "shallow" public water supply sources are as defined in R309-106. C. The maximum high water table shall be at least 2' below the maximum depth of the vault. 2.5 All earthen pit privies shall comply with the following: A. They shall be located a minimum of: (1) 25 feet from property lines and water distribution pipes. (2) 25 feet and not more than 500 feet from any living or camping spaces served. (3) 100 feet from any lake, stream, river, or watercourse, measured from the high water line. B. They shall be located at least 100 feet from "deep" wells that are nonpublic water supply sources. They shall be located at least 200 feet from "shallow" wells and springs that are nonpublic water supply sources. Although this latter separation distance shall be generally adhered to as the minimum required separation distance for "shallow" nonpublic water supply sources, exceptions may be approved on a case-by-case basis by the health authority, taking into account geology, hydrology, topography, existing land use agreements, and potential for pollution of water source. Any person proposing to locate an earthen pit privy closer than 200 feet to an individual or nonpublic "shallow" well or spring must submit a report to the health authority which considers the above items. In no case shall the health authority grant approval for an earthen pit privy to be closer than 100 feet from a "shallow" well or spring. "Deep" wells and "shallow" nonpublic water supply sources shall be defined as for public water sources in R309-106. C. They shall be isolated from public water supply sources as specified for vault privies in R317-560-2.4.B. D. The maximum high water table shall be at least 4' below the maximum depth of the pit. |
| R317-560-3. Design and Construction Requirements |
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3.1 All vault privies shall have vaults or receptacles which are watertight and shall be constructed of reinforced concrete, metal or other material of equal durability which has been approved by the local health department. Inside and outside surfaces of metal vaults shall be thoroughly coated with a good quality asphalt-base material. 3.2 For all earthen pit privies, pit cribbing shall be installed in the pit to prevent caving of soil into the pit and to insure a firm foundation for the building. The pit cribbing shall fit firmly, be in uniform contact with the earth walls on all sides, and shall descend to the full depth of the pit and rise flush with the ground surface. 3.3 All vault privies and earthen pit privies shall comply with the following: A. A sill or foundation constructed of concrete or treated lumber shall be placed on the ground surface around the vault or pit so as to underlie the floor area of the privy building. B. A floor and riser of impervious material shall be placed over the sill and vault or pit in such a manner to prevent access of rodents and insects into the vault or pit. C. The privy building shall be firmly anchored, rigidly constructed, free from hostile surface features such as sharp edges and exposed nail points, and shall afford complete privacy and protection from the elements. The building shall be of fly-tight construction. The door(s) shall be self-closing and provided with an inside latch. Interior floors, walls, ceilings, partitions, and doors shall be finished with readily cleanable materials resistant to wastes and cleaners. D. The building shall be ventilated by leaving approximately 4-inch openings at (1) the top of two opposite walls just beneath the roof, and (2) at the bottom of two opposite walls just above the floor, all of which are screened with 16-mesh screen or smaller of durable material. Hardware mesh with 1/4" openings may be placed on the inside and outside of the screened openings to protect the smaller mesh screen. Direct line of sight into the building through the bottom ventilation openings shall be effectively obstructed with a louver or other suitable means. E. Each vault or pit shall be vented to atmosphere with a minimum of 100 square inches of vent area for each seat connected to the vault. (One hundred square inches is equivalent to two 8-inch pipes, or one 12-inch pipe.) Roof vents must extend at least 12 inches above the highest point of the roof and shall be provided with a rain cap and screened with 16-mesh screen or smaller of durable material. Venting to an attic vent may be provided for by utilizing the space between an inside and outside wall if that space provides sufficient area. F. The seat should be so spaced as to provide a minimum clear space of 24 inches between each seat opening in multiple unit installations, and should provide 12 inches clear space from the seat opening to the sidewall in single and multiple units. In multiple unit installations, partitions should be provided between risers to afford user privacy. G. The seat riser should have an inside clearance of not less than 21 inches from the front wall and not less than 24 inches from the rear wall of the privy building. H. The seat top should be not less than 12 inches nor more than 16 inches above the floor. I. The seat opening shall be covered with an attached, movable toilet seat and lid of easily cleanable, impervious material that can be raised to allow sanitary use as a urinal and can be closed when not in use. Privy buildings for public use shall be provided with open-front seats. J. Commercially preconstructed vault privy buildings not incorporating all of the requirements of these rules may be evaluated for approval on a case-by-case basis by local health departments. |
| R317-560-4. Maintenance Requirements |
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4.1 Odor-control chemicals or disinfectants may be added to the vault or pit at frequent intervals to prevent bacterial decomposition and resulting odors. Extreme caution should be exercised to insure that these chemicals are not spilled on or allowed to remain on the seat. Garbage, ashes, oil, hazardous or toxic wastes, or other wastes not normally deposited in vault privies or earthen pit privies shall not be disposed of therein. 4.2 All vault privies and earthen pit privies shall be maintained in a satisfactory manner to prevent the occurrence of a public health nuisance or hazard or to preclude any adverse affect upon the quality of any waters of the State. 4.3 Toilet paper with a holder should be provided for every seat. An adequate supply of toilet paper should be maintained at all times. 4.4 All vault privies shall comply with the following: A. The vault or receptacle is not permitted to be filled to a point higher than 12 inches below the floor surface of the privy building. B. Vault wastes shall be periodically emptied at sufficiently frequent intervals to prevent creation of an insanitary condition, and shall be transported in an acceptable manner to a disposal site approved by the Division. Where disposal in a public sewer system is not possible, vault wastes must be deposited in approved sanitary landfills. 4.5 All earthen pit privies shall comply with the following: A. When the pit becomes filled to within 18 inches of the ground surface, a new pit shall be excavated and the old one shall be backfilled with approximately 2 feet of compacted earth and mounded slightly to allow for settlement and to prevent depressions for surface ponding of water. TABLE Type of Camp Source Storage Modern camps with 60 gal/day/person 30 gal/person full facilities Semi-developed camps, Minimum 5 gal/ Minimum 2.5 and day-use areas day/person gal/person with limited facilities (With flush type 20 gal/day/person 10 gal/person toilets) |