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WCID 17
Emergency Pager    512 397 9061
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Plumbing FAQ

Why Plumbing Permits?

Travis County WCID 17 (District 17) is responsible by law to the state regulatory agency, Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ), for protecting the drinking water supply from contamination or pollution that could result from improper plumbing practices. All plumbing within the boundaries of District 17 must be installed in accordance with the Uniform Plumbing Code, 2000 Edition, or within the City of Lakeway, the 2000 International Residential Code, with District amendments.

Obtain plumbing permits at the District offices at 3812 Eck Lane.

Who may obtain a permit?

The following people may obtain plumbing permits:

  • Homeowners/Business owner/Property owner
  • Certified Pool or Irrigation Specialists
  • Licensed Master Plumber

If a permit is obtained under a master plumbers license, that master plumber must supervise the work and will be held responsible for the quality of the work.

When is a permit required?

Permits are required prior to the start of construction from the following types of projects:

  1. Building a new home for yourself or prospective buyer.
  2. Building a commercial business or building.
  3. Installing a new yardline to an existing house, trailer, prefabricated house or structure formerly using a well or cistern.
  4. Installation or replacement of water heaters or water softeners.
  5. Installing a sprinkler/irrigation system.
  6. Adding on a bathroom, kitchen or room(s) requiring additional plumbing.
  7. Remodeling an existing house, room(s), or commercial building, if it necessitates changing the existing plumbing.

Persons plumbing without a permit or illegally connecting to the water system may be subject to fines.

How long is a permit valid?

Permits are valid for a period of one (1) year. If the permit expires before the work is completed, you may obtain a 1 year extension for $30.00. After 2 years, if a permit expires without the work being completed, any unused inspection fees will be forfeited, and the permitting process must be started over.

How many permits will I need?

In general, one permit per single family unit or commercial building is required in order to ensure that all necessary plumbing inspections for that property have been completed. If a single builder or property owner is building a home and installing a pool or irrigation system which will be completed at the same time, one permit may cover the whole project. For commercial multi-unit projects such as motels, trailer parks, apartment buildings, only one permit per building or park is required. For townhouses and condominiums one permit per unit is usually required. The number of permits and inspections required for special or unusual projects will be determined by the General Manager.

Who may do the work?

For residential work, a homeowner may perform the work personally, or hire a Master plumber to do it. For commercial work, a Master plumber is required. If a homestead permit is issued, and the homeowner performing the work fails multiple inspections, the District may require the homeowner to hire a competent plumbing contractor to complete the work.

What is a red tag?

A red tag is an indication of a failed inspection or improper plumbing practices discovered by District personnel. The problem must be corrected within 10 days and reinspected. All further plumbing work must be stopped on the project until the inspection is passed.

Red tags may be issued by your plumbing inspector or by the District. Failure to correct red tagged plumbing could result in termination of water service.

A green tag indicates that the inspection was passed by the inspector.

When can new service be hooked up?

If a tap is already done, service can be established within 1-3 days. If a tap is required, it may take two to four weeks to get service. If a tap with a road cut is required, it may take 4-6 weeks because permits must first be obtained by the District from Travis County for the road cut.

If a meter has already been set and you are transferring service, new service can usually be transferred within 24 hours.