As required by State law, WCID No. 17 has adopted the 2021 Uniform Plumbing Code with local amendments and deletions.
WCID No. 17 requires inspection fees to be deposited or escrowed AT THE TIME THE PLUMBING PERMIT IS ISSUED. Permit and Inspection fees are subject to change by the Board of Directors but are currently:
*Appropriate Plan Review Fee will be based on meter size and # of zones
**Irrigation and Pool require backflow tests to be scheduled and paid separately. Pools with gas lines require 2 minimal inspections.
An Irrigation Policy was adopted in 2009 per 30 TAC 344 and HB 1656.
These fees will allow up to eight (8) inspections including reinspection for the WCID No. 17 required inspections: rough-in, copper, topout, yardline, and final. WCID No. 17 will establish escrow accounts for permitting and inspection fees for those companies wishing to do so.
Prior to the start of any work, a licensed master plumber must pull a plumbing permit from the WCID No. 17 office at 3812 Eck Lane. ALL inspections are to be scheduled through M3 Quality Inspections, (512) 734-2680.
Plumbing inspections are separate from building inspections, which may be required by the city of Lakeway, the city of Bee Cave, and the city of Austin. Work started without a plumbing permit is subject to fines, stop work orders, and rework.
For locations in the City of Lakeway, plumbing permits and inspections will be done through WCID No. 17, using the UPC 2021 for both residential and commercial sites.
For locations in the City of Bee Cave, residential/commercial plumbing and pool permits and inspections will be done through the City of Bee Cave. Irrigation permits and inspections will be done through District 17. Prior to the transfer of service from a builder, WCID No. 17 must be provided a copy of the Certificate of Occupancy, a copy of the Customer Service Inspection certification, and a copy of the test results for tests performed on all Backflow Preventers from the inspector or homebuyer.
For locations in the City of Austin or its limited purpose ETJ, all plumbing permitting and inspections will be performed by WCID No. 17.
Temporary water service is not provided. To start water service, the builder must pay the impact and all other associated fees if not already paid by the developer. and request that a meter be set. The list of fees for different areas and subdivisions may be obtained at the WCID No. 17 office. Building plans which show all fixtures utilizing water must be submitted to WCID No. 17 in order for the meter to be sized. Payment may be made at the time of plan submittal, or in some cases, you may wait until the meter is sized (for larger residences) and tap availability is researched for the total cost of service application fees. Builders are responsible for paying monthly water bills until the account can be transferred to the residents after the plumbing final is passed. Deposits are applied to the final bills; any balance will be refundable to the builder at that time.
No one should be moved into a residence that has not passed a final plumbing inspection.
WCID No. 17 will not give the gas company permission to establish service to any such property, and the account will not be transferred out of the builder’s name until all inspections have been passed. If people are moved into a residence that has not passed the final plumbing inspection, water service may be discontinued until all relevant plumbing inspections have been completed and the permit finalized. Developers must notify WCID No. 17 if they are to use LP gas (propane) within their subdivision. Plumbers and builders must also have this information to prevent possible serious accidents.
The builder must submit a site utility plan to verify the size and location of water lines; a plumbing riser diagram for drains, water, and gas; a complete set of MEP plans for review. Fee(s) as found on the Application to Commercial / Subdivision Plan Review.
Before applying for a plumbing permit, please review the general inspection information above. Inspections are to be scheduled by the plumber. COMMERCIAL & RESIDENTIAL Inspections shall be scheduled through M3 Quality Inspections at (512)734-2680 or via email: tpqi1@yahoo.com.
Residential Inspections – State Law requires WCID No. 17 to pay all plumbing inspectors directly, and inspection fees must be paid in advance when the permit is issued. Additional inspection fees may be required for large projects.
Commercial Inspections – The permit fee is determined at plan review and can vary with each project. Typically this cost is around $85.00 for each commercial inspection. For plumbing inside a building, contact M3 Quality Inspections at (512)734-2680.
Infrastructure / Construction Inspections – WCID No. 17 personnel will perform inspections for infrastructure and water mains in the street or line extensions. For plumbing outside the building contact WCID No. 17 at (512)266-1111, ext. 123.
Construction Inspection Fees – Fees are payable prior to commencement of construction. For large projects, construction inspection fees are charged as a percent of construction costs. These fees are 2% of the water and wastewater cost of the project up to $500,000, then 1.5% to $1,000,000, and 1% for any project costs that exceed $1M. The construction bid sheet is required for verification.
Irrigation Inspections – Section 49.238 of the Texas Water Code requires the efficient use of water in irrigation. In compliance with this law, WCID No. 17 adopted a Landscape Irrigation Policy, in 2009, to promote water conservation and insure the proper design and installation of irrigation systems. In addition, the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) requires a licensed technician to be on-site during installation, an irrigation permit posted, and a set of system plans on-site. Fees for irrigation system permits and inspections vary based on the meter size and the number of zones in the system.
