Sample Port Requirements

Sample Ports
IW staff use sample ports to periodically monitor and inspect wastewater service connections for industrial facilities to determine compliance with applicable effluent limitations under Chapter §15-10 of the Austin City Code (Wastewater Regulations). Per §15-10-11 (B)(32), industrial facilities discharge liquid waste and waterborne liquids, gaseous or solid substances from industrial, manufacturing, trade or commercial establishments including non-profit organizations, governmental agencies or business activities. Please see Projects Requiring Building Plan Review by Industrial Waste for additional information on businesses which meet the industrial facility definition.

Sample ports must be located in a non-traffic, non-parking area for reasons including, but not limited to: code compliance requirements, safety and IW staff accessibility. Monitoring and inspection activities are extremely difficult if these requirements are not met.  For example, if a sample port is in a vehicular traffic area (driveway, road, restaurant drive-thru), this is extremely dangerous and creates accessibility issues for the sampling and inspection team. Another example is a sample port located in a parking spot in which a vehicle occupies; often, it’s difficult to locate the vehicle’s owner to move a parked vehicle. Please remember, sample ports must be installed in non-traffic, non-parking areas.

Sample Port Requirements
There are two different cleanout structures which may serve as a sample port depending on the diameter of wastewater (WW) pipe:

1. If WW line diameter = 4” ≤ ø ≤ 6”, a Two-Way Cleanout is required
   • installed on public side/ROW/within easement, use detail 520-AW-01C
   • installed on private side*, use special detail AW-SPECIAL-07
2. If WW line diameter = 8” ≤ ø ≤ 12”, a Large Diameter Cleanout** is required (link to detail 506-AW-04)

Notes:

*For access and safety purposes, the preferred sampling port should be located on the public side. Please utilize a sampling port on the private side as a last option.

**There is a 14’ depth limit that applies to the Large Diameter Cleanout.

For lines greater than 12 inches in diameter, contact the IW office for design requirements, either by email to IndustrialWaste@austintexas.gov or call (512) 974-7293.

Whichever structure applies, it must meet the following criteria:

• A sample port must capture the combined wastewater flow from the common water meter. It must be installed downstream of where all plumbing fixtures from the common water meter have combined (known as “end of pipe”). This includes all grease trap or grease interceptor effluent and sanitary waste lines.
• Sample port must be accessible at all times (i.e. not located in a traffic, parking, drive-thru area, in a creek, etc.)
• When more than one water meter supplies water to a site, the wastewater generated from one water meter must combine at one location with a dedicated sample port prior to mixing with wastewater from another water meter.