| Question: 04-50 | Code Section: 7 | Date: | OBC 2006 Reference: |
Question: Please advise if dental vacuum pump discharge can connect to a floor drain above? (backpressure is forcing an incredible odour back through the floor drain opening)
Interpretation: (On. Reg. 403/97) 7.4.5.1.(1) says that except for the permitted gang trapping in Sentences (2) & (3) and then in Article 7.4.5.2, every fixture shall be protected by a separate trap.
The vacuum pump is considered as a fixture (see the definition of fixture in Sentence 1.1.3.2.(1)), and because of the nature of the discharge, cannot act as a primer which explains itself by the foul odour coming from the floor drain.
We do, however, have different opinions as to how to connect the pump to the sanitary drainage system. Some of us would simply ask that the floor drain if not required be equipped with a cleanout cover and the pump would be directly connected to the drainage system but some of us have asked that these pumps be indirectly connected (7.4.2.1.(1)(d)).
We do not have any objections to either way as we could justify both installations to be in accordance with Part 7 of the OBC.