Adding BSDI to Inspection Ordinances

There is a growing trend across the country to require lateral inspections prior to any real estate transaction. To ensure proper inspections are conducted, many municipalities include specific contractor requirements and credentials within their city ordinances for lateral inspections at point of sale.

NASSCO certification standards, most commonly PACP and LACP, are referenced by name in point-of-sale and lateral inspection ordinances in a growing list of jurisdictions, including Lower Southampton Township, Pennsylvania; Upper St. Clair Township, Pennsylvania; Morgan Hill, California; Santa Barbara, California; and jurisdictions across Marin County, California. We expect that list to grow rapidly.

To ensure standards are met, NASSCO’s Building Sewer and Drain Inspection certification program trains plumbers and drain contractors to consistently inspect and document the condition of private building sewers and laterals.

BSDI is built on the same internationally recognized condition-coding standards as PACP, the certification already required for public sewer inspection by hundreds of U.S. municipalities. BSDI extends that same rigor and quality standard to the private side of the system.

Municipal benefits

• Standardized reports. Every BSDI-certified inspection uses the same form and the same condition codes, so results are comparable across contractors and over time — unlike a general “licensed plumber” requirement.
• I&I visibility. Private laterals are a major, historically unmeasured source of inflow and infiltration. BSDI data gives municipalities actionable information for EPA/DEP compliance and asset management.
• Verifiable credentials. Every certified individual is listed in NASSCO’s public directory, searchable by name, state and certification type.
• Low friction, no cost to the municipality. BSDI is a self-paced, online course; certification cost is affordable and borne by the contractor or plumber, not the municipality or private property owner.

Our NASSCO team is available at no charge to review draft ordinance language, answer technical questions or discuss how a comparable jurisdiction structured its requirement. Visit nassco.org to learn more and complete the “contact us” form if we can be of assistance.