Water Heaters in China, ME

Codes & Permits for Water Heaters in China

In China, plumbing permits come from the Local Plumbing Inspector at the Town of China Code Enforcement Office (571 Lakeview Drive, China, ME 04358, (207) 445-2014 option 5). With 4,408 residents, China is required to enforce the Maine Uniform Building and Energy Code (MUBEC). China Lake is the sole source of drinking water for the regional Kennebec Water District (serving Waterville, Winslow, Fairfield, Benton, and Vassalboro, and wholesaling to Oakland) — but the town of China itself is not a KWD service-area town.

• Maine's adopted plumbing code (2021 Uniform Plumbing Code) requires every water heater's potable-water connections and temperature/pressure relief valve to meet UPC installation requirements, including a proper gravity discharge line. up.codes
• Replacing or installing a water heater is plumbing work that falls under the town's Local Plumbing Inspector permitting and inspection process. mainelegislature.org
• Maine's 2021 energy code (IECC, part of MUBEC) requires insulation with an R-value of at least R-3 on 3/4-inch and larger hot-water piping inside conditioned space, and on recirculation piping, piping outside conditioned space, and buried piping. maine.gov
• Every Maine municipality must annually appoint at least one Local Plumbing Inspector (LPI), who does not have to live in that town, to issue plumbing permits and enforce the state's plumbing rules and Subsurface Wastewater Disposal (septic) rules locally. mainelegislature.org