Plumbing Guidelines for Food Facilities

Toilet facilities are required for each food facility and must be employee accessible.

Contact your local building department for specific American with Disabilities Act (ADA) requirements regarding toilet room design and number of required restrooms prior to submitting plans to this office. Food facilities located within amusement parks, stadiums, arenas, food courts, fairgrounds, and similar premises shall not be required to provide toilet facilities for employee use within each food facility, if the toilet facilities are located within 200 feet in travel distance of each food facility and are readily available for use by employees.

If you have any questions please contact your inspector.

Specify size and output in either BTU/hour, KW or GPM depending on the type or style of the water heater. If fixtures are located more than 60 feet from the water heater, a recirculation pump must be installed. See "Guidelines for Sizing Water Heaters" available from this office for additional requirements.

If more than one water heater is proposed, identify the units and connections. Water heater minimum sizing requirements will be calculated by the plan checker and stamped on the plans.

Provide a specification sheet that indicates the make and model number of your water heater.

• Water heater guidelines and worksheet

All food service sinks must meet ANSI standards.

Include specification sheets for all food service sinks.

Handwash sinks

A sink to be used exclusively for handwashing with hot and cold water must be provided within every food preparation/scullery area and equipped with mounted soap and towel dispensers. Handwash sinks are required to be in easily accessible areas. Restroom hand wash sinks are necessary in addition to food preparation area handsinks.

Dishwashing/glass washing sinks

Where reusable customer utensils are used, provide a 3-compartment stainless steel sink with dual integral drain boards. A dishwasher or glass washer with high temp or chemical sanitizer may be added in addition to a 3-compartment sink.

Utensil washing sinks

A 3-compartment stainless steel sink with dual integral drain boards is required. The sink must be capable of accommodating the largest utensil (dish or pot) to be washed. Each drainboard shall be as large as the sink compartments. The 3-compartment sink must drain to a floor sink (or other equivalent receptacle) via an indirect connection with a one inch air gap space above the top rim of the floor sink.

Food prep sinks

Establishments needing a separate sink for food preparation such as thawing, rinsing, or soaking are required to have a stainless steel sink that meets ANSI standards. Minimum size of a food preparation sink is 18 x18 x12 inches with either a single integral drain board 18 x18 inches or an adjacent table 18 x18 inches or larger. If the prep sink is located closer than two feet from a hand sink or 3-compartment sink, a six-inch splash guard is required.

Mop sinks

Provide an approved janitorial sink with hot and cold water and backflow protection. Submit a specification sheet. The sink shall be located to prevent contamination of any food preparation areas, food storage areas, utensils, or equipment. A wall or enclosure may be required depending on location of the mop sink. Provide space for storage of a mop bucket and cleaning supplies. A curbed utility wash-down area may be used in lieu of a mop sink. Mop sink/janitorial areas are required to have acceptable flooring (refer to the flooring guidelines). The walls around the mop sink must be of an impervious material: either Fiberglass Reinforced Plastic (FRP) or tile to eight feet or ceiling height and a reasonable splash distance to the sides. Mop sinks must be within 200 feet travel distance from the food facility. 

Floor sinks

For new construction or additions where floor sinks are required the floor sinks may be either raised or flush mounted. Please verify with the building jurisdiction for their requirements. Floor sinks must have adequate grates to prevent injury and be accessible for regular cleaning.

Upon new construction or extensive remodeling, floor drains shall be installed:

• In floors that are water-flushed for cleaning.
• In areas where pressure spray methods for cleaning equipment are used.

In restrooms, floor drains are recommended, but not required.