§ 65.6. Pressures.
(a) Variations in pressure. The utility shall maintain normal operating pressures of not less than 25 p.s.i.g. nor more than 125 p.s.i.g. at the main, except that during periods of peak seasonal loads the pressures at the time of hourly maximum demand may be not less than 20 p.s.i.g. nor more than 150 p.s.i.g. and that during periods of hourly minimum demand the pressure may be not more than 150 p.s.i.g. A utility may undertake to furnish a service which does not comply with the foregoing specifications where compliance with such specifications would prevent it from furnishing adequate service to any customer or where called for by good engineering practices. The authority of the Commission to require service improvements incorporating standards other than those set forth in this subsection when, after investigation, it determines that such improvements are necessary is not hereby restricted.
(b) Pressure gauges. Within 2 years after the effective date of this section, each utility shall obtain one or more recording pressure gauges for each separately operated pressure zone for the purpose of making pressure surveys as required by this section. These gauges shall be able to record the pressure experienced on the zones and shall be able to record a continuous 24-hour test. Each utility serving 1,000 or more customers or 1,000 or more customers in any separately operated zone of a multi-zone utility shall maintain one or more of these recording pressure gauges in service at some representative point or points in each of the pressure zones of the utility.
(c) Telemetering. An utility may make the pressure surveys required by this section by means of telemetered information electronically transferred to printed copy instead of using recording pressure gauges.
(d) Pressure surveys. At regular intervals, but not less than once each year, each utility shall make a survey of pressures in its distribution system of sufficient magnitude to indicate the pressures maintained at representative points on its system. The surveys should be made at or near periods of maximum and minimum usage. Records of these surveys shall show the date and time of beginning and end of the test and the location at which the test was made. Records of these pressure surveys shall be maintained by the utility for a period of at least three years and shall be made available to representatives, agents, or employes of the Commission upon request.
Authority The provisions of this § 65.6 issued under 66 Pa.C.S. § § 317, 501, 1301, 1304, 1501, 1502, 1504, 1507, 1508, 1702 and 1704.
Source The provisions of this § 65.6 adopted March 25, 1946; amended August 15, 1980, effective August 16, 1980, 10 Pa.B. 3356; corrected August 22, 1980, effective August 16, 1980, 10 Pa.B. 3448; amended April 8, 1983, effective April 9, 1983, 13 Pa.B. 1257. Immediately preceding text appears at serial pages (52640) and (52641).
Notes of Decisions Adequate Pressure
The 25 p.s.i.g. minimum expressed in subsection (a) is not intended to restrict the authority of the PUC to order improvements where service is inadequate; therefore, the PUC has the power to order needed improvements notwithstanding that the pressure in a utility’s main meets the standard of the regulation. Barone v. Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission, 485 A.2d 519 (Pa. Cmwlth. 1984).
Cross References This section cited in 52 Pa. Code § 65.17 (relating to standards of design); and 52 Pa. Code § 65.18 (relating to standards of construction).
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