• Many people reside in mobile home parksCamping a€" Mobilhome image by albillottet from Fotolia.com
  
  In order to ensure that residents of mobile home parks in Texas have access to clean drinking water, the Lone Star state of Texas has in place certain water requirements for mobile home parks. The water requirements for mobile home parks in Texas are covered under the Texas Department of Health Resources' "Rules and Regulations for Public Water Systems" and other state statutes that may apply.
  
  

Quality and Source

• When available, the water supply for a mobile home parks in Texas should originate from an existing public water system. If such a system is unavailable, the water supply shall be supplied and developed in keeping with the Texas Department of Health Resources' "Rules and Regulations for Public Water Systems." The installation, planning and operation of such systems shall be in accordance with the aforementioned set of rules and regulations. Whether from an existing system or from a newly developed system, each mobile home park shall have an adequate supply of water under pressure that is in accordance with bacteriological, chemical, and physical mandates set forth by the Texas Department of Health Resources concerning drinking water.
  
  

Location of Water Mains

• Regarding the location of main water lines, water lines have to be a minimum of ten feet away from septic tank open-jointed drain fields and a minimum of nine feet away from sanitary sewers. In areas where drainage is toward the water line or the ground has quick percolation, such as in sand or lateral fissures, developers should consider increasing the minimum distance between water lines and septic tank open-jointed drain fields. In instances where it is not possible to have a minimum distance of nine feet between a water line and sanitary sewer, then the sanitary sewer pipe needs to be fabricated of pressure-type cast iron pipe or an equivalent pipe that can withstand 150 psi and with watertight joints utilized in the water main construction.
  
  

Service Connections

• Regarding service connections for water systems in mobile home parks in Texas:
  
  1) Individual water riser pipes need to be placed inside the confined area of the mobile stand at a place where the connection will roughly be in a vertical position.
  
  2) Water riser pipes need to be at minimum four inches above ground elevations. Additionally, the pipes need to be a minimum of 3/4 inches in diameter and capped off when mobile home is vacant.
  
  3) Adequate precautions need to be taken to prevent service lines, valves and riser pipes from freezing.
  
  4) There needs to be a shutoff valve for each mobile home's riser pipe.
  
  5) There should be no underground stop and waste valves placed upon any water service.
  
  6) All of the water pipe fixture installations need to comply with the current National Plumbing code.