What is covered in San Antonio
Facility First manages commercial plumbing in San Antonio for operators with one location or a full portfolio. Common requests include:
- Leak detection and repair at fixtures, supply lines and visible piping
- Drain clearing and jetting for restroom and kitchen lines
- Water heater repair and replacement
- Restroom fixture, flush valve and faucet repair
- Backflow assembly testing by qualified testers, with results filed with the water utility
- Grease interceptor pump-outs and records for restaurants
- Gas piping repairs to kitchen equipment by appropriately licensed providers
- Roof drain and storm line clearing ahead of the spring storm season
Licensing and permits in San Antonio
Plumbing is a licensed trade in Texas. Each provider’s license, endorsements and insurance are checked before work is assigned.
| Requirement | Agency | Level | Official source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Plumbing licenses (Responsible Master Plumber, Master Plumber, Journeyman Plumber, Tradesman Plumber-Limited) and endorsements | Texas State Board of Plumbing Examiners | State | TSBPE |
| Plumbing permits for new work, alterations and water heater replacement | City of San Antonio Development Services Department | City | |
| Annual testing of backflow prevention assemblies by a state-licensed tester, with a signed test and maintenance report | San Antonio Water System (SAWS), under City Code Chapter 34 | Utility | SAWS: Annual testing of backflow prevention assemblies |
| Grease interceptor pump-outs by a SAWS-permitted liquid waste hauler, annual interceptor inspection and five years of records | San Antonio Water System (SAWS), Fats, Oils and Grease Abatement Program, City Code Chapter 34 | Utility | SAWS: Fats, Oils and Grease Abatement Program |
| Backflow prevention assembly tester license; fire line assemblies tested by a licensed fire line tester | State of Texas | State | SAWS: Annual testing of backflow prevention assemblies |
Gas piping and water heater work can require both a plumbing license and a city permit. Each job’s permit status is confirmed before scheduling.
Codes and local rules
Commercial plumbing in San Antonio is permitted and inspected by the City of San Antonio Development Services Department. The City’s backflow ordinance points to the International Plumbing Code and appendices as amended by the City in Chapter 10 of the City Code. Locations in Alamo Heights, Leon Valley, New Braunfels and other surrounding cities follow their own building departments and may be served by other water utilities, so permit and testing rules are confirmed for each address.
Two local rules shape most commercial plumbing programs in San Antonio. The first is backflow prevention. Under Chapter 34, Division 8 of the City Code, each backflow prevention assembly is tested at installation and then every year by a state-licensed tester. The tester completes a signed test and maintenance report within ten days of the test, and SAWS takes results through BSI Online. An assembly that fails is repaired or replaced before it goes back into service, and test records are kept for at least three years. SAWS requires fire line assemblies to be tested by a licensed fire line tester and lawn irrigation connections to have backflow protection. The annual interval is San Antonio’s own; the U.S. EPA Cross-Connection Control Manual leaves test intervals to the local ordinance.
The second is grease. The SAWS Fats, Oils and Grease Abatement Program (Chapter 34, Division 5) applies to food service establishments inside the city and its extraterritorial jurisdiction. Interceptors are pumped at least every 90 days, and within two working days once floating grease and settled solids reach 25 percent of the wetted height. Interceptors over 100 gallons are pumped by a liquid waste hauler permitted by SAWS. Each interceptor is inspected at least once a calendar year by a licensed plumber or other professional approved by SAWS, with photos and a written report, and defects are corrected within 90 days. Records are kept on the premises for five years.
Preventive maintenance schedule for commercial plumbing in San Antonio
Plumbing work is mostly on demand, but scheduled drain, water heater and grease interceptor service keeps small problems from becoming closures. At San Antonio restaurants and stores, planned work reduces backups during trading hours, extends equipment life and produces the test and pump-out records that the water utility asks to see.
| Task | Recommended frequency | Basis |
|---|---|---|
| Test backflow prevention assemblies by a state-licensed tester and file the signed report | At installation, then annually; report within ten days of the test | City of San Antonio Code Chapter 34, Division 8 (SAWS backflow ordinance) |
| Pump grease interceptors using a SAWS-permitted hauler | At least every 90 days, and within two working days once grease and solids reach 25 percent of the wetted height | SAWS Fats, Oils and Grease Abatement Program (City Code Chapter 34, Division 5) |
| Inspect and photograph grease interceptor internals, with a written report | At least once a calendar year; defects corrected within 90 days | SAWS Fats, Oils and Grease Abatement Program |
| Clean small grease traps of 100 gallons or less | Weekly, or more often if needed | SAWS best management practices for food facilities |
| Activate plumbed emergency eyewash stations | Weekly | ANSI Z358.1, as summarized by the University of Nevada, Reno |
| Flush storage water heaters and check temperature and pressure relief valves | As the manufacturer specifies | Manufacturer instructions |
| Jet or snake high-use kitchen and restroom drain lines | Quarterly to twice a year, based on backup history | Facility First program default, adjusted per site |
| Inspect restroom fixtures, flush valves, supply stops and visible piping for leaks | Quarterly | Facility First program default, adjusted per site |
| Clear roof drains and storm lines that run through the building | Before the spring storm season and after heavy storms | Facility First program default, adjusted per site |
| Exercise main and fixture shutoff valves | Annually | Facility First program default, adjusted per site |
The authority having jurisdiction, the manufacturer and the property’s insurer can require more frequent service, and each location’s schedule is set in its program and recorded on every visit.
Seasonal and local conditions
May, September and October are the wettest months in the National Weather Service normals for San Antonio, and the local NWS office lists major flood events in the area, including June 2025. Roof drains and storm lines that run through ceilings above sales floors and dining rooms are checked before those months so a blocked line does not back up into the space.
Freezes are infrequent, about 14 nights a year at or below 32 degrees in the NWS normals, but they can be long. During the February 2021 winter storm, San Antonio International Airport stayed below freezing for 4 days and 12 hours. A hard freeze can split exposed piping, backflow assemblies and irrigation lines that are not insulated or enclosed, so exposed assemblies are noted at each location and protected when a freeze is forecast. In summer, exterior work such as testing backflow assemblies at the street is planned for early morning where building rules allow.
Where Facility First works in San Antonio
Facility First manages plumbing for restaurants and stores at The Shops at La Cantera, North Star Mall and Alamo Quarry Market, restaurants and mixed-use space at The Pearl, and restaurants, hotels and offices along the River Walk and in Downtown San Antonio. Restaurant kitchens drive most grease interceptor and drain work; retail and office sites drive restroom, fixture and water heater calls. Industries served include retail, restaurants, offices, banks, hotels and distribution sites. Restaurant work is scheduled around service, retail work before opening or after close, and office work under building access rules.
How plumbing requests are handled
- Request. Submitted through the platform or by phone, with photos where available.
- Triage. Facility First confirms scope, priority, warranty and whether a permit, test report or pump-out record is involved.
- Dispatch. A vetted plumbing provider in San Antonio holding the required Texas license receives the work order.
- Photo close-out. The provider documents the repair, test result or pump-out manifest.
- Verification and invoice. The work is checked against the request and invoiced in one format.
Work within the client’s approval limits proceeds directly; anything above a limit, such as a water heater replacement, is quoted first.
Security by McCray in San Antonio
Where a flood or failed line forces a location to close with doors or ceilings opened up, McCray can post an officer until the work is complete. Security services in San Antonio
Frequently asked questions
Who licenses commercial plumbers in San Antonio?
Plumbers in Texas are licensed by the Texas State Board of Plumbing Examiners, which issues Responsible Master Plumber, Master Plumber, Journeyman Plumber and Tradesman Plumber-Limited licenses. Permits for commercial plumbing work in the city are handled by the City of San Antonio Development Services Department.
How often is backflow testing required in San Antonio?
City ordinance requires each backflow prevention assembly to be tested at installation and then every year by a state-licensed tester, with the signed report filed within ten days. Facility First tracks the due date for each assembly and keeps every report.
How often should a San Antonio restaurant grease interceptor be pumped?
SAWS requires pumping at least every 90 days, and within two working days once grease and solids reach 25 percent of the wetted height, plus an inspection at least once a year. Each pump-out and inspection is recorded and kept for five years.
How often should commercial plumbing in San Antonio be serviced?
The program default is quarterly fixture and drain checks, weekly eyewash activation where stations are installed, roof drain checks before the storm season, annual shutoff valve exercise and water heater service on the manufacturer’s schedule, plus any testing local rules require.
Sources
- Texas State Board of Plumbing Examiners
- U.S. EPA: Cross-Connection Control Manual (EPA 816-R-03-002)
- San Antonio Water System: Annual testing of backflow prevention assemblies
- City of San Antonio: Backflow prevention ordinance, City Code Chapter 34, Division 8 (published by SAWS)
- San Antonio Water System: Fats, Oils and Grease Abatement Program
- City of San Antonio: Fats, Oils and Grease ordinance, City Code Chapter 34, Division 5 (published by SAWS)
- San Antonio Water System: Best management practices for commercial food facilities
- National Weather Service Austin/San Antonio: San Antonio monthly and annual normals
- National Weather Service Austin/San Antonio: February 2021 historical winter storm
- University of Nevada, Reno Environmental Health and Safety: Emergency eyewash station weekly activation
All sources opened November 2026. Recheck before publishing. The City of San Antonio permit page and plumbing code edition, and the agency that licenses backflow testers, are still marked.