We are installing an above ground swimming pool and have been told by the city that we must install a permanent drain line / p-trap to the sewer lines. My husband called a plumber and thought he understood what he needed to do. Now the plumber has come to the house and said it is done all wrong (and was very sarcastic about the entire situation). What we need to know is does it matter which sewer pipe we drain to (there is one right next to the house and one near the front sidewalk)? Are there regulations as to how close to the house the piping needs to be laid? This p-trap will be inspected by the city so we need to make sure it is done correctly... according to the 2003 International Plumbing Codes (which I can't seem to get my hands on).
Thanks!

I've never heard of that, and I don't drain my pool in the winter either.
Do you drain your pool?

Even thought the 2003 IPC says one thing about draining pools each city can put other requirements on the way it is to be done. So I would advise you to go to the City plumbing inspector and have him lay out what is required in your city. And even though you might now drain you pool in the winter you will have back wash water from your filters that will need to go down the sewer.

This is the first pool that we have put up and we don't plan to drain it unless absolutely necessary. At this point the pool is standing and there is only about 2 inches of water in it as the city has not done a final inspection on the pool and stated that we are not to put water in until the inspection is complete. The City will not give us any information as their "rules" are that a certified plumber (that is registered in our city) is to do the job. A plumber wants between $800 and $1200 to dig the trench and put in the p-trap so we are trying to do as much of it as we can ourselves in order to save the money. We found a plumber who agreed to let us do the install and he would come inspect and clear it through the city for $150 so we went that route (hopefully this is nothing illegal). We dug the trench and put the piping in as we THOUGHT was supposed to be done only to have the plumber come out and state that we went to the wrong sewer pipe and that we need to move the piping closer to the house... hence the questions I asked. I am getting really frustrated with the city and all the "red tape" we have run into. And the city wonders why people do things without getting permits...