Developing standards through a consensus process requires attending numerous meetings. Each year, I attend more than a dozen codes and standards meetings with various organizations that develop their codes and standards following the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) consensus process.
Some organizations follow a consensus process that may not adhere to ANSI standards, but this process is intended to give all participants an opportunity to comment on the codes and standards during their development.
ANSI consensus standards process
ANSI follows the International Organization for Standardization rules for maintaining accreditation of American national standards to receive ANSI accreditation. Standards must be developed following the ANSI requirements for industry standards. ANSI recently updated its process in May 2025. The document, titled “ANSI Essential Requirements,” provides two options for the maintenance of ANSI-approved standards: periodic maintenance and continuous maintenance.
• Periodic maintenance. ANSI periodic maintenance refers to the process of reviewing and potentially revising or reaffirming an American National Standard on a schedule not to exceed five years from its initial approval date. This review ensures the standard remains relevant and accurate. The standard can also be reaffirmed or withdrawn based on the review.
• Continuous maintenance. Continuous maintenance is defined as follows: “The standard shall be maintained by an accredited standards developer. A documented program for periodic publication of revisions shall be established by the developer of standards. Processing of these revisions shall be in accordance with the ANSI procedures.
“The published standard shall include a clear statement of the intent to consider requests for change and information on how to submit proposed change requests for the standard’s project team to consider. Procedures shall be established for timely, documented consensus action on each request for change and no portion of the standard shall be excluded from the revision process.
“If no revisions are issued for a period of four years, action to reaffirm or withdraw the standard shall be taken in accordance with the procedures set forth in the ANSI Essential Requirements.”
• ANSI Essential Requirements. In addition, the requirements provide for the following: “A Project Initiation Notification System (PINS) is not required for revisions of an ANSI Standard that is maintained under continuous maintenance and (1) is registered as such on the ANSI website, (2) has a notice in the standard that the standard is always open for comment and how to submit comments, and (3) has information on the developer’s website that the standard is under continuous maintenance and how to submit comments.
“The following ANSI-accredited standards developers maintain some or all their American National Standards using [continuous maintenance]: AAMI; AAMVA; AGA; AGRS[S;] ASHRAE; ASME; ASTM; GEIA; MHI; (ASC MH10); NCPDP; NSF; NBBPVI; TIA; Underwriters [Laboratories (UL)].”
Making the rounds
Over the past couple of months, I have attended several meetings of plumbing code and standards organizations. The following is a summary of the activities ongoing with these various code and standard organizations:
1. Uniform Plumbing Code (UPC) hearings
The UPC hearings were held May 6-8, 2025, in Los Angeles, California, and hosted by the International Association of Plumbing and Mechanical Officials (IAPMO). The second round of code hearings for the 2027 UPC and Uniform Mechanical Code were heard during the meetings.
2. Canadian Standards Association (CSA) summer meeting
The CSA has been meeting jointly with the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME). On June 10-13, 2025, meetings were held in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. I attended these meetings and sat in on the CSA B45.5/IAPMO Z124, Plastic plumbing fixtures, and the ASME/CSA B79 series, Floor drains, trench drains and roof drains, standards meetings.
CSA also publishes the following standards:
CSA standards covering pipes and pipe fittings:
CSA B137.4, Polyethylene (PE) piping systems for gas services;
CSA B137.4.1, Electrofusion-type polyethylene (PE) fittings for gas services;
CSA B137.5, Crosslinked polyethylene (PEX) tubing systems for pressure applications;
CSA B137.6, Chlorinated polyvinylchloride (CPVC) pipe, tubing, and fittings for hot and cold-water distribution systems;
CSA B1800, Series of standards for plastic piping systems.
CSA fittings and fixtures standards (harmonized with ASME or IAPMO standards):
ASME A112.19.1/CSA B45.2, Enameled cast iron and enameled steel plumbing fixtures;
ASME A112.19.2/CSA B45.1, Ceramic plumbing fixtures;
ASME A112.19.3/CSA B45.4, Stainless steel plumbing fixtures;
ASME A112.19.7/CSA B45.10, Hydromassage bathtub systems;
Other CSA plumbing-related standards:
CSA B64 Series, Backflow prevention devices;
CSA B125 Series, Plumbing fittings, such as faucets and showerheads (many are harmonized with ASSE and ASME);
CSA B70, Water pressure-reducing valves;
CSA B483, Drinking water treatment units;
ASSE 1003/CSA B356, Water pressure-reducing valves and regulators (harmonized with ASSE);
CSA B602, Underground drainage systems.
3. American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME)
ASME held a meeting of the ASME A112 Standards Committee on Plumbing Material and Equipment in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, immediately following the CSA meetings.
The two organizations have agreed to meet jointly because the majority of the standards committee members serve on both standards organization committees. Co-locating their meetings allows manufacturers, consultants, and other interested parties to attend only two long meetings per year, rather than four.
I serve on the ASME A112 Plumbing Standards Committee on Plumbing Materials and Equipment as a voting member, and I also serve on various ASME standard project teams.
ASME develops its standards in accordance with the above-described ANSI consensus continuous maintenance procedures. Proposals for revisions are processed in accordance with ASME’s accredited Codes and Standards Development Committee Procedures and supplemental procedures of the pertinent standards development committee.
Requests for revisions may be submitted at any time and on any portion of the standard. Requests will be considered by the committee responsible for the next edition of the particular standard, as applicable. The ASME staff member assigned to this committee is Justin Cassamassino. He can be contacted via e-mail, [email protected], or by mailing requests to J. Cassamassino, C/O ASME, Two Park Ave., New York, NY 10016-5990.
During the June 2025 meetings, the ASME A112 committee went over the status of various plumbing standards and the actions required for their reaffirmation or revision within the next year or two. The ASME Standards Status and Tracking Report includes deadlines for action items, updates on various standards undergoing revision, the initiation of project teams as standards are opened for review and target dates for completion of standard updates and reviews.
During the ASME meeting, it was reported that the Department of Energy, under the new Trump administration, is proposing to rescind amended water conservation standards for faucets, with public comments open until July 15, 2025.
Several ASME members were recognized for their years of service. Billy Smith, the executive director of the American Society of Plumbing Engineers, received the Patrick J. Higgins Award for his contributions to codes and standards. Pat Higgins was the columnist for the Code Update column for this magazine for many years, while I was the columnist for the Designer’s Guide and Classroom columns.
Pat passed away many years ago, and he was the one who urged me to get involved in various plumbing standard and code committees. When Pat passed away, I was eventually asked to cover this code column. Billy has served as chairman of the ASME A112 committee and has served on many other plumbing industry code and standard committees.
The latest ASME committee roster and definitions of categories of interest for members were reviewed. The total ASME A112 committee membership stands at 32, with various categories, including constructor, designer, designer/constructor, distributor, general interest, insurance/inspection, laboratory/testing, manufacturer, owner, regulatory, trainer/educator, user, government, producer or standards development organization individual.
A few of the notable standards due to be revised or reaffirmed are listed below:
ASME A112.18.8–2020, Sanitary Waste Valves for Plumbing Drainage Systems (revision ongoing);
ASME A112.4.2–2021/CSA B45.16:21, Personal Hygiene Devices for Water Closets (action needed by June 2026).
The following ASME standards will need to be revised or reaffirmed by May 2027:
ASME A112.1.2-2012(R2022), Air Gaps in Plumbing Systems for Plumbing Fixtures and Water-Connected Receptors;
ASME A112.3.1-2007 (R2022), Stainless Steel Drainage Systems for Sanitary DWV, Storm, and Vacuum Applications, Above and Below Ground;
ASME A112.6.2-2017 (R2022), Framing-Affixed Supports (Carriers) for Off-the-Floor Plumbing Fixtures;
ASME A112.6.3-2022/CSA B79.3:22, Design and Performance Requirements for Floor Drains, Adjustable Floor Drains, and Area Drains;
ASME A112.6.4-2022/CSA B79.4:22, Roof, Deck, and Balcony Drains;
ASME A112.6.7-2022/CSA B79.7:22, Sanitary Floor Sinks;
ASME A112.6.8-2022/CSA B79.8:22, Trench Drains;
ASME A112.6.9-2022/CSA B79.9:22, Siphonic Roof Drains;
ASME A112.14.1-2003 (R2022), Backwater Valves (for building drains and sewers);
ASME A112.14.3-2022/CSA B481.1:22, Hydromechanical Grease Interceptors;
ASME A112.14.4-2022/CSA B481.5:22, Grease Removal Devices;
ASME A112.18.3-2002 (R2022), Performance Requirements for Backflow Devices and Systems in Plumbing Fixture Fittings (for pull-out sprays and hand-held showers).
Other plumbing and piping-related standards that are maintained by ASME committees are:
ASME A13.1-23, Scheme for the Identification of Piping Systems;
ASME A112.4.2/CSA B45.16-21, Personal Hygiene Devices for Water Closets;
ASME A112.4.14-17/CSA B125.14–22, Manually Operated Valves for Use in Plumbing Systems;
ASME A112.6.3-22, Floor Drains;
ASME A112.6.4-22/CSA B79.4-22, Roof, Deck and Balcony Drains;
ASME A112.6.7-22/CSA B79.2-22, Sanitary Floor Sinks;
ASME A112.6.8-22/CSA B79.8-22, Trench Drains;
ASME A112.6.9-22/CSA B79.9-22, Siphonic Roof Drains;
ASME A112.14.3-22/CSA B481.5-22, Hydromechanical Grease Interceptors;
ASME A112.14.4-22/CSA B481.5-22, Grease Removal Devices;
ASME A112.18.1-18/CSA B125.1-24, Plumbing Supply Fittings;
ASME A112.18.2-20 /CSA B125.2-20, Plumbing Waste Fittings;
ASME A112.18.6-17/CSA B125.6-17, Flexible Water Connectors;
ASME A112.19.1-18/CSA B45.2-24, Enameled Cast Iron and Enameled Steel Plumbing Fixtures;
ASME A112.19.2-20/CSA B45.1-24, Ceramic Plumbing Fixtures;
ASME A112.19.3-22/CSA B45.4-22, Stainless Steel Plumbing Fixtures;
ASME A112.19.5-22/CSA B45.15-22 Flush Valves and Spuds for Water Closets, Urinals, and Tanks;
ASME A112.19.7/CSA B45.10-20 Hydromassage Bathtub Appliances;
ASME A112.36.2-22/CSA B79.2-22 Cleanouts;
ASME B16.1-20 Cast Iron Pipe Flanges and Flanged Fittings;
ASME B16.3-21 Malleable Iron Thread Fittings - Classes 150 and 300;
ASME B16.4-21 Cast Iron Thread Fittings;
ASME B16.5-25 Pipe Flanges and Flanged Fittings NPS ½ through NPS 24 Metric/Inch Standard;
ASME B16.10-21 Face-to-Face and End-to-End Dimensions of Valves;
ASME B16.11-21 Forged Fittings, Socket-Welding and Threaded;
ASME B16.12-25 Cast Iron Threaded Drainage Fittings;
ASME B16.14-24 Ferrous Pipe Plugs, Bushings, and Locknuts with Pipe Threads;
ASME B16.15-18 Cast Copper Alloy Threaded Fittings;
ASME B16.18-21 Cast Copper Alloy Solder Joint Pressure Fittings;
ASME B16.20-23 Metallic Gaskets for Pipe Flanges - Ring Joint, Spiral-Wound, and Jacketed;
ASME B16.21-21 Nonmetallic Flat Gaskets for Pipe Flanges;
ASME B16.22-21 Wrought Copper and Copper Alloy Solder Joint Pressure Fittings;
ASME B16.23-21 Cast Copper Alloy Solder Joint Drainage Fittings (DWV);
ASME B16.24-21 Cast Copper Alloy Pipe Flanges, Flanged Fittings, and Valves: Class 150, 300, 600, 900, 1500 and 2500;
ASME B16.25-22 Buttwelding Ends;
ASME B16.26-24 Cast Copper Alloy Fittings for Flared Copper Tubes;
ASME B16.29-22 Wrought Copper and Wrought Copper Alloy Solder Joint Drainage Fittings – DWV;
ASME B16.34-25 Valves – Flanged, Threaded, and Welding End;
ASME B16.36-25 Orifice Flanges;
ASME B16.40-24 Manually Operated Thermoplastic Gas Shutoffs and Valves in Gas Distribution Systems;
ASME B16.42-21 Ductile Iron Pipe Flanges and Flanged Fittings, Classes 150 and 300;
ASME B16.44 Manually Operated Metallic Gas Valves for Use in Aboveground Piping Systems up to 5 psi;
ASME B16.47-25 Large Diameter Steel Flanges: NPS 26 through NPS 60;
ASME B16.48-25 2030 Line Blanks;
ASME B16.49-23 2027 Factory-Made Wrought Steel Buttwelding Induction Bends for Transportation and Distribution Systems;
ASME B16.50-21 2026 Wrought Copper and Copper Alloy Braze-Joint Pressure Fittings;
ASME B16.51-21 2026 Copper and Copper Alloy Press-Connect Pressure Fittings;
ASME B31.1-24 2026 Power Piping;
ASME B31.3-23 2026 Process Piping;
ASME B31.4-22 2025 Pipeline Transportation Systems for Liquids and Slurries;
ASME B31.5-22 2025 Refrigeration Piping and Heat Transfer Components;
ASME B31.8-25 2027 Gas Transmission and Distribution Piping Systems;
ASME B31.8S-25 2027 Managing System Integrity of Gas Pipelines;
ASME B31.9-20 2023 Building Services Piping;
ASME B31.12-23 2028 Hydrogen Piping and Pipelines;
ASME B31J-23 2028 Standard Test Method for Determining Stress Intensification Factors (i-Factors) for Metallic Piping Components;
ASME B31Q-24 2026 Pipeline Personnel Qualification;
ASME B31T-24 2027 Standard Toughness Requirements for Piping;
ASME B36.10-22 2027 Welded and Seamless Wrought Steel Pipe;
ASME CSD-1-24 2027 Controls and Safety Devices for Automatically Fired Boilers;
ASME NM.1-22 2024 Thermoplastic Piping Systems;
ASME NM.2-22 2025 Glass-Fiber-Reinforced Thermosetting Resin Piping Systems;
ASME OM-24 2027 Operation and Maintenance of Nuclear Power Plants;
ASME PTC 25-23 2028 Pressure Relief Devices;
ASME QME-1-23 2028 ASME/ANS RA-S-1.1-25 2028 Qualification of Active Mechanical Equipment Used in Nuclear Power Plants;
ASME Boiler and Pressure Vessel Code (BPVC) 2023;
ASME BPVC.I-21 2023 Rules for Construction of Power Boilers Ferrous Material Specifications;
ASME BPVC. II. A-21 2023, BPVC. II. B-21 2023 Nonferrous Material Specifications;
ASME BPVC.IV-21 2023 Heating Boilers;
ASME BPVC.VI-21 2023 Recommended Rules for the Care and Operation of Heating Boilers;
ASME BPVC.VII-21 2023 Recommended Guidelines for the Care of Power Boilers;
ASME BPVC.VIII.1-21 2023 Pressure Vessels;
Future ASME and CSA joint meetings:
• Winter 2026. The joint winter meeting of ASME and CSA will be hosted by ASME and is scheduled for Jan. 12-15, 2026, in Chandler, Arizona, at the Crowne Plaza Phoenix-Chandler Resort.
• Summer 2026. The summer meeting of ASME and CSA will be hosted by CSA and held June 8-12, 2026, in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada, at the Halifax Convention Centre (hotel TBA).
4. American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE) meetings
I also attended the ASHRAE meetings held June 21-25, 2025, at the Sheraton Hotel and the Phoenix Convention Center in Phoenix, and participated in several standard committee meetings. They were:
• ASHRAE TC 3.6, Water Treatment;
• ASHRAE TC 6.1, Steam and Hydronics (also covers service hot water distribution systems);
• ASHRAE TC 90.1, Mechanical Subcommittee;
• ASHRAE G47-Guideline 47 (GPC-47), which focuses on providing updated guidance for sizing central heat pump water heater systems, particularly in multifamily buildings;
• ASHRAE TC 6.6, Service Water Heating;
• ASHRAE TC 1.8, Insulation.
Also, ASHRAE SSPC 400, which combines three documents into one committee:
• ANSI/ASHRAE Standard 188-2021, Legionellosis: Risk Management for Building Water Systems, establishes minimum Legionellosis risk management requirements for building water systems. Included in this publication are descriptions of environmental conditions that promote the growth of Legionella bacteria and informative annexes and bibliography with suggestions, recommendations and references for additional guidance.
The 2021 edition replaces permissive language with enforceable language to facilitate adoption of the standard in codes and regulations.
Standard 188 is essential for anyone involved in design, construction, installation, commissioning, operation, maintenance and service of centralized building water systems and components. The latest draft of 188, currently under review, may include an informative appendix or annex on flushing and disinfecting water piping in building water systems.
• ASHRAE Guideline 12, Managing the Risk of Legionellosis Associated with Building Water Systems.
• ASHRAE 514, Risk Management for Building Water Systems: Physical, Chemical, and Microbial Hazards. Whereas Standard 188 and Guideline 12 focus on harmful diseases associated with Legionella bacteria, Standard 514 takes a broader approach to address microbial risk, as well as the associated physical and chemical hazards associated with its mitigation.
It provides minimum requirements for managing risk associated with building water systems and a framework for the systematic development of water management programs, from design and construction to occupancy, including post-occupancy modifications and renovations.
5. International Plumbing Code (IPC) Committee
I also attended meetings of the IPC Committee. At the time of this writing, it has planned a meeting to review a request for an Interim Critical Amendment. The committee must first decide if the proposal is of a critical enough nature, then review the proposal based on the proponent’s presentation.
The amendment appears to be based on the current code reference to the American Water Works Association (AWWA) Standard C651, Disinfection of Water Mains, which has recently been revised to add language that specifically states the standard is not intended for use for flushing and disinfecting building water systems because the standard does not include pipe sizes smaller than 4 inches in diameter, and there are also pipe material and chemical compatibility considerations.
The proposal also seeks to include a new AWWA technical paper on flushing and disinfecting building water systems. The technical paper is an improvement, but falls short in addressing the maximum water treatment chemical level. It also appears that the technical paper is not entirely in compliance with ICC procedures for the adoption of reference standards.
Other organizations have produced guidelines for flushing and disinfecting in the aftermath of COVID-19. I will report on the outcome when the issue is resolved.
I am planning to make another trip to Ghana, Africa, with Rotary International Oct. 1-18, 2025. We will build a school and a medical clinic, and drill at least five water wells and associated water towers. We will distribute school supplies, books, uniforms, mosquito nets (to combat Malaria) and eyeglasses. I will report on the trip in a future column.
