A continued summary of significant revisions of the International Plumbing Code: water supply, and shower and bathtub valves.

A continued summary of significant revisions of the International Plumbing Code: bidet water temperature, drinking fountains, water supply, and shower and bathtub valves.

This is the continuation of a series of columns covering only the code changes that were approved as submitted from 2018 to the 2021 International Plumbing Code (IPC) change hearings.

The following is a summary of the significant code changes approved during the International Code Council hearings in Columbus, Ohio, and Richmond, Va.

Maintaining the plumbing systems and equipment in a building is essential to keep such systems safe.

Legionellosis is associated with two clinically and epidemiologically distinct illnesses: Legionnaires’ Disease, which is typically characterized by fever, myalgia or muscle pain, cough and clinical or radiographic pneumonia; and Pontiac fever, a milder illness without pneumonia.

Every year, in the United States, thousands of people suffer serious scald injuries in showers or tub-showers after the hot water system temperature has been adjusted. These injuries can be prevented with the proper controls and adjustments of the maximum temperature limit-stop on each shower valve.  

Legionnaires’ disease is a serious form of pneumonia caused by Legionella bacteria that grows in a building water system and becomes aerosolized.

On June 13, 2019, Gov. Abbott issued an executive order to extend the Texas State Board of Plumbing Examiners and the plumbing licensing law until 2021 to allow the next legislature to consider the issue. The plumbing industry needs to ensure their elected officials are educated on the topic and address this issue properly in the next legislative session.

Recently, Texas lawmakers struck a blow against the health and safety of its citizens when they failed to renew the Texas State Board of Plumbing Examiners.