Metropolitan North

Georgia Water Planning District

Plumbing Code Update and Trends: Focusing on Water Efficiency

Danny Johnson

April/May, 2018

Recap of DCA’s Plumbing Code Update Process

2018 International Plumbing Code (IPC)

DCA Begins Review (summer 2018 at earliest)

Amendment Proposals

DCA Adopts IPC with GA Amendments (2019)

Local Govs. Adopt Code (eff. Jan. 1, 2020)

Areas of Potential Interest in Plumbing Codes

Improving water fixture efficiency standards

Ensuring consistency with state requirements on water conservation, water loss, safe drinking water, etc.

Confirming appropriate backflow prevention standards and requirements

Plumbing Fixture Efficiency Standards 2018

Comparison of Fixture Efficiency Standards

Jurisdiction Showerhead Lavatory Faucet

(Residential)

Kitchen Faucet

Georgia (Current) 2.5 gpm 1.5 gpm 2.0 gpm

WaterSense 2.0 gpm 1.5 gpm No Standard

California 1.8 gpm 1.2 gpm 1.8 gpm

Colorado 2.0 gpm 1.5 gpm No Standard

Miami, FL 1.5 gpm 1.5 gpm 1.5 gpm

New York City 2.0 gpm 1.5 gpm 2.2 gpm

Scottsdale, AZ 2.0 gpm 1.5 gpm 2.2 gpm

Retail Field ResearchHome Depot (DeKalb County – Feb. 7, 2018)

Total ≤ WaterSense ≤ California Standard Price Difference

Showerheads 39 25 10 None discernable

LavatoryFaucets

95 95 95 None discernable

Retail Field ResearchWalMart (Cherokee County – Feb. 9, 2018)

Total ≤ WaterSense ≤ California Standard Price Difference

Showerheads 32 32 25 None Discernable

Lavatory Faucets 9 9 9 None Discernable

Kitchen Faucet 4 No Standard 4 None Discernable

Retail Field ResearchLowe’s (Douglas County – Feb. 8, 2018)

Total ≤ WaterSense ≤ California Standard Price Difference

Showerheads 43 9 3 ~$15

LavatoryFaucets

95 93 93 None discernable

Retail Field ResearchHome Depot (Laurens County – Feb. 18, 2018)

Total ≤ WaterSense ≤ California Standard Price Difference

Showerheads 67 67 30 None Discernable

LavatoryFaucets

96 96 96 None Discernable

Kitchen Faucets 77 No standard 50 None Discernable

Research on Manufacturers’ Product Lines

Research on Builders’ Fixture Usage

Builder: Smith Douglas Homes

Some fixtures more efficient than current GA code

Research on Builders’ Fixture Usage

Builder: Peachtree Residential

Standard fixtures all more efficient than current GA code

Estimated Savings - Plumbing Code AmendmentNew Housing (2020 – 2030)

0

100,000,000

200,000,000

300,000,000

400,000,000

500,000,000

600,000,000

700,000,000

800,000,000

2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 2025 2026 2027 2028 2029 2030

Annual Water Savings (gallons)

Showerheads Kitchen Faucets Total Savings

Possible Next Steps

Coordination: Reach out and discuss with stakeholders (retailer, manufacturers, builders, plumbers, GAWP, SouthFace, etc.)

Efficiency: Develop draft DCA plumbing code amendment by:

• Considering opportunities (urinals?) and finalizing list of fixtures and flow rates

• Submitting draft DCA plumbing code amendment to District board in May 2018 for a vote

Generally: Explore backflow prevention and consistency with state requirements