On July 17, the Canadian Institute of Plumbing and Heating (CIPH) hosted a stakeholders meeting in Toronto consisting of National Research Council staff, Safe Kids Canada, CSA International, Health Canada, water heater manufacturers, and members of the Canadian Advisory Council on Plumbing, Utilities, and other health-based organizations.

The purpose of the meeting was to reach consensus on the proposed changes to the National Building Code and the National Plumbing Code and make recommendations to the Standing Committee on Building & Plumbing Services.

The consensus reached was that the maximum temperature of hot water supplied by fittings on fixtures in a residential occupancy shall not exceed 49 degrees C (120.2 degrees F). It was agreed that this can be achieved by temperature-actuated thermostatic mixing valves or other devices installed at each fixture or at the tank to meet the objective of 49 degrees C (120.2 degrees F). This will not involve setting the temperature at the water heater. An exception to this will be the water supplied to dishwashers or clothes washers.

The Standing Committee on Building and Plumbing Services will be meeting September 7-9 in Toronto and will review the recommendations made by the stakeholder group. If these recommendations are accepted, they will be included in the 2005 editions of the National Building Code and the National Plumbing Code.