Fixture requirements are a key discussion topic at ICC code hearings.
Thanks to the new process, the ICC code hearings for the plumbing, mechanical and fuel gas codes are only held once every three years. So the last week of April and first week of May was it for next three years.
This was also the first cycle with Code Action Committees for plumbing, mechanical and fuel gas. The CAC is designed to flush out the difficult issues. The CAC process allows for a more in-depth discussion on key issues. Code hearings are limited to testimony of two minutes initially and one minute of rebuttal. However, the process can only be effective if the Code Change Committee accepts the code changes proposed by the CAC. In this cycle, the results were mixed with the CAC code changes. As an observer, I thought that many more of the CAC changes should have been approved.
With many new faces, everyone was curious as to how the new Plumbing Code Change Committee might fare. Unfortunately, they had one of the most difficult code changes coming to the floor within the first few minutes of the hearing. That change from the CAC would delete Chapter 13 on graywater and replace it with a new Chapter 13 and Chapter14 on reclaimed water and rainwater harvesting.
The discussion on the new chapters 13 and 14 centered around the change being taken from the Green Code, as well as it not being perfect. Of course, there has never been a perfect code change so expectations were unrealistic. As for being taken from the Green Code, the CAC representatives quickly pointed out that neither system was required; the change merely regulates the systems when a building owner chooses to install them.
During the committee discussion, it lost sight of the fact that the existing Chapter 13 is lousy. There is no better way to put it. Unfortunately wanting perfection, the committee recommended denial. It appeared the committee didn’t need such a difficult change when it was just getting started. The change probably would have fared better if it hit the agenda the following day.