The 7th Emerging Water Technology Symposium (EWTS) was held in San Antonio the second week of May. The Symposium is sponsored by the leading plumbing groups: IAPMO, ASPE, PMI, World Plumbing Council, and the Alliance for Water Efficiency. This two day Symposium always has some interesting presentations.

It’s been more than two years since I took over PM Engineer from my predecessor. What a wild and crazy time that was — the COVID-19 pandemic was just getting started and lockdowns were being mandated. Needless to say, I didn’t get out much that year, or even last year, for that matter.

The public hearing for review of the proposed code changes for the 2024 NSPC will take place 8 a.m.-5 p.m. ET, Aug. 11, at the Tropicana Casino and Resort in Atlantic City. 

Did you know that May 4 is National Skilled Trades Day? It also happens to be National Star Wars Day — “May the Fourth Be With You,” and all that jazz.

My first encounter in dealing with combating Legionnaires’ disease through code regulations dates back to 1977. Older individuals will recall that the disease got its name after the outbreak in 1976 in Philadelphia at the American Legion Convention.

In a previous column last year, I identified a change in definition, by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), regarding showerheads, body sprays and safety shower showerheads. In December 2020, during the Trump administration, DOE basically redefined “showerhead” as a single device that discharges water. Hence, if you installed two showerheads installed on a single shower valve, DOE would consider them two showerheads.

Watson has more than 30 years of plumbing industry experience in product development and compliance management.

The most powerful section of any code is the alternative approval section. This section is typically found in either the administrative chapter of the code or the general requirements chapter. Every code has an alternative approval section. Basically, the alternative approval section allows an applicant to file a request for acceptance of anything that is either not allowed in the code or is restricted in the code.