Plumbing standards update

By Ron George

President, Ron George Design & Consulting Services

The model code organizations have been busy preparing the 2009 editions of the plumbing codes, and the plumbing standards writing organizations have been busy developing the new standards and updating existing standards. Following is a summary of the activities of a few of those organizations.

American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) update
The ASME A112 Plumbing Materials and Equipment Committee meeting was held in July in Cincinnati. The committee revised standards and reported on the progress of the various standards undergoing revisions. One the items on the agenda was presenting a new award to honor the memory of Patrick J. Higgins. Pat was very involved in plumbing code and standard development. He was the chairman of the committee at the time of his death, and he was also the author of this Code Update column in Plumbing Engineer. Pat influenced and touched many people in the industry; he is the one who persuaded me to get involved with the ASME standards committees.

The first ever Patrick J. Higgins Medal was awarded to Morris Klimboff, to honor his dedicated service as a longstanding member of the committee. Unfortunately, Mr. Klimboff passed away before he could receive his medal. Mrs. Klimboff accepted the award on behalf of her husband.

The ASME/CSA Joint Harmonization Task Force (JHTF) on water efficient showerheads is in the process of establishing minimum criteria for evaluating different types of showerheads for water savings, user satisfaction, wetting abilities and spray force. A consultant who is conducting a similar and somewhat parallel research project for the California Energy Commission's Public Interest Energy Research (PIER) program gave a presentation about the way that his group is looking at the development of new testing protocols for measuring the performance of showerheads. He invited members of the JHTF to participate in the Project Advisory Committee (PAC) for his California project. The role of the PAC is as follows.

• To provide guidance on scope of research, research methodologies, timing and coordination with other research
• To review deliverables
• To provide recommendations, as needed, to enhance tangible benefits to the state of California and other entities
• To provide recommendations regarding information dissemination, market pathways or commercialization strategies relevant to the research products

The PAC was reported to be a diverse group of researchers, consultants, product manufacturers, water utility representatives and others with a particular interest in low flow showerhead performance. The PIER activity is separate from the work of the JHTF, but the two organizations generally agreed that each group would benefit from the work of the other, and the cooperation of members was sought.

At the ASME/CSA JHTG meeting in Orlando, the California consultant presented an update on the PIER survey and also on a consumer study. Following his presentation, many JHTF members pointed out some of the deficiencies in the testing. They asked whether any of the bathers experienced thermal shock. I asked who they were conducting the testing with and what kind of buildings, faucets and piping were being used.

The consultant said that they were using a block of hotel rooms and paying people to take showers. I pointed out that thermal shock will not occur in a hotel building if it has a properly designed plumbing system behind the wall that is installed in accordance with the code. There needs to be some testing with low flow showerheads in showers with older two-handled and non-compensating shower valves that were installed in the late seventies and early eighties, prior to code requirements. These older systems are grandfathered-in, probably in close to half of all existing homes and buildings. Testing in these older types of facilities with pressure disturbances will produce thermal shock. It is also important to record what kind of shower valves and what kind of plumbing system the building has.

The results of proper testing will point out the need for warning labels on low flow or "water efficient"showerheads when they are used in systems with two-handled or non-compensating shower valves. A couple of showerhead manufacturers and the consultant from California claimed that the low flow showerheads that they have tested will not cause thermal shock or scalding. One manufacturer claimed that he has sold more than 30,000 low flow showerheads and not had one complaint. He said that his showerhead has a special pressure compensator that compensates for flow and pressure.

He could not have been more incorrect. Thermal shock and scalding are matters of basic physics. If you restrict the flow at a showerhead, and you have a pressure drop in the cold water system from a nearby fixture flowing, such as a washing machine fill or a water closet flushing, the temperature at the showerhead will change when it is served by a two-handled or a non-compensating shower control valve. The special pressure compensator he spoke of is designed to maintain a relatively constant flow rate over a wide range of delivery pressures. A pressure compensating showerhead will not balance pressures within the plumbing system; it will only regulate the flow of water out of the showerhead. The only way to deal with fluctuating pressures and temperatures is by using an ASSE 1016 type shower valve or other approved device.

If the PIER survey is asking everyone whether they experience thermal shock in their shower, and if the shower is supplied with a pressure balancing shower valve then, of course, the results of the survey will be skewed. That is why the low flow showerhead manufacturers and the consultant claim that there are no problems.

This brings me to something else that I heard recently. Apparently, some manufacturers of low flow showerheads have gone to cities such as Miami-Dade County and convinced authorities to mandate low flow showerheads for all showers in their jurisdiction. This seems like a lousy way to save a few gallons of water if you end up scalding a lot of people and causing an increase in thermal shock or slip and fall incidents in the process.

I should also note that data from flow studies conducted by a major manufacturer shows that when some types of ASSE 1016 shower valves are coupled with low flow showerheads, they will not control water temperatures within the limits required in the ASSE 1016 standard, Performance Requirements for Automatic Compensating Valves for Individual Showers and Tub/Shower Combinations.

The ASSE 1016 flow test is based on 2.5 gpm. When the flow rate was reduced to one gpm, a significant percentage of the manufacturers' shower valves did not control the temperatures within the limits in the standard. If low flow showerheads are mandated, the piping system should be designed with pressure compensating shower valves with check valves on each supply to the faucet and with a valve that has been tested to control within the temperature ranges in the ASSE standard at the reduced flow rates.

I applaud the efforts of the ASME/CSA Joint Harmonization Task Group on Low Flow Showers for approaching this issue with an eye toward testing to see how effective these shower valves will be. Most of the task group members seem to be aware of the safety issues, and I only hope that some of the studies for showerhead efficiency include some of these very low flow showerheads in systems with two-handled and non-compensating shower valves. I suggest that, when testing these types of shower valves, they use an ASSE 1062 temperature actuated flow reduction device to prevent seriously scalding any of the test participants. I'm sure that testing done with non-compensating shower controls will result in warnings about not using low flow showerheads in these systems.

New ASME plumbing product standards
ASME is in the process of developing a couple of new standards. One is ASME A112.18.8: Sanitary Waste Valves for use in lieu of tubular P-traps. This standard is nearing completion and is currently being balloted to the project team. The standard is for elastomeric waste valves that are installed in tubular drains in lieu of p-traps. The other new standard being developed is for fixture trap and supply covers. The standard will be known as ASME A112.18.9: Barrier Free Protection for Traps and Supplies.

The following ASME standards are being revised:

ASME A112.6.1 Supports for Off-the-Floor Plumbing Fixtures. Reaffirmed on February 28, 2008.

ASME A112.6.2 Wall Affixed Support. Reaffirmed on October 5, 2004.

ASME A112.6.3 Floor Drains. Reaffirmed on April 11, 2007.

ASME A112.6.4 Roof Drains. The current standard is under review.

ASME A112.6.5 Hydrants. The current standard is under review.

ASME A112.14.1 Metallic & Non-Metallic Backwater Valves. Reaffirmed on February 28, 2008.

ASME A112.14.3 Grease Interceptors. The current standard is under revision.

ASME A112.14.4 Grease Recovery Devices. The current standard is under revision

ASME A112.18.1 Plumbing Fixture Fittings. CSA Harmonization efforts are ongoing.

ASME A112.18.2 Fixture Waste Fittings. The standard is awaiting ANSI approval.

ASME A112.18.6 Flexible Water Connectors.CSA harmonization efforts are ongoing.

ASME A112.18.8 Sanitary Waste Valve for use in Lieu of P-Traps. The chairman is working to resolve negative ballot comments of both the main committee members and project team members.

ASME A112.19.1 Enameled Iron Plumbing Fixtures. The standard is awaiting ANSI approval.

ASME A112.19.2 Vitreous China Plumbing Fixtures. The standard is awaiting ANSI approval.

ASME A112.19.3 Stainless Steel Plumbing Fixtures.The standard is awaiting ANSI approval.

ASME A112.19.4 Porcelain Enameled Steel Plumbing Fixtures. The project team chairman reported that the revision of the current standard has been incorporated into the revision of ASME A112.19.1 Enameled Iron Plumbing Fixtures. ASME staff suggested that the PT-North American Harmonization Group prepare a plan to reorganize the project teams to reflect these recent consolidations.

ASME A112.19.5 Trim for Water Closet Bowls and Tanks. CSA harmonization efforts are ongoing.

ASME A112.19.7 Whirlpool Bathtub Appliances. Work is ongoing toward a revision of the current standard.

ASME A112.19.8 Suction Fittings for Whirlpools, Spas & Hot Tubs. The project team is working on Addenda B to the standard and is being balloted by the board. A committee member noted that there had been a recent death due to the failure of a cover and that the death has drawn attention to the need for thread torque requirements so that the covers do not come off easily.

ASME A112.19.9 Non-Vitreous Ceramic Plumbing Fixtures. CSA harmonization efforts are ongoing.

ASME A112.19.13 Electro-Hydraulic Water Closets. CSA harmonization efforts are ongoing.

ASME A112.19.14 Dual Flush for 6L Water Closets. This standard is not being harmonized. References to this standard will be included in the other harmonized standards.

ASME A112.19.17 Safety Vacuum Release System (SVRS). The project team leader will prepare a resolution report with regard to the negative comments received on the latest ballot and submit the completed resolution report to the secretary of the main committee for distribution to those who had comments on the latest ballot. The secretary is preparing a complete report of the latest project team voting tally, including all unresolved negative votes and associated comments, for inclusion with a ballot sent concurrently to the main committee and the project team.

ASME A112.19.19 Waterless Urinals. CSA Harmonization of this standard is ongoing.

ASME A112.20.1 Qualification of Installers of High Purity Piping Systems. The current standard is under review.

ASME A112.20.2 Qualification of Installers of Firestop Systems and Devices for Piping Systems. The current standard is under review.

American Society of Sanitary Engineering (ASSE) update
The ASSE recently held their annual meeting in Orlando, Florida. The Product Standards committee and the various working groups have been busy reviewing and revising the following ASSE standards:
ASSE 1003 -- Performance Requirements for Water Pressure Reducing Valves

ASSE 1012 -- Performance Requirements for Backflow Preventers with Intermediate Atmospheric Vent

ASSE 1013 -- Performance Requirements for Reduced Pressure Principle Backflow Preventers and Reduced Pressure Fire Protection Principle Backflow Preventers

ASSE 1015 -- Performance Requirements for Double Check Backflow Prevention Assemblies and Double Check Fire Protection Backflow Prevention Assemblies

ASSE 1016 -- Performance Requirements for Automatic Compensating Valves for Individual Showers and Tub/Shower Combinations

ASSE 1018 -- Performance Requirements for Trap Seal Primer Valves - Potable Water Supplied

ASSE 1019 -- Performance Requirements for Vacuum Breaker Wall Hydrants, Freeze Resistant, Automatic Draining Type

ASSE 1021 -- Performance Requirements for Drain Air Gaps for Domestic Dishwasher Applications

ASSE 1027 -- Performance Requirements for Fill Tank Backflow Protection Systems for Gravity Water Closet Flush Tanks

ASSE 1030 -- Performance Requirements for Positive Air Pressure Attenuators for Sanitary Drainage Systems

ASSE 1037 -- Performance Requirements for Pressurized Flushing Devices (Flushometers) for Plumbing Fixtures

ASSE 1044 -- Performance Requirements for Trap Seal Primer Devices – Drainage Types and Electronic Design Types

ASSE 1047 -- Performance Requirements for Reduced Pressure Detector Fire Protection Backflow Prevention Assemblies

ASSE 1048 -- Performance Requirements for Double Check Detector Fire Protection Backflow Prevention Assemblies

ASSE 1050 -- Performance Requirements for Stack Air Admittance Valves for Sanitary Drainage Systems

ASSE 1051 -- Performance Requirements for Individual and Branch Type Air Admittance Valves for Sanitary Drainage Systems

ASSE 1055 -- Performance Requirements for Chemical Dispensing Systems

ASSE 1056 -- Performance Requirements for Spill Resistant Vacuum Breaker

ASSE 1066 -- Performance Requirements for Individual Pressure Balancing In-Line Valves for Individual Fixture Fittings

Two new ASSE product standards are in the development stages:

ASSE Draft 1026 -- Performance Requirements for Dual Check Backflow Preventer Components Installed in Medical / Dental Water Treatment Systems and

ASSE Draft 1049 -- Performance Requirements for Individual and Branch Type Air Admittance Valves for Chemical Waste Systems.

Four ASSE product standards were revised and re-issued this year: ASSE 1001, ASSE 1002 and ASSE 1055, and one new standard, ASSE 1071. Last year, five ASSE standards started the revision process outside of the normal five-year cycle: ASSE 1013, ASSE 1015, ASSE 1016, ASSE 1047 and ASSE 1048.

The request to revise these standards came from the industry for the purpose of harmonizing technical requirements with the Canadian Standards Association (CSA) standards and the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) standards. All five of the ASSE draft standards are nearing the end of the revision process and should be issued in the first half of 2009.

The reduced pressure/dual check group of standards includes ASSE 1013, ASSE 1015, ASSE 1047 and ASSE 1048. These standards have been revised to include all performance tests and criteria from across North America in one set of standards. In addition, when the various performance tests were reviewed, the most stringent pass/fail requirements were included in the standards.

The fifth standard in revision outside of its normal cycle is ASSE 1016. In October 2008, the ASSE 1016 working group & ASME/CSA Task Group met and finalized a draft.

Letter ballots went out to the working group and also to the ASME/CSA Joint Harmonized Committee for their review and consideration for adoption into the ASME A112.18.1/CSA B125.1. ASSE 1016 will be the first truly harmonized standard between ASSE and CSA. It will be a milestone accomplishment for both organizations.

The ASSE Series 7000, Professional Qualifications Standards for Plumbing-Based Fire Protection Systems Installers and Inspectors, has been approved by the ASSE board of directors and has been submitted to the American National Standards institute (ANSI) to receive the designation as an American National Standard. During the final action hearings in Minneapolis, Minn., this fall, the IRC adopted mandatory plumbing-based residential fire suppression systems for all new homes using the 2009 edition of the IRC. ASSE should be ready to release their certification program to the Series 7000 standard in early 2009 so that installers can be certified to install residential fire protection systems.
The Series 5000 Working Group has drafted two new standards, one for cross connection control program administrators and one for testers for backflow prevention assemblies on fire protection systems.

The Series 6000 should have started its revision process this year; however, it has been postponed until 2009, when the new edition of the NFPA 99 is scheduled to be completed.

The ASSE Standards committee decided to deny the request for the new standard for ASSE 26 dual check valve assembly for dental applications, because it would have been a low hazard device in a high hazard application. In lieu of creating a new standard, the ASSE 1024 dual check valve standard will be revised to include low flow devices.

ASSE scholarship recipient
Ryan Beaudrie was one of 14 ASSE scholarship recipients. Ryan is a junior at Lawrence Technological University, studying mechanical engineering. He is maintaining a 3.65 GPA, as well as working about 20 hours a week with me, and he is a student member of ASSE, ASPE and ASHRAE. Ryan has been employed with me since 2004 as a CADD technician, working with plumbing, medical gas, electrical and mechanical systems.

World Plumbing Council (WPC) update

I attended the annual meeting of the WPC, which was held in conjunction with the 8th World Plumbing Conference in Calgary, Canada, in September 2008. Newly elected chairman Robert Burgon presented his vision for the next three years in a paper presented to the delegates attending the council meeting. Mr. Burgon highlighted the significant progress that had been made by the WPC since its formation in 1990 and suggested that the organization set the following goals for the next three years:

• Increase participation at WPC meetings
• Improve international participation in World Plumbing Conferences
• Expand WPC membership significantly, particularly increasing the number of countries in which members are based.
• Strengthen relationships with existing partners (including the World Health Organization and Messe Frankfurt)
• Develop new relationships with other plumbing industry organizations that want to be partners in the areas of water, sanitation, health and the environment
• Increase global awareness of the WPC and the work of the plumbing industry.

The newly appointed WPC executive board is comprised of:

• Chairman: Robert Burgon (Scotland), Scottish & Northern Ireland Plumbing Employers' Federation (SNIPEF)
• Deputy chairman: GP Russ Chaney (USA), The IAPMO Group
• Hon. secretary/treasurer: Hans Tiedemann (Canada), Mechanical Contractors Association of Alberta
• Board member: Sudhakaran Nair (India), Indian Plumbing Association
• Board member: Hua Mingjiu (China), Plumbing Facilities Committee of China Construction Metal Structure Association
• Board member: Blane Judd (UK), The Chartered Institute of Plumbing and Heating Engineering
• Board member: Linden Raimer (USA), American Society of Sanitary Engineering
• World Plumbing Council retiring chairman George Bliss III (USA), secretary Andy Watts (England) and Henry Hung (China) were thanked for their significant contributions to the work of the organization. Former executive board member Stephen Movley (Australia) now serves as the secretariat to the WPC through his organization, the Institute of Plumbing -- Australia.

The new executive board held its first meeting in Seoul, South Korea, on October 28 and 29, 2008, where it developed a new Strategic Plan for 2008 -- 2011. The next general meeting of the World Plumbing Council will be held on March11 and 12, 2009, at the ISH Messe Frankfurt Showground, Frankfurt, Germany. The next World Plumbing Conference meeting will be in Edinburgh, Scotland.