Proposed Illinois Plumbing Code Changes & Legionnaires
In Illinois proposed plumbing code changes must be submitted and reviewed by an advisory council consisting of plumbers, laborers, architects, general public.
They submit proposed changes and vote on them. Then they are published and go through a public comment period. After that they will go to JACAR (joint rules committee) They can either accept the proposed changes, modify them or knock them down.
One more comment period I believe then they can go to the governor to sign into law.
We are currently going through this process. A bunch of changes.
Lead will be completely removed as will caulked joints. If approved and a plumber that runs into a lead line that needs repair either sanitary or potable. To keep code compliant and not create a violation. All lead must be removed and replaced. Older towns like Chicago will be hit hard. Failure to do so after this gets passed can cause a fine , suspension or revocation of a plumber license.
Galvanized pipe will be completely removed also, So repairs to this type of piping would be a violations also. It would be required to be removed completely instead of repaired.
Another big change is ways to combat Legionnaires disease. Their have been multiple deaths in Illinois Veterans homes and a few other places from this. Recently across the river from me In Missouri a Hilton hotel was completely evacuated for a day so the lines could be flushed.
A primary cause is from mildly heated water (tempered) which stagnates and becomes aerosolized. Spray from decorative fountains, fish ponds, out of faucets, etc. carry the virus, it gets breathed in and spreads in the lungs. Causing symptoms similar to phenomena. Very easily becoming fatal.
Really bad in buildings with older galvanized piping systems which harbor the virus more readily. A few location this has happened at are establishing a documented plan of flushing the lines. A couple are installing ultra expensive filtration systems to help deal with it.
New decorative fountains, etc. will be mandated to come up with a documented program to flush and sanitize lines. The documentation may be required to be kept for 3 to 5 years or more. A building owner would be held responsible for this.
Master tempering valves will no longer be approved. Hot water must be supplied at 160 or 165 degrees throughout the whole building. Remote tempering will be mandated no farther than 12" away from each faucet that requires it.
This is a very relevant and critical issue. All caused by lower water temperatures and stagnated or low flow systems.
Air chambers will no longer be allowed. Arrestors will be mandated. Dead ends of 24" or less have been removed. Dead ends will not be allowed.
With current planning designated fire lines are not allowed, since they create dead ends which can of course allow for stagnated water to get into the potable system and now finding it also can contribute to the spread of Legionella. Existing locations may have to develop & maintain a flushing program. That has not been discussed yet.
I am a member of the I.C.C.A. (Illinois Council of Code Administrators) Plumbing Code Advisory Council and put together a condensed list of the proposed change. I tried to upload a legionaries disease response & remediation report from the Quincy Illinois Veteran Home. Both the files were to large to upload.
If anyone is interested drop me a PM with your Email and I will forward it to you. This is turning into a nationwide issue we should all be looking at.
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They submit proposed changes and vote on them. Then they are published and go through a public comment period. After that they will go to JACAR (joint rules committee) They can either accept the proposed changes, modify them or knock them down.
One more comment period I believe then they can go to the governor to sign into law.
We are currently going through this process. A bunch of changes.
Lead will be completely removed as will caulked joints. If approved and a plumber that runs into a lead line that needs repair either sanitary or potable. To keep code compliant and not create a violation. All lead must be removed and replaced. Older towns like Chicago will be hit hard. Failure to do so after this gets passed can cause a fine , suspension or revocation of a plumber license.
Galvanized pipe will be completely removed also, So repairs to this type of piping would be a violations also. It would be required to be removed completely instead of repaired.
Another big change is ways to combat Legionnaires disease. Their have been multiple deaths in Illinois Veterans homes and a few other places from this. Recently across the river from me In Missouri a Hilton hotel was completely evacuated for a day so the lines could be flushed.
A primary cause is from mildly heated water (tempered) which stagnates and becomes aerosolized. Spray from decorative fountains, fish ponds, out of faucets, etc. carry the virus, it gets breathed in and spreads in the lungs. Causing symptoms similar to phenomena. Very easily becoming fatal.
Really bad in buildings with older galvanized piping systems which harbor the virus more readily. A few location this has happened at are establishing a documented plan of flushing the lines. A couple are installing ultra expensive filtration systems to help deal with it.
New decorative fountains, etc. will be mandated to come up with a documented program to flush and sanitize lines. The documentation may be required to be kept for 3 to 5 years or more. A building owner would be held responsible for this.
Master tempering valves will no longer be approved. Hot water must be supplied at 160 or 165 degrees throughout the whole building. Remote tempering will be mandated no farther than 12" away from each faucet that requires it.
This is a very relevant and critical issue. All caused by lower water temperatures and stagnated or low flow systems.
Air chambers will no longer be allowed. Arrestors will be mandated. Dead ends of 24" or less have been removed. Dead ends will not be allowed.
With current planning designated fire lines are not allowed, since they create dead ends which can of course allow for stagnated water to get into the potable system and now finding it also can contribute to the spread of Legionella. Existing locations may have to develop & maintain a flushing program. That has not been discussed yet.
I am a member of the I.C.C.A. (Illinois Council of Code Administrators) Plumbing Code Advisory Council and put together a condensed list of the proposed change. I tried to upload a legionaries disease response & remediation report from the Quincy Illinois Veteran Home. Both the files were to large to upload.
If anyone is interested drop me a PM with your Email and I will forward it to you. This is turning into a nationwide issue we should all be looking at.
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