Building Code Council committee forwards 2024 Uniform Plumbing Code reports to council, elects chair pro tem

The Building Code Council’s Mechanical/Ventilation/Plumbing/Energy (MVPE) committee on April 11 voted to forward two staff-tag reports on the 2024 Uniform Plumbing Code (UPC) — an existing-amendments review and a significant-changes review — to the full council for consideration, clearing the way for the council to open the code-change proposal window.

The committee also nominated and elected Ben O'Meara as chair pro tem for the meeting before taking the votes on the UPC reports.

Why it matters: forwarding these reports to the council will allow the formal code-change proposal period to open. That process can lead to proposed amendments or state-specific changes to the UPC that affect plumbing requirements across Washington state, including shower and fixture flow limits, backflow-prevention rules and which model-code appendices and reference standards the state adopts.

Staff framed the meeting as a technical review. "We are here today to move an existing amendments report and a, significant changes report for the, Uniform Plumbing Code to the council," said Dustin, a staff member leading the session. Brandon, the code specialist who led the tag review, walked committee members through…