Significant changes to bottle filling stations in the 2021 International Building Code

An addition to Section 1110.6 (Bottle Filling Stations) of the 2021 International Building Code states that where provided, bottle filling stations must now be accessible.

Water bottle-filling stations are becoming a common feature in an effort to reduce the use of disposable bottles. While some of the bottle-filling stations are installed independently, the majority of them are typically located in conjunction with drinking fountains. It is important to note that this new requirement will not require the bottle filling stations to be installed but will ensure they are made accessible “where . . . provided.”

Section 602.4 of the ICC A117.1 standard contains the technical requirements to make the bottle-filling stations accessible, addressing the need for a clear floor space for either a forward or side approach and controls that comply with the general operable parts requirements of ICC A117.1, Section 309.

Where bottle-filling stations are located over a drinking fountain, the accessible element will need to be located over the drinking fountain in a manner that meets the required reach ranges for persons using a wheelchair (A117.1, Section 602.2). Where bottle fillers are provided over both the high and the low drinking fountains, the bottle-filling station over the drinking fountain installed for standing persons is not required to be accessible. Bottle fillers over both drinking fountains creates a redundant condition and therefore, it reasonably does not need to be made accessible.

Read the full significant change.

The 2021 Significant Changes guides are available for the International Building, Fire, Residential, Energy Conservation, Plumbing, Mechanical and Fuel Gas Codes. This valuable series can help any code user save time by zeroing in on the most critical changes in the 2021 International Codes. The Code Council’s technical experts provide summaries, analysis and graphics for these changes making them clear and easy to understand. Each edition provides a comprehensive analysis of significant changes since the 2018 edition, offering key insights into its contents and implications. Each change analysis features the affected code sections and identifies the change with strikethroughs and underlines to show modifications to the existing language. Each change is accompanied by a quick summary, detailed illustrations, and a discussion of its significance, which brings the technical jargon of the code to life in a real-world setting.

Significant Changes to the International Building Code, 2021 Edition is available in the ICC Store or through Digital Codes Premium.