Empowering Change: International Code Council’s Inaugural World Water Awareness Campaign Recap

This past March, the International Code Council hosted its first annual World Water Awareness campaign to raise awareness about the water crisis and underscore our collective responsibility to address it through long-term, consistent water conservation efforts.

The World Water Awareness campaign featured new research and information to facilitate the rapid implementation of modern building codes and standards while helping guide decision-makers in managing limited resources, both in the U.S. and globally. The resources included in-depth articles on water conservation initiatives and the advantages of the International Codes® (I-Codes), alongside podcast episodes that delve into plumbing solutions, water reuse and their vital role in preserving the world’s water supply.

A series of engaging events were also organized by the Code Council to further foster discussions around water conservation.

Standards Save: A Water Conservation Summit

On Thursday, March 21, the Code Council hosted Standards Save: A Water Conservation Summit at the National Press Club. During this summit, the Code Council released findings of a new University of Miami report, Water Conservation and Codes: Leveraging Global Water-Efficient Building Standards to Avert Shortfalls .

The report examined the potential water savings for single-family and multi-family dwellings in Phoenix, Las Vegas, Houston and Des Moines based on the adoption of four different water conservation strategies within the International Water Conservation Code Provisions® (IWCCP) including:

1. Adoption of more efficient plumbing fixtures
2. Rainwater harvesting, treatment, storage and reuse
3. Graywater treatment, storage and reuse
4. HVAC condensate catchment, treatment, storage and reuse

In Houston, optimized total water savings from all four strategies for new homes were projected to be 23.34 billion gallons by 2029. The projected water savings for the other jurisdictions are:

• 7.3 billion gallons in Phoenix
• 1.7 billion gallons in Las Vegas
• 1.7 billion gallons in Des Moines

Water experts from across the federal government and water-related utilities and services, including the report’s lead researcher, delivered remarks from the Summit during a live news conference and panel discussion about the report findings and other water-saving initiatives occurring across the country.

You can watch a recording of the summit here.

ICC Learn Live Events

The Code Council also hosted several ICC Learn Live events throughout the campaign. These events included webinars on:

• Why is Pipe Sizing Important
• Global Pipe-Sizing Collaboration
• Increasing Sustainability and Community Resilience Through Water Reuse

The first webinar, held on March 4, dove into the history of plumbing and the diverse methodologies used in sizing pipes for supply, drainage and vent systems. It also provided a summary of the research aspect and the development of ICC 815: Standard for Sizing Water Distribution, Sanitary Drainage and Vent Piping Systems . The webinar covered key subjects including factors driving the need for pipe sizing, unintended consequences of modern flow rates and current pipe sizing methods. Click here to watch the recording.

The second webinar, held on March 12, showcased a panel of speakers representing Australia, Germany, New Zealand, and the U.S., all of who m are members of the ICC 815 standard committee. Each speaker presented an overview of the different pipe-sizing methodologies utilized in their respective regions, alongside the research initiatives undertaken to inform the development of the ICC 815 Standard. Click here to watch the recording.

The final webinar, held on March 27, explored the critical aspect of water reuse within the built environment. Notable industry experts, alongside the Code Council, included the E nvironmental P rotection A gency , National Blue-Ribbon Commission for Onsite Non-potable Water Systems and manufacturers specializing in on – site water reuse systems, delivered presentations representing their organizations and the PM G Code Action Committee (CAC) Water Reuse Working Group. Listeners had the opportunity to learn and gain insight into industry advancements and received a sneak peek into the PMG CAC Water Reuse proposals slated for incorporation into the 2027 International Plumbing Code® and International Residential Code®. Click here to watch the recording.

Stand Up for Prioritizing Access to Clean Water in Local Communities

The Code Council is asking for support from jurisdictions and organizations to sign a letter requesting that elected officials prioritize access to clean water throughout the communities they serve.

To show your support, please fill out this form to add your jurisdiction/organization’s name/logo to the sign-on letter . Your engagement will help amplify this important message to conserve and protect our global water supply.

Learn more about the International Code Council’s first annual World Water Awareness campaign, here.