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IAPMO RESEARCH

White Papers & Studies

Get the latest research from The IAPMO Group.

IAPMO research provides strategic insights to advance policy on clean drinking water and safe sanitation. Instead of simply looking at a problem, our staff and members — many times in partnership with communities or other professional organizations — study and research issues affecting health and environmental impacts of changing plumbing, mechanical, alternative energy, and water systems, and how they affect our daily lives. In many cases, there are unintended consequences that also require consideration in developing optimal solutions. The IAPMO Group believes in sharing our knowledge through industry studies and white papers, because safety belongs to everyone.

Water and Sanitation Standards in Southeast Asia A Guide for U.S. Manufacturers and Exporters

There is a growing global water crisis that threatens economic growth, public health, and national security, and generally reduces the capacity of countries to advance important national priorities. Public and private stakeholders in the United States have an important role to play in addressing these challenges, providing technologies and policy solutions that will contribute to a healthier, safer, more water-secure world where people have sustainable supplies of water of sufficient quantity and quality.

A Review of Connection Fees and Service Charges by Meter Size

Right-sizing premise plumbing systems has become a prominent topic of discussion in the plumbing and water industries, for good reason. Supply line and pipe sizing methodologies have been largely unchanged since Hunter’s Curve was created by Roy B. Hunter in 1940 -- yet fixtures and appliances such as faucets, showerheads, toilets, clothes washers, and dishwashers operate much more efficiently than they did in 1940 and thus have slowed the flows. Unfortunately, it is still common for meters and supply and waste lines to be oversized according to Hunter’s Curve. These oversized premise plumbing systems create multiple inefficiencies and worse, can have a negative impact on water quality.

Studies Detail the Cost Saving Potential of the Water Demand Calculator

There is a tremendous need for practical, water-related demand-side water research that helps communities safely implement policies related to water and energy efficiency and meet the growing list of challenges threatening drinking water quality in the United States. Profound concerns about water safety and wasted water and energy resulting from oversized water supply pipes in home and buildings, motivated IAPMO to lead a research project along with the American Society of Plumbing Engineers (ASPE), the Water Quality Research Foundation (WQRF), and the University of Cincinnati, to develop a new statistically based pipe sizing method.

Water Demand Calculator Study

Stantec Architecture Inc. was commissioned by IAPMO to develop a prototype Single Family Residence plumbing plan, a 6-Unit Family Residence plumbing plan, and a 45 – Unit Family Residence plumbing plan in order to compare the cold and hot water sizing criteria associated with IAPMO’s – Water Demand Calculator (WDC) to the sizing methods contained within the Uniform Plumbing Code (UPC) the International Plumbing Code (IPC) and the International Residential Code (IRC).

Responding to Water Stagnation in Buildings with Reduced or No Water Use

This document provides a decision-making framework for building managers to design responses to building water system stagnation. This collaborative effort started April 2, 2020, with an AWWA Premise Plumbing Committee conference call to discuss the impact of COVID-19 stay-at-home and shelter-in-place orders on water quality in buildings. When EPA, CDC, and others released guidance related to COVID-19 water system stagnation, there was a need to provide additional information, context, and limitations to some of the specific recommendations being disseminated

Recommended Installation Practices for Residential Tankless Water Heaters to Reduce the Danger of Scalding

The ASSE International Scald Awareness Task Group was formed to educate and give guidance to the general public and plumbing industry on scald hazards associated with hot water. This white paper focuses on the recommended installation practices that plumbers, installers, and/or plumbing contractors should follow to reduce the dangers of scald injuries or thermal shock when installing any type of residential tankless water heater.

Closing the Water Access Gap in the United States

Access to clean, reliable running water and safe sanitation are baseline conditions for health, prosperity, and wellbeing. However, they remain out of reach for some of the most vulnerable people in the United States: communities of color, lower-income people in rural areas, and tribal communities, among others. Today, more than two million Americans lack access to running water, indoor plumbing, or wastewater services. Better water access would allow vulnerable communities to thrive.

Recommended Installation Practices for Residential Storage Type Water Heaters to Reduce the Danger of Scalds

The ASSE International Scald Awareness Task Group was formed to educate and give guidance to the general public and plumbing industry on scalding hazards associated with hot water at the point of use. This White Paper will focus on the recommended installation practices for residential storage type water heaters that the plumber, installer or plumbing contractor should follow to reduce the dangers of scald injuries at the point of use which is the plumbing fixture such as showers, bathtubs, lavatory faucets, and kitchen faucets.

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