Rainwater catchment systems standard created

ASPE and ARCSA have reached an agreement for a standard on rainwater catchment systems.

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The American Society of Plumbing Engineers (ASPE) and the American Rainwater Catchment Systems Association (ARCSA) have signed an agreement to jointly develop and publish an ARCSA/ASPE consensus standard for rainwater catchment systems. This agreement brings together the premier association representing plumbing engineering and design with the leading organization in the United States promoting rainwater catchment systems. Both organizations have informally worked together in the past to publish standards, and the signing of this agreement at the recent ASPE Central Indiana Chapter meeting formalizes a relationship that will continue to grow and provide significant benefits to other organizations, the plumbing community, and ultimately the consumer.

ASPE President William F. Hughes Jr., CPD, LEED AP, FASPE, notes, “ASPE is very proud to be associated with ARCSA in this critical initiative that will positively impact the growing concern related to water supply and usage.” ARCSA representatives served on the original committee that developed the ASPE standard on rainwater catchment systems, which will be combined with the current ARCSA standard into one document that will go through ASPE’s consensus standards process for final approval as an ARCSA/ASPE Standard. The final published document will be titled ARCSA/ASPE Rainwater Catchment Systems Design and Installation Standard #63.

“ASPE continues to lead the industry by establishing, for the first time, a national document that will set forth design procedures for an alternative water source that can be used for parts of the country experiencing water shortages and water quality issues,” says ARCSA Code Committee Chair and Past President Earl (Bob) Boulware, PE. Rainwater catchment systems are an important alternate source of water, and having in place quality design standards is critical for ensuring adequate public health protection. Bob continues, “Local, state, and national code representatives are looking for specific direction and guidance related to quality system design. Combining our two documents into one national consensus standard will provide a great asset to those individuals and agencies.”

- Edited by Chris Vavra, Consulting-Specifying Engineer, www.csemag.com