March 2023

By Sal Gattone, PMI Board of Directors President, LIXIL

We as an industry share the responsibility to ensure we protect one of our most valuable resources – water. The plumbing manufacturing industry took the lead to develop water-efficient products more than 15 years ago by working collaboratively with the federal government to adopt and support WaterSense standards. Unfortunately, today only about 15 states have adopted water-efficiency standards, and the water crisis has exacerbated.

As part of Plumbing Manufacturers International’s Rethink Water initiative, the PMI California Focused Task Group and PMI Technical and Advocacy/Government Affairs Committees are collaborating to develop model legislation that states can use as a framework to improve water efficiency, cut carbon emissions, and reduce financial burdens for low- and moderate-income households.

One aspect of this effort is working with the Appliance Standards Awareness Project (ASAP) to revise the model bill it developed in 2021. The Model Act for Establishing State Appliance and Equipment Energy and Water Efficiency Standards was the “go-to” template for many state-proposed bills during 2021-22.

This year, having reviewed upcoming 2023-24 state legislative plans for water-efficiency legislation, PMI and its members have the opportunity to propose the model act, which addresses our industry’s concerns and will help states achieve water efficiency and ensure performance.

With input of our membership, we will share our proposal with state legislators who are likely to or have already introduced water efficiency-related bills this year, including those in Arizona, Illinois and Pennsylvania. PMI will propose language to these lawmakers that is supported by our membership and that also aligns with proven effective legislation in other states. Once our proposed language is incorporated into the bills, PMI would support legislative efforts to get the bills adopted, thereby increasing the number of states with water-efficiency policies.

Through this approach, we want to ensure that PMI’s recommendations are heard by state legislatures.

The benefit of this effort is to achieve water efficiency, sustainability and economic justice through the harmonization of effective state and federal standards. Experts agree that the recent precipitation in California and other drought-affected states will provide only temporary relief. As a socially responsible industry, we must continue to contribute to water conservation while assuring public health and safety.   

As we always have, PMI will communicate to legislators the adverse economic and public health impacts of imposing stricter standards on manufacturers when currently available water-efficient and environmental-friendly products remain unused on store shelves. Products meeting current federal water-efficiency standards save water and assure sufficient drainline carry while mitigating the chances of pathogen growth due to stagnated water.

As we continue to develop a multi-faceted Rethink Water initiative for the benefit of our industry, we’d like to hear your ideas about other ways we can proactively address water-related challenges. Don’t hesitate to reach out to me at any time. Your ideas and engagement will only make PMI and all of our initiatives better and more effective.

By Kerry Stackpole, FASAE, CAE, PMI CEO/Executive Director

Don’t brush your teeth with the water. The hand-scribbled sign on the bathroom mirror was a stark reminder of the risk of using unsafe tap water. In a major European capital city, the water was deemed unsafe for us to drink, brush our teeth, or even use for showering without additional precautions. Ironically, that same risk now applies to a handful of American cities, towns and places, too. I know first-hand that it feels strange to use bottled water to brush your teeth and rinse, but here we are.

Let people die of thirst. Water the golf course. Feed the people. Don’t drink the water. Government can’t tell us how much water to use. The conflicting messages and lack of ground truth about how America uses water has led us to a place of astonishing perplexity about what to do about increasing supplies of clean, safe water and increasing complexity about finding optimal solutions.

With the rapid population growth in the arid climate of the west, water use has increased exponentially alongside the massive population growth. For example, among the fastest-growing areas in the West are the semi-arid desert areas of Riverside and San Bernadino counties, known as California’s Inland Empire. With more than 4.65 million residents, it’s the 12th most populous metro area in the country. About two-thirds of the Inland Empire’s water comes from outside the region, including from the Colorado River. Water also comes from the Chino Basin, which receives about 20 inches of rain per year, and the Santa Ana Watershed. The watershed also supplies the 3.17 million residents of Orange County including the cities of Anaheim, Irvine and Long Beach. Agriculture accounts for 86% of water usage in the Imperial Irrigation District in and around the Inland Empire.

Likewise, there is rapid population growth in Arizona, where 759,485 new residents arrived between 2010 and 2020. Arizona ranked third in population growth from 2020 to 2021 behind Texas and Florida. Phoenix was the primary destination, growing its population by 18% and becoming the fastest-growing city in the nation. The suburbs around Phoenix are growing, as well. Maricopa County, home to Phoenix and surrounding cities, is in the Sonoran Desert. With 4.5 million residents, the county draws 54% of its water from groundwater, 39% from surface waters, and another 7% from reclaimed water. Agriculture accounts for 78% of water usage across Arizona.

The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) reports that agriculture is the largest water user worldwide, accounting for 70% of total freshwater withdrawals on average – but these amounts can reach as much as 95% in some developing countries. Since 1987, food production has grown by more than 100% and FAO predicts that about 60% more food will be needed by 2050 to meet the requirements of a growing global population.

Therein lies the rub. While agriculture is by far the biggest user of water, the world needs food. More grains. More produce. More fruits. More of most everything to feed the more than 7.8 billion people on the planet today. In the past 63 years, the planet’s population has more than doubled. Managing our natural resources in the face of this population growth has created challenges for most all countries, for global economies, and for providing clean, safe water.

The solutions are not simple. With a problem of this magnitude, it’s far more likely solutions will be found in the popular improvisation technique of “yes, and…” to address the risks. At the PMI22 Manufacturing Success Conference, one of our presenters sagely observed, “there is no such thing as wastewater because we have no water to waste.” That’s especially true on a planet with a growing population and a shift to warmer surface temperatures.

PMI’s Rethink Water initiative is designed to help legislators, policymakers and consumers think about and adopt common-sense solutions to using water wisely. One of those efforts is our advocacy for the replacement of legacy 1.6+ gallon per flush water closets with new, high-performing, water-efficient water closets. The water savings is immediate, and benefits grow exponentially over the life of the product. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) says every shower with a WaterSense showerhead saves enough electricity to power a 60-watt light bulb for nearly seven hours. Over the course of a year, these water-efficient showers save more than 330 kilowatts of electricity and enough water to wash more than 88 loads of laundry.

Using water more thoughtfully and efficiently will demand a shift in our own perspectives and in the mindset of legislators, policymakers and consumers. As an industry, we are delivering the highest-performing, water-efficient products ever. Our message, in the face of all the other crises – global pandemic, floods, earthquakes and war – is yes, we all really do need to rethink water, and … let’s build upon our collective knowledge and experience to ensure reliable access to safe, clean water for future generations.

By Ray Valek, PMI Communications Team, Valek and Co.

Plumbing Manufacturers International members are collaborating to build a strong case for legacy toilet replacement in response to the California Energy Commission’s request for information and proposals relating to Title 20 requirements for toilets. With responses due by March 30, PMI members are encouraged to join this collaboration via the PMI California Focused Task Group and PMI Technical and Advocacy/Government Affairs Committees.

Concerned that projected water shortages in California may cause decision-makers to ratchet down the toilet flush rate requirement, PMI plans to proactively recommend the replacement of up to 26.1 million toilets in California that use more than 1.28 gallons per flush (gpf), which is the standard for both Title 20 and WaterSense toilets.

Legacy toilet replacement will save more water faster than lowering flush rates

Replacing these toilets with WaterSense models as soon as possible will achieve greater water savings than lowering flush rates and waiting for home and business owners to replace toilets on their own.

The PMI-commissioned California Market Penetration of Water-Efficient Plumbing Products Study conducted by GMP Research found that the average toilet owner keeps the product for 30 years or more before replacing it. In addition, the study found that despite 2016 legislation requiring all water closets to comply with the 1.28 gpf flush rate requirement, only 23% of water closets currently installed in California are Title 20 compliant.

The GMP Research study found that the residential market penetration of water-efficient 1.28 gallons per flush (gpf)-or-less toilets to range from 22.0% to 25.9% in the five state regions surveyed. The market penetration in disadvantaged communities was even lower, ranging from 19.6% to 22.2% in the five regions.

WaterSense models are readily available now and can be installed quickly. Replacing all of the 26.1 million toilets would save 326 billion gallons of water over 30 years, PMI estimates.

A PMI analysis shows that accelerated toilet replacement can save water throughout California even faster. PMI estimates that 65.3 billion gallons of water can be saved in five years – and 95.7 billion gallons saved in 10 years – through an accelerated toilet replacement program.

By focusing a toilet replacement effort on disadvantaged communities, California can save water and achieve monetary savings for low-income households. PMI estimates that 3.2 billion gallons of water can be saved by replacing the 469,000 3.5+ gpf toilets currently in use with WaterSense models.

Lowering toilet flush rates present risks to water infrastructure

PMI also intends to emphasize risks to infrastructure associated with lowering toilet flush rates below WaterSense standards and specifications. Drainline carry is one such consideration. Just as we drink water or a beverage to aid swallowing when eating, water helps to evacuate the contents of a toilet bowl down into the drainline and through to the sewer main. Lower flush rates would cause more toilet clogs and double flushing. The current WaterSense specification of 1.28 gpf is an ideal balance between water savings and sufficient flushing, washdown and drainline carry, especially since current water infrastructure is designed for much higher flow and flush rates.

Commercial buildings, especially, can have extensive runs of drainline pipe from the building to the sewer main connection. Blockages caused by inadequate drainline carry increase in commercial settings due to the length of the drainline. Five water associations collaborated on a 2017 white paper, “Adapting to Change: Utility Systems and Declining Flows,”(tinyurl.com/bdfe24jd) which noted: “Declining system flows decrease wastewater flows and may increase pollutant and solids concentrations, which increase blockages, odors, and corrosion in pipes. This leads to increases in operation and maintenance (O&M) costs, odor complaints, and an accelerated degradation of infrastructure.”

In addition, findings from a 2012 Plumbing Efficiency Research Coalition (PERC) study (tinyurl.com/5dnrjrfx) found that five out of 16 test runs conducted at 0.8 gpf volume resulted in the test media compressing together to form large plugs in the drainline that resulted in full-pipe or near full-pipe conditions. A 2016 PERC study (tinyurl.com/4ady3v3s) noted a significant decrease in drainline transport performance between the 1.28 gpf and 1.0 gpf flush volumes and stated that “PERC does not recommend the use of 1.0 gpf toilets (or less) in commercial applications that have long horizontal drains and that do not provide additional long duration flows from other sources to assist with the drainline transport of solid waste.”

By Judy Wohlt, PMI Communications Team, Valek and Co.

Touring the almost 400,000-square-foot exhibit space served as a feast for the senses. Dramatic lighting and vibrantly colored displays – with a sage green bathtub here and a lavender toilet there – invited passersby to touch and explore gleaming plumbing fixtures, new water-saving tech, and more.

This year’s Kitchen & Bath Industry Show (KBIS) in Las Vegas provided an ideal backdrop for Plumbing Manufacturers International members to share their latest products and earn recognition for them. PMI staff and many PMI members joined more than 40,000 industry professionals at the event, according to KBIS estimates.

“This was a great opportunity to see our members proudly showcasing their products, innovative technology and work in sustainability,” said Jodi Stuhrberg, PMI director of programs and administration. “It also was valuable to see how our members’ products fit into the broader lifestyle themes and trends that ran throughout the event.”

Stuhrberg, PMI CEO/Executive Director Kerry Stackpole and PMI Technical Director Kyle Thompson spent time with PMI members at their booths, hosted the PMI Power Break & Briefing, met with a Nevada legislator’s staff, visited with prospective members, and hosted a dinner with officials from the Department of Commerce and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

PMI staff also enjoyed spending time with Judaline Cassidy, a professional plumber who advocates for increasing the number of women in the trades and is founder of the nonprofit Tools & Tiaras Inc., Stuhrberg said. Cassidy was promoting a children’s coloring book titled, “My Mom Is A Plumbing Superhero,” produced in collaboration with PMI member IAPMO.

Among the more than 500 KBIS exhibitors were the following PMI members: BOCCHI; Delta Faucet Co.; Duravit AG; Gerber Plumbing Fixtures; House of Rohl; IAPMO; International Code Council and ICC Evaluation Service; Kerox Ltd.; Kohler Co.; Lavelle Industries; Moen; Neoperl; Pfister; and TOTO USA.

PMI members score multiple awards, BOCCHI wins Best in Show

In this year’s Best of KBIS Awards, PMI member BOCCHI won both Best in Show and Kitchen Gold for its Baveno Kitchen Sink System. The system features a hideaway, under-mount fireclay farmhouse sink with a bottom grid and strainer, cover, roller mat, and drop-in cutting board, colander and basket strainer.

PMI member Kohler’s WasteLAB won Silver Bath for its ABSTRA Collection of tiles and three-dimensional reliefs. Kohler WasteLAB uses leftover materials from the manufacturing process to create colorful tile collections, according to the company’s website. Kohler was also recognized for having the Best Overall Show Booth, which featured smart technologies; new materials, colors and finishes; and the company’s sustainability strategy.

PMI member Moen earned a Best of KBIS Gold Award in the connected home technology category for its Smart Sprinkler Controller and Smart Wireless Soil Sensors. The controller and sensors easily connect to a home’s lawn irrigation system to monitor soil moisture levels, customize watering schedules, and conserve water use. The controller can be monitored and operated by a smartphone app.

Congratulations also to PMI members who were Best of KBIS finalists: Delta Faucet Co., Duravit AG, House of Rohl, Pfister Faucets and TOTO USA.

PMI Power Break sparks lively climate, legislative conversations

Climate issues, water shortages, single-use plastics, counterfeit products, and water quality topped the long list of subjects that sparked lively discussions during the PMI Power Break & Briefing at KBIS.

Almost 30 PMI members including PMI Board of Directors members and committee leaders, as well as special guests, gathered to hear Stephanie Salmon and Jerry Desmond, PMI’s government relations consultants, share updates and field questions on PMI’s federal and California legislative priorities.

“It was exciting to see the energy and enthusiasm our members and others brought to our discussion as we work together to reduce our carbon footprint as an industry,” Stackpole said.

Stackpole presented PMI’s new Rethink Water Initiative video and commented on the importance of collaborating as an industry. “We must continue to take this journey together. The future belongs to the brave – to those of us who see opportunity in doing the right thing for our planet and to ensure reliable access to clean and safe water for future generations,” he added.

Salmon, PMI’s federal government affairs consultant, discussed how 2023 will be another busy legislative year for PMI to closely monitor. The EPA will continue to focus on lead in drinking water and is currently updating its Lead and Copper Rule, she reported. Meanwhile, the Biden administration has set a goal to remove 100% of lead service lines across the country, focusing on communities disproportionately impacted by lead contamination. The EPA also plans to propose a national drinking water regulation to set enforceable limits for PFOA and PFOS in drinking water, Salmon explained.

Environmental justice initiatives will remain a federal priority this year. The EPA plans to increase compliance inspections from 45% to 50%, targeting communities disproportionately impacted by pollution, according to EPA officials.

Desmond, PMI’s California government affairs consultant, shared updates on the role drought plays in policy decisions in California. He discussed the interplay between the state’s efforts to enhance its water supply and storage while pursuing further reductions in water use – such as lowering plumbing fixture flow rates. In addition, Desmond reported on enforcement around lead leaching standards set by California AB100 (Drinking Water: Lead Free Endpoint Devices) and the state’s budget deficit challenges.

Crystal Vision Awards honor PMI members’ generosity

PMI sponsored the World Vision 2023 Crystal Vision Awards and PMI staff attending the awards breakfast saw two PMI members honored for their generosity and commitment to helping families in need build better lives.

Cindy Howley, director of stewardship at Kohler Co., was recognized with the Robert P. Atkins Lifetime Achievement Award, which is given to an individual who supports the Crystal Vision Award event and the Storehouse of World Vision program for a minimum of eight years.

Trey Northrup, LIXIL CEO, received a World Vision 2023 Crystal Vision Award for his company’s support of the Storehouse of World Vision, which donates excess plumbing and other building products to people in need.

PMI members Gerber, Kohler, LIXIL and Zurn Elkay also sponsored the awards breakfast, which was held at the Westgate Resort in Las Vegas and featured a panel discussion with industry experts on “Strategies to Excel in This Challenging Environment.”

By Judy Wohlt, PMI Communications Team, Valek and Co.

Plumbers, designers and other building professionals look to Plumbing Manufacturers International members for crucial training to boost installation and selling skills and learn about new trends.

And PMI members are delivering, providing educational support with digital libraries, online and in-person training, product donations, training centers, special programs and more. Industry trade pros can take advantage of these resources, which are often free, when they want to earn continuing education units, solve an installation issue, or learn about innovative plumbing products and solutions.

To stay competitive, industry professionals seek ways to expand services that cater to the growing number of customers looking for sustainable or smart plumbing products or for lower water and energy bills. PMI members continue to add smart plumbing tech to their product lines, giving plumbing and design businesses and their customers more eco-friendly choices.

Making it easy to stay updated

Delta Faucet Co., Gerber Plumbing Fixtures, Haws Corp., Kohler Co., Symmons Industries, T&S Brass and Viega are among several PMI members who make it easy for construction trade pros to find product and trend information, planning tools, technical resources, and continuing education classes.

Gerber provides access to a variety of training and resources on its website, including technical documents and installation manuals, a project planning online tool, and an on-demand library of training videos. Kohler’s Technical Resources website page includes installation and maintenance videos and troubleshooting guides.

Symmons University delivers in-depth, virtual and hands-on product training to plumbing professionals, engineers and others. The company offers short product videos explaining installation, maintenance, servicing and more on its website.

Viega operates two seminar centers – in Colorado and New Hampshire – where plumbing professionals and others can learn new concepts and skills from experts. The centers each offer well-equipped labs and large interactive learning spaces where trainees can gain hands-on experience using Viega’s pipe fitting tools, best practices and methods, notes the company’s website. For those not located near the centers, Viega’s technical consultants provide training sessions via online workshops.

Many trade professionals must earn continuing education units (CEUs) to keep their skills updated. Haws will arrange an in-person CEU “lunch and learn” or online webinar on a variety of topics, such as drinking fountain compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act and best practices in emergency eyewash and shower equipment. T&S Brass provides a library of continuing education courses by working with the American Society of Plumbing Engineers, Food Service Consultants Society International, and American Institute of Architects.

LIXIL’s TradeUp initiative – through its American Standard brand – supports vocational training across the United States. TradeUp educates students and others about the need for more skilled plumbers while assisting vocational schools with product donations and seminars on new plumbing technology, according to a company video.

LIXIL’s GROHE brand dedicates substantial resources to training plumbers globally. The GROHE Installer Vocational Training and Education Program addresses the shortage of skilled installers across Europe, the Middle East and North Africa (EMENA). GROHE collaborates with more than 40 plumbing institutions offering training across the region and provides learning materials, experienced trainers and more. The program organized 12 new training facilities, including one in Ghana, West Africa.

Smart fixture know-how can help pros expand business

Many plumbing companies and design firms encourage their workers to learn new skills to meet the demand for smart plumbing fixtures. At the same time, plumbing manufacturers that offer training and support can help increase awareness among designers, contractors and plumbers of new innovations and technologies that can help save customers water, energy and money.

Attendees of this year’s Kitchen & Bath Industry Show (KBIS) had the chance to earn CEUs and learn the latest about plumbing smart fixtures. JoAnn Arcenal, Kohler’s director of residential business development, spoke on a panel that discussed, “Designing the Next Generation Smart Home.” The session description identifies smart home technology as a “competitive necessity” as a new generation of homeowners seeks homes that promote wellness and reflect their values.

Homebuyers, especially tech-savvy millennials and Gen Zers, are looking for more eco-friendly and smart options, such as voice-controlled showers and faucets, touchless faucets, self-cleaning toilets, and whole-home water leak detector systems, noted a recent FTL Finance article. Millennials make up the largest group of homebuyers at 43%, reports the National Association of Realtors.

Statistics show demand rising for plumbing smart tech. For example, the global smart toilet market is projected to almost double from about $6.08 billion in 2018 to almost $13 billion by 2026, according to a Verified Market Research report.

PMI members such as Moen help plumbers meet the smart-tech demand with specialized training. Moen’s Plumber Network certifies plumbers with free training on its Smart Water products installation. Moen adds plumbers who complete the training to the Moen Pro Finder tool, where homeowners can search for local professionals to install Moen products, such as the Smart Faucet, Smart Shower and the Flo Smart Water Monitor and Shutoff.

By Judy Wohlt, PMI Communications Team, Valek and Co.

While delivering updates on important plumbing research to protect public health, a team from the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) recently encouraged plumbing manufacturers to keep weighing in with what they need.

“Share our events and publications with your colleagues in the field and with other PMI members, and let us know if there’s a specific project that you’re interested in. We need to understand what your needs are so we can have a real impact,” said Andrew Persily, Ph.D., a fellow in the NIST Engineering Laboratory, during a recent Plumbing Manufacturers International webinar.

He thanked PMI, its members and other industry partners for their longstanding support of NIST’s plumbing research. Persily noted the call for NIST to pursue premise plumbing research in the CHIPS and Science Act of 2022 that President Joe Biden recently signed into law. PMI has worked with Congress for several years to address and prioritize plumbing research needs.

Persily and his team provided an overview of NIST’s more recent premise plumbing research efforts intended to address several technical issues facing the industry, code and standards developers, and building owners and managers.

Research prioritizes water heaters and OPPPs, plumbing fittings and pressure flow

NIST’s premise plumbing research for 2023 is focusing on water heater temperatures and opportunistic pathogens, pressure-flow relationships of plumbing fittings, a non-residential building water usage survey, enhanced plumbing system simulation tools, and standardized plumbing system models.

The organization plans to complete the first phase of its project to test the impacts of water demand and water heater delivery temperatures on opportunistic premise plumbing pathogens (OPPPs) – such as Legionella pneumophila and Pseudomonas aeruginosa – in a single-family home, reported Tania Ullah, a mechanical engineer in the NIST Engineering Laboratory.

Marylia Duarte Batista, a guest researcher in the NIST Engineering Laboratory, designed a test facility with two electric 50-gallon water heaters to study OPPP growth by applying various water-use patterns, temperature settings, and stagnation times. The team allows microbial growth to occur in the tanks and then evaluates how the bacteria respond to test factors, such as chlorine residual, turbidity, pH and hardness, she explained. Next steps will be to simulate two more water-use profiles, begin monitoring water quality online, and expand the lab to test other types of water heaters, Batista added.

Measuring pressure losses in modern plumbing fittings is another challenge the NIST team is studying, explained Lingnan Lin, Ph.D., a guest researcher in the NIST Engineering Laboratory. Currently, no standard test method for pressure loss in fittings exists.

A gap in the data needs to be filled, too, he added. Data is not widely available for specific fittings and configurations and is often estimated from older literature that may not be accurate. For example, he said plenty of pre-1950s data is available on iron and steel fittings not commonly used in modern plumbing while more data is needed on today’s copper, PEX and CPVC fittings.

Lin’s team has three objectives: 1) establish a new lab to measure pressure loss in fittings, 2) provide benchmark data for common fittings, and 3) develop a draft industry standard test method approved by a standards organization.

Workshop report, more chances to interact coming soon

There will be plenty of opportunities for plumbing manufacturers and others in the industry to engage with NIST. In the next few months, NIST plans to release a summary report of its November 2022 premise plumbing research workshop involving industry professionals, federal agencies and others, Persily said. NIST also will host the Plumbing Leadership Industry Coalition meeting in May 2023.

PMI members can view this technical/regulatory webinar presentation and materials, which include NIST contact information, at safeplumbing.org/members/webinars-videos.

The World Plumbing Council has put together various resources to help you observe and celebrate World Plumbing Day on March 11.

These resources include “A Practical Day to Supporting World Plumbing Day,” which includes world plumbing facts and explains why the world should celebrate the important role safe plumbing plays in modern society.

A fact sheet about World Plumbing Day focuses on recent improvements made in world plumbing, as well as the enormous amount of development still needed in parts of the world. Another fact sheet promotes the plumbing profession, explaining why society needs plumbers and how to become one.

Three different posters about World Plumbing Day focus on different aspects of plumbing – interesting plumbing inventions, how good plumbing saves water, and how plumbing improves public health and amenity.

Coloring and poster templates for children allow them to be creative while learning about plumbing and water usage. A PowerPoint template helps teachers or guests in schools to present about plumbing.

You also can access the World Plumbing Day poem, logo and social media graphics at worldplumbing.org/world-plumbing-day-resources. World Plumbing Council social media accounts are Facebook: @worldplumbingcouncil, Twitter: @WPlumbingDay, LinkedIn: World Plumbing Council, and Instagram: @worldplumbingcouncil. Like, share and follow! To share your own celebrations and events for World Plumbing Day, use the hashtag #WorldPlumbingDay.

PMI will host this year’s California Legislative Forum and Fly-In on May 1-2. After gathering for dinner on May 1, attendees will be briefed on important legislative and regulatory issues and have the opportunity to schedule appointments with lawmakers on May 2. Hot topics in California include water closet flow rates and legacy product replacement, indoor residential water use standards, and the intervening code cycle.

The event is open to all PMI members, not only senior executives. Anyone from a PMI member company whose job entails understanding legislative and regulatory issues or knowing the policymakers behind them will benefit from attending.

The PMI Virtual Washington Legislative Forum will be held from 1-2:30 p.m. CT on July 25. This event provides you with the opportunity to be briefed on important federal legislative and regulatory issues. The forum is open to all PMI members, not only senior executives. Anyone from a PMI member company whose job entails having an understanding of legislative and regulatory issues or knowing the policymakers behind them will benefit from this event. The event agenda and more details will be provided as the date draws near.