September 2022

By Martin Knieps, President, PMI Board of Directors, Viega

The arctic is warming four times as fast as the rest of the planet, a new published scientific study reports. Verkhoyansk, a Russian town located within the Arctic Circle, had a high temperature of 100 degrees F.

Wildfires flare up around the world as hot and dry conditions persist. Water levels in many reservoirs, lakes and rivers have become depleted. In some cases, this water has disappeared completely.

In our homes, our water-efficient toilets, showerheads and faucets help to conserve previous water resources. We’re running our air conditioners more frequently. We’re rethinking our lawns and gardens and learning how to reuse water for outdoor irrigation. We’re considering the purchase of electric vehicles and solar panels. The effects of climate change have arrived at our doorstep.

These effects have become an urgent concern of Plumbing Manufacturers International member companies, too. For the past year, the PMI Board of Directors has been considering how to engage our members in a plumbing industry effort to ensure reliable access to clean and safe water for future generations. This effort would supplement and strengthen what many PMI member companies are already doing in this area.

Especially within the last year, there has been heightened response to climate change from both the private and public sectors. Companies are making progress toward net zero carbon emission goals. Congress and the Biden administration have placed climate-related measures in legislation including the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, the CHIPS and Science Act, and the Inflation Reduction Act. Federal agencies have taken steps to mitigate climate-related risks. 

Congress worked with the Trump administration to extend and expand financial incentives in several advanced low-carbon technologies and to reform and extend a tax credit to boost carbon capture. A December 2020 omnibus package included the first major energy policy since 2007, including measures in support of clean energy technologies and tax incentives, as well as a directive to the EPA to phase down the production and consumption of hydrofluorocarbons over a 15-year period.

At the state level, PMI has been monitoring and becoming involved in discussions about plastic packaging and extended producer responsibility legislation. In California, Gov. Gavin Newsom signed legislation on June 30 to establish the Plastic Pollution Prevention and Packaging Producer Responsibility Act. PMI is currently supporting a measure that would approve the direct installation of 1.28 gpf toilets in disadvantaged communities as an approach to achieve water savings in California as soon as possible.

On their own initiative, PMI member companies are establishing and achieving sustainability goals. PMI’s recently published 2022 Annual Report, “A Plumbing Manufacturing Evolution,” (tinyurl.com/yxdt27dc) provides 20 specific examples of PMI member companies’ sustainability practices, including reducing paper and aluminum waste, eliminating single-use plastics, recycling and reusing water and other resources, reducing carbon emissions from the reduced use of fossil fuels, using solar and other kinds of renewable energy, developing environmentally friendly products, improving sanitation, and much more.

The activity we’re seeing now is a clear sign that efforts to mitigate climate change will only accelerate in the coming years. The plumbing manufacturing industry has begun to fulfill this important social responsibility. At the PMI22 Manufacturing Success Conference, Oct. 24-27, in Louisville, we plan to present more definitely how PMI can be a resource in our mutual journey to a cleaner and healthier planet. Make plans today to join us, so that you can participate in this historic initiative. The effects of climate change have arrived at our doorsteps, but we must turn them away.

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

What are those moments of awe that inspire you? Do you remember the first time you came upon a sunlit meadow glistening and damp with morning dew? Maybe it was a blinding sunrise oceanside, or the calm, cool sunset over a distant horizon. Perhaps it was something or perhaps someone much closer to home, like Waze or your home water control app on your smartphone. Just maybe it was the lyrical notes of a favorite song reminding you of a special time in your life.

In 1971, the soulful, talented composer and singer Marvin Gaye called out the state of the environment with his groundbreaking R&B song, “Mercy Mercy Me (The Ecology).” Lamenting air pollution, oil spills, radiation, mercury-poisoned fish, and overcrowding of the planet, “Mercy Mercy Me” became an anthem for a generation, “Oh, oh, mercy, mercy me, oh, things ain’t what they used to be, no, no…”

Hearing Marvin Gaye’s lament a few days ago sent me in search of marine biologist and best-selling author Rachel Carson’s groundbreaking and meticulous treatise, “Silent Spring.” Focused on the dangers of the pesticide DDT, Carson’s work set the stage for the environmental movement, illuminating the risks of little-understood technological advance. Others shared Carson’s concerns, including U.S. Sen. James E. Murray (D-MT), who introduced the Resources and Conservation Act in 1959. The RCA led to a series of congressional hearings on the state of the environment and proposals for a national environmental policy. Ten years later, the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, creating the Council of Environmental Quality within the Executive Office of the President, was signed into law on Jan. 1, 1970. Six months later, President Richard Nixon signed an executive order – later ratified by committee hearings in the U.S. House and Senate – to create the Environmental Protection Agency. 

Our shared world, with all its amazing and awe-inspiring innovations, delivers a dizzying array of access points to the people and world around us. With more than 2.5 quintillion bytes of data created every day, it is easy to be lost and distracted by big data. Perhaps it is no surprise this astronomical rise of information prompts us to look everywhere for help in understanding our world. The rise of artificial intelligence (AI), the search for meaning amidst voluminous big data, and the desire to solve problems previously viewed as unsolvable are shaping our world in ways previously unimagined.

Which leads us back to today’s environmental risks. How can we leverage AI to protect our communities and foster environmental sustainability? Scientists are using AI alongside satellite data to project water usage in specific areas and forecast weather conditions. Plumbing product manufacturers continue to use AI to refine designs and create the ultimate water-efficient products. As water scarcity risks continue to rise, encouraging builders and consumers to take advantage of the latest water-efficient products by replacing less-efficient legacy products is the most immediate solution to reducing water demand. In these ways, PMI members can help shape the world’s water efficiency and sustain our environment for the better. That’s truly awe inspiring. 

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

Three-time heavyweight boxing champion Muhammad Ali famously said, “If my mind can conceive it and my heart can believe it – then I can achieve it.” Ali visualized his wins using his subconscious mind.

Register for the Oct. 24 PMI Aspiring Leaders Program and learn the same “future history” visualization technique that Ali said led him to every success in the boxing ring. The program, “Developing and Leading High-Performing Teams,” will ring the start of the first round at the PMI22 Manufacturing Success Conference, Oct. 24-27, in Louisville. Choose the discounted registration bundle for PMI22 and the leaders’ program and save! 

Ali’s 12-step visualization method helped program his mind for success. Using many of his senses, Ali vividly imagined every detail of each win – the crowds cheering him on, his arms in the air as he was proclaimed the champion, and the amazing feeling of winning. His technique starts with thinking of the outcome you desire and visualizing the outcome happening with total belief. It also involves asking several questions, such as: What do you look like? What can you hear? What do you feel? What can you see around you?

Other professional athletes have adopted visualization techniques, and the practice has been catching on in the business world. Lindsey Vonn, the unrivaled leader in women’s World Cup skiing race victories, described in a recent Daily Beast article how she always visualized her ski runs before heading down the slopes. Vonn said she pictured every gate, bump and piece of terrain repeatedly until it felt like a part of her. By the time she arrived at the start gate, she would have run the race 100 times in her head. Vonn has achieved 82 World Cup wins – the most of any professional female skier, according to her Olympic biography.

Neuroscientists have confirmed that visualizing a successful scenario of achieving your goals can activate the same areas in your brain as physically experiencing the scenario, according to a recent Neurovine article. This promotes neuroplasticity, which forms and strengthens pathways in your brain related to your success. As a result, you reduce stress – making it more likely that you’ll succeed – and get a motivational boost, too.

Venue tells boxing champion’s incredible life story

The Muhammad Ali Center, the venue for the PMI22 Aspiring Leaders Program, is dedicated to the life and legacy of “The Greatest.” The center tells the story of the incredible life led by this heavyweight boxing champion and cultural icon. The center is organized around six core principles that Ali exemplified – confidence, conviction, dedication, giving, respect and spirituality. Through dramatic multimedia presentations, interactive exhibits, historical video and countless images and artifacts, program participants will learn why Ali made and left such a significant impact on our world.

Lisa Zangari of the Leadership Louisville Center will facilitate the program, which will guide PMI member participants through an interactive session to learn about conscious leadership – which focuses on emotional intelligence, the power of delegation as a development tool, and leadership style preferences. A segment on collaboration will delve into role modeling and how to equip a team with problem-solving language and tools. Tips on the importance of celebration will cover how to consistently recognize and show gratitude for teams and individuals and take time to celebrate key milestones.

The PMI Aspiring Leaders Program is open to any employee of a PMI member company seeking to develop their leadership skills. Register today and take advantage of the discounted PMI22 registration bundle. (tinyurl.com/46evr6y5)

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

Excitement is building for the PMI22 Manufacturing Success Conference – as new industry speakers and business heavy-hitters continue to be added to the roster. Participants will get the chance to boost their career highlight reel by attending PMI22 in Louisville, Kentucky, Oct. 24-27.

Several new industry and business leaders have been added to the PMI22 speaker roster.

Dr. Esber Andiroglu, associate professor of practice in the department of civil, architectural and environmental engineering at Miami University, will join a panel to discuss water reuse. He is a registered professional engineer and a LEED-accredited professional educator with an academic focus on environmental systems, water resources and sustainability. His research interests include the development of smart water-energy infrastructures in response to climate change challenges in urban community settings.

Eric Austin and Nicholas Benz will present on toilet leak protection. Austin is an account manager at Sensor Industries, a leading Internet of Things company that helps facilitate operational efficiency and increased net operating income through water conservation for owners and residents of multifamily communities and commercial properties. Benz is vice president of operations at Sensor Industries.

Megan Baroni, partner, Robinson & Cole, and Catie Boston, principal scientist/risk assessor, Roux, will present on microplastics. Both have been presenters at a past PMI webinar and have discussed microplastics legislation. Baroni has experience counseling clients, including manufacturers and distributors, on a wide variety of environmental, health and safety issues. She has advised on complex environmental compliance issues, such as management of contaminated building materials and investigation, remediation and redevelopment of contaminated properties.

Boston, a board-certified toxicologist, combines her background in geology with her human health risk assessment and statistical expertise to provide support for remedial investigations and in environmental litigation. Her areas of expertise in toxicology and human health risk cover emerging contaminants, quantitative risk assessment, exposure assessments, and general causation assessments.

Veronica Blette will provide her annual update on the EPA’s WaterSense Program. Blette is chief, WaterSense Branch, Office of Wastewater Management with the EPA. 

Dr. Clément Cid, laboratory manager, California Institute of Technology, will discuss reinvented toilets. Cid was a member of the Caltech team that won the Reinventing the Toilet Challenge sponsored by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. The team’s winning proposal was to build a toilet that uses the sun to power an electrochemical reactor, which breaks down water and human waste into fertilizer and hydrogen. The treated water can then be reused to flush the toilet or for irrigation.

Barbara Crow, community relations specialist for the Louisville Water Company, will provide a local perspective on water issues. Serving one million people, the Louisville Water Company developed pioneering research in filtration and chlorination that provides the foundation for basic water treatment practices used by utilities throughout the United States. The company continues to research water treatment innovations.

Watergen’s Barak Ranon, North American president, and Nick Harris, vice president of sales and marketing, will discuss air-to-water systems. The company’s technology creates high-quality drinking water from humidity in the air.

Register for PMI22 at safeplumbing.org/pmi22. Choose the PMI22/Aspiring Leaders Program discounted registration bundle to save big bucks!

National Baseball Hall-of-Famer Tommy Lasorda once said, “There are three types of baseball players: those who make it happen, those who watch it happen, and those who wonder what happened.”

Make it happen at PMI22 by showcasing your company’s products and services to influential plumbing manufacturing all-stars through a PMI22 Platinum, Gold, Silver or Event Sponsorship.

The main sponsorship event will be the Louisville Slugger Museum Reception and Dinner, where a custom Louisville Slugger PMI22 souvenir bat displaying the sponsor’s logo will be given to all PMI22 attendees. The sponsor’s logo also will be displayed throughout the event on all signage. 

Platinum, Gold and Silver Sponsorships all highlight your company’s name and logo to both live and post-conference on-demand participants. 

Event Sponsorships are available for keynote speakers, conference lunches, cocktail receptions, registration, and AM/PM coffee breaks.

Learn more and make your commitment today by visiting the PMI website at tinyurl.com/3z8tbu4e

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

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) issued updated guidance for COVID-related testing, distancing and quarantining in August. The guidance places a greater emphasis on personal responsibility for minimizing the risk of COVID to ourselves and others. The CDC urges that precautions remain in place for vulnerable populations and within community settings where these populations reside or work.

“This guidance acknowledges that the pandemic is not over, but also helps us move to a point where COVID-19 no longer severely disrupts our daily lives,” said Greta Massetti, a CDC epidemiologist, in a news release. “We’re in a stronger place today as a nation, with more tools – like vaccination, boosters, and treatments – to protect ourselves, and our communities, from severe illness from COVID-19.”

Health experts are concerned businesses may scale back on preventive policies and use the latest guidance to stop routine COVID-19 testing, said David Aronoff, an infectious-disease expert and physician at Indiana University, in a recent Washington Post article. If severe illness and deaths spike in the fall, as some health officials are predicting, businesses and the CDC need to be willing to fast-track preventive strategies, if necessary, Aronoff said in the article.

Plumbing Manufacturers International member LIXIL shared its views on COVID-19 in a recent Work Design article. The company said it carefully follows current recommendations for vaccinations, social distancing and masking, as CDC guidelines evolve. LIXIL noted that the company goes above and beyond what is recommended – with a top priority focusing on the safety, health and wellbeing of one another.

The good news is milder cases of COVID-19 due to vaccination and previous exposure are keeping hospitalization rates manageable, according the Department of Health and Human Services. The Omicron BA.5 variant continues to make up most cases, the CDC said.

Despite the progress, the daily mortality average in the U.S. was 458 on Aug. 24. Spread of the BA.5 variant contributed to increased COVID-related worker absences at U.S. companies over the summer, reported the Wall Street Journal. Since late July, virus levels measured in wastewater have been dropping nationally, the article said.

CDC still recommends indoor mask wearing in high-risk communities

The CDC has withdrawn its recommendation that people be screened or tested for COVID-19 in most settings but still advises indoor mask wearing in communities with a high COVID-19 risk level. 

More than 41% of all U.S. counties in August qualified as high-risk zones. Anyone can check community risk levels on the CDC’s COVID Data Tracker website (tinyurl.com/ys6t3csp). 

Americans who say they have worn a face mask outside their home dipped to 47% in August, a new low from 50% in April and 68% in February, according to a recent Gallup study on COVID-19.

Some companies, such as Walmart, Amazon and Goldman Sachs, lifted mask requirements in February – before the CDC relaxed its guidance, reported an Insurance Business Canada article. Others remain cautious. Lockheed Martin in Troy, Alabama, has continued to require employees and visitors to wear masks indoors when COVID-19 transmission rates climb, reported a WSFA-12 News article.

In addition, the CDC recommends that instead of precautionary quarantining for people exposed to the virus, anyone with confirmed or suspected exposure should wear a mask for 10 days when around other people and be tested for the virus within five or more days after exposure. Individuals who have tested positive or have symptoms should isolate themselves for at least five days or 24 hours after symptoms end as well as wear a mask around other people for 10 days, the guidelines further stated.

The agency continues to promote the importance of vaccines and boosters to protect people against serious illness, hospitalization and death.

Protecting workers at-risk due to age or medical conditions

The CDC lists many medical conditions that will increase a person’s risk of contracting severe illness from COVID-19. These conditions include cancer, diabetes, chronic lung disease, heart conditions and autoimmune diseases. 

Older individuals may also be prone to severe COVID-related disease – with 75% of the 1 million Americans who died of COVID-19 being age 65 or older. The CDC reported that deaths increased dramatically during the pandemic for people ages 65 to 85 with influenza and pneumonia. People ages 65 to 74 with diabetes had the highest COVID-19 mortality rates of any demographic group.

For these reasons PMI CEO/Executive Director Kerry Stackpole encourages PMI members to make a special effort to make sure workers vulnerable due to age or medical history feel safe. “Having a conversation with these employees to show you’re looking out for them or asking team members in close proximity to take precautions will contribute to workplace safety and morale,” he stated.

New booster timed for fall

The Biden administration has contracted for new booster doses from Pfizer-BioNTech with possible distribution in the fall – pending regulatory approval. The new booster will protect specifically against the BA.4 and BA.5 Omicron subvariants, which are the fastest spreading variants of COVID-19 in the U.S., according to a Forbes Innovation RX email article. Moderna also has begun testing for a similar booster. 

Because each workplace is different, businesses continue to grapple with mask-wearing and other restrictions to include in their COVID-19 policies. Businesses need to consider if they have adequate social distancing and workers with good vaccination coverage, according to an Insurance Business Magazine article. Legal experts have said it comes down to what it will take to reasonably protect your workforce, the article added.

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

President Joe Biden signed into law the bipartisan CHIPS and Science Act of 2022 on Aug. 9, a comprehensive $280 billion bill to boost public and private sector investments in critical and emerging technologies. Plumbing Manufacturers International (PMI) applauds approval of the new law, which includes creating a robust program for premise plumbing research at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST).

The research and data behind the nation’s plumbing structure, design and construction standards have not significantly changed since they were established in the early 20th century. As a result, new plumbing systems are often inefficient and unsuited for current plumbing fixtures and appliances. The NIST Plumbing Research Act, for which PMI and other key stakeholders have advocated for more than five years, supports key research that addresses knowledge gaps about how to design and maintain plumbing systems. This research will improve the safety, water efficiency and reliability of our plumbing systems.

The centerpiece of the CHIPS act is about $53 billion allocated over five years to stimulate investment in facilities and equipment in the United States for semiconductor fabrication, assembly, testing, advanced packaging, and research and development (R&D), according to the CHIPS act fact sheet. The package is expected to boost efforts to make the U.S. more competitive with China’s science and technology efforts, proponents of the legislation have said. Much of the manufacturing equipment used to produce plumbing products contains semiconductor chips.

In addition, the CHIPS act authorizes more than $100 billion in government programs to support R&D technology transfer and innovation, as well as science, technology, education and mathematics (STEM) education, according to a Covington News and Insights Alert. The package also reauthorizes NIST, which plays a pivotal role in advancing America’s science and technology by determining industry standards critical to fair competition and supporting U.S. manufacturing. Funds will need to be appropriated for many of these programs in the next fiscal cycle, including for NIST premise plumbing research. PMI will advocate for NIST to have the resources it needs to carry out its research mission.

“Ultimately, NIST’s research will inform a comprehensive upgrade of U.S. plumbing structure, design and construction standards and will help the plumbing manufacturing industry develop safe and reliable plumbing systems to achieve trustworthy water quality and better water efficiency,” said PMI CEO/Executive Director Kerry Stackpole.

A nod to legislators for supporting a whole-system approach

PMI has worked with NIST and Congress for several years to address and prioritize plumbing research needs. “We will continue our collaboration with NIST and other plumbing industry stakeholders to make sure the NIST lab and research in the bill receive full appropriations in future budgets,” said Stephanie Salmon, PMI’s federal government affairs consultant, who will provide a legislative progress update at the PMI22 Manufacturing Success Conference in October.

Salmon said PMI is grateful to Rep. Matt Cartwright (D-PA) and Sen. Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) for introducing the NIST Plumbing Research Act. The plumbing research initiative included in the CHIPS bill is based on the legislation they established. “These legislators understand that we need a whole-system approach to plumbing,” she added.

PMI also appreciated the support of House Science and Technology Committee Chairwoman Eddie Bernice Johnson (D-TX), ranking member Frank Lucas (R-OK), and committee members Paul Tonko (D-NY), Anthony Gonzalez (R-OH), and Haley Stevens (D-MI) for leading efforts on the NIST reauthorization package and attaching it to the CHIPS act.

Salmon noted PMI’s actions to help secure NIST research funding; these actions involved dozens of congressional meetings and signing onto coalition letters, including a letter created by the High Performance Buildings Coalition (HPBC), a group of about 200 organizations that provides guidance and support to the High Performance Buildings Caucus of Congress. The coalition sent a letter in April to congressional leadership and key lawmakers, urging them to support reauthorization of NIST funding in the final CHIPS act. Other coalition members include PMI members IAPMO, International Code Council and UL, as well as the Alliance for Water Efficiency.

In 2020, NIST issued a report, the Measurement Science Research Needs for Premise Plumbing Systems (tinyurl.com/595x4vbt), to identify and categorize research needs resulting from changing water use patterns in American homes and buildings due to use of more efficient plumbing products and appliances. The report identifies 59 specific research needs that address system design, operation and maintenance, and provides a useful reference for developing a detailed roadmap for addressing those needs through applied research.

The report was developed based in part on stakeholder input received at a Measurement Science Roadmap Workshop convened by NIST, the Environmental Protection Agency, and the Water Research Foundation in August 2018, and a subsequent request for public comments that was published in the Federal Register in October 2018. PMI participated in the 2018 workshop and provided comments to NIST. Dr. Andrew Persily, chief of the NIST Energy & Environment Division, provided an overview of the report at the PMI20 Manufacturing Success Conference.

Are you a plumbing manufacturing professional looking to volunteer your time, ideas and energy to make the world – and the plumbing industry – a better place? Serving in a volunteer leadership position with Plumbing Manufacturers International delivers a unique career opportunity to do that and more.

“Serving on the PMI board has given me a higher sense of pride and purpose,” said Belinda Wise, a PMI board member and director of business development in North America for Kerox, Ltd. “I have enjoyed getting this broad perspective and big-picture view of our industry that I couldn’t have gotten anywhere else.”

Open to employees of PMI member companies, a leadership position requires a serious yet reasonable commitment of your time and energy. The return on your investment? Insights into the challenges facing the industry today and tomorrow, along with the opportunity to do something about them.

“It’s well worth the time you spend in our monthly board meetings and various get-togethers,” Wise said. “You get to see everything coming together by getting recaps of what every PMI committee is working on, and all aspects of the legislative and technical work PMI does.”

To nominate yourself or another person, submit the Board of Directors Application (tinyurl.com/jsyern4u) or the Leadership Committee Application (tinyurl.com/mu2bzx4e) to PMI CEO/Executive Director Kerry Stackpole.