(Amended by Ord. No. 187,719, Eff. 1/23/23.)
99.04.303.4. Water Use Reduction. (Added by Ord. No. 184,246, Eff. 6/6/16.) A 20 percent reduction in the overall use of potable water within the building shall be provided. The reduction shall be based on the maximum allowable water use per plumbing fixture and fittings as required by the Los Angeles Building Standards. The 20 percent reduction in potable water use shall be demonstrated by the following method:
99.04.303.4.1. Performance Method. A calculation demonstrating a 20% reduction in the building "water use baseline", as established in LAMC Table 99.04.303.4.1, shall be provided.
EXCEPTIONS:
1. Projects with plumbing fixtures and fittings that comply with the maximum flow rate values in LAMC Table 99.04.303.4.2.
2. Additions and alterations to buildings where the new fixtures and fittings comply with the maximum flow rate values in LAMC Table 99.04.303.4.2.
3. Buildings utilizing recycled water in accordance with LAMC Subsection 99.04.305.2.
4. Replacement of plumbing fixtures and fittings.
FIXTURE TYPE | BASELINE FLOW RATE | DURATION | DAILY USES | OCCUPANTS 2 |
Showerheads | 1.8 gpm @ 80 psi | 8 min. | 1 | X 2a |
Lavatory Faucets, Residential | 1.2 gpm @ 60 psi | .25 min. | 3 | X |
Lavatory Faucets, Common/Public Uses | 0.5 gpm @ 60 psi | .25 min. | 3 | X |
Kitchen Faucets | 1.8 gpm @ 60 psi | 4 min. | 1 | X 2b |
Metering Faucets | 0.20 gallons/cycle | 3 | X | |
Water Closets | 1.28 gallons/flush | 1 flush | 1 male 1 3 female | X |
Urinals | 0.125 gallons/flush | 1 flush | 2 male | X |
Fixture "Water Use" = Flow rate X Duration X Occupants X Daily uses
1. The daily use number shall be increased to three if urinals are not installed in the room.
2. Refer to Table A, Chapter 4 of the California Plumbing Code, for occupant load factors.
a. Shower use by occupants depends on the type of use of a building or portion of a building. For example, the total occupant load for a health club, but only a fraction of the occupants in an office building as determined by the anticipated number of users.
b. Kitchen faucet use is determined by the occupant load of the area served by the fixture.
3. Use Worksheet WS-1 of the 2016 CALGreen Code to calculate baseline water.
FIXTURE TYPE | MAXIMUM ALLOWABLE FLOW RATE |
Kitchen Faucets* | 1.5 gpm @ 60 psi |
Clothes Washers | ENERGY-STAR certified |
Dishwashers | ENERGY-STAR certified |
*Kitchen faucets may temporarily increase the flow to 2.2 gpm at 60 psi, and must default to 1.5 gpm at 60 psi. This requirement does not apply to a faucet in commercial kitchens or in buildings that have water closets with a maximum flush rate of 1.06 gpf installed throughout.