Flush goes the water…well…not so much water

by David C. Stark, Public Affairs Director, Bay East Association of REALTORS®

Low-Flow Plumbing Fixture Requirements: Among the new real estate laws for 2014 is a requirement that low-flow plumbing fixtures be installed when remodeling or making improvements to residential and commercial buildings.

The retrofit requirements are actually part of SB 407 (Padilla) which originally passed in 2009 with implementation scheduled for January 1, 2014.

The law defines “fixtures” as toilets, shower heads and faucets. Building additions that increase the floor area by more than 10 percent or alterations or improvements in which the total construction cost is more than $150,000 will trigger the requirements. The retrofits must be complete as a condition for final approval of a building permit issued for the alterations or improvements.

The current Transfer Disclosure Statement already includes information about the retrofit requirements.