"As water harvesting systems are being increasingly incorporated into high-performance building designs, their success depends on precise coordination between plumbing engineers and system manufacturers. The expansion of harvested water applications from irrigation and cooling tower makeup to toilet flushing and process water is driving a growing need for technically aligned design workflows and cross-functional construction teams.
This session will provide a detailed examination of how manufacturer/plumbing engineer collaboration influences project feasibility, system hydraulics, water storage sizing, treatment train sizing, filtration and disinfection selection, controls integration, and long-term operational reliability. It will explore how early-stage dialogue and collaboration about runoff conveyance systems, pre-tank treatment, water storage, water usage demand rates, and effluent water quality performance targets determined by the intended end use lead to more accurate equipment specifications and reduce design rework. Technical topics will include:
• Early manufacturer/plumbing engineer feasibility assessment (supply vs. demand and primary cost factors to consider)
• Impacts of prefiltration efficiency and sediment loading on pump selection, pressure regulation, and filtration and disinfection selection
• Scope of work considerations for civil, plumbing, and electrical to reduce scope gaps as well as change orders
• Code-compliance pathways, including all relevant standards, state-level reclaimed water guidelines, and permitting challenges
• Failure modes commonly observed in the field and how to mitigate them through coordinated design reviews.
Case studies will highlight scenarios where misalignment between engineered system intent and manufacturer equipment constraints resulted in functional deficiencies and how collaborative design corrected those shortcomings. Conversely, examples of successful joint modeling, submittal refinement, and commissioning support will exemplify best practices for achieving the design intent."