Do Buildings Need Cast-Iron Pipes, or Would Plastic Do?
New construction in New York City must have cast-iron plumbing under current rules. A public policy group says that makes building more expensive.
TL;DR
- New York City's plumbing code mandates cast-iron pipes for large new residential buildings.
- Jonathan Bowles, who leads the Center for an Urban Future, criticizes this rule as a "maddening bureaucratic hurdle."
- He proposes allowing PVC pipes, which he believes would reduce construction costs.
- Lower construction costs could potentially encourage more housing projects, helping to alleviate the city's housing crisis.
- Bowles suggests this is a straightforward code change that could impact housing affordability.