This post has been archived and contains information that may be out of date.
The Department of Health Care Access and Information (HCAI) has released an Advisory Guide that addresses frequently asked questions about the Nonstructural Performance Category-5 (NPC-5) water rationing plan requirement.
As a part of the 2030 seismic requirements, under state regulations in Title 24 — the California Building Standards Code — hospitals are required to submit to HCAI a complete nonstructural evaluation up to NPC-4 or 4D and NPC-5 for each building by Jan. 1, 2024.
Current law requires that additional interim deadlines must be met by 2026 and by 2028, with compliance with NPC-5 rating by 2030. The NPC-5 rating refers to the ability of a hospital to support 72 hours of emergency operations, including potable and industrial/process water.
In addition to the frequently asked questions, the Advisory Guide includes relevant code sections from state regulations, instructions for how to submit the water rationing plan document for NPC-5, and an appendix with a template that can be used for preparing the document.
