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Outdoor bathing - IRC 2009

Thanks for all the responses - Building Dept Supervisor is away for a few days - hopefully get some traction when she is back. I will keep you updated on what transpires.
 
Nothing that I know of that would prohibit it. just like an outhouse for a toilet. Don't see anything in the building or plumbing codes. Nowhere does it say inside the structure. Bathing rooms (Shower) are not Habitable space.

IRC Chapter 2
HABITABLE SPACE. A space in a building for living, sleeping, eating or cooking.
Bathrooms, toilet rooms, closets, halls, screen enclosures, sunroom categories as defined at Section R301.2.1.1.1, storage or utility spaces and similar areas are not considered habitable spaces.


IRC R306.1 Toilet facilities
Every dwelling unit shall be provided with a water closet, lavatory, and a bathtub or shower.
IRC R320.1.1
All new single-family houses, duplexes, triplexes, condominiums and townhouses shall provide at least one bathroom, located with maximum possible privacy, where bathrooms are provided on habitable grade levels, with a door that has a 29-inch clear opening. However, if only a toilet room is provided at grade level, such toilet rooms shall have a clear opening of not less than 29 inches.
 
mark handler said:
You do not need to address it. Like many things in the code, if you provide, you must comply. There is nothing that says you Must have a Bathroom group. Or a Bathroom group in the same room.
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Op says the ahj is basing the requirement for the shower to be inside on that definition

Just wanted to post him the commentary to help dispute that
 
There has always been exterior showers at public swimming pools! Even at the beach on the board walk, especially with all the sand that comes with it. Can't imagine all that sand going in the sewer system as legal. At best to storm water with sand to follow. Must be a heck of a mess to keep the storm water mains and discharge ponds free of sand.
I suspect that the climate will entertain the idea of an outdoor shower. Barring that, any interior shower as always needs to be sanitation proof, i.e. tile, porcelain, any approved non absorbent material. That was my first thought for the reason why for an interior shower, outside, obviously freeze protection and bleed off valves to winterize, but heck in your location why not, see nothing conclusive that an outdoor shower is prohibited. And whether or not an enclosure of any type would be required, other than for privacy sake.
 
Bryant said:
There has always been exterior showers at public swimming pools! Even at the beach on the board walk, especially with all the sand that comes with it. Can't imagine all that sand going in the sewer system as legal. At best to storm water with sand to follow. Must be a heck of a mess to keep the storm water mains and discharge ponds free of sand.
I suspect that the climate will entertain the idea of an outdoor shower. Barring that, any interior shower as always needs to be sanitation proof, i.e. tile, porcelain, any approved non absorbent material. That was my first thought for the reason why for an interior shower, outside, obviously freeze protection and bleed off valves to winterize, but heck in your location why not, see nothing conclusive that an outdoor shower is prohibited. And whether or not an enclosure of any type would be required, other than for privacy sake.
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That is why they use sand intercepts.... UPC 1009.0.
 
mark handler said:
Based on Architects Location, Cayman Islands, it is probably on a septic system.
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Was responding to Bryant, who is in Virginia, not so much the OP.

Beyond that, a septic tank works similar to an interceptor. The slow moving water in the reservoir will cause the solids to fall out of suspension. For those with septic tanks, this will mean that regular removal of solids by vac-truck will be important. If non-organic solids are forced into the drain field lines, they will soon become plugged and inoperable.
 
All that "Bathroom Group" means is that you have to calculate fixture units for each fixture separately when sizing your water piping if they're not all in the same room.
 
I’m thinking the beach showers are to rinse off sand and salt water, people don’t usually use soap and shampoo there. Which would be used daily at a residence.
 
""""Areas of the building not provided with surrounding walls shall be included in the building area if such areas are included within the horizontal projection of the roof or floor above."""""""""


http://media.iccsafe.org/news/eNews/2014v11n12/2012_ibc_handbook_23-24.pdf


ADD some roof line




AREA, BUILDING. The area included within surrounding exterior walls (or exterior walls and fire walls) exclusive of vent shafts and courts. Areas of the building not provided with surrounding walls shall be included in the building area if such areas are included within the horizontal projection of the roof or floor above.
 
Ty J. said:
Was responding to Bryant, who is in Virginia, not so much the OP.

Beyond that, a septic tank works similar to an interceptor. The slow moving water in the reservoir will cause the solids to fall out of suspension. For those with septic tanks, this will mean that regular removal of solids by vac-truck will be important. If non-organic solids are forced into the drain field lines, they will soon become plugged and inoperable.
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Yup, left that out of my comment, interceptor. But I suspect that is on the line maintenance folks to keep up and up. I know in VA beach on the board walk there are such showers that are for rinse off, and there is a lot of sand going down in the grating.
 
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