The U.S. Access Board has released technical bulletins on accessibility to restrooms, bathing facilities, and drinking fountains. This material explains specifications for water closets, toilet compartments, showers, bathtubs, and drinking fountains in the ADA and ABA Accessibility Standards. Each guide clarifies common sources of confusion, answers frequently asked questions, and offers recommendations for best practice. Examples of compliant restrooms and bathing rooms are included to illustrate how various requirements can be met.

These bulletins are the latest installment to the Board's online guide to the ADA and ABA Standards, which currently covers the first five chapters of the standards. The guide also features a series of animations on different topics, including toilet and bathing facilities. The Guide to the ADA Standards addresses design requirements for places of public accommodation, commercial facilities, and state and local government facilities subject to the ADA. The Guide to the ABA Standards covers standards that apply to facilities that are designed, constructed, altered, or leased with federal funds.

The new guidance addresses most of the requirements for plumbing elements and facilities in Chapter 6 of the standards. Bulletins on other requirements of the chapter applicable to lavatories and sinks, washers and dryers, and saunas and steam rooms, will be issued at a later date.

Technical Bulletins on the ADA and ABA Standards (Chapter 6)

• Drinking Fountains  [PDF] [ABA version]
• Toilet Rooms           [PDF] [ABA version]
• Bathing Rooms        [PDF] [ABA version]