Re: Grounding Electrode System
Usually you only need one grounding electrode. If you have grounded building steel, or a concrete encased electrode, use one of them as the grounding electrode and you are done. That said, you must use ALL electrodes that are PRESENT, you can't pick and chose which one you would like to use. If the water pipe is used as your electrode it MUST be supplemented by at least one other electrode. Traditionally this has been ground rods, but any of the other acceptable electrodes can be used as this additional electrode. With the requirement to use a concrete encased electrode, if PRESENT, it looks like there will be very few ground rods required to be installed. The guy that represents the ground rod manufacturers on the code making panel must have missed a few meetings!
Also the water pipe must be bonded even if it is not serving as a grounding electrode.