I don't see where much really changed except they don't trust water pipes as being a grounding electrode anymore. I agree back in the old days with solid metal water systems the water pipe was the current path when the neutral opened so breaking that pipe circuit might always present a danger.
These days the Ufer (concrete encased electrode) is rapidly becoming the "go to" grounding electrode and it is part of the footer inspection in Florida, to insure it will be "present".
