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A common reference for CPVC materials used in potable drinking water applications is its compliance with NSF/ANSI Standard 61: Drinking Water Systems Components – Health Effects. Being defined as standard since 1988, NSF/ANSI 61 establishes minimum requirements for the control of adverse human health effects in materials, components, products and systems that have direct contact with drinking water (from source to tap) or drinking water treatment chemicals.
NSF/ANSI 61 is comprised of leachate testing criteria for the evaluation of pipes, fittings and solvent cement to ensure that all potential contaminants, not just lead, cannot be extracted from them and leach into potable water. The contaminants in question are those regulated by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and Health Canada, as well as certain nonregulated compounds of concern.
In 2011, federal legislation in the U.S. clarified the definition of “lead free” as it was referenced in the U.S. Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA). Three years later, SDWA formally required the wetted surfaces of drinking water products sold or installed for use in public water systems and plumbing in facilities to meet a weighted average of not more than 0.25% lead. This makes it possible to validate that the level of lead extracted from a product and that potentially leaches into drinking water is no more than 0.25%.
This was optional prior to 2014 but requirements for evaluation were placed in “Annex G” to allow manufacturers to certify to a specific lead content standard if they desired. At that time, several countries, included major consultants in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, had gone on to adopt this requirement and mandate third-party certification of it.
FlowGuard® CPVC products have earned the NSF 61 Annex G certification.[1] Compliance to this standard is guarantee of reduced health risks. This is an important safeguard for our customers, and one that not all plastics have achieved.
Since 1959 more than 10 billion feet of CPVC pipes have been installed. With an unparalleled track record for safety and reliability, builders and plumbers around the world trust FlowGuard CPVC to deliver clean and pure drinking water.
Want to know more about the other protective attributes of FlowGuard CPVC? Check out The Plumber’s Guide to CPVC or contact us.
[1] In 2010 the procedures of Annex G were moved to NSF/ANSI 372: Drinking Water System Components – Lead Content so that they could be applied to products beyond the scope of use for drinking water.