Ken Wijaya
Senior Director of IAPMO Research and Testing Laboratory
‘Lead-Free’ is Going Nationwide
When the U.S. government first enacted the Safe Drinking Water Act in 1974, part of the act was intended to address concerns regarding the adverse effects lead in drinking water had on infants, children and adults.
In 1988, the Safe Drinking Water Act was amended with the addition of the Lead Contamination Control Act (LCCA). This act defined “lead free” as plumbing components that contained 8 percent lead or less.
In 2006, California introduced legislation to require a lower lead content in plumbing products intended to dispense or convey water for human consumption through drinking or cooking. California AB 1953 (which later became California Health and Safety Law 116875) redefined “lead free” to mean plumbing fixtures, valves, fittings and pipe with no more than a weighted average of 0.25 percent on the wetted surface area and solder not exceeding 0.2 percent.
The California law, which became effective Jan. 1, 2010, also required manufacturers of plumbing fixtures, valves, fittings and pipe intended to convey water for human consumption through drinking or cooking to have their products certified by an ANSI-accredited third-party agency.
Vermont, one of the other state leaders in “lead free” legislation, also adopted a similar bill , S.152, in 2009, which was similar to the California law. This law became effective in January 2010.
After that, Maryland took up the issue of lead in plumbing with HB.372, which became effective Jan. 1.
The Federal Government took notice of what was happening and in January 2011 President Obama signed Senate Bill S384, the “Reduction of Lead in Drinking Water Act.” This becomes effective in January 2014 and has similar requirements to the California Law.
Individual states, however, continue to adopt legislation that requires manufacturers to comply with the current lead free definition as defined in the California law. Louisiana proposed a bill that was signed in April 2011. The Louisiana bill, HB.471, becomes effective on Jan. 1, 2013, a full year before the Federal Law takes effect.
Even before the California law became mandatory, manufacturers recognized the need to remove lead products that conveyed water for human consumption through drinking and cooking and began to modify their products using “lead-free” brass and other materials.
Most manufacturers have already tested and certified products that will meet all the various state and federal requirements and are continuing to modify their existing lines to be fully in compliance with the federal law by January 2014.
To assist manufacturers with this transition, the IAPMO R&T Lab has dedicated personnel to testing, reviewing calculations and issuing reports for manufacturers so that they can gain the certifications needed to comply with any lead law.
The IAPMO R&T Lab is fully equipped to test to the lead law protocols. Our state of the art equipment can get you results in hours and our personnel are fully trained to understand and assist manufacturers through the process.
For information on testing to the various lead laws, visit our Website at www.iapmortl.org or contact Donna Estrada at donna.estrada@iapmortl.org.