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Editor’s Letter


John Mesenbrink, editorial director editor@plumbingengineer.com


Lead free live T


he country is following the lead set by California, Vermont and Maryland. Last month, a significant step took place in the plumbing industry when President Barack Obama signed the Senate Bill S.3874 low lead bill into


law. On January 4, Obama penned the bill; the initiative will reduce lead content in faucets, fittings and valves — in all states in the country — from 8% to a mere 0.25%. This bill becomes effective January 4, 2014, allowing ample time for manufacturers to comply. “This is an exciting victory, primarily for consumers, and also for the plumbing manufacturing industry, as well as for wholesalers, retailers, contractors and others involved with the production, distribution, sales and installation of these products,” said Barbara Higgens, executive director of the Plumbing Manufacturers International (PMI). “There is widespread support within the industry for this legislation, including the members of PMI, which make up 95% of the small, medium and large plumbing manufacturers.” Signed into law by former governor Schwarzenegger on Sept. 30, 2006,


Assembly Bill (AB) 1953 — includes a formula for measuring the weighted average lead content of a pipe, pipe fitting, plumbing fitting or fixture. In addi- tion to the 0.25 percent lead limit on wetted surface areas of fixtures, the law sets the benchmark for solder and flux at 0.2 percent, and went into effect in California on Jan. 1, 2010. The Vermont State Senate also adopted its Senate Bill S.152, mirroring California’s standard, and it also went into effect January 1, 2010. This will require the amount of lead in plumbing fixtures not to exceed 0.25%. To help manufacturers and water treatment professionals abide by the new law, Annex G has been established to NSF/ANSI Standard 61 to provide a means of compliance with the law. NSF developed the evaluation procedures in NSF/ANSI Standard 61- Annex G to establish an American National Standard to determine product compliance with the ≤0.25% percent maximum weighted average lead content requirement of the California Health and Safety Code (Section 116875; commonly known as AB1953), as well as for other states developing similar regulations. Interestingly enough, our neighbors to the north have no plans to reduce lead


in their drinking water. According to the Canadian Institute of Plumbing & Heating (CIPH), “Contacts at Health Canada continue to inform that there are no new lead regulations planned for the plumbing industry in the near future. The Institute is aware that Health Canada has been working on the lead issue by monitoring changes to U.S. regulations and continuing to reevaluate their own base science and key policies.” Nonetheless, keep the low lead conversation going; ask manufacturers how


they are complying with this new regulation. The new law provides a 36-month implementation period from approval, after which time manufacturers and importers will be required to comply with the new standard. Hearing about how a manufacturer has put the processes in place to comply is interesting in and of itself. n


PLUMBING ENGINEER (USPS 567-950) ISSN 0192-1711


PLUMBING ENGINEER (USPS 567-950) ISSN 0192-1711 is published monthly by TMB Publishing Inc., 2165 Shermer Rd., Suite A, Northbrook, IL 60062. Phone (847) 564-1127, Fax (847) 564-1264. Magazine is free to those who design and specify plumbing/piping systems in commercial, industrial, institutional and governmental buildings; as well as government officials and plumbing inspectors. Subscription rates for U.S. and Canada: $50 for one year, $90 for two years. Other coun- tries: $300 per year. Periodical postage paid at Northbrook, IL, and additional mailing offices. POSTMASTER: Change of address should be sent to Plumbing Engineer, 440 Quadrangle Dr., Suite E., Bolingbrook, IL 60440. Material and opin- ions contained in contributed articles are the responsibility of the authors, not of TMB Publishing Inc., Plumbing Engineer magazine or its Editorial Advisory Board. The publisher cannot assume responsibility for any claims made by advertisers. Copyright © 2010 TMB Publishing Inc. All rights reserved. Volume 39, Number 2. Plumbing Engineer is microfilmed by University Microfilms, Ann Arbor, MI, and indexed by Engineering Index Inc. Publications Mail Agreement No. 41499518. Return Undeliverable Canadian Addresses to PO Box 503, RPO West Beaver Creek, Richmond Hill ON L4B 4R6


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February 2011


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