The national “Reduction of Lead in Drinking Water Act” was signed into law by President Barack Obama on January 4, 2011, and will become effective January 4, 2014. Plumbing Manufacturers International (PMI) said this allows ample time for manufacturers to comply.
This bill lowers the national standard for lead in faucets, pipe and pipe fittings to 0.25%.
“The previous national standard was 8.0%, which the industry considered too high,” said PMI Executive Director Barbara Higgens. “Many in the plumbing manufacturing industry are already meeting these reduced standards. However, without a uniform national standard, a patchwork of requirements could have emerged.
“PMI was on top of this legislation from its inception and worked to aggressively lobby members of the Senate and House to pass the bill through Capitol Hill visits, letters and phone calls to representatives,” Higgens noted.
“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,” she said. “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.”
Source: PMI
