Plumbing Consortium continues to educate about upcoming lead law

The new “Reduction of Lead in Drinking Water Act” becomes effective Jan. 4, 2014.

April 11, 2013

As the Get the Lead Out Plumbing Consortium continues its educational efforts regarding the new “Reduction of Lead in Drinking Water Act” that becomes effective Jan. 4, 2014, an industry study confirms that the outreach is necessary to prepare plumbing contractors for the new requirements.

The recent survey by Brasscraft Manufacturing shows that a significant number of professional plumbers are not properly prepared to start complying with the new federal requirement. The new law will make it illegal to sell or install pipes, fittings and fixtures in applications that convey water for human consumption that have a weighted average lead content exceeding 0.25% (the previous national standard was 8.0% maximum).

According to the online survey conducted earlier this year, 26% of respondents admitted having no knowledge of the upcoming changes and 24% are not aware they cannot use existing (non-compliant) inventory into 2014.

To promote understanding of and compliance with the new law, the Get the Lead Out Plumbing Consortium — a cross-section of the plumbing industry comprised of leading trade associations and manufacturers — is offering widespread education about the manufacture, distribution and installation of lead-free* plumbing products. All the facts related to the new standard, as well as time-saving training opportunities, are available via a single, comprehensive source at www.GetTheLeadOutPlumbing.com.

Plumbing distributors, engineers, contractors and code officials can use this online resource to find interpretation and enforcement issues related to the new law; information about lead-free products, basis for lead-free product selection and compliance, and material factors impacting the ability to solder lead-free alloys effectively and solder-flux considerations; upcoming training opportunities at association and industry events; and step-by-step action plans on how to prepare for the federal lead-free law.

“The survey by BrassCraft, undertaken just after the consortium began its training and awareness efforts, certainly reflects the challenges our industry faces with the no-lead conversion in 2014,” says Cindy Sheridan, chief operating officer of the PHCC Educational Foundation and a member of the Consortium. “The time is now to start planning for this new law. Fortunately, these plumbing professionals have a go-to resource at www.GetTheLeadOutPlumbing.com. We have more work to do in educating everyone in the industry about the implications of this new law, but the Consortium is making great strides in providing information and training so that plumbing industry professionals will be properly prepared by the first of the year.”

* lead-free refers to the wetted surface of pipe, fittings and fixtures in potable water systems that have a weighted average <=0.25% per the Safe Drinking Water Act (Sec. 1417) amended 1-4-2011 and other equivalent state regulations.