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Interpretation of New Drinking Water Requirements Relating to Lead Free Plumbing Fittings and Fixtures

Note: EPA no longer updates this information, but it may be useful as a reference or resource.

 [Federal Register: August 22, 1997 (Volume 62, Number 163)]
[Notices]
[Page 44684-44685]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr22au97-88]

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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[FRL-5880-2]


Interpretation of New Drinking Water Requirements Relating to
Lead Free Plumbing Fittings and Fixtures

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: Section 1417(a)(3) of the Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA), as
amended makes it unlawful for any person to introduce into commerce
after August 6, 1998 any pipe, or any pipe or plumbing fitting or
fixture that is not lead free. In section 1417(e) as added by the 1996
SDWA Amendments, Congress directed EPA to provide assistance for the
development of voluntary standards and testing protocols for the
leaching of lead from new plumbing fittings and fixtures relating to
drinking water. This notice confirms EPA's position that performance
standards for the leaching of lead from new plumbing fittings and
fixtures have been established, as directed by the SDWA.
    The SDWA requires that, if a voluntary standard for the leaching of
lead from new plumbing fittings and fixtures is not established by
August 1997, then EPA must promulgate regulations setting a performance
based standard for lead leaching from such components. The National
Sanitation Foundation (NSF) established a voluntary standard, NSF
Standard 61, section 9, governing the leaching of lead

[[Page 44685]]

from new plumbing fittings and fixtures in September 1994. EPA
participated in the development of the NSF Standard because the Agency
felt that, rather than promulgating a regulation, limiting the amount
of lead leaching from brass and other alloys into drinking water would
be best achieved through a voluntary standard, which is fully
protective on a health basis and technologically achievable by industry
in a reasonable period of time. In the Agency's view, NSF Standard 61,
section 9 satisfies the requirement of section 1417(e), that a
voluntary standard be established. Thus, the obligation to issue
regulations is not triggered. See S. Rep. 104-169 ``104th Cong.), at
95.'' Copies of NSF Standard 61, and the listings of products meeting
this standard may be obtained from NSF International, 3475 Plymouth
Road, PO Box 130140, Ann Arbor, MI 48113-0140. The telephone number is
313-769-8010.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Peter Lassovszky, Office of Ground
Water and Drinking Water (4607), U.S. Environmental Protection Agency,
401 M Street, SW., Washington, DC. For further information, call the
U.S. EPA Safe Drinking Water Hotline between 8:30 am and 5 pm Eastern
Time, Monday through Friday excluding Federal holidays, by telephoning
toll-free 1-800-426-4791 nationwide.

    Dated: August 13, 1997.
Robert Perciasepe,
Assistant Administrator, Office of Water.
[FR Doc. 97-22360 Filed 8-21-97; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560-50-P

 
 

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