When hiring a Houston residential plumber, make sure to choose one who understands the importance of the Reduction of Lead in Drinking Water Act. In many ways, this act matters mostly to plumbing professionals and plumbing manufacturers. As the name implies, it is designed to further reduce lead content in potable water, or drinking water. Why does it matter when hiring a Houston plumber? Mostly because it requires plumbers to strictly use products that are compliant with the law. Without being careful, you could hire a plumber who cuts corners by using non-compliant materials, which could put you and your family at risk.
The Reduction of Lead in Drinking Water Act, which was passed on January 4, 2011, serves as an amendment to the Safe Water Drinking Act, or SWDA. Since 1986, the SWDA has prohibited the use of plumbing materials that aren’t lead-free. In 1996, the act was amended to make it unlawful for anyone to introduce items that are not lead-free into the market. Considering how much time has passed, you would think this would no longer be an issue. However, some manufacturers do not play by the rules, and some plumbers are more than willing to look the other way.
The Reduction of Lead in Drinking Water Act was passed in 2011, but it did not become officially mandatory until January 4, 2014. That gave manufacturers plenty of time to get their products into compliance, but many are continuing to scramble to do so. Thanks to the new act, violators are technically breaking federal law, and they end up facing serious consequences. The act reduced the acceptable amount of lead content in fixtures and other items from 8 percent to just 0.25 percent. It pertains to items that come into contact with potable water, so a broad array of items are affected.
Why does all of this matter? Mostly because the last thing you need is for you or your family to be exposed to lead. Like many people, you might assume that any plumber you hire will be aware of the law and will strictly use parts and products that are compliant, but that is not always the case. Some plumbers are so anxious to pad their bottom lines that they use products that fall short. Others still have items in their inventories that are not compliant. Instead of resigning themselves to the fact that the items are dead inventory, they continue to try to unload them on unwitting customers.
The Reduction of Lead in Drinking Water Act matters a lot to business owners too. If you own a business, the last thing you want is to expose your employees or customers to lead. You want the premises to be as safe as possible, and you certainly do not want to inadvertently have a plumbing system that is not compliant with federal mandates. Therefore, it is crucial to hire a Houston commercial plumber who adheres to these requirements and who will strictly use pipes, pipe fittings, and other items that meet the requirement. Such items are designated as being compliant to the NSF 61 federal mandate.
If you are concerned about the lead content of the pipes and other plumbing parts and products in your home or business, an experienced Houston plumber can examine them for you and inform you of how to proceed. In the event that the plumbing in your home or business contains unacceptable amounts of lead, the right plumber can help swap out those old materials that do not comply with NSF 61. By upgrading to compliant materials, you will be providing safer drinking water for your family. Switching them out is sure to be easier and cheaper than you probably think, so do not hesitate to find out if you have a safe water supply system.