Low Lead Water Products Guide

[Faucet Photo]NSF International is at the forefront of the low-lead plumbing products issue, having actively worked with the State of California and other key States for over fifteen years, through the ongoing development of NSF/ANSI Standard 61 (NSF 61). The standard has played a key role in CA Proposition 65 lead settlements and is now the American National Standard for lead content in plumbing products.

Most recently, NSF developed the evaluation procedures in NSF/ANSI Standard 372 (NSF 372) to establish an American National Standard to determine product compliance with the ≤0.25% percent maximum weighted average lead content requirement. NSF/ANSI Standard 61, Annex G (NSF 61-G) references NSF 372. Certification to NSF 61-G or NSF 372 meets the requirements of the California Health and Safety Code (Section 116875; commonly known as AB1953) as well as for other states developing similar regulations. This also meets the new low lead requirements of the U.S. Safe Drinking Water Act, which go into effect in January 2014.

[Valve Photo]NSF offers certification to NSF 61-G and NSF 372 to manufacturers of products that contact drinking water, including faucets, flexible plumbing connectors, valves, meters and many other product types.

This webpage has been created to assist all involved parties with recent happenings in regards to legislation of low-lead plumbing products, NSF 61, Annex G, NSF 372 and certification. We encourage you to bookmark this page and check back frequently for the latest information.

This page is updated frequently, however, if you find incorrect or outdated information, please email us at watermarketing@nsf.org.

Quick Links

Annex G Overview

[Faucet Photo]NSF/ANSI Standard 61 was revised in December 2008 to establish requirements for use when a 0.25% lead content requirement needs to be met in addition to current chemical extraction requirements of the standard. The requirements were placed in Annex G - Weighted Average Lead Content Evaluation Procedure to a 0.25% Lead Requirement. In addition, mandatory language placing restrictions on the use of lead as an intentional additive in water contact materials was also added to Section 3. To view the full content of the annex as adopted in NSF/ANSI 61 - 2008, download the PDF document.

A request was made to add these requirements to the standard to allow manufacturers the option of being certified to a lead content standard, such as California's Health & Safety Code (Section 116875) commonly known as AB1953. That law, which goes into effect January 1, 2010, applies to any pipe, pipe of plumbing fitting, or fixture intended to convey or dispense water for human consumption through drinking or cooking. A similar law has been enacted in Vermont and is also to take effect January 1, 2010.

The annex was developed through the Lead Task Group of the Drinking Water Additives Joint Committee and includes requirements that enable conservative and consistent application of the lead content evaluation procedure. Highlights include:

  • The annex contains <0.25% weighted average lead content requirements. Compliance is determined by a weighted average calculation involving the maximum percent lead content of material specifications and wetted surface areas.
  • Does not consider coatings or acid washing. Compliance is determined by the maximum percent lead content of material specification for each component prior to application of any coatings or lead wash treatments. Documents including an opinion from East Bay Municipal District and statement of legislative intent were provided to the Lead Task Group during development of the annex.
  • For internally threaded products, the wetted surface area includes 25 percent of the threaded area(s). This is consistent with the assumptions used in the rest of Standard 61.
  • Annex G did not contain a verification test protocol when it was first developed. The California Department of Toxic Substance Control subsequently developed test protocols for the determination of lead content and these were incorporated into NSF 372.
  • Annex G is an optional annex under NSF/ANSI 61. Certifications to Annex G note compliance within the NSF/ANSI 61 or NSF/ANSI 14 listing.
  • The annex requires full compliance with NSF/ANSI 61.
  • The annex does not specifically reference California and applies to any jurisdiction with a ≤0.25% weighted average lead content requirement.

For questions or concerns regarding NSF 61 Annex G or NSF 372, please contact Pete Greiner at (+1) 734.769.5517 or greinerp@nsf.org.

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NSF-Certified Products

To search for of NSF-61 Annex G certified products, visit the NSF listings page on the public website. Remember to look for the Annex G footnote on the listings page which states, "Product also Certified to NSF/ANSI Standard 61, Annex G (weighted average lead content of ≤0.25%) and is in compliance with California's Health & Safety Code Section 116875 (commonly known as AB1953.)."

You may also access the complete lists of NSF-certified products to Annex G:

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Product Markings for Annex G NSF-Certified Products

Products that are NSF-certified to NSF/ANSI Standard 61, Annex G utilize a special certification mark that designates the addition of Annex G certification. This will vary slightly depending on whether the product is certified to NSF/ANSI Standard 61, NSF/ANSI Standard 61, Section 9, or NSF/ANSI Standard 14 (which references NSF 61).

NSF Mark NSF Mark
NSF Mark

The NSF Annex G certification marks can be downloaded via the NSF marks download page.

Should you have any questions about product marking, contact your NSF certification project manager, or Hilary Brazin, NSF Marketing Manager, at (+1) 734-827-5678 or hbrazin@nsf.org.

Product Markings for NSF 372 and 0.25% Weighted Average Lead Content

Products that have been certified only for the weighted average lead content and not NSF 61 compliance may bear the following marks:

[NSF 372 Mark Blue] [NSF 372 Mark Text]

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NSF PR on Low-Lead/Annex G

NSF issues press releases as new developments arise with the low lead situation. Click on the release titles below to access the full release.

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Getting Certified

If you are interested in getting your products certified to NSF/ANSI Standard 61, Annex G or NSF 372 please email annexg@nsf.org today. Don't forget to indicate your country of origin so we can put you in touch with the NSF representatives located closest to you.

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Helpful Links

For more information on this subject, NSF encourages you to visit these websites:

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