Potable Water Quality
PB-1 piping systems are free of any water contamination at the tap due to corrosion. PB-1 grades for potable water systems, comply with strict regulatory and certification requirements.
Standards applicable to the potable water quality of PB-1 piping systems
Currently, unilateral European standards are unavailable for the accreditation of potable water piping systems.
Consequently in June 2000, in an attempt to address this situation, the European Commission initiated a European Acceptance Scheme (EAS) with the objective of harmonising the existing national certification procedures for testing construction products in contact with water intended for human consumption, under the umbrella of the Joint Research Centre of the European Commission.
The accreditation bodies responsible for drinking water quality in each of the member states are contracted to undertake the necessary development work in four co-operative working groups. Until the scheme comes into force, national accreditation procedures for potable water systems will still apply.
Polybutene-1 grades marketed for pipe production in Europe conform to all existing national standards.
The latest generation PB-1 grades deliver improved water quality properties providing the potential to meet future stringent organoleptic requirements.
Product standards accreditation and suitability of purpose
It is the responsibility of every manufacturer to ensure that the products they sell are fit for their intended purpose. Standardisation bodies such as BSI, DIN, EN and ISO, provide the test methods and performance testing protocols by which manufacturers seek accreditation of their products. Using these standard test methods, accreditation bodies such as DVGW, KIWA, BSI and BBA provide the manufacturer with a recognised certification that their product meets an acceptable level of performance.
The Standards listings provided on the Standards pages of the PBPSA website and downloadable PDF file are for information only and although updated periodically, are not guaranteed to be exhaustive. Therefore, the responsibility to determine the standards to which a manufactured product must comply and obtaining approvals for those products and assembled systems from National and International hygiene and water quality authorities lies with the manufacturers of such products.
Questions relating to accreditations for particular products should therefore be addressed to the specific manufacturer.
Product compliance to the relevant National and International standards provides the purchaser and consumer with an assurance that the product will prove to be suitable for its intended purpose. The standardisation procedures associated with the performance of hot and cold water pressure pipes are extensive and demanding.
ISO/EN Standards
| ISO CD 7686 (EN) |
Plastics pipes and fittings – Determination of opacity The test method is necessary for a pipe or fitting used for water supply which is exposed to visible light during service to be sufficiently opaque to prevent algae growth. Replacement for EN 578. |
| ISO 8795 (EN) |
Plastic piping systems for the transport of water intended for human consumption – Migration assessment Determination of migration values of plastics pipes and fittings and their joints. Evaluation of the data is described in ENV 852. |
| EN 578 |
Plastics piping systems – Plastics pipes and fittings - Determination of opacity Of importance when algae growth must be considered. Withdrawn and replaced by ISO 7686. |
| EN806 |
Specification for installations inside buildings conveying water for human consumption EN 806-1 - Part 1: General EN 806-2 - Part 2: Design EN 806-3 - Part 3: Pipe sizing – Simplified method EN 806-4 - Part 4: Installation EN 806-5 - Part 5: Operation and maintenance This European standard specifies requirements for and gives recommendations on the design, installation, alteration, testing, maintenance and operation of drinking water installations within buildings and for certain purposes pipework outside buildings but within the premises. It is applicable to the system of pipes, fittings and connected appliances installed for supplying drinking water. |
| ENV 852 |
Plastic piping systems for the transport of water intended for human consumption – Migration assessment - Guidance on the interpretation of laboratory derived migration values This Technical Report is applicable to plastics pipes, joints and fittings to be used for the transport of water intended for human consumption and raw water used for the manufacture of water intended for human consumption. It gives guidance on: a) the number of successive migration periods to be carried out; b) how to interpret M values calculated from successive migration periods; c) a method for converting M values into values that reflect field use conditions; d) acceptance criteria for the duplicate M values obtained by testing in accordance with EN ISO 8795. |
| EN 1420 |
Influence of organic materials on water intended for human consumption – Determination of odour and flavour of water in piping systems - Test method Draft under evaluation. |
| EN 12873 |
Influence of materials on water intended for human consumption – Influence due to migration EN 12873-1 - Part 1: Test method for non-metallic and non-cementitious factory made products EN 12873-2 - Part 2: Test method for non-metallic and non-cementitious site-applied materials EN 12873-3 - Part 3: Test method for ion exchange and adsorbent resins EN 12873-4 - Part 4: Test method for water treatment membranes This European Standard specifies a procedure to determine the migration of substances from non-metallic and non-cementitious factory made or factory applied products for use in contact with water intended for human consumption. This standard is applicable to products intended to be used under various conditions for the transport and storage of water intended for human consumption, including raw water used for the production of water intended for human consumption. It covers the extraction by water of substances from the finished products. |
| EN 12108 |
Plastics piping systems – Guidance for the installation inside buildings of pressure piping systems for hot and cold water intended for human consumption This European Technical Report recommends practices to be followed in the application and installation of thermoplastics pipes and associated fittings. These fall within the scope of EN 806-1 and, EN ISO 15874, EN ISO 15875, EN ISO 15876, EN ISO 15877 and EN ISO 22391 to be used for hot and/or cold water distribution intended for human consumption inside buildings. This document can also be used for heating installations if applicable, except for under floor heating for which EN 12164 can apply. Guidance is also given on acceptable methods of jointing polybutene (PB), crosslinked polyethylene (PE-X), polypropylene (PP), chlorinated poly(vinyl chloride) (PVC-C) and Polyethylene of raised temperature resistance (PE-RT) pipes and associated fittings, together with recommendations for their storage, handling and transportation. |
Until requirements and methods are accepted on an international level for all piping systems and associated components, all applicable national regulations and statutory building codes relating to PB-1 piping systems for each country and project location must be observed.
EU Water Authorities
| Austria | Österreichisches Forschungsinstitut für Chemie und Technik |
| Denmark | Dansk Toksikologi Center |
| France |
ACS (Attestation de Conformité Sanitaire) by Direction Générale de la Santé (DGS) Accredited laboratories: Groupe CARSO, Lyons, France - Eurofins IPL, Maxeville, France |
| Germany | DVGW - TZW Deutsche Vereinigung des Gas- und Wasserfaches - Technologiezentrum Wasser |
| Great Britain | WRAS |
| Italy | Istituto Superiore di Sanità |
| Portugal | Empresa Portuguesa das Águas Livres, SA |
| Spain | Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona |
| Sweden | SP Swedish National Testing and Research Institute |
| The Netherlands | The Netherlands KIWA N.V. |
Components made from Polybutene-1 intended for use in the conveyance of water for human consumption fulfil all existing requirements of national and international applicable standards in Europe.
EU Approvals
Organoleptic and food contact approvals
Polybutene-1 piping systems are designed to meet stringent organoleptic and food contact approvals and are well suited for drinking water applications.
European Approvals
| Country | Authority | Approval |
|---|---|---|
|
Austria |
ÖVGW |
Önorm ISO 15876 |
Polybutene-1 is not sold by PBPSA members for use in pipe applications intended for use in North America, and those parties require their customers or distributors not to sell products made from PB-1 into pipe applications for North America.