Get the Lead Out
Dear Valued Customer,
The “Reduction of Lead in Drinking Water Act of 2011” (Federal Public Law 111-380) becomes effective January 2014. This new legislation reduces the allowable lead content for wetted surfaces to 0.25%, for residential or non-residential plumbing systems providing water for human consumption. Leaded products will no longer be sold or installed and older inventories will become obsolete. Affected products include pipe, brass/bronze valves & fittings, mixing valves that can be used for potable water, backflow preventers, water meters, pressure reducing valves, bronze strainers, shock arrestors, Pex fittings, stops & supplies, faucets & plumbing fixtures. Think of it this way; any product that can come in contact with drinking water is affected. 2013 will be the transition year as manufacturers and distributors change from traditional products to lead free products.
Currently, lead free brass valves and fittings cost 25% to 40% more than leaded brass items. Please be careful of imported fittings especially, as this law is probably not the rule in certain foreign countries.
Solco Plumbing Supply has been transitioning to compliant products over the last year, and we hope to be totally compliant by the third quarter of 2013, wherever possible. Please be advised that we cannot accept returns of a special ordered non-compliant product unless we are able to return this product to the manufacturer.
We do have some non-compliant inventory in stock which will make us able to assist you if you have immediate need for it. During the transition to compliant products, we urge you to keep your needs for soon to be non compliant products to a minimum keeping in mind that in most cases Solco will not be able to accept returns on these products.
Trade magazines as well as our own newsletters have been profiling this event for over a year, so we hope that this does not come as a surprise to our customers.
For more information, please download the FAQ pdf here, go online to www.gettheleadoutplumbing.com, or simply come in and ask; we will try to answer any questions that you may have.
Sincerely,
Solco Plumbing Supply
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