ALL NEWS UPDATES

September 21, 2009

Possible fines for Non-Compliance

September 15, 2009

Champion-Arrowhead begins selling Lead-Free plumbing products

September 14, 2009

CEO Update on Champion-Arrowhead's effort to be AB-1953 complaint

September 8, 2009

Champion‐Arrowhead receives Lead‐Free (AB‐1953) certification from IAPMO for all its plumbing product

August 12, 2009

Champion‐Arrowhead takes part in discussion with California Metals Coalition

July 7, 2009

Update from the CEO

NEW CALIFORNIA LEAD FREE LAW (AB‐1953)

The California Assembly Bill 1953 (AB-1953) mandates that starting on January 1, 2010, all faucets and plumbing fittings sold in California MUST be lead free.

The actual language used in the Bill is:

"No person shall introduce into commerce any pipe, pipe or plumbing fitting, or fixture intended to convey or dispense water for human consumption through drinking or cooking that is not lead free… This includes kitchen faucets, bathroom faucets, and any other end use device intended to convey or dispense water for human consumption through drinking or cooking, but excludes service saddles, backflow preventers for nonpotable services such as irrigation and industrial, and water distribution main gate valves that are two inches in diameter and above.”

A copy of AB-1953 can be downloaded here.

WHAT DOES AB‐1953 REALLY MEAN?

AB‐1953 in essence mandates that any plumbing product used in a drinking or potable water system must be lead free. This includes faucets, hose bibbs, ball valves, pressure reducing valves, etc.

Some controversy has arisen over the phrases “introduce into commerce” and “fixture intended to convey or dispense water for human consumption”. Several attorneys, politicians, and industry experts interpret these phrases to mean the following:

"Introduce Into Commerce”

This has been interpreted to include sale by any distributor, both retail and wholesale, and installation by any contractor, both in new construction or repair project.

"fixture intended to convey or dispense water for human consumption”

This has been interpreted to mean any plumbing product connected to a drinking or potable water system. This includes ball valves, hose bibbs, pressure reducing valves, etc. The idea being that the lawmakers included a clear list of items that are excluded from the law. So if the lawmakers wanted to exclude ball valves, hose bibbs, or other items, they would have added them to the list of excluded products.

WHY THE FEAR OF LEAD?

Lead has been identified as a toxic metal that can be harmful to human health when ingested or inhaled. Lead is transferred to the drinking water through corrosion from plumbing products containing lead.

Low level exposure to lead has been linked to children’s lower IQ levels, impaired hearing, and reduced attention span. In February 2009, a father two boys in Washington DC filed a lawsuit against the city for his sons’ behavioral and learning disorders caused by lead poisoning, according to the suit.

HOW WILL AB‐1953 BE ENFORCED?

On January 1, 2010, the Department of Toxic Substance Control (DTSC) will begin sampling plumbing products from various wholesale and retail distributors across the state. Non‐compliance will be punished by heavy fines.

WILL CHAMPION‐ARROWHEAD BE COMPLIANT?

Champion-Arrowhead is a California based company with a California factory that is committed to meeting the new California Lead Free Law.

On September, 15, 2009, Champion‐Arrowhead began selling its entire line of plumbing products in Lead‐Free version. Starting January 1, 2010, every plumbing product manufactured and sold by Champion‐Arrowhead will be Lead‐Free and AB‐1953 compliant. A copy of our IAPMO certification can be downloaded here.