Every day, an Australian turns on the tap without a thought on whether the water is safe to drink. The products which impact the quality of this water coming out of taps across the country are the focus of a revised standard which has been recently published.

Requirements on the products which come into contact with drinking water, such as pipes and fittings, have been outlined in AS/NZS 4020:2018, Testing of products for use in contact with drinking water.

“Trusting the water coming out of the tap to be clean and safe for consumption is a fundamental benefit to living in a developed country, such as Australia,” said CEO of Standards Australia, Dr Bronwyn Evans. “The health and safety of the Australian public was at the forefront of the technical committee’s work in developing this standard which so closely impacts the water coming out of the taps in our homes.”

“This standard provides a way to test the products which assist the plumbing industry in meeting water quality values which are nationally recommended. It helps manufacturers, water authorities and regulators to identify the performance that can be expected when purchasing a product to be used in the delivery of drinking water.”

“The plumbing products industry is committed to working with Standards Australia to ensure our technical standards align with the guidelines for drinking water quality in Australia and New Zealand,” said Mr Stuart Henry, Executive Director of Plumbing Products Industry Group.

“In reviewing the standard, the committee was focussed on ensuring this standard results in the use of up to date test methods to provide comprehensive and reliable testing of products,” said Mr Chris Pipe-Martin, Chair of the Technical Committee responsible for the standard. “Doing so will position this standard as a vital and effective element in the provision of safe drinking water in Australia and New Zealand.”

‍