Hot & cold water supply lead-free mother daughter bathroom at home

Lead-Free Plumbing Systems

EXPLORE

SECURING SAFER DRINKING WATER

To further improve the quality of European drinking water, the European Commission has mandated a significant reduction in tap water lead content. The updated Drinking Water Directive reduces acceptable lead levels from 10 µg/l to 5 µg/l, highlighting the need for lead-free plumbing systems in buildings. 

Pipelife has already begun the lead-free transition by expanding our portfolio to include products that comply with the tightening regulations in this Directive. With multiple lead-free fitting options available, we’re ensuring you have ample opportunity to align with the changes while also accommodating various installation and pricing requirements.

Hot & cold water supply system RadoPress multi-layer pipe

PIPES

Pipelife multilayer plumbing pipes can be easily bent to desired angles, minimizing installation times, avoiding unnecessary fittings and remaining highly compatible with a variety of setups. They provide resilience against changes in temperature, pressure stroke loading, torsion and tension, while ensuring a safe, lead-free water supply.  

Radopress Lead-free PPSU fittings product display image

FITTINGS

Our lead-free brass fittings are comprised of premium silicone brass. Not only do they facilitate a significant reduction in the lead found in drinking water, but their high copper and silicone content provides superior corrosion resistance compared to other lead-free alloys.

We have also extended our PPSU fitting portfolio to provide an excellent lead-free alternative that can supplement your setup and keep costs down. PPSU is a 100% lead-free thermoplastic with high thermal, pressure and corrosion resistance, ensuring system longevity and drinking water safety. 

TAKE ADVANTAGE OF LEAD-FREE PLUMBING SYSTEMS

To comply with the latest European regulations, it is imperative your building provides reliably safe drinking water. Discover how our lead-free plumbing systems preserve water quality while boosting the value and longevity of properties.

Open bathroom sink plumbing system lead-free

COMPLY WITH TIGHTENING REGULATIONS

Remain compliant with legislation at both European and national levels by ensuring your building’s water distribution system remains lead-free.

SUPPLY SAFER DRINKING WATER

By installing a lead-free plumbing system, you are reducing the amount of lead in drinking water supplies and protecting the health of those who consume it. 

REDUCE SYSTEM VULNERABILITY

Boost client satisfaction with robust systems that require less maintenance thanks to higher corrosion resistance.

SAVE TIME WITH EASY INSTALLATION

Our flexible pipes, options for both threaded and push-fit fittings, and range of versatile accessories facilitate straightforward system setups and minimal installation times. 

ENJOY LONG-TERM RELIABILITY

Ensure buildings benefit from pristine plumbing systems for years to come with premium lead-free components that boast a more than 50-year service life.

RAISE PROPERTY VALUE

Significantly increase the long-term value and appeal of your property with a safe and healthy water supply system that fully complies with European regulatory standards. 

Frequently Asked Questions

The EU Drinking Water Directive is a set of regulations and guidelines established by the European Union to ensure the safety and quality of drinking water across Member States. It prescribes minimum quality standards for water intended for human consumption and mandates regular monitoring and testing. 

In 2021, the Directive was updated to reflect new public health considerations, particularly with regard to the amount of lead in building water supplies. The updated Directive has halved the acceptable amount of lead in drinking water from 10 µg/l to 5 µg/l.

The recast EU Drinking Water Directive imposes new limits on the acceptable amount of lead in drinking water — from 10 µg/l to 5 µg/l. As EU-wide legislation, the Directive will require water industry professionals in all Member States to take measures to reduce the amount of lead in the water supply by, for example, replacing lead-leaching pipes and fittings with lead-free alternatives.

In order to comply with the updated Drinking Water Directive, the amount of lead in tap water must not exceed 5 µg/l. This requires the use of lead-free pipes and fittings in a building’s plumbing system to reduce the amount of lead that leaches into the water supply as much as possible. 

Pipelife is offering a range of premium lead-free plumbing system components at different price points to ensure you have options during this transition and can keep costs to a minimum.  

The recast EU Drinking Water Directive entered into force in January 2021, and Member States had until January 2023 to transpose it into national legislation.

The Directive’s limit of 5 µg/l of lead in drinking water will apply throughout the EU from 2036. However, some countries are progressing faster — Germany, for example, is planning to implement the 5 µg/l requirement by January 2028.

Concurrently, new regulations regarding the evaluation and certification of drinking water products will apply to all newly manufactured products from January 2027. These regulations will be extended to all products on the EU market from 2033.

Lead-free pipes and fittings are essential in plumbing systems to ensure the safety and quality of drinking water. Lead can leach into drinking water during distribution if it flows through old pipes and fittings. This can lead to various health issues, such as developmental problems in children and cardiovascular diseases in adults. 

The new EU Drinking Water Directive aims to minimize these risks by reducing the acceptable levels of lead in drinking water and highlights the importance of using lead-free pipes and fittings.

Our lead-free brass fittings have a much higher copper content than leaded alternatives. Not only does this reduce the lead content of the brass to meet EU lead-free criteria (0.1%), but it also provides vastly superior corrosion resistance. 

Beyond this, Pipelife lead-free brass fittings also include a significant silicone content (>2.7%), which ensures a high resistance to stress corrosion. 

These technical improvements come at the cost of premium raw materials, increasing the overall cost of the fittings. With this in mind, we have also extended our range of PPSU fittings that can be used to supplement setups and keep costs down while ensuring systems remain lead-free. 

Pipelife lead-free plumbing systems are manufactured from high-quality raw materials to last at least 50 years with minimal maintenance.

Our lead-free plumbing systems are competitively priced. They are bespoke solutions designed to the custom requirements of your building, and the price varies accordingly. Please get in touch with your local Pipelife partner for a detailed offer.

Our lead-free plumbing systems can be bought directly from your local Pipelife partner. We are present in over 20 European countries, all of whom will be happy to field any of your purchasing inquiries. For more details, see the list of our operating countries at the bottom of the page or click here. 

Metal Vs PPSU

Discover the latest industry trends in material selection and emerging plastic alternatives 

Hot & cold lead-free water supply system mother daughter bathroom sink
Hot & cold lead-free water supply system mother daughter bathroom sink

News and Projects

placeholder

 

 
placeholder

 

 
placeholder

 

 
placeholder

 

 

No news

Downloads

related product systems

Hot & cold water supply system RadoPress multi-layer pipe

Multilayer composite pipes

Qual-Pex Barrier Pipe

PEX - PERT - PB Pipe Systems

PP-R pipes and fittings

PP-R & PP-RCT PIPE SYSTEMS

Frequently Downloaded

Find here the most popular downloads

Download Center
Did you not find what you are looking for?

Find a country near you

Get in Touch with our Team

Please choose which way you want to get in contact with us. We will contact you as soon as possible.

Callback

Call back service
We will get in touch with you by phone
E-Mail service
We will get in touch with you by e-mail