Quality Lead-Free Faucets

Q. "How does lead get into drinking water right now?"
A. Primarily, trace amounts of lead get into drinking water due to aging infrastructures, such as old pipes and plumbing systems parts. The Plumbing Manufacturer’s Institute (PMI) states that over the past decade, lead levels in plumbing fixture fittings have been reduced to insignificant levels due to improvements in modern manufacturing processes.

Q. "How are lead levels in drinking water currently regulated?"
A. The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) regulates the amount of lead and other contaminants in drinking water under guidelines established in the Federal Safe Drinking Water Act.

Q. "What does it mean to have ANSI Certification for lead free plumbing products?"
A. Laws requiring plumbing products that come in to contact with drinking water to be essentially lead-free (0.25% weighted average) have been passed in California, Louisiana, Maryland, and Vermont. In order for companies to ship these plumbing products to locations in CA, LA, MD and VT, they must be ANSI certified lead free.

Q. "What is CA AB 1953, LA Act No. 362, MD HB 372, and VT S.152 and how is this different from previous low-lead legislation?"
A. The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) regulates the amount of lead in drinking water under guidelines established in the Federal Safe Drinking Water Act (passed in 1974; amended in 1988 and 1996). This Act defines "lead-free" as not more than 8% lead in pipes and fixture fittings. PLEASE NOTE: Use of the term "lead-free" varies between the new legislation in CA (AB 1953), LA ( Act No. 362), MD (HB 372), and VT (S.152), and in the current Federal Safe Drinking Water Act requirements. In the new legislation for CA, LA, MD and VT only (as of Jan 2013), it will mean 0.25% or less (weighted average). Similar national legislation is scheduled to go into effect Jan 2014.

Q. "What is EasyInstall™?"
A. T & S has developed their EasyInstall™ process to simplify installation by up to half the time. These items come pre-assembled to eliminate much of the time it takes to connect the faucet both above and below the mounting surface. Click here for example

Q. "Do pre-rinse units for commercial kitchens fall under California and Vermont's new low lead laws?"
A. Pre-rinse assemblies for commercial kitchens are exempt from the new low lead laws provided they do not include an auxiliary spout (add-on faucet) or other outlet.

Q. "What is a widespread faucet?"
A. A widespread faucet consists of separate hot and cold valves, and faucet spout that can be mounted at 8 inches on center. Some widespread faucets can have spouts with variable spreads as great as 16 inches on center.

Q. "What is a centerset faucet?"
A. A centerset faucet is a lavatory faucet with a combined spout and handles with a fixed distance (non adjustable) measured from the center of the cold handle to the center of the hot handle. From the image shown below, you can see that the faucet has 4" centers.

1. Hot water inlet 2. Cold water inlet