Drinking Water Grade O-ring Materials

What are Drinking Water Grade Materials?

• Drinking water grade materials are substances, components, or equipment designed and manufactured to be safe for use in contact with drinking water. These materials must meet strict criteria to ensure that they do not introduce harmful substances or contaminants into the water supply.

Common Considerations

• Regulatory Compliance: Materials must comply with local and national regulations and standards to ensure that drinking water remains safe and potable.

• Water Quality: Materials should not alter the taste, odor, or appearance of the water or introduce impurities, ensuring that the water quality is maintained.

• Durability: Materials must be durable and resistant to corrosion, scaling, and chemical degradation to ensure long-term performance.

• Health and Safety: Materials should be non-toxic and non-leaching to prevent adverse health effects from exposure to water treated or transported using these materials.

• Compatibility: Materials should be compatible with the specific water treatment processes, disinfection methods, and operating conditions in the system.

• Traceability: Materials should be traceable, allowing for easy identification and recall if a problem arises with a specific water supply component.

Key Standards

• NSF 61 Certified Materials: Canyon offers many NSF 61 materials. NSF 61 defines the minimum health requirements for the chemical contaminants and impurities that are imparted into drinking water via the material in question. It covers materials, O-rings, gaskets, & custom molded parts that come in contact with drinking water and drinking water treatment chemicals.

• KTW Certified Materials: Similar to NSF 61, KTW certification is aimed at providing minimum health standards for chemical contaminants and impurities that are imparted from O-rings, gaskets, & custom molded parts into drinking water. KTW is most commonly used in German markets.

• WRAS Approved Materials: The Water Regulations Approval Scheme (WRAS) is a UK based certification body that defines material regulations that certain plumbing products must adhere to, including O-rings, gaskets, & custom molded parts.