COAG Consultation Regulation Impact Statement – Australian Building Codes Board
On 7 December 2020, the Australian Building Codes Board (ABCB) released a Consultation RIS on lead in plumbing products in contact with drinking water. This follows a number of high-profile cases of lead leaching into Australian drinking water.
Lead is currently permitted by Australian Standards for use in the manufacture of plumbing products. The exact lead content of products varies by component, though some products in contact with drinking water contain up to 6% lead as a proportion of raw material.
According to an expert report commissioned by the ABCB in 2018, whilst drinking water would meet the Australian Drinking Water Guidelines under the current regulatory framework, copper alloy components installed between the point of connection and the point of discharge were identified as a principle source of lead addition.
As a result, this Consultation RIS aims to determine whether the allowable levels of lead in the manufacture of copper alloy plumbing products and material specifications that come into contact with drinking water, should be reduced.
The ABCB invites comment from all stakeholders using the online consultation form, until 11:59PM AEDT Monday 1 March 2021.
Please note: any accessibility queries should be directed to the Australian Building Codes Board