Potable Water Quality

Water-saving strategies such as low-flow fixtures have become a vital tool in the conservation movement. But even positive changes can have unintended consequences. Water-use reduction measures can create water quality issues like fostering biofilm and Legionella growth, chemical leaching and chemical permeation.

Corzan® piping systems offer the best solution for maintaining healthy water quality by protecting against water contamination from unsafe levels of chemical leaching and permeation and reducing biofilm and the growth of Legionella.

Chemical Leaching

Plumbing products must meet a variety of federal and state drinking water quality standards, and Corzan CPVC is tested and approved per NSF/ANSI 61 to protect against water contamination. Not all plumbing materials can comply with these Federal and State water standards under all conditions. For example, in soft water (pH below 6.5), copper piping may leach metallic contaminants above the recommended limit for safe drinking water.

Corzan CPVC is routinely tested to the highest standards for water quality. They fully comply with NSF 61, NSF 14 and will not cause the water to fail other state-level drinking water regulations under typical water conditions.

Chemical Permeation

Some common plumbing systems are subject to chemical permeation, meaning contaminants coming in contact with the outside of the pipe may be transmitted through the pipe wall leading to water contamination. Corzan CPVC has superior permeation resistance and is backed by the FBC™ System Compatible Program to assist manufacturers of ancillary products in determining their product’s chemical compatibility with Corzan piping systems.

Biofilm Formation

Lower water flow rates mean water is staying in pipes three to four times longer, and longer stagnation times can cause chlorine residuals to dissipate. Without chlorine residuals, biofilm growth can occur, serving as a safe harbor for bacteria such as Legionella, Pseudomonas, E.coli and other coliforms.

What is Legionella?

Identified in 1976 after a deadly outbreak of disease at a meeting of the American Legion, Legionella causes legionellosis, which can lead to a serious form of pneumonia called Legionnaires’ disease, the less-deadly Pontiac fever and Pittsburgh pneumonia. These serious diseases affect 10,000 or more Americans each year, taking the lives of one in ten of those diagnosed. Legionellosis is contracted not from person-to-person contact but through inhalation of mist or vapor contaminated with the Legionella bacteria. Harmful bacteria like Legionella and E.coli thrive in biofilms, the slimy, glue-like substances that form on piping materials when biomass adheres to surfaces in wet environments. Biofilm also protect the bacteria from thermal and oxidative disinfection methods.