Potable water valve approvals: NSF 61, NSF 372 and WRAS

Before you enquire:

1. Name the approval the specification asks for: NSF/ANSI 61, NSF/ANSI 372, WRAS or another scheme.
2. Ask for the approval or listing number for each model and size, and check it is current.
3. Say whether the line is cold, hot or both, because an approval can limit how a valve is used.

The full enquiry checklist is further down. Already have the specification? Send it to enquiry@flowsynergy.ae for valve selection and technical support.

What does a potable water approval on a valve mean?

A potable water approval means a valve, or the materials in it that touch the water, has been tested for what it can release into drinking water. NSF/ANSI 61 in the US and WRAS in the UK are two of the approvals a valve datasheet may name.

Kaleb Johnson is a chemical engineer who writes for ValveMan, an online valve seller. Writing in Pumps & Systems, he says NSF/ANSI 61 "ensures there are minimal health effects from chemicals and contaminants that can leach into the water from any material that is in contact with the water". NSF/ANSI 61 was first published in 1989. It covers any material that can contact potable water, "from polyvinyl chloride (PVC) to concrete", including fittings, O-rings, flux and coatings.

WRAS, the Water Regulations Approval Scheme, covers similar ground in the UK and adds mechanical tests. WRAS says whole products "such as valves, boilers & showers undergo mechanical and water quality testing". Our valves page notes that potable water turns on wetted-material approval, not pressure, and the valve selection guide covers the design standards that still apply.

What is the difference between NSF/ANSI 61 and NSF/ANSI 372?

NSF/ANSI 61 looks at what leaches out of a valve's materials into the water, lead included. NSF/ANSI 372 focuses on how much lead the wetted surfaces contain, against a 0.25% average, the same figure US federal law uses to define "lead free". So NSF/ANSI 61 is about leaching, and NSF/ANSI 372 is about lead content.

Johnson describes the test route for NSF/ANSI 61. A sample of valves goes to a certified third-party laboratory. The valves "are then tested and analyzed according to the materials they have and the corresponding possible leachate". A brass valve is analysed for metals such as arsenic, cadmium and lead. A PVC valve is checked for residues such as unreacted vinyl chloride. Johnson adds that NSF reports "around 17% of tested products actually do not qualify".

For NSF/ANSI 372, Johnson writes that it "requires valves have an average maximum of 0.25% lead in the wetted surfaces". That means "certain parts of the valves can contain lead, and the valve will still qualify as 'lead free.'" The same 0.25% figure is in US federal law. The US Environmental Protection Agency sets out that the Safe Drinking Water Act defines "lead free" as "a weighted average of 0.25% lead calculated across the wetted surfaces" of a pipe, fitting or fixture. For solder and flux the figure is 0.2%.

Which parts of a valve does the approval cover?

The approval is about every material in the valve that touches the water. Pumps & Systems writer Kaleb Johnson says NSF/ANSI 61 covers any material that can contact potable water, including fittings, O-rings, flux and coatings. WRAS approves a seal or O-ring material on its own, and approves the whole valve separately. Ask which one the datasheet means.

A WRAS material approval covers non-metallic materials and components, "such as rubber sheet material & 'O' rings". They "undergo testing only for their effects on water quality". So a valve with an approved seal is not the same as an approved valve. A WRAS fitting approval covers the whole valve, tested mechanically and for water quality.

The metal matters too. In Johnson's account, a brass valve is analysed for toxic metals, and a plastic valve for residues from its own material. The approval also depends on the service. WRAS notes that "some products are only suitable for cold water plumbing systems". So state whether the line is cold, hot or both.

What does WRAS approve, and for how long?

WRAS approves whole water fittings, valves included, after mechanical and water quality testing. A fitting approval is valid for a maximum of five years, lists the models and sizes it covers, and can carry installation conditions the installer must follow. WRAS keeps a free approvals directory to check against.

The WRAS directory guide says fittings "are mechanically tested against the Regulator's Specification". A fitting's non-metallic materials "undergo water quality testing against BS6920:2000 parts 1-3". It states that "WRAS Fitting Approvals are valid for a maximum of five years", and that products are retested every five years. Each approval details "the models and sizes covered by the scope of the approval and the maximum operating parameters".

Every approved fitting is listed with installation requirement notes, which "must be followed". WRAS says "you can check the approval directory for free". That is the step to take before an order.

Is a potable water approval a legal requirement in the US, UK or UAE?

It depends on the country. In the UK, WRAS says its approval is not mandatory but the testing is. In the US, federal law requires valves to be lead free, with listed exemptions, and a Pumps & Systems writer reports that almost all public works ask for NSF 61. For a UAE project, the specification and the authority that reviews it set what is accepted.

On the UK side, WRAS writes: "whilst a WRAS approval isn't mandatory the testing of the products is." The water fittings regulations "impose a legal duty on everyone to use suitable water fittings when connected to public water supplies". WRAS calls its approval "an easy way to check compliance, although other approval schemes are available".

On the US side, Johnson writes that NSF 61 certification is "not explicitly required" under federal law, because the law "only requires valves to be 'lead free' and to contain no contaminants". He adds that "almost all public works require NSF 61 certified valves". The EPA records that since 1 September 2023, "lead free" certification is required for manufacturers and importers who introduce regulated plumbing products into commerce.

The US law also has exemptions. The EPA lists devices "used exclusively for nonpotable services". Among specific products it lists "water distribution main gate valves that are 2 inches in diameter or larger".

This page does not state a UAE rule. No UAE or Gulf source on water fitting approvals could be verified for it. For a project in Dubai, ask the consultant which scheme the specification follows, and for which valve types and sizes.

Which other schemes might a specification name: WaterMark, ACS or KTW?

Australia uses WaterMark, France uses ACS and Germany uses KTW, each with its own certification process. A CE mark alone is not one of them. A Pumps & Systems writer notes that makers can declare conformity to EU standards with a CE mark, but that this is not a certification because it does not require a third-party test.

Johnson describes Australia's WaterMark Certification Level 1 as "the Australian equivalent to NSF 61". It requires "third-party testing by a certified laboratory".

For France and Germany, Johnson names EN 15664 and EN 12873 as procedures "for testing materials to ensure there is no toxic leachate". He also names the national ACS and KTW schemes. The approval has to be the one the specification names, whatever the maker holds elsewhere. A valve with an NSF listing does not carry a WRAS approval by default, and the reverse is also true.

What should a potable water valve enquiry state?

State the approval or approvals the specification names, the service (cold, hot or both, and the temperature), the valve type, size and end connection, and the design standard and rating. Then ask for the approval or listing numbers, the scope they cover, and any installation conditions.

1. The approval the specification names: NSF/ANSI 61, NSF/ANSI 372, WRAS, WaterMark, ACS, KTW or another.
2. Whether a whole-product approval is required, or an approved material is enough.
3. The service: cold, hot or both, and the water temperature.
4. The valve type, size and end connection, and the design and rating standard.
5. The approval or listing number for each model and size offered, and its expiry.
6. Any installation condition attached to the approval.

Our guide to valve documentation covers the certificates that travel with a valve, and the industries page covers water and desalination service. Pricing a potable water line? Send the specification's approval clause and the line conditions for valve selection and technical support. Call +971 4 313 2786, email enquiry@flowsynergy.ae or use the enquiry form, Monday to Friday, 8:30 am to 5:00 pm, Dubai time.

What else do buyers ask about potable water valves?

Is NSF 61 the same as NSF 372?

No. NSF/ANSI 61 looks at what leaches from a valve's wetted materials into drinking water. NSF/ANSI 372 focuses on lead content, an average of no more than 0.25% in the wetted surfaces, the same figure US federal law uses for lead free.

Is an NSF 61 valve also WRAS approved?

Not by default. NSF/ANSI 61 is a US certification and WRAS is the UK approval scheme, each with its own testing. Ask for each approval the specification names, with its number, for the exact model and size.

Is a valve with a WRAS-approved seal a WRAS-approved valve?

No. A WRAS material approval covers the water quality effect of a non-metallic material such as an O-ring. A WRAS fitting approval covers the whole valve, tested mechanically and for water quality.

Is a CE mark enough for a drinking water valve?

Not as an approval. Pumps & Systems notes that a CE mark is the maker's own declaration of conformity and does not require a third-party test. WRAS and WaterMark both involve testing.

How do I check a WRAS approval?

WRAS says the approval directory can be checked for free. WRAS fitting approvals are valid for a maximum of five years, so check the model, the size and the date before ordering.

Sources quoted on this page

• Kaleb Johnson, "Required Approvals for Potable Water Systems", Pumps & Systems, 2 May 2024. The author writes for ValveMan, an online valve seller.
• US Environmental Protection Agency, "Use of Lead Free Pipes, Fittings, Fixtures, Solder, and Flux for Drinking Water", read 24 October 2026.
• Water Regulations Approval Scheme Ltd: product approvals, why get a product approved, directory guide and material approvals, read 24 October 2026.

Approval details are summarised from public pages; no clause, test procedure or test value from NSF/ANSI 61, NSF/ANSI 372, BS 6920 or any other standard is reproduced. The 0.25% figure is quoted from the US legal definition. Reference data only, not a claim that Flowsynergy stocks, tests or holds any of these approvals: confirm every line against the current edition and the approval directory.