Is Pex Safe For Drinking Water

One of whelton s research studies published in 2014 was the first us study on the effects multiple pex pipes have on the quality of drinking water.

Is pex safe for drinking water. The team investigated tap water quality in a new pex plumbing system and examined the odor quality and chemical impacts of six pex pipe brands more than 70 have been certified by the iaw nsfi ansi standard 61 as safe for drinking water. Pex is a form hdpe high density polyethelene also know as cross linked polyethylene tubing. Adding antioxidants during manufacturing made pex suitable for carrying drinking water and over the past two decades having met our potable drinking water standards it started catching on. In today s building world it s being used for heating and cooling systems insulation for wiring natural gas lines sewage and waste systems and also for potable drinking water.

Pipe in pipe systems are now commonly used to distribute water in many norwegian homes. There is no federal limit for the stuff in drinking water. Of course i don t really consider any tap water to be safe for drinking except possibly limited quantities in an emergency. Copper pvc polyvinyl chloride and pex cross linked polyethylene are the most widely used materials for residential plumbing.

The latest research out of whelton s lab has revealed a variety of compounds that can escape from pex pipes potentially causing drinking water to smell or taste bad. Each material has its own. However with its increased use comes the question is pex safe to. The bottom line scientists say is more information is needed about how pex piping affects drinking water.

Drinking water odors were attributed to toluene ethyl tert butyl ether and unidentified contaminants the study said. Is it safe to drink water. Pex s chlorine resistance and fluorides is purely because there is some kind of organic sacrificial compound mixed in with the polyethylene to be preferentially consumed. The inner pipe for drinking water is made of a plastic called cross linked polyethylene pex.

Being sure you have potable water safe pex you are just as safe as the supply of water fed into the pex.