Plumbing – Why can’t SharkBite plumbing connectors be sold in CA and VT

plumbing

I've spent the last couple of weeks replacing my copper hydronic heat in the house. I'm now a convert to PEX and SharkBite connectors.

I had to run out tonight to Home Depot to pick up one more connector and got back and realized there was an odd statement on the tag:

Note: It is illegal to sell this product in California and Vermont

Anyone know why this is? I did some Googling and found these theories from various places:

  • CA has a powerful plumbing lobby and they don't like homeowners having access to easier products
  • CA has strict anti-lead legislation where many brass fixtures still contain a percentage of lead

Both sound plausible and perhaps they're both true. Anyone know the actual reason?

Best Answer

It must be the lead, because http://www.sharkbiteplumbing.com/lead-free-fittings is advertising lead free fittings and leads with this line:

As of January 1, 2010, changes to California and Vermont laws prohibit selling any pipe, fitting, or fixture that is intended to dispense or convey drinking water and that has a weighted average lead content of more than 0.25% based on a wetted surface area calculation.

I would have expected another sentence in there saying "and these are lead free so it's fine" but there isn't that, just a bunch of pictures of individual fittings.

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