Every municipal water supply within Clark County, Nevada, either meets or exceeds Safe Drinking Water Act standards and expectations.
Although the Southern Nevada Health District shares authority over the Safe Drinking Water Act, at this time the Health District is not the authority for domestic plumbing and associated appurtenances including elective point of entry or point of use water treatment devices. This is in line with most health districts/departments in the United States. Ultimately, plumbing authority is reserved for each municipal building department via their civil and mechanical engineering/plumbing permit authority.
We strongly encourage every business patron to conduct their own research before purchasing and using any appurtenances or devices for plumbing and water treatment. Many manufacturers will be more than pleased to provide great amounts of literature to aid their customers with that research. Ultimately, every consumer and property owner is sovereignly responsible for ensuring their plumbing modifications do not degrade their approved plumbing system and do not harm or endanger human health.
The following are a few independent consumer standards to consider while reviewing manufacturer literature toward making a decision for plumbing and water treatment equipment:
- National Sanitation Foundation (NSF) certification (link to website)
- American National Standards Institute (ANSI) certification
- Uniform Plumbing Code (UPC) Chapter 6 certification (indicates if a product is safe for potable water; often used as a shorthand or substitute for NSF/ANSI)
- Underwriters Laboratory (UL) certification (link to website)
- American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) certification
- International Organization for Standardization (ISO) certification (e.g. link to 13.060)
Should you wish to have your water tested, utilize a certified laboratory such as those linked here to independently contract their services. They would be testing for the same water quality standards expected of a municipal water supply.
Prior to installation, consult with your municipal building department regarding any plumbing permits; often minor filters don’t require a permit, yet that conclusion would be deferred to their respective office.
Table, American National Standards Institute and National Sanitation Foundation International Standards (ANSI/NSF):
Standard | Subject |
---|---|
14 | Plastics piping system components and related materials |
42 | Treatment of water quality for aesthetic effects |
44 | Cation Exchange Water Softeners |
51 | Plastic Materials and Components Used in Food Equipment (“food grade”) |
53 | Drinking water treatment units – Health effects (“consumer” not necessarily a PWS) |
55 | Ultraviolet light water disinfection |
58 | Reverse osmosis drinking water treatment systems |
60 | Drinking water treatment chemicals – Health Effects |
61 | Drinking water system components – Health Effects |
372 | Drinking water system components – Lead Content |
Table, Uniform Plumbing Code (UPC) standards for Water Supply and Distribution (aka “UPC Chapter 6”)
Standard | Subject |
---|---|
609 | Disinfection of Potable Water System (must use NSF 60 disinfectant solution) |
610 | Size of Potable Water Piping |
611 | Drinking Water Treatment Units |