A new era in drinking water safety: Aquatechnik is leading the way

With the arrival of the year 2026, significant change is on the horizon for the water supply industry. The European Commission’s recent adoption of stringent hygiene standards marks a crucial shift toward safer drinking water. One of the most notable aspects of this legislation, is the ban on the use of brass alloys containing lead, for the transportation of drinking water. The use of these alloys, currently used mainly in threaded fittings and various metal fittings, will no longer be permitted. For companies and consumers, this change brings both challenges and opportunities. Aquatechnik is already at the forefront of this transformation. 

Information on new legislation for the conveyance of drinking water

On January 23, 2024, the European Commission announced the introduction of new minimum hygiene standards aimed at improving drinking water safety throughout the EU. These standards, which will come into effect on December 31, 2026, will apply to all materials and products used in new installations or during the renovation and repair of existing ones. The main goal is to prevent microbial growth and reduce the release of harmful substances into drinking water.

The regulations specifically target materials and products such as pipes, valves, pumps, water meters, fittings and faucets. By making a unified European declaration of conformity and specific marking for compliant products mandatory, the new standards will not only make water safer to drink, but also simplify the approval process for manufacturers and national authorities. This harmonization eliminates the need for separate approvals in each EU member state, promoting a more efficient and streamlined market.

These changes stem from the revision of the Drinking Water Directive 2020/2184, which is part of the European Green Deal’s “zero pollution target” and responds to the Right2Water initiative and the call to improve access to safe drinking water for all Europeans. The new regulations set the most stringent global standards for drinking water quality, reflecting the EU’s commitment to public health and environmental protection.

Why switch to Aquatechnik’s Safety and Universal systems now?

Getting ahead of the game is a philosophy at Aquatechnik: in fact, our fittings have been lead free for more than 20 years. Switching to compliant materials and products before the 12/31/2026 deadline is a forward-looking and smart choice. We offer an ideal solution with Safety and Universal series of multilayer fittings, composed entirely of polymeric material, even in the threaded ends. These fittings are completely lead-free and have no metal parts in contact with drinking water.

The main advantages of Aquatechnik’s lead-free fittings:

1. Compliance and peace of mind. By choosing Aquatechnik’s lead-free fittings, you can anticipate being required to comply with upcoming EU regulations, thus giving added value to the property you build, given by the use of lead-free fittings that already comply with the legislation that will be applied in the future.
2. Increased safety. Our fittings eliminate the risk of lead contamination, ensuring a safer drinking water supply for homes, businesses and public facilities.
3. Innovative design. Safety and Universal multilayer fittings are designed with state-of-the-art technologies to ensure durability, reliability, and ease of installation. Safety-plus full-flow fittings, made of synthetic material (fitting body in PPS – Polyphenylene Sulfide, caps in PA-M – Modified Polyamide, and o-rings in EPDM – Ethylene Propylene Diene Peroxide Shore A70) have the added value of significantly reducing pressure drops, thanks to processing by “flaring”: in fact, the pipe-connection is done by enlargement of the multilayer pipe headers, keeping the passage section unchanged. The anti-unscrewing system also contributes to the stability and performance of the system. Universal’s multilayer pipe press fittings are made entirely of polyphenylsulfone PPSU polymer material with O-ring protection for a quality and practical solution using the press-fitting system, i.e., compression joining method. The connection is fast, safe and economical.
4. Future-proof solutions. Investing now in Aquatechnik’s lead-free fittings means making installations that already meet the highest standards for years to come, aligning with the EU’s long-term vision for a cleaner environment.

The future of drinking water distribution systems

New EU regulations on drinking water materials are a significant step toward greater protection of public health and the environment. As we approach the 2026 deadline, businesses and consumers need reliable and compliant solutions. Aquatechnik’s lead-free Safety and Universal series offer the perfect answer, combining innovation, compliance and safety. By choosing Aquatechnik, you are not only complying with new regulations, but you are also investing in the future of safer, cleaner drinking water.